June 24 - 12th Prison Crusade today

 

Ministry Partners,

Today we completed 12 prison crusades and I can tell you that has only happened because of God’s faithfulness to us and the ministry He has called us to do here. We have been in Jinja and have not had internet services but quite frankly I have been too ill to do a post. 

 Jut how much can you carry on your head?

I have a wonderful team with Pastor Peace traveling with the Bible/Booklet and supply off-loads so that those things are ready for us when we arrive at each prison. Then there is Dr. Alfred and Pastor Aaron who travel with me and do absolutely everything for me leaving me only the sweet task of preaching and the Holy Spirit has equipped me at every crusade to do just that. As I find it difficult to put one foot in front of the other and the issue of coughing until my throat is raw creates as well as having intestinal issues and the addition of fuzzy thinking makes for quite a picture of me. But it is the FACT that I know my Savior has the victory in all we try to accomplish that gives me the energy to stand when I feel so weak and frail and having the shakes does not help either. Then the transformation takes place as a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit clears my mind and gives me focus and strength. At every crusade I know when all I can do is stand I know He will give me all I need to share His love with those dear souls looking at me.

“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

Then as soon as the crusade is over I am at the van laying back in the seat sleeping as we travel over bumpy African roads and doing the same as soon as we arrive back at our hotel. My energy has been completely zapped and exhaustion has been my ugly companion, very unusual things for me but today when we finally got back to our motel in Kampala and we had internet this is the Bible Gateway verse that appeared in my email, “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thess. 3:3 Isn’t it just like our dear Holy Spirit to bring just the right verse to remind me of his faithfulness.

I also want to thank each one of you who have taken the time to pray for me. It was a sweet balm to my heart to know that I have such precious partners.  I have never not wanted to eat before so having to force myself to eat when I did not want to has been a chore. I am eating yogurt every day to try and build up what the antibiotic destroyed in my stomach.

Today is the first day that the fuzziness in my brain has subsided enough so that I could construct some sentences that make sense.

Today when we got up it was raining hard but by the time we had arrived at the prison it had stopped. We only had 1 crusade at a small prison and it was quite different from the maximum security prison that we were in yesterday. Three stories tall and me preaching from the center courtyard with men peering down from every level. But it’s great when I can be close enough to the prisoners to look them in the eyes and so precious as I hear them asking Jesus to forgive them and be their Savior like the Muslim prisoner today and today we also watched as the staff made decisions. It makes every second of my discomfort so very, very worth it.  

And today like every prison we have been too we heard, “When will you come back? We invite you to come back any time.”

That’s it for today. Please pray:

• That the Holy Spirit would prepare the hearts of the prisoners
• For a fresh anointing for the team
  
• That my energy continues to improve and that the coughing completely dissipates 

That none would be lost,

Arlene