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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Life, Death & Ransom: UPDATE


Thank all of you for your fervent prayers about this situation. If you are just now getting into the loop you can get caught up with the first post here.
Since the first post we have made some progress in the land situation. As crazy as it sounds, the land that is in dispute actually belongs to the baptist mission. It was given in 1995 during the tenure of the Schmidt family. So it is 99.9% certain that Longolemoe will get her land back very soon. In fact, we are planning to plow it up for her and replant her garden on Saturday and get her back on her feet. Physically she is doing MUCH BETTER!!!! She is now walking again and she is able to speak. She is now just having difficulty with eating and her appetite. Now that she knows she is going to get her land back she seems to be less desperate and we are not as concerned about her taking her life. When we spoke with her yesterday she seemed to be on her way back to feeling normal. I am convinced that this is due to your prayers. Please continue to pray for her. Also we will be planting very late in the season, so please pray that her crops will grow well and be ready to provide for her needs very soon.
We have begun to see a change even in Moses. Thus far all of his attempts to scare people and intimidate them into helping him steal the woman’s land have come up lacking. This man had pretty significant influence and was able to simply pay people off to get his way and take advantage of people. Since you have begun to pray none of his contacts seem willing to help him with this matter. The local police have chastised him for trying to steal the poor woman's land. They have even threatened to charge him with murder if the woman dies (from starving or witchcraft). Though I think these are probably empty threats, I think Moses is seeing that his money can not buy the solution he desires in this instance. In short, even though he has gone to the witch doctor and placed curses nothing is working and I think he is beginning to see that our God is powerful and He is the protector of the poor and the helpless. 
That being said, I want to make clear that our ultimate desire is for this man to follow after Jesus and I truly believe that the Lord has great plans for his life. But first, he must learn that our God reigns and deserves honor and worship. He has to see that his witchcraft can not stand against our God. That all of his efforts against us can not succeed. But he also needs to see that we truly love him. and that we do not see ourselves any better than we see him. I am convinced that without the grace that I received from Jesus and the renewing of my mind that He began I would be capable of the very same acts of greed and rebellion towards God. So, today we will be going to talk to Moses and share our love for him and Gods love and give him an opportunity to repent of his greed and follow after a God that forgives and restores us. The Gospel is not for the healthy but for the sick, like you, me and Moses. Pray for Moses that he has learned his lesson and we can introduce him to Jesus and God can turn away his wrath from Moses.

4 comments:

  1. I am amazed and encouraged by the genuine love God has given you for this man Moses. I truly believe it is His amazing love for us and our "go and do likewise" love for others that astounds and catches the attention of the world. I pray this man will come to know our Almighty God and receive His love and forgiveness personally.

    I also pray that Longolemoe will believe in our loving Lord, that she will see how valuable she is to Him (undeniably shown by the fact He ordained specifically that her life be spared), and that at some point she will experience a sacrificial forgiveness for this man Moses, which no doubt will be a living testimony to both Moses and to all who have watched this whole situation.

    To God be all the glory! And may you receive the rich blessings that come from doing the will of the Father.

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  2. Praise Him. Praying for all involved to know our God.

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  3. Amazing... yes, praying that Moses might know & continue to know Him. Jn. 17:3

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  4. that's great! praying for all in the situation
    jamie efird

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