July 9 - We saw the again

 I cannot tell you in adequate words what it means to me and the team to receive encouraging comments and verses from some of you as you follow this blog and pray for us.

I received the following verse this morning from a dear friend Kathy. It REALLY speaks to the journey this team is on and our resolve to do ALL God has called us to do and the power we see Him display. We do serve an amazing God!

“I was praying for you and these verses came to mind:
If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!” 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 MSG

Yesterday we made a stop at a pharmacy so Edward could get some supplies and I got some melatonin for me as I have not been sleeping well. It worked until midnight when I awoke with a violent headache. I took some of the medicine I brought with me but that was the end of my sleep but I rested until 5am when I got up. 6:30 arrived and that found us packing up the van including the breakfast items that the hotel packaged to send with us. French toast, bacon, pork sausages, bananas, grapes, an apple and African tea. They really did a terrific job of send us off well when we could not stay to eat the comped breakfast there.

So by 7:00 we were “on the road again” as Willie Nelson would sing for 4 ½ hours until we arrived at Ravin prison. But on the way we had, some wonderful unexpected sights and this time I got photos of a number of animals plus zebras and rhinos, some were really close. 

How amazing is God’s creation! We never go on safaris so getting the opportunity to see the rhinos’ up close was a special gift from the Savior. No one on the team had ever seen the rhinos’ in person.

We had to stop at a bank and exchange some US$ bills and although it took about an hour they did not like some of the bills so they would not exchange them. Edward said he knew of another bank that he will take them to early next week. I never get used to how much longer things take here to do than they do at home. But we were finally off to Ravin prison.

Imagine my surprise when I heard the O.C. tell the men that a woman and a white woman at that had NEVER spoke in that prison before! I was ever so pleased to be the first and be told how welcome I was. At prison after prison we are asked to please return, it is an answer to pray that we find such favor at the prisons.

I was pleased that 5-6 of the staff stayed through the entire crusade and some made decisions just like most all of the prisoners. But there was one prisoner that I had a hard time taking my eyes off of, he like most the prisoners wore a mask but his eyes, forehead and hairline looked so much like my son Alfred that they could have been twins. After we finished the crusade I had quite a talk with him, telling him what a good plan God had for his life but it was up to him and the good choices he needs to make in the future, his name is Bennet. I asked Chaplain Edward to keep in touch with the chaplain in that prison so I can follow Bennet’s progress as I continue to pray for him. Please pray for him too.

I made PP&J sandwiches as Edward drove us 2 hours to back to Eldorate where we arrived at 5:30 and stayed at the same hotel, I am glad they had our same rooms. Tonight I ordered Beef stew with ½ veggi rice and ½ steamed vegetables. I will see how that goes.

That’s enough for today, tonight I want to get to bed early since I only got 2 ½ hrs sleep last night.

Pray for the hearts of the prisoners, our health and strength and a fresh anointing as well as favor with everyone we meet.

That none would be lost,

Arlene