Wow, what a weekend we just had. Depending on how much I write about it I’ll write about the week as well, but this weekend, (mostly Sunday) was incredible and I need to testify about it.
Sunday, it was a draining day. I got home and went to sleep so quick and felt absolutely empty, but my goodness it was so worth it. In the morning a team of about 15 of us, went to a local church. When we first walked into this mud walled shack of a building we were blinded. Blinded by the sun since the roof was only partly done and there was a gapping whole in the middle of it. When we turned to the front we could see roughly about 10 people sitting on old unstable benches. In front of them where 8 nice, solid plastic chairs set out for the team. We were greeted with warm handshakes and shown to our front row seats. Once the pastor had spoken for a little bit we were called to the front to be introduced. One of the big parts of YWAM is the fact that we are not denominational, so we each spoke of where we are from and our home church, after which Daniel spoke about how we come from different places but yet are one body and that our desire has a movement is to bring churches together for one purpose. Once we introduced ourselves we had a time of prophesying over the people and church as a body. This wasn’t planned, as it never should be, and we really saw God speak. Roughly five of us or so spoke words over people and the body of people. They received it very well and after words we hurt from other people that our words spoke right into people’s lives, all by the power of God. From there we did a skit about how we can put ourselves into boxes and only God can set us free. It’s a powerful skit and really spoke to people. God continued to move as Suzy’s father preached the gospel and really was empowered and spoke God’s words over everyone. Once the word was preached God moved through His Spirit of healing and healed a couple people from different body pains. One of the big area’s we see of healing is that of headaches and backaches. This is usually caused by dehydration but it’s always a place where God moves and places healings over people. It was really amazing to be praying for people and God using you in that area. (I’ll write more about healings further down) This church was incredibly open to all the things we brought to the table and drank of the water that God was pouring out. It’s inspiring to see such small churches with such power and such depth in their faith. As much as I love big corporate churches I’m really coming to enjoy the intimacy and fellowship of small, local churches. They really know what it means to love your neighbour, or in their case, the person in the next pew. It really moves me to want to have that deep relationship with in a church setting. To those of you reading this from my church family back home, I’d like to ask your forgiveness for not being involved in the church in that area of relationship. I was frustrated by the church for a while and separated from myself from it. I know regret that I wish to be able to connect with all of you on that deeper level. I know it is not an instant, duck tape, kind of mix, but one that takes time, time that I’m willing to put in once I am back home. I appreciate all of your friendships and support very much.
Thank you church family.
Now onto, for me, the most excited part of our day. After coming back to the base and eating some lunch we packed up the big car with all of our gear and 9 people and set out to get a pastor who was going to take us to one of his village churches in which we were going show the Jesus movie in. I really don’t think we could have fit anything else in that car with us, 10 people in total now and all of the great. Five of us sitting on each other’s laps in bed of this truck as we set off down dirt roads and through small villages and markets filled with people. We drove for about an hour or so and finally reached our destination. We got to this small village and we thought there was a large welcome party coming down the road as we could hear loud drums and singing from far away. We sat on the tailgate and patiently waiting as the sound grew louder and louder. We were saddened to finally realize that the party wasn’t for us but was a celebration of a wedding that was to partake in the next week. It was great to see how the people all stood together and celebrated such a joyous day together as a body. The people did stick around though to see why we were there which was wonderful. The thing I always love about showing up into a remote village is that people tend to just stand and stare (especially the younger kids). Though there was a couple of us “western” folk there I’m usually the one being stared at due to my blonde hair, blue eyes, and the biggest thing is my piercings. But my favourite thing to do while all these kids are standing around me staring is to suddenly move to where the crowd is, scaring all the kids. It’s interesting how they are so interested in you, and yet are so scared to be within an distance of you at all at first sight. It’s always great to just ask for a high five from one young kid and just see him step out with some guts and be the talk of the town for a little while and everyone laugh at him.
Once we had figured out a good place to set up the Jesus kit we got everything arranged and started by playing some music to draw in the crowd but also because it wasn’t yet dark enough to start the movie. As we sat around waiting for darkness to flood over this small and unknown village I walked around and took some photo’s (some of them posted) and really just enjoyed people with the people. Some of the locals who were passing by stopped and saw the camera and asked for their picture to be taken. They mostly just want to see themselves on a media device, makes them feel more worldly I think. After I had come back where the team was waiting I noticed one of the small boys had a “soccer ball”. I use that very loosely as it was just a ball made of foam wrapt in stripes of an old tire, they are very inventive here. I walked over and asked him for it and just started juggling around with it for a while, once everyone saw what I was doing I was swarmed by kids of all ages. Staring intensely at me as I kept the ball up and did some cool tricks as best as I could. I loved just kicking the ball around with the kids and enjoyed them laughing and running around as I’d just kick the ball into the ground just to see it flying back to my feet within second of my kicking it away.
Now onto where God really moved this weekend. Once we had gotten to the part of the Jesus movie where He has been crucified we paused the movie and suzy’s Mother came forward to preached the gospel. Very simply and just speaking of God’s love and what He has done for each and every one of the people there. After she had spoken she had Ali, her interpreted and a student on the DTS, say a prayer that everyone said in response. Then we had those who gave their life to Christ for the first time come forward and write down there name in a book and be invited to the local church. 78 people came forward and said they gave their life to Christ that night. 78, read that sentence again and rejoice with me and the Angels in heaven.
After we had watched the rest of the Jesus movie Suzy’s father came forward and spoke of God’s healing hand, and called the team forward as he encouraged people who were sick to step forward so that we could pray for them. This is one of best parts of any Jesus showing for me. It’s the part where God comes and pours out His love on His children. God moves and speaks to us and everyone around and releases people from sickness. Like I stated earlier, many of the healings that God does is of headaches and back pains. So almost all of the healings that God used me in had those attached to them, though some add other pains on top of those ones. One of the things that I’ve really learned so far while being here, from both the DTS speakers but also from Daniel and Suzy as well is just the matter of stepping out in faith even when you think it’s something unimportant and silly. So when praying for different people God spoke to me about where to either place me hands or different things to do. The interesting thing that happened twice I think was that God would confirm faithfulness to me through the people that I’d pray for. When about to pray for young man who had pain in his leg God spoke and told me to place my hands on his ears, strange I thought but I obeyed. When God healed this man the next came forward and spoke of how he had pain in his ears. And yet I knew that even before we prayed for him that God was going to heal him, and of course God did, because He is a great God.
God continued to heal people that night and we think that roughly about 75-100 people where healed by God that one night. It was incredible to be part of that and it’s really why I came out to Africa, to see and be part of God’s salvation and healing being poured out on villages like this. I hope that this small testimony, though it might be brief and not very descriptive, might strengthen your faith in God and inspire you of His great strength and the power He holds. I know that doubt continues to build up in my humanly body but I know that God is good and is capable of all things. I daily have to repent of my doubtful being and ask for more and more faith to be poured out on me. May you also be doing likewise that God can do is work within you and through you to other people.
Thanks for reading this whole thing if you actually did. I ask that you pray that God continues to pour our His presence on this team and on the ministries we get to do.
Thanks again for all the support and daily prayers that I know are being sent from wherever you might be. God bless you as you daily walk with Him.
Blessings
-Travis
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