Crazy week

God works in mysterious ways.  He works in ways no one thought possible.  He uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. He is a God of miracles and still continues to do them.  I want to tell you about my exciting, crazy, and unbelievable week of ministry.  

Our team had the opportunity to be apart of a week long revival, lead by a pastor from Uganda.  Many people assume that African churches are hot and loud but that doesn't even begin to explain African revivals.  You sweat.  Its hot….EXTREMELY, hot.  Its so loud that when you walk out your ears are ringing.  You can wear ear plugs and still PERFECTLY hear what the pastor is saying (some of us did).  Its exhausting.  There is more dancing during a revival than any dance party I have experienced.  Its all night long literally ALL night long.  A 1 hour sermon turns into a 3 hour sermon plus you have to dance and sing for 2 hours before and after.  Even though its hot, long, and exhausting God presence is there and He is moving.

I’ve read in the bible about God doing miracles like healing, and casting out demons but I never really applied them to modern day life.  In America, we don't typically see people on Sunday manifesting because they have a demon inside them.  Well in Africa, they are known for their witchcraft which means there is A LOT of spiritual warfare going on.  For those of you that are’t familiar with deliverance, when someone is demon possessed or oppressed they manifest.  Manifesting can include but not limited to: thrashing, yelling, crying, screaming, kicking, and falling over.  I got to experience this first hand during the revival.  I saw women and men manifesting and then God using an ordinary man to cast out the demons.  I got to help hold some people when the demon was being delivered.  It was a scary experience at first because I did not understand what was happening but awesome that I could be apart of it.  I have never felt God move so much and I could honestly feel the tension of the spiritual battle so much that it lead me to tears.  It is also so encouraging because we worship a God that has the POWER to do those things and has already WON the battle.

Wednesday night during the revival was a night I will never forget.  It was a night of healing.  Physical, mental, and spiritual healing.  During the week, I felt as though I was doing something wrong, or God was unpleased with me, or not there because nothing hard or bad is happening in my life.  The pastor was healing many people that were going up front but then all of a sudden he called our entire team up front.  He prophesied over our team that some of us will be great missionaries and change lives.  I don’t really know how to explain what I was feeling but I’m going to try my best.  I was really shaky but not just my legs and arms but inside me.  It was kinda like an uneasiness/ anxiousness but I know it was the Holy Spirit moving inside me.  My heart was beating so fast and hard that I could feel it through my shirt.  Then the pastor touched me and EVERYTHING changed.  I know it was the Holy Spirit that touched me.  It was an overwhelming peace when He did.  I don’t really know how to explain it but I have never felt that way before.  My entire body stopped shaking and heart stopped racing and I knew the Lord was telling me that He IS right there and He IS pleased with me.  It was exactly what I needed.  I felt the physical touch of the Holy Spirit that night and it was INCREDIBLE.  How awesome is our God that He loves us SO much that He would use a random man to cast away my doubts and let me know He is there and loves me.  

Please pray for our teams last week of ministry here in Busia.  Pray that God opens doors we never thought possible.  Pray for safe travels to Kitale.  We will be leaving next Wednesday to work at a home for street kids.  Please pray for the spiritual battle going on in Africa.  Pray for freedom.  Pray for the health of our team.  Thank you for your support and prayers because they have got me here thus far.