Mary and I have been back in Waynesville, Ga. for two and half weeks now trying to find our way. It has been a little difficult for us to readjust, but we are finding God's graces as we walk day by day. It has been great to reconnect with family and friends. Mary's brother, Robert Lane is in the hospital icu again with multiple problems, heart, kidney, diabetes. Please continue to pray for him. On Saturday, I was able to reunite with my Kairos brothers who have been involved in prison ministry with for several years. It was a great reunion for me. Thursday we will be entering a maximum security prison and teaching 42 inmates Christianity 101 for 4 days. Please pray for these men that their hearts will be fertile soil to receive the word of God. Attached (with pictures) and below is an update from Kara in Gonaives. Please keep April in your prayers as she recovers from Malaria.
God has been speaking to me a lot lately about relationships, and how I can better love my enemies and those who hurt and persecute me. It seems that we are called as followers of Christ to a deeper level of sharing God's unconditional love, than what we actually demonstrate in our lives at times. It is one thing to love those who return love, but Jesus says "what does this profit us to love those who love us in return"? The hurt from someones words or actions towards us many times stirs up emotions within us, that lead us in the natural to retaliate with words,
actions, or sometimes with an unrighteous silence, to that person or others, that say I will repay evil for evil. The kind of love Jesus ask us to share is not only saying I love you to my enemies, but asking the Holy Spirit to show me ways I can forgive and demonstrate God's love in words and actions, and seventy times seven if needed. In this I realize that the only opportunity to love people in this way is when there is conflict, struggles, and differences of will, opinion, or knowledge. When I reflect on this in my life I realize that in the mirror of God's word, I fall short and it is nothing but the power of the Holy Spirit working in me that could possibly allow me, not only to love, but demonstrate His great unconditional love which He has shown me to others. And I also realize it is only through situations, circumstances, and people God places in my life, which allows me to see the wretchedness within my heart. It is then we have the Holy Spirit in our lives to convict and transform us Spiritually in our words and actions.
Lord today allow me to see how you are wanting to change and transform my life through people, circumstances and life situations, and God, please allow me to see my true heart where you can change and transform my life into the image of your son Jesus Christ. Amen!
Prayer request
Robert Lane, Mary's brother
April as she recovers from Malaria
Kairos Prison Ministry this weekend.
All the activities of transformation in Jubilee.
Praising God from who all blessings flow.
It is October 28th, and the house is quiet-- the beautiful people who live here are out bringing the kingdom in the different forms they have been called to. Momma Kati is here on the porch, going back and forth between sorting trade school products and experimenting new ways of bracelet making. Her re
lationship with the journal maker, Benson, continues to grow and thrive, as does his skill. With every new basket of journals, ornaments, earrings, and necklaces
that the trade school artisans create, there continues to
be an expansion of personal creativity and professional refinement. To see success in the pursuit of inspiring people, feeding families, and offering a way for communities across the
sea to enable healthy community here in Jubilee makes our heart dance.
Chris is in Jubilee preparing for his three o’clock advanced English class. Instead of just teaching vocabulary and syntax, each day Chris reads through a quote from a great author or philosopher, explaining words as the conversation progresses. This not only teaches English in context, but it opens up a conversation on integrity,
character, morality, and drive.
I sincerely wish you could feel the air of people being empowered in that room!
We are feeling the empty space left by April Komasaki since she flew back to the
As one leaves another returns: Isaac Gardener will be flying into Port Au Prince on Monday to help further the house and garden project, where he has been severely missed. After a minor motorcycle accident and contracting Dengue Fever, he returned to New Hampshire to get an MRI on his knee and heal. He is now back to full health and ready to build! Speaking of which, the “adobe” house is coming along nicely. The guys are spending their evenings researching and their days putting knowledge into action. They have employed three teenage boys to help them, which is also serving as a medium to be a positive influence. Right now they are in the process of laying the foundational
rice bags filled with sifted dirt. Two layers down, sixteen feet up to go!
This week we received the two containers the Brooks had shipped from Georgia, one containing the forms to build more houses, along with rice and school supplies, and the other containing a back hoe. The back hoe is coming just in time to be used on the guys’ house, building the reservoirs for the Jubilee houses, as well as working on the garden. The
garden is coming along as a new fence
goes up around the perimeter and the raised beds are being created.
This month has been a reminder that His timing is always perfect. From last week, as told by Momma Kati: “I was heading home from
Jubilee and a serious looking crowd had formed near the bridge.
Christianna, a lady in the Jewelry group, and also in Martha's medical training class,
” knowing it was GOD that brought Martha here.
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