When Neil was a child, his cousin Mitzi was one of his babysitters. One day she noticed Neil was frightened to go near the chickens because the rooster fiercely attacked him and his brother. As Mitzi got planks for herself and the boys, she asked, "Where is that rooster?" The rooster saw them coming when they opened the chicken house door and ducked its head. So they taught the rooster to stop attacking little boys.
Fast forward to this week. Mitzi has been praying for Neil's Kenya trip. First, she painted a rooster's head and texted it to me. That sold almost immediately. She said that as she was painting this rooster, it practically flew off her brush. It was as if God gave us all this beautiful rendition of a rooster to encourage us to defeat the "roosters" in our lives that try to attack us. What are the "roosters" in your life that Jesus has already defeated as you learn to stand your ground in prayer, giving those challenges to him?
Friday, Joe and Neil brought Joe's oldest daughter Esther to a Christian teen retreat about an hour from their home. At the teen retreat camp, Neil had a chance to visit with one of the ministry leaders, who told him about the overwhelming challenges his German father-in-law had to overcome. Neil is so encouraged by true stories of people who came through the horrors of WWII and went on to lead productive lives with God's help. This man's father-in-law had to return to Germany after escaping a prisoner-of-war camp in Russia, only to endure persecution in Germany for being a prisoner in Russia. Then he lived through the trauma of trying to escape East Germany after the war. When we face challenges, remember this man. God is with you 24/7 no matter what "roosters" you encounter.
We sent funds to our friend Francis to purchase Swahili and Kisii Bibles in Nairobi. He delivered them to Joe's house today. While there, he helped Neil access the newly purchased minutes for his Kenya cell phone Neil uses to take pictures of the ROCK (Reach Out to the Children of Kenya) children and to send me updates to share with you on this blog. Francis also delivered chairs he purchased for Mary's church. They will travel with the box truck your gifts to Outfitters for Adventure helped repair for this trip. They will also bring a sound system purchased on last year's Kenya Site Visit.
Please pray for the following:
- Neil's message in Cosmas Solamba's church in Nairobi tomorrow morning
- Joe's daughter Esther's weekend retreat to be inspiring & encouraging
- Continued rest & strength for Neil at Joe's house
- Relationship building with Neil, Joe's family, & Joe's ministry team
- For the box truck to hold up well on the rough roads in Western Kenya
Neil sends his greetings.
Love,
Ruth