This week, we finally head out to Palenque. It was a good car ride with Darlys as I listened and listened to her. She is extremely stressed and allowing her studies to control her life. We talked a lot about this and how she can better prioritize and rest in HIM. When we arrived, it was good to be back and hear what all HE had been doing while we were gone. We spent some time with Hrln and Js Mnl just listening to them. We then headed down to the farm and had a great time in His Words with Ddr. She is really listening to His Spirit and has a pure desire for her family to all come together and study. It was a beautiful time together watching Him open her eyes to who HE desires her to be. We headed back to the house and ran into everyone who had everything to tell us. It was good to see that they were excited to see us and share with us their lives. We came back to the house, and ate dinner and as we prepared to leave to meet with a family, it began to rain. And it rained, and rained, and rained, and cut off the electricity…and so we stayed at the house. I spent more time with Daryls in His Words, we exercised, we pryd, and we went to bed. It was a good day of being back in the village after 3 weeks out and it was good to see HIM granting us favor in the eyes of the people.
Wednesday, we woke up to no electricity for the entire day but HE was so good in that it has never felt that good in Palenque…it was not cool but I was not sweating profusely! It was very refreshing. That morning, Darlys lead the devotional in the house with Js Mnl and Hrln on faith. It is so cool to watch Him grow her in her understanding of basic doctrinal Truths and then watch Him use her to teach them clearly! HE was definitely refining each one of us through the devotion. Afterwards, Darlys and I headed out to do some pryr walking and visit with a lady who had bought His Word and wanted to learn how to read it. It was a good time of just asking HIM where HE was working and seeking His Will for this village. We continue to proclaim that HE rise up a man to come to these people as we both feel that this village needs a man or a couple. When we arrived at the ladies house, she was washing and did not have time to meet with us so we planned for another time this week. And just as we were leaving, it began to pour down rain again. We arrive back at the house just before the storm hit, eat some lunch, and spend the next couple of hours pryng/planning/studying and resting. When the rain finally stopped, we headed out to visit with another lady who was not there. On our way back, we stopped by a families home to say hi and it turned into a perfect opportunity to teach His Truths. The entire family gathered around and we had a great time teaching His Stories to them. They go to the local club but are not family members…think that they are but there is not fruit at all. As they answered questions, read His Truths to answer those questions, they were definitely confronted by many things. They say that they are interested in studying each week but we will see what happens (as we have heard this before.) We left their house in time to walk Brody, eat some dinner, and get ready for all the youth to come for the meeting.
It was a good group of youth and it was just good to be with them again and hear about what they had been doing. The local YWAM M and her team had been leading this group while we were gone and as we listened to what they had been learning, it was good stuff…just not based in His Truth. One of the youth began to share with us, Yrc, a young lady whom many of you have been pryng for as she had been asking a lot of deeper questions. As she opened her mouth to speak and the way she acted all night, it was completely incredible. HE is working in your life. She openly speaks about grace and forgiveness and her sin and his love. She normally is someone we cannot control because she is always yelling about something or wanting to argue her point but tonight, she was calm and respectful. It was incredible the change that HE is making in her life. I spoke on Romans 12:1-2 and resisting the things of this world. We spent awhile reflecting on these verses and what they meant for us tonight. After our youth meeting, Darlys and I walk two of the youth back to their homes and take advantage of some time with them to hear their hearts. It was good to hear what HE is doing and how they are rebelling against His Will from their lips and them recognizing it.
When we make it back to the house as I am closing the gate and putting the padlock on it, Pdr comes up to say hey. Pdr is another young man whom you guys have been pryng for as I have felt from the HS that he is seeking something and doesn’t know that it is HIM. Each and every time that he has been with us, he is the young man who responds with, “man this is some serious stuff…you have confronted me…you have disarmed me…I am in shock”. He comes up to the gate and gives us his reason that he was not with us for our youth meeting and then begins to tell us all about this meeting he had. As we listen, the HS gives me His Word and after His Word to pour out over Pdr. Each time, he looks at me with that cute smile and that same phrase comes out of his mouth, “you have disarmed me.” I always remind him that it is the HS and not me that is disarming him and that he should go home, meditate on what we talked about, ask HIM what to do, and be obedient. I think we sat out there for like an hour listening, talking, and pryng. He eventually agrees to do just that and so we head into the house. That night, Darlys and I reflected on the day, pryd, and prepared for the next day.
Thursday, the group of YWAM m’s (who had arrived the day before for a presentation that was canceled in the plaza) left to head back to Cartagena. That morning the women came over for our weekly meeting. They shared with us the list of things that they would like to learn about and we shared some things that HE had placed on our hearts as well. It was neat to see how the very thing that Ktln said she had been asking HIM to answer was the very thing that two weeks ago, HE had placed on my heart to teach her. HE is so good like that and always connects us like that. I taught that morning and HE moved. It was just another great time in His Word and in His Presence! When we finished, we made some lunch and then headed to meet up with Krstn and Dncl. When we arrived, Krstn was not the same Krstn that we had seen the past couple of months. She had reverted back to the old self-involved and consumed angry person. It really hurt my heart to see her rejecting HIM and His Truth and relying on herself again. We shared some tough Truths with her and I was not easy with her…gentle but I spoke clearly…or I should say that HIS Words spoke clearly. She kept trying to change the subject and try to go back to her complaining and anger but we continued bringing her back to His Words. It was a long and tough hour but HE prevailed, as we always know HE does. As she pryd, her words were sincere and His Truths and her sin had broken her. While she was pryng, it began to rain and so we ended up having some more time with them and the fun loving Krstn who we know and love returned. It was neat to watch HIM answer our pryrs so quickly and use His powerful words to transform someone in front of our very own eyes.
We headed back to the house to refill water bottles, go to the bathroom, grab a snack, and prepare for our next meeting. We head down to the farm to meet with Mnl and his family. Because we had spoken to Ddr, we knew that the family had not met in the 3 weeks we had been gone nor had they done the homework that we had given them. As we sat asking why they had not met as a family to study and if they really did want to study, I felt HIM telling me to share a different story than the one we had planned on teaching. As I shared the story from Genesis 2 and 3, HE used it to bring them to a realization of where they were in their relation ship with HIM. There were many tears shed that afternoon but there was also a new light in their eyes as we spoke. After our study of His Word as a family, we began our English class. Not many of them had done that homework either, and so we spent some time reviewing making sentences in the present tense using the verbs and vocabulary that we had learned. It was a good night with this family and HE is definitely working in their lives. That night, Darlys and I spent time in His Word together and pryng and processing what HE had done all week. It was truly a great week of watching Him work in Palenque.
Friday morning as I was packing up the car, Pdr shows up. He begins to share more and more about his time with HIM all day Thursday and explains why he did not come to the house the entire day. HE is working in his life and His Truth is confronting Pdr. I just pry that HE opens his heart to understand His Truth and Will for his life. Darlys goes to a house to pick up a parakeet for Aida that a family was going to give us, we pick up some mangos we were going to give the families on the farm, and we end up with another parakeet. What a ride we had from Palenque to the farm that day, the two parakeets would not stop fighting and pooping. It was definitely a show you should have seen as Darlys started to disciple each of them and them fighting and pooping and Brody wanting to eat them and me…well, I was just laughing my head off. We had a good time at the farm. We spent time serving them in the kitchen, with the kids, and cleaning. None of the women came up to meet and I was disappointed that they did not come to start our study on fasting but not my will but His. I went down to see the Riffle’s and it was good to see the kids and see how they were doing. We had to leave early because I was meeting one of the girls I am discipling at the mall at 4:00. We say goodbye and I get home to find a lovely mess awaiting me.
The upstairs toilet had been leaking water (for how long I do not know) and had flooded the entire upstairs. Needless to say, I was tired, dirty, and not ready for this. I pryd for patience, called the girl to tell her I could not come, and then began cleaning and repairing. After everything was clean, I took a shower, made some dinner and watched a movie. Oh what a day…but HE was glorified!
Saturday, I had a good morning with HIM. Darlys came over to make brownies because she wants to sell them as a way to earn money to pay for schooling and the ministry in Palenque. The youth came over for our meeting and we talked about the gospel. They had homework of going through several gospel tracts that I had given them to tell me if they were doctrinally sound, where they lacked, and if they would use them. As some of them did not do their homework, it was still a good discussion. What I loved the most was the fact that they were thinking and searching Scripture together all based on the gospel message!! None of them left here satisfied with what they had discovered but hungry to dig deeper to finish the homework for the next week’s discussion. I love how HE is growing these youth in HIM! It is so fun to watch. That night, Darlys spent the night to work on a project and I helped her finish her brownies and get them packaged and ready to be sold the next day at the local club. As I was studying for the SS class the next day, Pdr called me. He begins to tell me how HE has opened his eyes and how he had been blinded by the world for a long time. He said that he was blind but that Gd opened his eyes and he can now see and understand the things that I had told him about. As he began to share this with me, I hit my knees and began to cry. OH WHAT A SAVIOR!! HE had saved one of his own in Palenque just like we had asked. HE had used HIS Words to draw Pdr to HIM, to confront him, and HE was changing his heart. Pdr told me he had never felt such a peace and tranquility in all of his life. He was so excited for us to come back next Tuesday and begin teaching him more about his new heart.
THANK YOU JSS!! And thank you for pryng…I am going to hit my knees and worship a DAD Who hears us and calls His people to Him!!
Wednesday, we woke up to no electricity for the entire day but HE was so good in that it has never felt that good in Palenque…it was not cool but I was not sweating profusely! It was very refreshing. That morning, Darlys lead the devotional in the house with Js Mnl and Hrln on faith. It is so cool to watch Him grow her in her understanding of basic doctrinal Truths and then watch Him use her to teach them clearly! HE was definitely refining each one of us through the devotion. Afterwards, Darlys and I headed out to do some pryr walking and visit with a lady who had bought His Word and wanted to learn how to read it. It was a good time of just asking HIM where HE was working and seeking His Will for this village. We continue to proclaim that HE rise up a man to come to these people as we both feel that this village needs a man or a couple. When we arrived at the ladies house, she was washing and did not have time to meet with us so we planned for another time this week. And just as we were leaving, it began to pour down rain again. We arrive back at the house just before the storm hit, eat some lunch, and spend the next couple of hours pryng/planning/studying and resting. When the rain finally stopped, we headed out to visit with another lady who was not there. On our way back, we stopped by a families home to say hi and it turned into a perfect opportunity to teach His Truths. The entire family gathered around and we had a great time teaching His Stories to them. They go to the local club but are not family members…think that they are but there is not fruit at all. As they answered questions, read His Truths to answer those questions, they were definitely confronted by many things. They say that they are interested in studying each week but we will see what happens (as we have heard this before.) We left their house in time to walk Brody, eat some dinner, and get ready for all the youth to come for the meeting.
It was a good group of youth and it was just good to be with them again and hear about what they had been doing. The local YWAM M and her team had been leading this group while we were gone and as we listened to what they had been learning, it was good stuff…just not based in His Truth. One of the youth began to share with us, Yrc, a young lady whom many of you have been pryng for as she had been asking a lot of deeper questions. As she opened her mouth to speak and the way she acted all night, it was completely incredible. HE is working in your life. She openly speaks about grace and forgiveness and her sin and his love. She normally is someone we cannot control because she is always yelling about something or wanting to argue her point but tonight, she was calm and respectful. It was incredible the change that HE is making in her life. I spoke on Romans 12:1-2 and resisting the things of this world. We spent awhile reflecting on these verses and what they meant for us tonight. After our youth meeting, Darlys and I walk two of the youth back to their homes and take advantage of some time with them to hear their hearts. It was good to hear what HE is doing and how they are rebelling against His Will from their lips and them recognizing it.
When we make it back to the house as I am closing the gate and putting the padlock on it, Pdr comes up to say hey. Pdr is another young man whom you guys have been pryng for as I have felt from the HS that he is seeking something and doesn’t know that it is HIM. Each and every time that he has been with us, he is the young man who responds with, “man this is some serious stuff…you have confronted me…you have disarmed me…I am in shock”. He comes up to the gate and gives us his reason that he was not with us for our youth meeting and then begins to tell us all about this meeting he had. As we listen, the HS gives me His Word and after His Word to pour out over Pdr. Each time, he looks at me with that cute smile and that same phrase comes out of his mouth, “you have disarmed me.” I always remind him that it is the HS and not me that is disarming him and that he should go home, meditate on what we talked about, ask HIM what to do, and be obedient. I think we sat out there for like an hour listening, talking, and pryng. He eventually agrees to do just that and so we head into the house. That night, Darlys and I reflected on the day, pryd, and prepared for the next day.
Thursday, the group of YWAM m’s (who had arrived the day before for a presentation that was canceled in the plaza) left to head back to Cartagena. That morning the women came over for our weekly meeting. They shared with us the list of things that they would like to learn about and we shared some things that HE had placed on our hearts as well. It was neat to see how the very thing that Ktln said she had been asking HIM to answer was the very thing that two weeks ago, HE had placed on my heart to teach her. HE is so good like that and always connects us like that. I taught that morning and HE moved. It was just another great time in His Word and in His Presence! When we finished, we made some lunch and then headed to meet up with Krstn and Dncl. When we arrived, Krstn was not the same Krstn that we had seen the past couple of months. She had reverted back to the old self-involved and consumed angry person. It really hurt my heart to see her rejecting HIM and His Truth and relying on herself again. We shared some tough Truths with her and I was not easy with her…gentle but I spoke clearly…or I should say that HIS Words spoke clearly. She kept trying to change the subject and try to go back to her complaining and anger but we continued bringing her back to His Words. It was a long and tough hour but HE prevailed, as we always know HE does. As she pryd, her words were sincere and His Truths and her sin had broken her. While she was pryng, it began to rain and so we ended up having some more time with them and the fun loving Krstn who we know and love returned. It was neat to watch HIM answer our pryrs so quickly and use His powerful words to transform someone in front of our very own eyes.
We headed back to the house to refill water bottles, go to the bathroom, grab a snack, and prepare for our next meeting. We head down to the farm to meet with Mnl and his family. Because we had spoken to Ddr, we knew that the family had not met in the 3 weeks we had been gone nor had they done the homework that we had given them. As we sat asking why they had not met as a family to study and if they really did want to study, I felt HIM telling me to share a different story than the one we had planned on teaching. As I shared the story from Genesis 2 and 3, HE used it to bring them to a realization of where they were in their relation ship with HIM. There were many tears shed that afternoon but there was also a new light in their eyes as we spoke. After our study of His Word as a family, we began our English class. Not many of them had done that homework either, and so we spent some time reviewing making sentences in the present tense using the verbs and vocabulary that we had learned. It was a good night with this family and HE is definitely working in their lives. That night, Darlys and I spent time in His Word together and pryng and processing what HE had done all week. It was truly a great week of watching Him work in Palenque.
Friday morning as I was packing up the car, Pdr shows up. He begins to share more and more about his time with HIM all day Thursday and explains why he did not come to the house the entire day. HE is working in his life and His Truth is confronting Pdr. I just pry that HE opens his heart to understand His Truth and Will for his life. Darlys goes to a house to pick up a parakeet for Aida that a family was going to give us, we pick up some mangos we were going to give the families on the farm, and we end up with another parakeet. What a ride we had from Palenque to the farm that day, the two parakeets would not stop fighting and pooping. It was definitely a show you should have seen as Darlys started to disciple each of them and them fighting and pooping and Brody wanting to eat them and me…well, I was just laughing my head off. We had a good time at the farm. We spent time serving them in the kitchen, with the kids, and cleaning. None of the women came up to meet and I was disappointed that they did not come to start our study on fasting but not my will but His. I went down to see the Riffle’s and it was good to see the kids and see how they were doing. We had to leave early because I was meeting one of the girls I am discipling at the mall at 4:00. We say goodbye and I get home to find a lovely mess awaiting me.
The upstairs toilet had been leaking water (for how long I do not know) and had flooded the entire upstairs. Needless to say, I was tired, dirty, and not ready for this. I pryd for patience, called the girl to tell her I could not come, and then began cleaning and repairing. After everything was clean, I took a shower, made some dinner and watched a movie. Oh what a day…but HE was glorified!
Saturday, I had a good morning with HIM. Darlys came over to make brownies because she wants to sell them as a way to earn money to pay for schooling and the ministry in Palenque. The youth came over for our meeting and we talked about the gospel. They had homework of going through several gospel tracts that I had given them to tell me if they were doctrinally sound, where they lacked, and if they would use them. As some of them did not do their homework, it was still a good discussion. What I loved the most was the fact that they were thinking and searching Scripture together all based on the gospel message!! None of them left here satisfied with what they had discovered but hungry to dig deeper to finish the homework for the next week’s discussion. I love how HE is growing these youth in HIM! It is so fun to watch. That night, Darlys spent the night to work on a project and I helped her finish her brownies and get them packaged and ready to be sold the next day at the local club. As I was studying for the SS class the next day, Pdr called me. He begins to tell me how HE has opened his eyes and how he had been blinded by the world for a long time. He said that he was blind but that Gd opened his eyes and he can now see and understand the things that I had told him about. As he began to share this with me, I hit my knees and began to cry. OH WHAT A SAVIOR!! HE had saved one of his own in Palenque just like we had asked. HE had used HIS Words to draw Pdr to HIM, to confront him, and HE was changing his heart. Pdr told me he had never felt such a peace and tranquility in all of his life. He was so excited for us to come back next Tuesday and begin teaching him more about his new heart.
THANK YOU JSS!! And thank you for pryng…I am going to hit my knees and worship a DAD Who hears us and calls His people to Him!!
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