Praise and Prayer—February 2014
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?….You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world make himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?”‘ James 4:3-5
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-3
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” Mark 9:34-35
Here’s the ‘check’ for wisdom from above! Am I pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits (Galatians 5:22), impartial, and sincere? ‘A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.’
Praise
-for the Healing the Wounds of Trauma seminar that Debbie was able to lead/facilitate over the weekend of the 24th-26th in Siloam Springs. A good group came together from various churches; benefitting from and enjoying interactions with one another as they were made aware of the causes of, worked through and were able to bring to the cross, their personal wounds for healing. Praise too for Bo, Abbie, and Timothy’s visit from Columbia, SC. They were able participate in the seminar and help Debbie, with Bo leading worship and Abbie helping to facilitate the training. Loving on Timothy was an added benefit for ‘Jjaja’–Grandma Debbie!
-for the contacts being made to lead/facilitate more Healing the Wounds of Trauma seminars—ICBD (Institute for Biblical Community Development), through AIM, and with the Bible Society.
-for the opportunity for Mukanirwa and me to spend time with, and pray for Pastor Nyadria and his family in Aru, DRCongo. When I asked him how we could pray for him, he responded, “That I will be completely healed’. And so together with him and his wife and daughter we joined together in faith to pray this very thing for him. Please join us in continuing to do so. Praise for the healing of the nasty burn/infection that he had on his ‘paralyzed’ leg that was the result of being carried to/from church on a motorcycle. Praise too, for the good progress that has been made on finishing a house for him and his family. The interior plastering has been completed with door and window frames installed. The exterior plastering should be completed today and the floor completed next week. Praise for the funding from various sources that has made this possible. Praise for the initiatives being made through the church to find the additional funds to complete the ceiling, toilet facilities, and paint the house. Our hope had been that he could move in by the end of January—the benchmark has been moved to the end of February!
-for the amazing way Father opened the way through AIM leadership for Ron and Donna Pontier, Mukanirwa, Jonathan Koski (AIMAIR pilot), and myself to fly to CAR and spend several days visiting with and encouraging the church leaders and members of the CEEC (our partner church) in Mboki, Rafai, Zemio, Djema, and Obo. We also had the opportunity to meet with church leaders and members from the Congolese refugee community at Zemio. Together with the church leaders from CECA-20 (our church partner in Congo) we are in the process of trying to work out with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) how to get them back home to Assa and the surrounding area. Our time in each place was short; it would have been nice to have had at least an overnight in each place—preferably more than that—to be able to absorb what has and is going on in their communities, better understand their situation and more fully come alongside them in order to help ‘carry their burden’. In spite of the shortness of time in each place, we experienced Father’s rich blessing of encouragement being poured out through us to our brothers and sisters. This was testified to over and over again. Father gave a specific message for each place based on reflections from James 3 & 4. The message in each place was linked to the Gideon message that I delivered 14 months ago, with specific illustrations from Scripture for each community, showing how wisdom from above begins with a giving up of our own passions, laying aside every weight and sin, denying ourselves, taking up our cross, running with endurance, looking to Jesus—all to follow Him ‘who yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us”; in total abandonment! Mukanirwa summed the trip up this way, “Father accomplished in a few days what would normally have taken over a year to accomplish, in terms of Kingdom value.” Join us in praising Him, who alone is worthy ‘to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing’.
-that I was able to leave 10 of the ‘God’s Story’ and 5 of the NT MP3 players in Fulfuldde with Jean Baptiste in Zemio. Praise for the opportunity Mukanirwa and I had discussing with him how to strategically use these players among the Mbororo and Houda to introduce them to Jesus and His Kingdom. In Father’s providence, through the Bible Society he had in his hands an article in French on how to strategically and effectively use MP3 players with oral communities to communicate the ‘God Story’ and transmit the NT. Praise too for Pastor Yakanza’s desire to engage the Mbororo at Mboki. Pray that he and Jean Baptiste will be able to meet soon in order to come up with a plan as to how a few of these players might be effectively put into use at Mboki among the Mbororo and Houda.
Prayer
-that Debbie and I will yield our passions, dreams, visions, plans, strategies to Father—that the spirit that He has made to dwell in us and that He yearns jealousy over will be totally abandoned to Holy Spirit—to the wisdom that is from above that alone can truly lead and directs us. Debbie has been able to postpone the packing and moving from the river cabin until after I get back from Africa. Pray that we will know where to move and/or store our things, and that together we will know the next steps Father has planned for us.
-for the ongoing planning of and logistical support for the discipleship training of the 35-38 military chaplains from the 906th Regiment at Bangadi from the 10th —20th. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to engage with/train these military chaplains who rub shoulders daily with the Congolese troops operating in the area affected by the LRA in DRCongo. Pray for safety in travel; health for the teachers, the students, and their families left behind; open minds and hearts to hear, understand, and apply what is being taught; and transformative application in the lives of the soldiers on the ground as the principles are put into practice.
-that the details for the proposed flight with AIMAIR to Banda, Ango and possibly Assa from the 17th—20th with Kokole (President of CECA-20, our church partner), Phil Byler (REO AIM Central Region), myself, and ?? will become a reality. The primary purpose of the visit is speak with church leaders on the ground in order to begin to put in place arrangements for housing for team members scheduled to arrive later in the year to begin ministry among the Zande and Mbororo people. The trip provides a unique opportunity for Kokole (and us) to interact with and encourage church leaders and members in this remote area; as well as to participate in the closing ceremony of the chaplains seminar on the 20th at Bangadi. At Ango we will be able to continue the process of exploring how we can assist in the relocation of Congolese refugees back from Zemio, CAR to Assa. I will be also be distributing the remaining 10 MP3 players with the God’s Story and the 5 players with the NT in Fulfuldde to pastors at Banda and Ango who have been using the ‘trial’ players among the Mbororo and Houda with an incredibly encouraging response in introducing them to Jesus and His Kingdom.
-for ongoing opportunities for discussions with church leaders related to cross-cultural indigenous missions initiatives, discipleship, trauma & reconciliation seminars, etc.,
-for CAR and S. Sudan; Pressure from the Africa Union (AU) and the International Community has resulted in a ceasefire in S. Sudan and a transitional President for CAR—both positive steps. (AIM’s presence in S. Sudan has been reestablished!) In spite of that, both of these countries continue to be torn apart by internal strife and insecurity, driven by earthy, unspiritual, demonic wisdom (bitter jealousy and selfish ambition) that is manifested through both religious and political agendas. The result is the ‘disorder’ and ‘every vile practice’ that is being carried out against innocent people. The ‘organized disorder’ has resulted in hundreds of thousands of innocent people having their lives and livelihood thrust into upheaval and destroyed as they are forced to abandon everything, run for their lives, and seek shelter in ‘safe’ environments. Continue to pray that the leaders, as well as the perpetrators of insecurity and violence (organized disorder) will be brought face to face with ‘the wisdom that is from above’. This wisdom is “pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits (Galatians 5:22), impartial, and sincere. It’s result is a “harvest of righteousness that is sown in peace”. In light of the apparent religious agenda (forceful spread of I$ lam southward) being perpetrated across this region of Africa, a careful consideration of what took place in N. Africa (and how it took place) that resulted in the effacement of the Church and gospel message needs to be made. Pray that we will be willing and able to regularly take the necessary and appropriate steps to support and encourage these believers who are increasingly being threatened and marginalized by both religiously and politically backed groups propagating their agendas through insecurity, destabilization, and encroachment (organized disorder propagated through the LRA, Seleka, Janjaweed, ADF-NALU, Mbororo, etc.,). Because of his relationship with the Mbororo and his desire for them to know Jesus, Jean Baptiste’s life has been and continues to be threatened. The believers in Mboki know the stated agenda is that their church be made a depot and the Catholic church a mosque. Prayer is the starting point—the womb of God that births His response/action! For current news reports and info, check these out
http://www.irinnews.org/report/99567/central-african-republic-clerics-lobby-for-peace
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25988109
http://www.irinnews.org/report/99486/martha-anger-refugee-from-south-sudan-they-opened-fire-on-us
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25979967
http://www.irinnews.org/report/99538/a-look-into-the-adf-nalu-militia
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25872951
Redeemed to redeem!
Steve & Debbie
Jesus died that I might live: I die that He might live through me! — a ‘taxi’ through which Holy Spirit can have his way!
Doing for Jesus vs Being with Jesus
Working for Jesus vs Working with Jesus
Knowing about Jesus vs Knowing (intimate relationship) Jesus
Listening to Jesus vs Hearing Jesus
A Fan of Jesus vs A Follower (Disciple/Apprentice) of Jesus
An Acquaintance of Jesus vs A Friend (identity in though, heart, & spirit) of Jesus “I have called you friends”
Stephen & Deborah Wolcott
19212 Fisher Ford Rd.
Siloam Springs, AR. 72761
Email: sdwolcott@aimint.net
Steve’s mobile: 479-233-0823 (USA)
256-772-415201 (Uganda)
243-824-494864 (DRCongo)
Deb’s mobile: 479-427-2598
Africa Inland Mission, P.O. Box 3611, Peachtree City, GA 30269
Wolcott Wanderings 