Two Day Village Conference

October 27 - Today we went to a village just on the other side of Namaingo. When we first arrived there were only a few people in the church. The church had a hardened clay floor with poles sticking out of it and a metal roof. There were no walls, just tarps. This turned out to be a blessing as the wind could come through and refresh us from time to time.

As the music started more people showed up, eventually filling the church. There were even times when people were standing outside and looking in. The people were filled with expectation and excitement. Barbara started the conference with a teaching on trials. Jan followed with a teaching on prayer and worship. We then broke for lunch and ate in a mud hut home of a church member. After lunch I taught about how God sees the heart. Dawn finished the day with a teaching called "The Breakthrough Annointing." It was about how God breaks through for us. It was followed by a time of prayer for people who needed a breakthrough.

During Barbara's teaching I was thinking of Peter. I sensed that the Lord was asking me to tell the children (God's people) about Peter. So I worked into my teaching that we cannot just take a snapshot of our failure and get stuck there anymore than we can look at one point in another's life and make a decision about their entire life. God sees the full picture and doesn't want us to put others in a category nor does he want us to be stuck in a certain place in our lives. God's call on our lives is God's call and we should not sell ourselves or others short.

October 28 - the warfare at the conference was awful. Barbara started out with a teaching on leadership. When she was finished she looked totally spent. Jan taught next on the walls. From my perspective things seemed to be going well. She was addressing the house of character when all of a sudden the children started to get restless. Never had the children been so restless. Normally they were as attentive as the adults. This was unusual. Then all of a sudden a little boy has a seizure. His mother brought him forward to the Bishop for prayer. Jan felt like she had lost the attention of the people. She came back to the platform seats also spent. We then went to lunch at the nearest fast-food hut. Barbara was hoping for Culver's custard but to no avail!

After lunch we went back to fight! I spoke first about the Holy Spirit and Fire. I talked about how we all want the power of the Holy Spirit but don't necessarily want to be purified by the Fire of God and be holy. During the re-cap however, I felt like the part about being holy and refined was lost. But I know that the Lord can recall that for people. So I just prayed that the people heard it and will respond. Dawn taught from I Kings 13, about the prophet who did what God wanted yet got distracted on his way back home. In his distraction he was led into sin. He lost his life. (Lessons I learned from this: Be on guard for distraction AND Hear from God for yourself and DO WHAT HE SAYS!)

Afterwards there was general prayer for whoever wanted it. Then the Bishop told the people there was an anointing prayer for worship for anyone who wanted it. Several came forward. Pastor Edwin began to lead worship and as this was happening some people who had come forward began to manifest demons. I had a sense that the Lord was weeding people out. In fact, one girl was thrown almost out of the building. Two others fell face down like dominoes. Things that make a person go hmmm....

So now, back at the hotel. No electricity - again. We will have to get up early and pray for power so we can pack for our return home. What an amazing time in Africa.