Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake with their surging.
The highway pictured above is the Escarpment Road in the Great Rift Valley northwest of Nairobi, one of the world's most dangerous stretches of highway. The grade is steep. It is the main highway clogged with semi-trucks transporting goods from Kenya's seaport of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean to the interior of Eastern Africa. Over the years, the guard rails have been destroyed by trucks careening over the embankment into the Great Rift Valley.
Now, imagine being unable to see the lane dividers in the dark in a driving rain, blinded by the headlights of the oncoming stream of trucks. Neil was amid that scene when he sent an urgent prayer text to Ruth at 8:20 p.m. Kenya time (12:20 p.m. Minnesota time, just as Ruth's family was settling down for their Easter luncheon). Neil does not give in to panic, but he pushed the prayer button, knowing God is always on the line -- along with some trusted friends and the prayer warriors at The Church In the Pines (TCITP), Alexandria. Neil and the other passengers in Cosmas' van were in grave danger. We'll pick this story up later.
Neil's day started at 5:00 a.m., gathering his belongings, having breakfast, and heading with Jim and Francis in the van to preach at Kakamaga. They set off at 6:00 a.m., in a steady rain. They arrived without mishap at the church around 8:00 a.m. Kenya time. The Holy Spirit anointed the worship and preaching. Neil has been telling Ruth there is a blessing on his work in Kenya this year, after our church in Alexandria sent him out. Ruth marveled that the Holy Spirit gave Jay and Neil the same passage on Jesus appearing to the disciples on the Road to Emmaus for their Easter sermons. God also revealed to each of them his love for humor. After Neil's sermon in Kenya, three responded to the altar call for salvation, but two had already been born again and were encouraged to be seated. The one new believer was joined up front by fifteen who eagerly desired to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and began speaking in tongues.
Then the Holy Spirit nudged Neil to call two women to come forward. The Holy Spirit showed Neil that the first woman had longed for something. As Neil prophesied over her, she burst into tears of joy, knowing God understood what was in her heart. Although Neil was not given any specifics, the woman knew exactly what God was referring to. She was not asked to divulge any details to protect her from being pressured by her church leaders or others. God will bring his word to pass in the proper time and in God's way when the woman is ready to receive whatever she has been longing for. The second woman was filled with joy with the Holy Spirit's encouragement she received through Neil.
After lunch, Neil texted Ruth, "Morning, deer." [Ruth has tried for 45 years to teach Neil, an avid bow-hunter, never to call her deer.] "Jesus is Risen." Ruth thought, "Yes, dear, Jesus is alive, and is the Lord and giver of life."
Cosmas stayed behind this morning to minister at the church where the conference was held. Then Cosmas brought James and Wycliffe to join Neil, Jim, and Francis on the Kisumu-Eldoret road. Francis planned to continue driving the van, but Francis was totally exhausted. Remembering the close call last year when Francis fell asleep at the wheel, Neil insisted that Cosmas take over as van driver. Cosmas is an experienced driver who funds his ministry by teaching auto mechanics at a junior college in Nairobi. Francis was dropped off at his home in Eldoret at 6:12 p.m. Kenya time (10:00 a.m. Minnesota time). Neil thought they had 5 hours left to reach Cosmas' house in Nairobi, estimating arrival at 11:12 p.m. Kenya time.
In Minnesota this morning, God prepared Ruth with dreams shared by two friends at TCITP. Neil appeared in Holly W's dream, sleeping soundly, peacefully, as Ruth was busy in the background. Ruth told Holly that Neil slept well last night, but Ruth had a fitful night, rising at 4:15 a.m. Later, Deb H, finding Ruth at the front of the church, took Ruth by the arms, looked intently into Ruth's eyes, and said she woke during the night with a picture of Neil flashing across her line of vision and the sense that he was in danger. Deb immediately went into intensive prayer for Neil until that urgency lifted. Ruth reassured Deb that everything had been going so well and that Ruth didn't think there was anything to worry about. Then a little nagging question began to creep into the back of Ruth's mind, "But, what if something is about to?" Ruth shrugged it off and focused on the people at hand.
Picking up the urgent prayer request from Neil where we left off, Ruth received Neil's text at 8:18 p.m. Kenya time (12:18 p.m. Minnesota time). Ruth was amazed that she was so calm as she fired off texted prayer requests with all the urgency summoned from Deb's dream. However, Holly's dream of Neil at peace put Ruth at rest, realizing God knew all about this ahead of time, and God's got this!
At 10:44 p.m. Kenya time (2:44 p.m. Minnesota time), Neil texted that they had just dropped James off in Naivasha. The truck traffic was slightly less, but the rain was still pouring, making it almost impossible to see lanes. Traffic had slowed to 30 miles per hour because of poor road conditions. However, Cosmas handled the van well, holding it steady on the road with his excellent driving skills, finally, at 2:00 a.m. Kenya time (6:00 p.m., Minnesota time), three hours later than anticipated, they dropped Wycliffe off at his home in Nairobi. Neil called Ruth at 2:30 a.m. Kenya time to let her know they arrived safely at Comas' house in Nairobi.
Jim will have Monday and Tuesday with Cosmas, boarding his return flight to Minnesota around midnight Kenya time on Tuesday night. Neil is staying with Jim in Cosmas' house tonight and will join our friends, Joe and Karin Medley, tomorrow. Jim has been an excellent team member. Neil will miss his company on the flight home.
Prayer requests:
- Thank and praise God this Easter Sunday for Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, making forgiveness for our sins available for all who trust Him
- Thank God for the outpouring of His Holy Spirit, empowering Jesus' followers to carry on Jesus' work on earth until he returns
- Thank God for safe travel
- Rest for Cosmas, who led the conference; Francis, who made arrangements and translated for English speakers; the worship leaders and their teams; and Neil, Jim, and the other teachers and translators
- Neil and Jim must transition back into their Minnesota time schedules and responsibilities
- Ruth must transfer all the precious notes from the interviews with caregivers and 57 children in the Kisii District to their sponsor's notifications
Love,
Ruth