God Draws near to who…those who have broken hearts.

Villages of Oonconlara and Nkoko are where the bulk of Ministry has been the last couple of weeks. I also had the opportunity to Join Missionaries on lake Malawi, for a prayer retreat. The Prayer retreat was a blessing in many different ways. I learned a lot from just being around the missionaries and simply watching them. The lake was beautiful. So was the fellowship and camaraderie between the families of missionaries. There were many beautiful fish as well as, beautiful hearts desiring to serve the lord, looking for help and regeneration to go back to their respective places to do ministry throughout Malawi and Mozambique. Also this is picture perfect place to do some Scuba diving, but I was limited to diving off the big boat and snorkeling, the snorkeling was beautiful though, Absolutely beautiful!
Oonconlara was quite a amazing place. Ministry there was very similar to the villages of Chakakala and Chileeza, which I had, wrote to you about before. The biggest difference other than just different faces was the landscape of the area. It was set in a valley surrounded by beautiful green foothills. That were breathtaking, there was this one guy about 21 years old that has stolen my heart. Since I have been here over a couple months now the new is wearing off and I’m getting used to the beggars as well as the horribly tattered shirts, which undeniably still breaks my heart. Even still this one young man has something in him, a glow and an excitement that I had not seen from many people in all the villages we have been in. The young man was like I said about 21 he was lame, and walked all the way from another village (several k’s I think) every morning and afternoon to hear the teaching of the Holy Bible. He had such a desire to hear the word, he done what it took just to hear it, and to see the people presenting it. That to me was the highlight at being in Oonconlara Village, though there were many praises while being there. When was the last time we, worked so hard to here the message of the good news, JUST TO HEAR IT! Draw near to God and God will draw near to you. This is a special man after Gods heart. I wish you could have seen his smile, when we taught about prayer.
Nkoko village was honestly not a beautiful village by any means. The first hour we had arrived there we had learned that, there was to be a funeral in the morning. With that in mind that changes the aspect of the ministry type all-together. It basically consumed much of our time. We did have the opportunity to teach that night. The next morning we awoke and the villagers had asked me to speak. Though I didn’t have a desire to speak at a 9 year olds funeral, God gave a opportunity to speak and present the word so of course I done it. Once we arrived to the funeral, which was in the afternoon, it was still yet a couple more hours before the actual “ceremony” took place. Once it had started there were about 1000 people that showed up as well as about 18 village chiefs (I only know this because one of the translators with us is a statistician). Thus you can see Gods’ hand in this. I then presented the Gospel. It was a great opportunity and an honor. We also helped carry the casket and bury the young child; I had never felt so torn in my life than I had at those moments during the funeral. During the funeral I wanted to just get up and run back to my home in Oklahoma as fast as I could with nothing to stop me, because of all the mourning and moaning and yells for why! Going on all around the village, but at the same time, the exact same time, I never felt a stronger love for a group of people because I know God had us their to share his story. That is a perfect example of how I am nothing and God is everything, the perfect battle of flesh with the one and only God. As we left the village we found out that Steve and I made a profound Impact on that village. Look at God work. You never know where you will make profound impacts in people’s life if you let God do the walking for you.
My time here has been amazing. God has been teaching me about his love for people. It can be overwhelming to the point I want to act like all the death and poverty around me doesn’t bother me, but to be honest how can it not. I want to be the tough guy and never act like anything bothers me, but it becomes hard when you have beggars all around you. Knowing that you have something they don’t. They just don’t know that something is much better than money could ever be. That something is the death that turns life into an eternal life that can never be tattered, or ever taken away.

Praises:
Opportunity to present the Gospel to so many people
People that have made decisions for Christ
The villages of Oonconlara, Nkoko
Health
You

Prayer Requests:
Continued Broken heartedness for the people
Prepare people to here the story of God
Continued health
The 2 villages left that we are ministering in (Zundi, Chewaza)
The upcoming 40/40 training for new missionaries we are helping with (April 22nd to May 22nd) in Zambia
Mission Group from NSUBCM coming May 19th and their safe arrival at election time.
Presidential Elections for Malawi May 19th
Friends and Family back home
Job when I get back

If there is anything you would like to ask or praises or prayer requests please fell free to ask. God Bless you all.