Dec. 29

Ministry Partners and Friends,

After breakfast today we took about a 2 1/2 hour drive through tea plantations and sugar cane fields to the village where Aaron is from. Due the the rain people were late arriving since the mode of transport there is ..... walking. The delay provided us the opportunity to go see Ruth, Aaron's mom. Many of you prayed for her recently as she had a portion of her heart collapse. She had been in a comma for two weeks when I sent out the request for prayer and within two days she was up and eating. She thanked everyone for their prayers.

Aaron, Ruth & Arlene

Praise Jesus for answered prayer and His healing touch. Aaron's oldest sister and his sister-in-law live with Ruth and help care for her. I visited with his other sister last night at our hotel and she also came today. What a wonderful family of women!!! They served us tea, chapatis and something like a doughnut with no hole.

When we arrived back at the church they were singing as we entered, there were about 300 there. Pastors from other churches were there as well as some of their church people. I could feel a hardness as I shared and when I gave the invitation no one responded, I waited.......... finally one young women came forward then another and another and another. The 4 prayed and received God's free gift or salvation and the women who had first responded told everyone that she had grown up in church and had become a pastor but she realized today that she only had head knowledge and had never asked Jesus to come into her heart and received His free gift of salvation BUT today she realized that she needed to do that.

Later as I challenged them to forgive it was different. Women wept as I challenged them to forgive their rapist, others I challenged to forgive someone who hurt or offended them and then to forgive themselves, even the pastors responded to that invitation, about 250 in all.

Then they fed us a wonderful meal including the entire church.

It was time for the drive home. Aaron said that one pastor told him that white pastors come there and talk about little of nothing but I gave them much to think on from God's Word. I was too tired for dinner and just decided to get this blog done and then off to bed. I preach at a church tomorrow.

Thank you for your continuing prayers for us.

That none would be lost,

Arlene