Hey Everyone!

Well, us here in Guinea-Bissau are enduring the hottest part of the year now, I feel like my part-time job here is to sweat.

This month, we have received yet another Brazilian team of about 9 people. Some of them are staying for a month and some longer. They have really been a huge blessing and little by little God growing me in Portuguese to help develop new relationships. We have also received a young woman from Switzerland named Chantal (who speaks English). It has been a great blessing to have Chantal around, to learn from each other. The Lord knows our needs and when we ask Him to fill them in His own way; He is faithful to do it.

The nutrition center with Judy has been great. I am blessed to share the Word with the women each week. And today, a woman asked if she could come back later this afternoon so I could teach her more about Jesus. The Lord has really developed a relationship between this woman, Kumba and I. She is a little handicapped but is starting to really grasp the Gospel. She has a beautiful heart. Please keep her and the other women and children in your prayers; pray the Holy Spirit would continue to open their eyes to see themselves through the eyes of the Lord.

I continue to learn more of the languages and culture each day. You can`t learn one without the other. My Kiriol is getting better, Portuguese is coming and Pulaar I am still learning basic Pulaar greetings.

As far as the situation with the Brazilian pastor, things have calmed down very much. He and his family are back in Gabu. I see them often and they are smiling and seem like they have the peace of the Lord. God used this situation to bring unite the body of Christ. The local pastors really made an effort to encourage and pray for him when he was staying at the police station. They also accompanied the missionaries when they went to visit the families of the four children. It was a beautiful thing to see brothers and sisters in Christ come together in the midst of such a tragic situation. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters here, that they would continue to be strengthened in their faith and that the Lord would manifest His love through their lives. I thank each one of you for your prayers concerning this situation.

Four months left, a lot of learning to come. Please pray the Lord would continue to give me focus and appreciation of where He has me today, not to be wondering too much of what the future has. As of right now, I have no solid direction from the Lord as to what He has for me when I come back to Canada, but He is so faithful to lead. With Him, we lack nothing. Everything is in His hands; He guides us with his eye.

Romans 5:6 “For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly.” I am so thankful that God’s work does not depend on us, but His mercy and grace is displayed when He uses us to accomplish His work.

When we delight ourselves in the Lord and seek first is kingdom, His peace overwhelms us and His love motivates us to follow His will for our lives.

Thank you all for being so faithful to pray for God’s work here, I can’t express how much of the work you are actually doing. May God bless each of you with more of Himself.

Love Leah

P.S. I have attached a picture of Kumba and her son Mumini from the nutrition center.

 

 

08/03/2011

Hello everyone,

I came back from a conference today to some bad news.

A Brazilian pastor from here in Gabu took his family and some kids on a retreat this weekend. On the retreat they all got in a boat with a guide to cross a river. There must have been too many people in the boat, it tipped and 4 young girls died. As if that wasn’t bad enough, now the families of the girls are trying to find and kill the Brazilian pastor and his family. This Brazilian missionary family has only been here for 4 months. The wife and 2 children have fled to Bissau while the pastor is staying in the police station for protection. Local pastors have been visiting him to pray for him and bring food. The enemy is taking this situation and twisting it even more. Now many people in this town are angry at all white missionaries and want to be violent.

So, for now, I cannot really leave the base. If I need something, I should ask a Guinean to go get it for me. There is racism against white people here. Things will calm down but we must pray for this place. I don’t want you guys to worry, but to pray.

The Lord has spoken Psalm 85:9 to me today, “Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.”  Also Jeremiah 17:7, 8, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and it will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and it will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

Please pray for this spiritual battle, that the Lord’s victory and glory would be demonstrated in this place and in our hearts. Pray for the Brazilian family, for their protection and for the Lord to comfort them about what happened. Pray for the families of the little girls, that they would be saved in Jesus’ name and would not listen to the lies of the devil to pursue retaliation. Pray for safety and peace for the other missionaries here. Please pray for the children, that they would see God’s heart, that they would be saved.

Jesus is good, and just. His blood is all powerful and He covers us. His blood is all powerful and He covers us.

Thank you for praying for me, I will let you know updates. Please pass on the mission to pray for us here.

Love Leah.