Hi Everyone…
I write you from the floor of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We are on our way to India and the regrouped (including some new staff, husbands and children) team spent it’s first night cuddling here together.
On the 16th of January we departed from Tanzania. It was a heart-breaking week. It still hurts to think about the hospital-our friends, the women and the rough conditions due to lack of staff. We were not the hope, it was Je*sus that brought the hope and as the staff expressed their gratefulness for investing into the need for the season, we encouraged them that the hope is in Jes*us. Some of the staff even came to our home, quite a jaunt, to say their final words and thank those that hosted us.
We made it made it safely to Perth on the 18th and were able to connect with our “new staff”, that are now traveling with us, as well as our school leader. Within a couple days the 25th celebrations of Perth and 50th for our organization were in full gear. We had the chance to be a part of serving the base in the kitchen, which was cooking for 750 people and the quality of the food only increased. We also were able to hear Loren and Darlene, our founders, speak to us as a base. In 1960, our organization was founded. Loren (who has been to every country in the world and works as a volunteer as well) was originally given the vision of waves covering the shores of every continent and as he watched the waves, he saw they were turning into young people. Since then, there have been many visions and words that have shaped and led our organization to continue taking cities, multiplying in numbers, expanding in the spheres of society and sharing the go*spel. How rich it was to see the foundation that our base had been built on. He left me thinking, “Am I really trusting and working towards millions being sa*ved?”
One story he shared was about some of our friends in Nigeria, out of a time of inter*cession they had a word of the L*ord to go and share with guerillas that were responsible for mass killings. The entry-level students in the course, were trusting that G*od would give them an in. They traveled and came upon their camp and asked if they could camp out with them. They were suspicious of course but when the students began to serve them and live in harmony, they became friends. One by one, they started giving up their weapons entranced by this “Jesus” that the students were talking about. One night, a man held his gun to the outreach leader’s head and told him he was going to kill to him, the leader remained calm and repeated multiple times with the tension rising each time “No, you are not.” He commanded him in the name of Je*sus to put the gun down and the man fell on his face in tears, free from this demonic possession. In the end all 3000 of the guerillas gave themselves to the L*ord and handed their weapons over to the students. The government then entrusted our organization for rehabilitation of the men. One of the leaders of the guerillas stated: “What we couldn’t do with guns and bullets, was done with the love of Je*sus.”
And so we have been sent out, having celebrated all G*od has done in the last 50 years and filled with the love of J*esus again. Committed to seeing the flame go forward, ready to serve for no greater reason than our love for G*od.
Bless you guys. Soon we will be in India. I will write on my blog and update you as soon as I can!
Happy 25th Perth!
Bekah
Sunday, January 31, 2010
my december update. im working on january's :)
This was what I meant to post about two weeks ago. I didn't want to miss out on sharing these testimonies, so I went ahead and added it today.
Hi guys. I must begin apologetically. The past two weeks, I personally have been riddled with sickness as well as increased responsibilities and there wasn’t the usual time to sit down and hack out the update. Please accept my apology and enjoy what’s coming…
Here is a testimony from one of the students about how G*od is moving amongst the staff…
I was working in the hospital last Monday taking care of women in the postnatal (after they deliver) ward. One woman caught the attention of another student who then called me over to her bed. We checked the woman and discovered that she had been sent over from the labour ward with an unrepaired tear that looked quite bad. We called for one of the doctors to come who had experience repairing tears. “First, she will need a catheter to empty her bladder, and the hospital doesn’t have any more” said the doctor. This was a serious situation; her tear needed immediate attention. By saying this, he meant, “There is nothing I can do right now.” She didn’t have any money, so she would have to wait for until her family came and brought a catheter. It was at that exact moment that Emily walked by and said “I have a catheter, she can have it!” the doctor looked at her a moment and then asked “Did you buy it with your own money?” rubbing his fingers together. She smiled and said yes, “Because Jesus loves these women.” And then she left to get the catheter. I was still standing there with the doctor and he was obviously very touched by this act. I looked at him and he looked at me with moist eyes as he shook his head saying, “I would never expect someone like you to do something like this for one of these women. Breathing in the beauty of this moment, I echoed Emily’s words, “It is because J*esus loves them, and we love them.” This man, a doctor and a Muslim looked at me and said, “I know – and that is what I appreciate about you; you love.” In the end, the woman got the catheter and her tear was successfully repaired. It was so cool to see how a simple act, done in love, at the right moment, could have such a tremendous impact on a doctor and make such a difference for that woman. That is how J*esus is; His love changes people’s lives.
Here is another quick one about the same doctor and my experience with him later in the same week…
A student and I were conducting a delivery with a case that had been labouring since morning. As Birth Attendants, we learn and put into practice covering each delivery in prayer, saying aloud a prayer for the woman and welcoming God’s presence in that exact moment. All seemed to be going normally when the baby delivered and appeared lifeless. Seconds later the placenta delivered as well. The placenta is the baby’s sustenance, with it delivering so shortly after the baby we knew this baby was not getting any oxygen and asked ourselves “How long has the baby been without oxygen?” When we laid our hands on the baby it miraculously had a heartbeat and so we quickly separated the baby so that it could be stimulated and resuscitated. We knew we were experiencing a miracle, how was the heart beating if there was no source of blood? At the exact moment that the baby was delivering a doctor was bringing two med students around for a tour. When the placenta came, he commented to the effect of, “too bad, the baby is dead” and when he heard our exclamations that the baby was alive, he shook his head and said “this is because the followers of J*esus are here”. We have had many conversations previously with this Muslim doctor about the power in J*esus and in this moment, he gave glory to G*od and rightfully acknowledged that the miracle of this baby’s life belonged to God.
Our time in the hospital is winding down and the place we have called home is one we are leaving behind. This Saturday we are departing from Tanzania . I struggle with the fact that we have to go for now. It seems with this little organization of ours that somehow you always get connected again, it’s the saying “bye and I don’t know when I will see you again” that hurts. G*od has been speaking about investing into short term relationships personally, and this is the part that makes me not want to do that. I must trust him.
We will land in Perth on Monday and stay there for 12 days, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of our base and then the 50th Anniversary of our international organization. Then we will take off for India .
I am still blogging at www.bekah29.blogspot.com so you can get more frequent updates if you like. I also would like to ask you to send me your postal address. I am trying to compile an address book and I want you to be a part of it.
Thanks, you guys rock. G*od is with you my friends.
Bekah
Hi guys. I must begin apologetically. The past two weeks, I personally have been riddled with sickness as well as increased responsibilities and there wasn’t the usual time to sit down and hack out the update. Please accept my apology and enjoy what’s coming…
Here is a testimony from one of the students about how G*od is moving amongst the staff…
I was working in the hospital last Monday taking care of women in the postnatal (after they deliver) ward. One woman caught the attention of another student who then called me over to her bed. We checked the woman and discovered that she had been sent over from the labour ward with an unrepaired tear that looked quite bad. We called for one of the doctors to come who had experience repairing tears. “First, she will need a catheter to empty her bladder, and the hospital doesn’t have any more” said the doctor. This was a serious situation; her tear needed immediate attention. By saying this, he meant, “There is nothing I can do right now.” She didn’t have any money, so she would have to wait for until her family came and brought a catheter. It was at that exact moment that Emily walked by and said “I have a catheter, she can have it!” the doctor looked at her a moment and then asked “Did you buy it with your own money?” rubbing his fingers together. She smiled and said yes, “Because Jesus loves these women.” And then she left to get the catheter. I was still standing there with the doctor and he was obviously very touched by this act. I looked at him and he looked at me with moist eyes as he shook his head saying, “I would never expect someone like you to do something like this for one of these women. Breathing in the beauty of this moment, I echoed Emily’s words, “It is because J*esus loves them, and we love them.” This man, a doctor and a Muslim looked at me and said, “I know – and that is what I appreciate about you; you love.” In the end, the woman got the catheter and her tear was successfully repaired. It was so cool to see how a simple act, done in love, at the right moment, could have such a tremendous impact on a doctor and make such a difference for that woman. That is how J*esus is; His love changes people’s lives.
Here is another quick one about the same doctor and my experience with him later in the same week…
A student and I were conducting a delivery with a case that had been labouring since morning. As Birth Attendants, we learn and put into practice covering each delivery in prayer, saying aloud a prayer for the woman and welcoming God’s presence in that exact moment. All seemed to be going normally when the baby delivered and appeared lifeless. Seconds later the placenta delivered as well. The placenta is the baby’s sustenance, with it delivering so shortly after the baby we knew this baby was not getting any oxygen and asked ourselves “How long has the baby been without oxygen?” When we laid our hands on the baby it miraculously had a heartbeat and so we quickly separated the baby so that it could be stimulated and resuscitated. We knew we were experiencing a miracle, how was the heart beating if there was no source of blood? At the exact moment that the baby was delivering a doctor was bringing two med students around for a tour. When the placenta came, he commented to the effect of, “too bad, the baby is dead” and when he heard our exclamations that the baby was alive, he shook his head and said “this is because the followers of J*esus are here”. We have had many conversations previously with this Muslim doctor about the power in J*esus and in this moment, he gave glory to G*od and rightfully acknowledged that the miracle of this baby’s life belonged to God.
Our time in the hospital is winding down and the place we have called home is one we are leaving behind. This Saturday we are departing from Tanzania . I struggle with the fact that we have to go for now. It seems with this little organization of ours that somehow you always get connected again, it’s the saying “bye and I don’t know when I will see you again” that hurts. G*od has been speaking about investing into short term relationships personally, and this is the part that makes me not want to do that. I must trust him.
We will land in Perth on Monday and stay there for 12 days, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of our base and then the 50th Anniversary of our international organization. Then we will take off for India .
I am still blogging at www.bekah29.blogspot.com so you can get more frequent updates if you like. I also would like to ask you to send me your postal address. I am trying to compile an address book and I want you to be a part of it.
Thanks, you guys rock. G*od is with you my friends.
Bekah
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
hello from bangkok
Hi friends. I got a free 15 minute internet voucher here in Bangkok, oh the things you discover on 18 hour layovers. Just thought I’d let you know we made it this far. I did write an update last weekend and I will post it when we get back to Perth, along with a final report of Tanzania.
Love you all, thanks for your pra*yers and friendship.
bekah
Love you all, thanks for your pra*yers and friendship.
bekah
Saturday, January 09, 2010
YIPEE
warning> i am on a foreign keyboard. the punctuation is lacking.
rachel hailstone says that she would like to protest the lack of blogging and i will second her. the last two days off i have been down and out with the bug, by bug, i dont mean the usual bug, rather the bug that bites you and vomits its sporozites into your bloodstream. i am feeling better now, the Lrd has sustained me, and pra~ise him because i get to write my update to you today.
change in plans, my family called me. i will finish later.
rachel hailstone says that she would like to protest the lack of blogging and i will second her. the last two days off i have been down and out with the bug, by bug, i dont mean the usual bug, rather the bug that bites you and vomits its sporozites into your bloodstream. i am feeling better now, the Lrd has sustained me, and pra~ise him because i get to write my update to you today.
change in plans, my family called me. i will finish later.
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