Church Outreach

It is a very busy month around here!  Conference, retreat, outreach and weddings!  Stay tuned to hear and see them all!  Here is the outreach...

 

I am super proud of my husband and teenagers for going with UCFM churches to Moruisiru for outreach.
It is the hottest and driest time of year and Moruisiru is about 2 1/2 hours from our home. There is less shade and more heat.  And my family loved going!  It is about being together with the church family, being a part of something together, sharing Christ and seeing people come to Salvation.  It is meaningful.

The ride there.

The churches took a truck there.  
The truck stopped in five places I believe picking up about 70 people.

No white people around these parts so all the kids came to greet the visitors!

Setting up the tent.  How many people does it take?  A lot of watchers!

Evening crusade.  Singing and preaching.

The girls tent.

The boys van/motorhome.

Getting water at the borehole.  So thankful for water!!!

Morning teaching in the church.
Four years ago UCFM had outreach in this village and a church was formed.

Walking to baptisms.

37 people were baptized from the church there, plus David and Eddie (former prisoners who came to Christ through FIC and they both come from witchdoctor homes and Eddie is a former Muslim).
Praise the Lord!!! How special to be a part of their baptisms!

This is how Grace felt about the heat.

Evening crusade in the center.
A crusade draws a crowd and then you share the Gospel so that people can come to Christ.
But the trading center also attracts drinking and drunkards.  At this center all the young and old men wanted to talk to the white people and see the girls.  I was thankful for Luka, Gideon and the other boys keeping Lydia and Grace safe.  When night came it was time to go.

This is David giving his testimony.  He was a witchdoctor and came from a witchdoctor family.  He is now free in Christ!  The more I learn about the evils that happen, the same kind of evils back in OT time, the more I marvel at God's Grace.
Eddie also gave his testimony and amazed everyone when he told them he was born into a Muslim family, his father is a witchdoctor, and has 12 wives and 105 children!  What?!  Eddie is the only one who has come to Christ and his whole family has rejected him, but he will not turn from Christ.  He is staying in Christ forever!
This is why we do what we do!  Seeing God change lives is exciting!

Over the three days of outreach 54 people gave their lives to Jesus!
Glory to God!  The church was very encouraged.
I do want to share a sad story out of the outreach.  One man who gave his life to Christ was a known thief in the area.  We don't know if his conversion was sincere or not, but that night they said he was caught stealing (in another village) and the people poured fuel on him and burned him.  He died at the hospital a few days later.  Oh Lord...such evils!  I was sick hearing this.  I don't know what to do with it or how to feel.  So much wrong and injustices here.  But, our church went and shared the Gospel and this man did hear.  He did at least outwardly receive Jesus.  We can trust God and I thank God he heard the Gospel before he died.

Credits for the pictures go to Lydia.  I was home with Emalai and Makai trying to keep cool (see picture) and praying for our church sharing Jesus in on our behalf.  Thank you UCFM!