Everyone was up and fresh this morning after a real night’s sleep and we began the day with such a spirit filled time of prayer and worship at the hotel. As we discussed heading into the village to go out in 4 teams to visit individuals and families to share the saving grace of Jesus, we were very aware of the warfare that would ensue. We prayed for each other and asked for a special anointing on the men of our team as we have felt a real call to pray for and reach men in the village. There’s an overwhelming absence of men in the church. Women talk about their not-yet-saved husbands and the conflict that results. It makes perfect sense in the spiritual world...men leading families would be targeted by the enemy of our lives keeping families is disorder or worse. We sensed a real filling of the holy spirit this morning as we headed to Kakira to do what for some was going to be especially challenging.
Each group of 3 team members was accompanied with at least one interpreter and one church
member. 
After several hours we met back at the church and gave reports of what happened in each group.
After several hours we met back at the church and gave reports of what happened in each group. 
There were accounts of openness among those we shared with, several cases of drunkenness, one at least amazing, if not miraculous healing of a woman who was bedridden and a witch doctor that was willing to listen. In the clinic, one small child, Matthew lay suffering his third day in the ward suffering from Malaria and showing no signs of improvement. His mother was so clearly worried. We prayed for the boy and shared the hope of a saving Jesus and she was one of many today who wanted to be saved and prayed for just that.
We found the people of the village to be open, perhaps more so than what we experience at home a desperate need on their part and a fervent time of prayer that God answered with abundance. Now, that they would continue to seek Him, learn more about how much He loves them and join the family of believers there for support and discipleship. What we know is that God provided for us to do our small part, telling our own stories and the story of God’s amazing plan for them.
We were served a generous lunch and then sat with church members to hear of their lives, struggles and hopes for ministry in the village. Requests for prayer were shared on both sides, though we were humbled when we considered some of our “needs” and theirs. We circled around the members of the church to pray for them, then they circled around us for the same. I can’t really describe the unity we felt, the sameness, the mutual love and presence of God in that time.
By 3:30 we headed out of the village and stopped in town for an hour or so for a soft drink and perusing of the local shops...though most of us sat at a table talking about what we had seen, experienced and were feeling about the day.
Chris and our van picked up about 7 of the group to make a quick trip the Chayah’s house to scout out plumbing and building materials that would be needed, take some measurements and very possibly just get some face time with our tribe of amazing little ones. Four of us took Boda Boda’s back to the hotel...there’s something about that experience that says “I just can’t believe I’m in Africa!”
The evening was spent sorting all of the generosity of people back home. I wish we could pack in a more organized fashion, but we end up with a smorgasbord in each suitcase in order to equalize the weight, so like a production team moving within a maze of suitcases we sorted and labeled bags of things to go to Chayah, things to go to the babies home, clothing to be given to some in the village, tools and VBS supplies. 24 suitcases unpacked and repacked and two hours later we are all finishing up our day and making a beeline for the pillow in preparation for tomorrow.
This team is wonderful, energetic, passionate, humble servants. We are a mixed group with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. But there was for each of us a point in time with nothing counted for anything except the cross and accepting the sacrifice made there. Its were every single experience was repurposed to glorify our creator. None of it our doing, not a shred of worthiness...God’s plan and design and we are grateful.
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