Africa Day 3

January 29, 2010
I woke up a couple of times in the night but went right back to sleep. But then I woke up at 5:30 and couldn’t go back to sleep. I laid in the bed thinking. At 6 am the sky started to lighten and I decided to get up and take my shower. I couldn’t get the shower to work so used a cup to pour the water on me, soap up and then rinse off. I washed my hair under the faucet. When I turned the water off, the shower came on. How strange. I don’t know what I did to make it come on.
We went down stairs to a beautiful buffet for breakfast. They had very nice fruit, omelets, potatoes, bacon, fried bananas, and pastries. I am not sure how we are going to lose weight. 
Our devotions this morning was from Luke 9 & 10 and Mark 16. Mike Cheshier wanted us to know the authority we have as we go into the ghetto to minister.
“Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.”
“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals: and do not greet anyone on the road; when you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house. If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him: if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do no move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. L Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.”
“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
We are going to be planting a church in the ghetto. Up to this point it is Satan’s territory, but he has to flee in Jesus’ name. We are God’s chosen army to go into this area that Satan owns and pull down strongholds.
We went to the market today. It was a very nice place, but peddlers calling out to you all the time. Some of the women, who are used to bartering, helped us purchase some very nice items.
We ate at a nice open air food court, got Chinese food. And then came back to the hotel to get ready for tonight’s crusade. Marigold and Lori asked me to sing with them. How exciting.
After a short break, we put on our boots and climbed into the vans to go to the ghetto where 500,000 people live in a 2 mile radius. No running water and no septic facilities. There was raw sewage running down the streets. The guys set up a stage with a sound system and we had church. Marigold, Lori and I sang 3 songs for them and then Mike preached. There were quite a few who came forward to receive Jesus as their savior. We got out right away so that we would not be there after dark. The children were so needy for attention. There is a church school there for them and they were singing the songs they had learned in school. “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” And others. They kept singing the same songs over and over to keep our attention. It is so sad to see them in such an environment. Some of the girls about 7 years old were carrying a younger sibling on their backs. They were all dirty and jumping over the stream of sewage. It was good to be able to love on them for a little while.
Then we went to eat at the Java House where we got guacamole bacon cheeseburgers French fries, and ice cream. By the time we finished eating we were all dragging and ready to go back to the hotel and go to bed.
Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful day!