Here is a recent update from Stephanie, one of the college students on our team.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. I Corinthians 15:58
We sat there and stared at each other for a moment. I had once again laid it all out there: why I am here, what Christ has done in my life, and what God wants to do for every person. He blinked, politely agreed that Jesus was a very good prophet, and redirected the conversation. Sigh. I've done everything I know how to do and I've said everything I know how to say, but I can't change anyone's mind. In fact, I can't change anything more than bandaids. All I can do is be obedient to the God who knows more than I do and let Him open hearts.
So I'm asking you to pray. Pray constantly remembering that "The prayer
of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16). Pray for Alassane
who is so close to accepting Christ he can taste it. He and his friend Alassane
have been to church twice, and want to come next week. He was supposed to leave for Belgium two weeks ago, but has had his visa delayed. I guess the Lord wants him here for awhile longer. Pray that God will convict his heart and that he
will be open to the truth, but do NOT pray that he will get his visa anytime
soon. ;)
Pray for the Alassane and Pap who live between the pelican and the monkey. Pray that God will break though their hardened hearts and that He will bless our conversations, filling them with salt and grace. Pray for the nurses and cleaners at the hospital where I work who have or will soon have copies of the Gospel in Wolof. Pray that they will listen to the tapes and have the boldness to respond.
Pray for the talibes who are always in need. Their bellies hurt with hunger, their bodies are covered in sores, and they cannot even remember the loving embrace of a parent. Pray for their physical health and even more that they will someday know a God who doesn't delight in their abuse, but longs for their love. This Thursday Phil and I will do a Gospel presentation to give them a reason for the hope we have. Pray that they will hear and understand.
And if you aren't too tired out from all that praying, please pray for me and for my team. We are all getting worn out, discouraged, and homesick. Personally, I'm ready to see results. Please pray that I will work with energy and joy, trusting in God's timing and not my own. I realize that this has been a very needy email. I should say that in between the hard stuff I'm having a lot of fun. I recently got to see a twenty-four couple wedding where some of the brides and grooms were only a few weeks old, I just about split my pants when my roommate stepped in rat glue and I got to see her slosh around our apartment with a bucket on her foot, and I'm learning how to play the drum. Watch out BCM PBJ! So yeah, things are good.
As I write to you, I am humbled again by what a blessing you all are to me. I cant tell you how much your encouraging emails or even the knowledge that you are praying for me means. Thank you.
With love,
Stephanie
