Let there be LIGHT!

June 2009 Update

It has been a whirlwind month of grace and battle.  Truly it would have been impossible without the love and prayers of so many of our global family.  For you I am truly grateful.

Every day where we live seems to inch closer to precipices of hostility.  Intermittent reports blow like the storms of rainy season: one moment calm, the next violent in intensity.  Thousands have died in the last 6 months in the South in intertribal clashes over resources and land, making its recent history bloodier than even its northwestern neighbor of Darfur.  Reports from our pastors in the field reach us regularly of famine, drought, destruction of seed stores by worms and instability that make daily life a veritable crucible of love and faith.

What do you do in the face of an impending tidal wave of darkness?

For one, remember darkness cannot stand in the face of light.  It only calls for beacons to shine the reality of another realm.  Darkness cannot chase the light, but light sure can chase away the darkness!

So while aware of our at times precarious placement in the Kingdom, we choose to focus that for such a time as this God has called us to shine the light of love in the middle of the storm, raising up a generation of storm dancers and light carriers that will shift the atmosphere over this nation.

It has also been an intense time on our base as sickness has seemed to attack from every side.  I personally was hit with a severe case of malaria followed by bacterial dysentery, followed by a rare reinfection of malaria all in the span of 3 weeks.  Others on our base have been battling at times life threatening intestinal infections and malaria as well.  

Yet in the middle of the onslaught we can celebrate the nearing completion of our land lease paperwork (a 2 year battle!).  I am thrilled I got to preach my first sermon in Arabic even while sick AND share with the entire gathered police force of our city. 75% of them gave their hearts to Jesus!

Our churches are growing and planting more churches, our family is maturing in love and one of my favorite memories of the last 3 week ordeal was about 45 of my kids turning up on my porch one morning to pray for me.  This was the idea of an unexpected instigator- little Aarona now seven approached Kafi one of our eldest saying "We need to pray for mama"  So up they march to my house and by the time they were done I was feeling so loved and in need of a chiropractor- they can be a bit heavy handed my lil guys can.  Hmmm does it help if we push harder?

I am so excited as we are about to start the construction of 200 person House of Prayer that will be open for 24-7 prayer and used for our church services as well.  It is  a vision coming to pass at just the right time.

Thank you for your love and prayers.  You are signs and wonders to us in your love and support.   I am leaving for approximately a 3 week trip to the states where I will be attending Catch the Wave with my mother (hopefully resting and getting my strength back!), preaching in AK and then stopping for meetings in Holland on the way home.

I very much need another supernatural miracle of grace for my body to be healed and restored.  But I have the best Doctor in the whole wide world!

Please pray

*For the base especially Jenny Joy as she holds down the fort in my absence, as well as our national team

*For sickness to be kicked off our our compound and 7 fold retribution of divine healing to be poured out

*For our indigenous leaders and pastors facing extremely difficult circumstances

*For wisdom for all of us as we listen to Love's heartbeat

*For healing for me and a good time of connecting with heaven and family.

Love all of you so very much,

Michele

-

When Heaven Smiles

Do you know the feeling when heaven smiles and all is right, no matter how wrong things could go, it just doesn't even begin to touch the smile in your spirit?  This week has held so many precious days like those.  It was a great 2.5 weeks with my mom here, but a marathon of sorts as we packed alot in.  After putting her on the plane in Uganda I was actually grateful for the ticket snafu the next day that delayed me a day getting home.  I needed a day off with Jesus. 

It is moments like Thursday driving in to our compound I know I am so home and no matter what, HE is worth it.   Here we are with one of our outreach choirs at our sign (we finally have one, thanks to our short term guys!) on the main road to our compound.

I cannot even begin to tell you how blessed I am.  I came home to all my children dressed in their Sunday best welcoming me singing and dancing and about tackling me to the ground in hugs!  Their bright shining faces lit up my heart as they called out "Mama we missed you- we are so happy you are home." Together we marched up to my house where they all were waiting to see my expression... they had lined my walk with bricks and planted some flowering vines and had begun cultivating the garden beds by the fence.  I did not ask them to do this, they just did it to bless me, knowing how much I LOVE flowers.  I was so happy I about cried... as we sang and danced and prayed and I had little 2 yr old esther in my arms.  I realized how at home I feel, how home this has become, how totally excited I am for the days and years ahead and all that God desires here.  

Tonight we had a gorgeous worship time as several little guys piled around me for hugs and lightening lit up the sky in the distance... I watched little charity (who was healed after the LRA attacked her family) worshiping with her hands up to heaven, eyes squeezed shut singing with every cell of her 3 year old being to Jesus.  I cried and cried and cried- the "I am so grateful I don't know what to say" kind of tears. 

Then she ran over and threw herself into my arms and whispered in my ear, "Mama". I could feel the smile of heaven, the kiss of our King as all of our children prayed their hearts out to Him face down in the dirt in tongues, in english, in kawkwa, in arabic, in madi, in didinga, in lingala, in what ever language they had to express their hunger for more of Him and to cry out for revival in our land.  I am spoiled for sure. To be honest- it is the best worship time I have been in months.  Maybe I am biased but I just love worship with our kids.  The only thing I love more is the thick weighty glory honey Presence of Jesus anywhere- but even better when with our kids.  Haha!

God is bringing strategic connections and all I can do is stand amazed at the doors that are opening.  Electricity or not, running water or not, convenience or not- nothing could compare to such a homecoming that I seriously doubt could happen just so any other place on earth.  Yup so all that to say I am blessed (and healthy too!).  I am so glad to be home surrounded by treasures from heaven even as I type this on my battery power.  Amenities will come but now I have to admit the candles have their own ambiance...  my idea of camping may be a day spa, but my idea of home is my family here.  Here in His courts where I'm close to His throne, I've found where I belong.

My Mom came home with me...

Here is our latest video update, from the perspective of one of our most recent visitors... my mom.  It was great to have her experience life Sudanese style with me.  I am proud of her for sticking through it, as stretching as I know it was.  Way to go mom!

Child Witches? Please.

This breaks God's heart... Please pray: this has to stop.

USA Today-Child Witches Accused in Congo

See a beautifully done Dateline special on it HERE.

Introducing Converge International...

It has been an exciting season to finally submit the Converge International papers for incorporation and registration.  Some of you have wondered what exactly Converge is... Well someone give us a drumroll please... 

Converge is a not for profit ministry organization that networks people that are hearing the same heartbeat of heaven across streams, affiliations and organizations and links them with the front lines of God's outpouring in the darkest and hardest places we can find.  Converge partners with like-minded and like-hearted quality indigenous organizations to stand with them to release revival movements of His love in the nations.

We are about raising up and releasing an upside down company who live from heaven to earth and bring the Kingdom where ever they go.

We are about raising awareness through the creative arts and calling the Church to have eyes to see with the eyes of Jesus.  Then out of the place encountering the One Who is Love to become the incarnation of His answer in the earth.

We are about practical acts of love that reach the unreached and supernatural displays of heaven's reality that bring revival to regions and transformation to nations.

Right now Converge is exploring several avenues of involvement internationally.  Its primary focus at present is the people of Sudan through its partnership with Iris Ministries Sudan.  It is also looking into the issues relating to children accused of witch craft in DR Congo.

Want to find out more?  Check us out at www.convergeinternational.net.

Painting Under an Open Heaven

So Papa told me He was putting me on stage this year and I would learn to paint.  Hmmmm... I did not think He meant both at the same time though.  I bought a bunch of art supplies in S Africa earlier this year but have not had the time to explore them.  Sooooo heaven thought maybe they'd help me out.  I got picked up in Redding and told oh by the way, you're painting on stage in worship.  Cool the 2nd time I have ever held a paintbrush in my hand... let's see what happens in front of like an international internet tv audience.  God, what are You getting me into?

Never half way like usual, sink or swim as always there I go... and it felt like I had done it a million times before... even cooler Papa let it be a visual to the sermon to come and a gift to the one who asked Him for it whom He led me to and told me to give it to.  I found out 2 days later. Yay God.  And here is the painting along with its new owner:

UK: The King in IN the Land

I am so blessed.  I got to spend five fabulous days with dear friends and new family in the UK.  We got to see God show up and many people encounter deeper levels of His healing and refreshing Presence.

I am writing these fond memories from Sudan on waning battery power so the detailed posts will hmmm have to wait.  But truly the KING is IN the land.  More to come on that perhaps another day when I have power.

I really wanted to just show you this amazing RED door I so wanted to take home with me.  I love England.  To all my Southampton family- I LOVE you and can't wait to return again.  You are the best!