The House of Prayer here at our base really has a heart to minister to the poor. Lipok and Sanni have done a really good job leading it and trying to invest a lot of their time and energy visiting and praying for families, as well as trying to help with immediate needs that many of these people have. There are 2 specific areas that they have been visiting, one for more than 2 years now, and they have built friendships with many families in both of these localities. Sometimes they bring rice and bananas and other times they try to help with medical care and schooling for the child. This Winter it was cold and many of the people didn't have enough blankets and so they had fun passing out blankets to those who needed them.
My friend Liz came and visited us and was a great blessing to our base and several of the ministries that we run. It was really interesting to hear her tell stories about what she saw at the slums and see everything through her eyes. One lady was really encouraged by Liz and brought her "water from the rock." Liz was a good sport and drank it, but it was water that runs through great piles of garbage and comes down a waterfall, also laced with various trash and debris. The children really loved Liz and always gathered around her in big groups.
These days our electricity is really bad and goes out quite frequently, not to mention the hours that are blocked out in order to conserve. I was telling my husband today, "I wish I could take electricity for granted again." But we really have so much to be thankful for and I'm finding great safety these days in a place of thankfulness. A couple times this last week when I have felt discouraged or wish things were different than they are, I find myself going through a check-list in my mind of all the multitudes of things that I have been blessed with. There is great power to dispel bitterness, hopelessness, envy, anxiety, and a myriad of other things simply by choosing to be grateful.
