Dear Friends in Christ,
I have just returned from the wild/remote bush of the southern Kenya/Tanzania border. Partnering again with me was good friend Jay Newsome of "Hope of the World Ministries.: In the sixteen years since my first mission trip, I've learned that each trip has its own flavor/character/identity. This one was truly a test of focus and trusting God.
It seemed like that almost everything that could come against us (or go wrong) did
We worked out of the southern small town of Narok, Kenya. Each day we would travel 2-3 hours one way out into the wild bush to find unreached Masai dwellings. This area is known for much witchcraft and did cause us some problems in certain dwellings.
In several villages, we were angrily told "to leave immediately". We ran into several circumcision celebrations (women) that stopped us from sharing the Gospel. We were told in one village not to get out of the car or 15 to 20 demonized women women would attack us. In another village, one Masai "high priest" told us, "I don't like you or your God - Leave now."
In several other villages, all of the women had gone to a fertility celebration and we could'nt share with them. In another, the people were being tormented (and killed) by a 12-14 foot Black Mamba Snake (the most deadly snake in Africa) which they said was full of evil spirits and would track people down to bite them.
In one village, we encountered lots of drunkeness (local moonshine made from maize) and it caused a lot of confusion while sharing. One elder of a village got furious with me, stood up and told the people, "This white man is very bad", and walked off shouting at me. There were extremely bad/rough dirt roads and trails in the bush and tons of dust inside the car so that we could hardly breathe.
Sounds like the mision field at times!
In spite of it all - The Lord, the Holy Spirit, and your prayers did some really neat things
One village really touched my heart. After driving what seemed like forever (even through very dangerous elephant territiory) in high bushes, we finally came to a village. At first the people didn't seem interested and even told us to hurry, for they were busy. As I was preaching, some of the young men were mocking and laughing at me and one elder got mad and walked off when I said that it breaks the laws of the true God to beat your wife (or wives).
He said angrily, "You cannot tell us to stop beating our wives."
I told them that even though I am a white man, I am still an elder to them (age, bald head, and grey beard) and they had disrespected me. The atmosphere quickly changed and they all started listening. Four or five people came forward to receive Jesus. One young tall warrior caught our attention as very serious. We prophesied over him that he was called to be an evangelist to his own people and layed hands on him as he knelt down.
We asked the blind, deaf, and sick to come for healing prayer
One lady could hardly walk and came forward for prayer saying that for six years she had not been able to sit or bend her legs or even walk without pain. We prayed and immediately the power of God hit her. Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, instantly healed her. She started running, jumping, sitting, and giving glory to God. All of the people were amazed.
Then they brought a demon possessed young man to us and we started to cast devils out of him. After about ten minutes, he got set free and his whole face/voice changed. He knelt down and prayed to receive Christ.
All of the sudden, hi grandmother came over to see what had happened to his face. For she said, "He looks and talks different. He looks normal."
We told her that this is the power of the true God! She immediately said she wanted to receive this Jesus as her only God. Praise God! A pagan woman was saved by the supernatural power of the true God.
The True Kingdom of Heaven had come to their village - salvation, physical healing, devils cast out, laying on hands, prophesying, and pain turned to joy!
That's the true Gospel! That is what we're all called and empowered to do. That's what all churches should be doing! This is the only kind of Gospel our Lord Jesus talked about and demonstrated!
There is no excuse for any church or christian to spiritually compromise and do any less than what our Lord told us to do! "Heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely you have received. Freely give back."
One other village caught our attention in a way that blessed us.
We gathered under a shade tree and started sharing the Gospel. I went into a long example of what Heaven is like for those who follow our God (including that the men will not be allowed to beat their wives). Before I could even finish my entire example, a very old lady blurted out, "Please tell us how to get there - this place where men don't beat us."
Another old lady said, "We have never heard the way to this place. If possible, will you carry us there."
We saId, "Good news has come to your village." About 30 people came forward to receive Christ and the head elder said that we would always be welcomed there.
I have been hearing statements like what those ladies said for 16 years.
The unreached world of the forgotten remote places still waits to hear, if only someone will go to them. Would you pray about monthly partnering with this ministry to the totally unreached.
