Alpha Saturday.... African Time, jammed dvds, power outages etc...

Well, doing any course requires administration and organization. In Africa, we add to that the variables that can undo your schedule and your peace of mind if you let it.

This last Saturday we enjoyed the "Holy Spirit" part of our Alpha course. Such questions as "Who is the Holy Spirit?" "What does the Holy Spirit do?" and "How may I be filled with the Holy Spirit?" are answered.

I would consider this to be the most strategic part of the course and probably the pinnacle. Many people receive prayer and we see them healed, set free from fears, control, addictions, and their lives filled with love, peace and joy. It is truly a wonderful thing to watch.

This week was no different. The African variables were indeed a challenge. Besides our participants arriving late ("I will be there in 10 minutes, Mama" translated to one hour) and waiting for folk to show up meant we started over an hour and a half late. Add to that the 40 minutes we spent trying to get the dvd which was stuck in the player to work. Torrential rain, power outages and constant phone calls were another challenge. Food was not ready, mud was everywhere and our patience was tried..

However, the results were all worth it.
One woman who wishes to remain anonymous had found just the night before evidence of family betrayal which was undeniable. God came and gave her peace, freedom from fear and a plan for the future. She went away empowered and the terror and pain and betrayal she arrived with, dissipated.

Another woman, felt Jesus remove fear and heal her broken heart. Her husband had been shot in a hold up 2 yrs ago and she has lived with terror and aloneness ever since.

Still another was filled with joy and shouted out loud as she felt filled with a new found love from God.

Another man decided that he was not yet ready to become a christian but wanted prayer and the Holy Spirit to bless him. He said afterward "I felt my heart opening up"

Others were filled with peace, a sense of purpose and power.

When God touches someone's life and changes old patterns and removes things that limit their freedom - it is worth all the hard work and obstacles that we overcome.

Please continue to pray for these folk. They have another 4 weeks of their course left and more blessings coming their way.