A trip to the mountains

View of the village

Last Friday we headed out to visit a village 3 hours from our city.  This village is home to one of our national partners.  She asked our team to come meet her family and the other villagers and to reach out to them in a way that is not possible for her to do.  In her culture, children are not allowed to speak up to the parents or adults in a manner that would appear like a form of correction or help.  Dream, our national partner, asked that we come to open the door of sharing her new life with her family and closest friends.  Once the door is opened, she then has the freedom and the blessing to continue sharing.  Because we are foreigners with white skin, our status allows us to share openly. 

View from the mountain top

Rice farmer

Beautiful views everywhere

We took a team of 20 people to this village, a mixture of local friends and foreigners.  The ages of our team varied between families with children to married couples and even singles.  The age differences were a blessing as we set out to connect with all the people in the village.  Each of our team members were split into groups with at least one local person who was a translator for us.  In this village they only speak the Northern language and we are only learning the central language used throughout the entire country.  Our desire is to one day learn that language too, but we will tackle one language at a time.

On Friday, L and part of our team arrived in the morning to teach English in the village school.  L and another team member tag-teamed the lesson teaching vocabulary words from the creation story.  L used her coloring books that she has been making to tell stories from the Word.  During the story time, L asked each group of students if they had ever heard this story or about our Book.  Not one of the students, teachers, or faculty in the school had ever heard His name or about the Book!  So heartbreaking!  Our team gifted each student with a notebook and DVD of our message.  It was a really special time.  The students were so excited and grateful we came for a few hours to give them some attention.  Friday night the rest of the team arrived, so we split off into our host homes to rest up for the next day. 

Students in the school

L teaching

L teaching with her coloring books

L passing out DVDs

Saturday morning, we all gathered to devise a plan and head out.  All the guys on the team spent the morning creating a name sign for the village and digging ditches to help with the flooding.  The men painted and shared with the men of the village as they worked.  This village floods very easily since it sits in a valley below the mountains.  Another team of families spent the morning hosting English/Word storying camps for the children in the village.  Several came to learn English, hear stories, and play with American kids.  L’s team distributed boxed milk into 30 elderly homes.  Milk is very expensive here, so most of the elderly in the village are suffering from bone loss due to the lack of calcium.  L’s team met the people in each of the homes, shared with them, lifted them up to the Father, and left them with a DVD of our message and a package of boxed milk.  Most of the people they visited couldn’t walk or move. 

digging ditches

Milk distribution team

Passing out milk and DVDs

91 year old woman L visited.  She wanted to believe but was afraid persecution.

Precious woman who can’t walk and had never heard His name

Working through the heat—don’t let the jeans fool you!

Saturday evening, Dream’s family (our national partner) hosted a village party at their home.  We provided dinner for the entire village.  During dinner, we showed a short video, heard some “Personal Life Changing Stories,” and sang songs.  Dream was able to share with her entire village.  It was a really special time for her.  Many doors were opened and people asked many questions.  This village is very closed to our message, but we strongly believe it can change.

Dinner party-everyone eating together on the ground

Kids and adults all came for the event

Dream sharing for the first time in her home.

Singing together

Each group stayed in a villager’s home for the 2 nights and 3 days we were there.  We stayed in an older man’s home.  He is widowed with 7 children.  Sadly, they only visit him once a year.  One of his daughters lives in that same village and never comes to visit him!  So sad!  We slept on the concrete floor with sleeping bags and ants crawling all around and on us.  The geckos joined us each evening on the ceilings and walls.  Pretty sure L had her fill of bugs for a lifetime.  We showered using a short water hose with well water.  The shower sat next to the squatty potty.  It was quite a juggling match to shower and hold your clothes and soap while rinsing.  So humbling as I realize these people do it every day for their entire lives.

Sunday morning, we ate breakfast with our host family and shared with him.  We presented him with a gift in appreciation for his hospitality.  J was able to share with him and lift him up to the Father.  Our hope is he will find the truth.  Our team said our goodbyes in the village and then headed into a city 10 minutes from the village where we visited an orphanage.  We were able to enjoy a time of sharing and singing with them.  We gave each of the kids a Book written through comics and pencils.  We were so blessed by the children.  They are sent to this orphanage from all over the north region of our country.  Each child greeted us with a sincere smile.  You know their lives have been filled with pain and suffering, but from the smiles we received it is obvious they have joy in their hearts and they have all found their new Hope!

Breakfast with our host

Girls presenting the gift

J sharing with him

Our bathroom-toilet and shower

Our beds—one of the floor with the mats

Kitchen

Singing at the orphanage (the band was amazing!)

Handing out the cartoon Word books

Camera shy

The weekend was filled with many blessings and hardships.  We are so blessed beyond measure.  We truly desire for all peoples in all places around the world to hear about His great love.  Our hope is that the people of this village will now open their hearts to what they have heard.