Nan Update – Prepare for the Bush :)

Prayer Warriors

So… I decided I wanted to give you more of a full scope of what is going on here so this email is quite a bit longer than the ones your used to and it has a quite a bit more information so bear with me and please read all if you can. I just wanted to share with you the whole picture of what is going on here, with the people, with the team and in between Him and myself. So I hope this encourages you and His mighty works inspire you. All blessings and grace be yours.

So what have we been up to…

Well… It’s been a little over a month since Penny and I boarded that plane headed to West Africa. And yet somehow it feels like yesterday and years ago. As weird as that may sound it’s true, sometimes we still can’t believe we’re here and other days we look at each other and go “We lived in America once didn’t we? Oh yeah that’s right.” I guess when you leave everything familiar to you and are immersed into something new and unfamiliar you can get a little lost sometimes. Good thing He always knows where we are, where we came from and where we are going. Praise Him for being the Same, Today, Yesterday and Forever…

So I’m going to try to give you a quick rundown on everything that’s happened in the last month.

During our first 10 days, we were in orientation, learning a little more each day about the culture, the mind set, the people and how life is in general and what it was going to look like for us for the next four months. During that time we also learned more about the heart of our mission here, what the Father has been doing among the people recently, what the vision looks like and some ways on how those  before us have most effectively gotten the Word out. After this time our Team mates Rocky and Matt moved out to Guinea and we moved out to a Village with B&K. While living here we’ve had to opportunity to be a part of a Medical Clinic, Showing the Jesus Film in the bush, regular Believers study, discipleship, and Kids clubs. B&K have been excellent models of what Followers of the King should look like to the people, they are also excellent teachers. Penny and I have been extremely blessed by them every single day.  Something else we have also been extremely blessed by is the Believers study, to sit on mats with Believers (most times outside on mats under the amazing African sky) repeating over and over again the Word so it sticks in their head because they won’t be able to read it later. Encouraging one another and praying for each. It’s truly one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. Watching children staring at a storying cloth with wide eyes listening to stories of Abraham and Moses, completely fascinated because they’ve never heard it before but somehow they know it’s true. Some people I’d like you to pray for: Evan, Heath, Adam, Aaron and baby Opal. Evan is quite a man after He’s heart. Evan is the newest believer, he’s incredibly passionate and outspoken about his faith and is bold in reaching everyone around him. Heath is an incredible man as well. I haven’t had much of a chance to get to know him as much as the others though.  Adam is a continual blessing to me. He is very helpful to Penny and I with our language but he also just has an incredible spirit about him that just brings so much joy whenever he is around. He has become very close to my heart. Aaron is a funny young man, very smart, passionate believer as well and precious baby Opal is just so interested in the Word and remembers it so accurately its amazing. So please pray for all these, that they would continue to hide the Word in them, be bold in sharing and continue growing steadfast in faith.

Well we just finished language and are getting ready to move to the next stage of our journey. Monday we’ll be moving into our Village, we’re very excited but we know things are about to change drastically. We’ve been adjusting very well so far, He has been more than amazing to us – protecting us from sickness, giving us wisdom with the language and strengthening our spirits and hearts for everyday life so we know that we will be fine, no matter where we move to we’re still in His hand. But we do ask that you lift us up especially in the first two week when the biggest transition will occur. 

Challenging and Encouraging quotes from my personal daily study and reading - 

            “Your prayer for world harvest can be more effective today because God in His sovereignty is coordinating world trends to make rapid fruitfulness available to His children. If we will put priority on prayer and obedience, this can be earth’s greatest harvest time… There is no limit to what any Christian can accomplish through prayer.” – Wesley Duewel, Missionary to India

            “Life does not work without prayer, He is in control and He simply lets us participate in His work by His grace.” – Meryl , Short term missionary to South Asia

-  Decide today that you will not stand by and watch people live and die without the knowledge of Jesus Christ. So what do you do now? PRAY –From book, My Life, His Mission

Funny quote from one of our Career Missionaries to a volunteer team headed to the bush-

            “You have just gone 10 miles past the Great Commission.”

Lift it up, Lift it up, Lift it up…

Scripture that has been on my heart that has helped me pray more specifically for the people.

            Mark 4- Jeremiah 4:3 – Isaiah 62:10- Psalm 10:17

The soil…The soil of their hearts. That it would be deep so when the sun shines and trouble comes the seed was not planted in shallow soil so it dies, but that it would be deep rooted and strong like the tree by the stream. (Jeremiah 17:7-8) Also that we would not sow among thorns (Jer. 4:3) that the cares of this world would not become a hindrance: past, heritage, family, friends, uncertain future all of the above could be thorns and so much more that the enemy could use against the Word. Bind it in the Name of above all Names.

-Monday Penny and I will be moving so keep that in your prayers that everything will go smoothly, that our Hearts, Spirits, Bodies will be ready for everything ahead and that we will adjust easily.

-Brandy is having a group of volunteers come in this coming week so Pray that their work will be effective and that she will have wisdom in leading them

-Kanesa will be living with us for the first few days so pray that God gives her wisdom in teaching us and that she’ll have alot of strength, she’s been under the weather alot of this past week and today we spent some time praying that she wouldn’t be getting malaria again so please keep her in your prayers.

- Some of our Team members are heading to South Africa for some Dr Appointments so keep their health and safety in your prayers and that the Dr’s will have wisdom.

- Continue daily.. please please please.. for the Language.. We have been doing alright but its pretty tough I know we’re going to learn alot our first week in the village but its also going to be very overwhelming, and a 24 hr deal.

- Pray a spirit of Boldness, Love and Soundmind over Penny and Myself as we start to minister

- Pray for wisdom as we start to plan out what we will be doing each day, who we will be pouring into and what we should be teaching.

- Pray also for continued unity. We’ve been extremely blessed so far, and I know the enemy wants to get in and cause conflict so please pray against that.

-Pray that we would have favor with the people and the Chief and his family.

-Pray against the spiritual darkness as its alot darker where we are headed that we would move in the Spirt in all knowledge and discernment and that we would be hidden in the shadow of His wing, protected from the enemy.

I pray this email finds you blessed and growing in the Word. We pray for you often and know that we appreciate your prayers and that you are a huge part of the great things that are about to take place for God’s glory.

Love you all, also I’ll be in town until Sunday so if you have any question email me and I’ll get back to you before we leave,

Nan