Hey kunyas (it’s the new word for caucasion)! Haha it’s good
to get back on here again and let you guys know what’s been happening. Jesus
has been taking me on such an adventure the last two weeks on the inside of me for
the most part, but it’s been amazing. I had one of the most amazing experiences
going into the village and living with the family for a night! I also want to
share some testimonies of experiences in town that occurred at night. One is
positive and one isn’t so positive. And then I have a couple more stories in
between. Get your popcorn ready because it’s about to be good!
Last Saturday was a night I will never forget. It was a
night full of adversity, new beginnings for the future, and joy all mixed in
with a dose of humility that would not exactly be seen in the Western World.
It’s something that all the students go through called Immersion, where they
drop three of us off at the village with a pastor and his family and we live
with them for 24 hours. I have seen the village homes from afar and walked in
through a few of them but never I have gone deep like I did this time. After
getting dropped off as far as the car could go we had another 20 minute walk to
get to her house. The walkways between the houses were narrow and filled with
trash. As we began to go deeper and deeper being lead by the wife off the
pastor, you could tell it got less and less common to see a white person. The
houses were just as if on the commercials of third world countries and the way
they live. Some lived in shacks but for the most part it was mud huts that
consisted of 2-3 rooms and a little walkway to split the rooms. Most had straw
roofs but some had tin. Mostly everybody sleeps on either mats or day beds,
which is like straw made beds. I think very few actually had mattresses. With
her lot and everything included on it everything could probably be bought for
about 100 US dollars. And the only thing I am including is the bamboo sticks to
help the mud stay, about 3 or 4 pots and then the day beds, along with 1 table.
After reading that you might think man what do they eat?
Probably rice and maybe some beans and bread but probably not all the time. The
rest of what I am about to share is going to be a testimony of how Jesus came
to serve not to be served. And that doesn’t just mean letting someone borrow
something. Jesus came as low as He could and gave the best that He could. Not
only did I eat spaghetti and fish that night, but the next morning I had eggs
with French fries, bread and tea(who knows how long they saved to do that).
They also gave their bedroom up for the couple that I was with and let them
sleep in their mattress and under their mosquito net while the pastor and his
wife slept in the kitchen/kids room witch had no mosquito net. The momma would
not let us do anything! Even if we tried sometimes she would not let us do it
because in her eyes we were at her house and we were their to be served not to
serve. It was probably the most relaxing enjoyable 24 hours I have ever
experience. I just had to relax and rest in my Father’s hands while I was served.
The kids in the village were a whole different experience.
We weren’t there for more than 30 minutes before 20 kids were outside the gate
of the house looking in at the couple and me I was with. Haha most were too
afraid to come into the gate. This was just too easy for me to have fun. Of
course I went outside the gate and started chasing them around and watch them
laugh hysterically while running away. Only a few were legitimately afraid of
me haha the rest didn’t know what to do. But it’s funny because love transcends
all languages and within 10 minutes we were all having a dance party in the
middle of the houses. I never felt like a child of God more in my entire life! I
knew that by me just being there and abiding in Jesus and being around these
kids that heaven was being released. Us Christians have heaven inside of us,
it’s just a matter of us releasing it so that His will could be done on earth
as it is in heaven. Here is an example of heaven not being on earth.
I am beginning to realize that Satan is attacking the
younger generation more and more not only because the majority of the
population is under 20 but because the key to the future of the Kingdom lies
heavily on the upcoming generation. To watch how violent many of these kids are
is one of the most disturbing things I have witnessed since being here. As I
was hanging out with some of the kids about 10 yards over I see two kids about
12 years old fighting as if they were two men at a bar. Both swinging as hard
as they could with absolutely no rules. I helped separate the first one but
after that I was in shock. As they continued to be separated they brought them
back together to make peace as one of them got close enough to cheap shot him
right in the face. This continued for about 15 minutes where they would break
up and then one of them would break through the kids and cheap shot the other.
Everything from kicking in the stomach to punching in the face. These 12-14
year old kids had more testosterone than most 17 year olds in America it seemed
like. I was in such shock as I stood afar not knowing what to do anymore and
seeing that the multitude of kids didn’t want me involved or help. The more I
see the more it makes me want to destroy it. Last night was one example.
The Lord is really destroying the fear of man that is in me
so that I can walk closer to his fullness. Last night me and two friends
decided to go get some frango which means chicken at this restaurant. I say
restaurant but it really turns into a bar at night flooded with darkness
(prostitutes, pimps, and foreign men in town looking for sex). I believe I was
told that the average prostitute is sold for 7 mets which is about 25 cents in
US dollars. So anyways we were hungry for food and to release the kingdom of
heaven on earth. After getting our food and eating my friend had a brilliant
idea of starting a dance party in the middle of the place and worship Jesus
through our dance to release heaven and angels in that place to replace the
demons that had stronghold over that place. So while about 15-20 guys are
playing pool and drinking beer and about 5-10 people eating we began to dance
to the loud club music. Within minutes we had 3 to 4 others that were dancing
with us. Two of which were drunk haha but that’s okay. All we could do was be
faithful and worship Jesus in the midst of darkness the results are not our
responsibility. Did half the place look at us like we were stupid, you bet your
bottom dollar they did haha. But I am beginning to care more about saving souls
and releasing heaven than what people think of me. On the way home we stopped
off at the Rahab ministry that Iris does on Friday nights which takes in
prostitutes and mommas that want their feet washed and to be prayed over and
get their nails done and all that fun girly stuff. It didn’t take long while we
were there for a pimp to come up screaming at us about why were here. Men
literally come up to the stand that Iris has for the ministry and yells out at
the girls how they want to have sex and explain it in the most vulgar language
possible. Just being real with you guys.
As more and more darkness is being opened to my eyes more
and more revelation about how to defeat it is coming. Romans 8:7-8 sais “[That
is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is
hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot.
So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites
and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be
acceptable to Him” (Amplified). This is saying that when you are constantly
thinking about things of the flesh like what you’re going to eat what you’re
going to wear, what is your boyfriend or girlfriend going to think or anything
that is not feeding your spirit, you cannot please God. Dying to self doesn’t
just mean okay God I’ll get up early and read my bible it means literally
yielding control of your whole body to the Holy Spirit so that you may
experience the fruit of the Spirit which is love, peace, joy, kindness,
patience and all the other cool things that people want. When possessed by the
Holy Spirit all the joy peace and love comes from within and floods out. That’s
why the world should look at Christians and says “why is he so happy or why
does he have so much peace”. Where as when in the flesh things from the outside
make you happy inside. This includes food, drinks, TV, sports, drugs, alcohol
or anything else that was created to fulfill the pleasure that was designed to
be fulfilled by Jesus. I realized that as more and more I live possessed by the
Holy Spirit the Kingdom of Heaven flows from within into the world. You can
still have the Holy Spirit and not be controlled by it because obviously we
still sin and the Holy Spirit would not lead you to sin. But as the Spirit more
and more controls us, the less we will sin, and the more light we will be to
the world!
One way to do that is have a prayer meeting from 11pm-5am haha.
We did it last night and it was very good. The more we soak with Jesus the more
room the Spirit has to move. We have to understand that it is never God’s fault
that evil is as prevalent as it is. I am sick of people in the West saying why
would God let people suffer like that when their driving 10-30,000 dollar cars
and could buy beds for an entire city with it. The reason there is so much evil
is because the Church has not risen! He has chosen to use us!!!!! What an
honor! It is possible in this moment right now for nobody in the world to be
starving if the West would help. “Oh well it’s their fault they live like
that.” Yea you’re right it’s all these hundreds of millions of kids fault they
were born into a family with no money and no way of going to school and barely
being able to find a job. I’m telling you right now the Kingdom of heaven is
based on the talents. Some of these people who never get out of the village
will be living in a mansion in heaven because of their humility, while many
pastors houses will be half the size in heaven because of their selfish ambition
and seeker friendly church that desires to please people. With much given much
is expected. Just about all of you are in the top 10% richest in the world.
Much is expected of all of us!
I go on outreach next weekend to the bush bush! Which is
basically in the middle of no where. We will preach the gospel and pray for the
sick! Be expecting some cool testimonies next week. Only two maybe three blogs
left before I go to Zimbabwe for two weeks and then I will have one last one
when I get home! Oh and I also found out more information about my trip to
Zimbabwe! Wow I can’t wait to tell you what God does I already know it’s going
to be amazing! I love all of you so much I know I might have come off a little
harsh but my heart is to encourage that mustard seed in us all and not to
condemn. We can all change the world!
A quick shout out to my family back home being supportive of
me as well! I love you guys so much and I would never be able to do any of this
without each of you!
How beautiful of a smile that you have Joshy. We love you. I pray for peace for the people on that side of the world. I pray for water, food, education, better roofs over their heads, shoes on their feet, and saved souls amongst them all. May they have life-long happiness and intimacy through Christ and not through the temporary fix of the flesh. Be at peace, Joshy. Flowers will be placed around your feet and your crown for the work you do for Christ.
ReplyDeleteJoshy you have such a beautiful spirit! Your mom recently told me about your blog and I have been reading and rereading your posts these past few days through laughter and tears. God is doing such an incredible thing in you! Hallelujah! As I read your posts and pray for you I feel my spirit joining with your spirit. I pray Colossians 1:9-12 over you: "asking that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom[in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things - that you may walk (live and conduct yourself) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. I pray that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made you fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light." Amen It is such a beautiful thing to see someone right in the middle of God's hands and plan. I speak blessings over you and protection over you and that you accomplish what the Lord has brought you to. I love you and hope I get to see you at Christmas. I really want to give you a big HUG! Love, Aunt Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteWhat's the term for an African-American since clearly I'm not a kunya? :P As always, I am encouraged by your words and so thankful that you are sharing your experiences with us! My eyes are definitely being opened to just how blessed I am here and my awareness is being raised about the quality of life in that part of the world and other places as well. I loved what you said about their reward being greater in Heaven than those who have already received their reward here on earth. It really makes me want to store my treasures in Heaven and reap those benefits which will be a million times greater than the benefits I get here. Thanks for that reminder Josh!
ReplyDelete~Ashia