The Sudanese ladies in the picture are friends of Tebarak, an Ethiopian woman whose husband is ministering in South Sudan. Tebarak invited Neil to pray for the group of women today. As they prophesied over each woman, deep weeping broke out among them. Later they asked Neil to pray for them to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Later back at Joe & Karin's Neil was still so energized by the Holy Spirit's presence that he couldn't get to sleep and sent a few more messages around midnight Kenya-time (4:00 pm Morris-time).
In the morning, Joe and Karin drove across the city to a church much like The Church in the Pines, in Alexandria, MN, where Ruth and I serve as volunteer staff. The church we visited today in Nairobi is non-denominational but similar in many ways to the Vineyard Churches started by John Wimber in California. They base their teachings solidly on the Bible and embrace the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the normal Christian way of life. They help people feel welcome in God's presence.
Neil loves meeting people as he travels and hearing their God-stories. Earlier in the day, Neil had played cribbage with a young man from another African nation whose family is influential in his Muslim country. When he gave his life to Jesus, there began to be attempts to take his life. When the assassins thought they were at last successful, God had other plans. The young man recovered, and he escaped, traveling far, far away to places where he could share his love for Jesus. He is a very capable delightful young man. Today, he walloped Neil in two games of cribbage.
His story inspired Neil to continue to share Jesus wherever God sends him. If our life is taken, we will be with Jesus. If our life is spared, Jesus sends us to people hungry for the good news of salvation in Christ. Neil prayed for him to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and gave him a copy of our Navigating Life book. However, Neil cautioned him to use our book as a study guide and mentoring tool. This young man needs to begin writing his own sermons as the Holy Spirit guides him and teaches him from the Bible. His own teaching will be more effective when the Holy Spirit uses his unique life story as the background for the power of God to transform lives. He is not to borrow material from others when his own life is so full of the goodness and richness of God's love and deliverance.
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Neil enjoyed dinner with the Medleys at an international restaurant in Nairobi this evening. Jazz musicians were playing upstairs with an amazing saxophone soloist. However, when Neil suggested they go up to hear the music, one of the girls declined. Some of Neil's and Joe's friends were in Jim Carlson's amazing Jazz Band while Neil and Joe attended the University of Minnesota Morris together. However, Neil discovered that Jazz music just isn't Joe's daughter's cup of tea.
Sunday morning (tomorrow), Francis Omandi, Neil's Kenyan traveling companion, translator, and guide will pick him up at 9:00 a.m. They will drive together to Nickson's church in one of the Nairobi slums where Nickson has invited Neil to preach.
Please pray for the vehicle Cosmas Solamba is loaning Neil and Francis to use on their travels across Kenya this year. Cosmas teaches mechanics at a technical school. He has once again promised to use one of the vehicles his students have prepared, but it wasn't clear if the vehicle has cleared Cosmas' inspection for Monday's departure.
Please also join us in urgent prayer for our dear friend Eric, the worship and youth pastor at The Church in the Pines who has been in the hospital for over a week with severe abdominal pain. After tests and scans in Alexandria, he was taken to Fargo this week for surgery to remove 2 stones. However, the surgery has not brought the hoped-for relief as white cell counts continue to rise. Please pray for:
- Lord Jesus, Eric needs your miraculous healing power to restore him to full strength and health! May he and his family be surrounded by your protective presence and may your perfect love cast out all fear.
- Holy Spirit, please flood the people in Nickson's church with your encouragement, provision, strength, and healing.
- Father, may Cosmas' vehicle be safe, reliable, and ready for Neil and Francis to use for travel to the Ugandan border in NW Kenya and to the churches in the Kisii District of SW Kenya.
- Please, Lord, help Neil and all those he visits enjoy clear cross-cultural understanding as they share the love of Jesus.
- Lord, now may Neil and Francis be given your health, strength, safety, and rest throughout their many strenuous hours of travels.
Ruth