Philippians 2: 17 Yea, and if I be offered (poured out) upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. Rural Village in DR Congo April 2010:
This is an updated report from one that we shared earlier as we have discovered pictures not yet seen.
Earlier this year our team went to the DR Congo to minister the word of life. Our church planting partner Pastor Habimana led us to a rural village not far from a semi-active volcano. We knew as we approached the small congregation that we were in for a special time in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus! We were greeted by maidservants of the Lord who danced and sang to the Savior upon our arrival. The joy of the Lord was so very unique and powerful---why shouldn’t it be since the joy of the Lord is our strength?
As we entered into the church, which in terms of the building was a ceiling of tree limbs reaching to the sky tied to plastic tarps and the earth for flooring, we knew the Holy Spirit was there with us to point us to our Lord Jesus! Plastic chairs were our seats with an old table for a pulpit. But oh dear ones, the building isn’t the church---the church is the Holy Spirit filled followers of Jesus Christ, and they truly are the church in this village!
This congregation was primarily made up of widows. You see, they are survivors of the Hutu militia that first came to their village when they crossed the Rwanda/DR Congo border after killing one million civilian men, women, and children in 1994.
The Hutu army then killed their husbands and others and brutalized many of these women and some of their children. There are also men who migrated there later or survived the attack.
It is striking to me how much they have suffered, how much poverty of earthly things in which they languish, yet HOW MUCH JOY THEY HAVE THAT WE DO NOT!!!
When I was watching one man worship the Holy Spirit showed me that this dear servant of Jesus had been places in the Spirit that have amassed him a wealth that I knew not of.
During our time together I preached and was humbled and broken and felt a great need for them to preach to me. But they were preaching to me---you see, their very lives were preaching and penetrating my heart with the things of heaven!
Well, the Lord anointed and blessed my feeble efforts of sharing His glorious word and some of the precious souls who had not yet been born again were saved by King Messiah Jesus. When the time came to leave, our hearts were full and a special time of fellowship was had by all.
A few weeks later we received a tragic report from Pastor Habimana and then read about it on internet news wires.
That volcano in the area combined with an overflowing river from rains spewed a sea of mud that covered our little village and killed about four of the ladies to whom we had just not a month ago ministered during our special day. I have posted an article about the flood.
http://wireupdate.com/wires/5247/landslide-victims-in-eastern-dr-congo-aided-by-un-peacekeepers/Our hearts were broken and we sent some money to help with the restoration efforts. Those from our team prayed for the mercy of the Lord upon these special ones.
But I cannot help but think of something; I wonder if any of those who prayed to receive Jesus that day for the first time were amongst the four that were killed? Could it be that He sent us there to prepare them for heaven? Either way, think of the kindness of the Lord to send us to them that day with His love and, in some way I cannot help but believe, to prepare their hearts for the trouble that was coming.
We must remember that Jesus told us we would have tribulation in the world, but to be of good cheer as He has overcome the world (Jn 16:33).
We have received never before seen pictures of that trip to the DRC. They are glorious!
We have more posted on our blog
www.pouredoutforafrica.blogspot.com.Our website is in transition so see www.pouredoutforafrica.com or www.pouredoutforafrica.org to keep an eye out for our new website.
Praise King Jesus for He is worthy!
Pastor Don Schwarz
Poured Out For Africa
Posts
