God is at work!

FYI - I posted 2 different posts today - this one and the one below it so make sure you check out both of them!

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Just wanted to share a few stories with you of how God is at work amongst the Agta this week...

While we were in the village yesterday, I was translating prenatal checkups for Tami and Bea (see post below), and Steve got talking with a guy from the village who has always been friendly but who has never attended any of the Bible studies. His testimony was such an encouragement to us...

"Many different groups come here every week to teach religious things. But when you come, everyone is happy to see you and greets you - even those who are not in your group. Everyone is happy to see you because we have noticed that you are different than the others. When the other groups come, we are not happy to see them because we have seen what they do to the people in their groups. The other groups that come are trying to make money off people. They don't really care about people, but your group is different. Also, we have seen a difference in the lives of the people who are studying the Bible with you. They are no longer involved in the vices that were destroying them before. They have changed, and it makes us all happy to see you come."

What a testimony from an unbeliever! It was such an encouragement to us, and it reminded us of the story in Acts 5:13 and 2:46-47.

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Yesterday while the ladies and I were doing the women's health seminar, Steve got talking with one of the new believers. Jose told him how just last night, his son was being "troubled by an evil spirit". Since Jose did not know what to do, he took his son to someone who has power to treat that - basically a witch doctor. But the witch doctors here say that their power to heal comes from God so often even believers will go to them and think it is ok, even though their power is really coming from evil spirits. Anyway, Jose took his son to one of these witch doctors and was telling Steve about it. Steve listened quietly and asked some questions then just prayed and asked God for wisdom in how to address this issue. We have wanted to be very careful about playing the role of the Holy Spirt in their lives by telling them the "to do's" and "not to do's". Steve felt that he should just wait for God to reveal the right time to address it. Well, it didn't look like the Bible study would happen that day because of the women's health clinic. However, at the last minute, they ended up doing the Bible study, and the story for the day was about Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8) who claimed his power was from God, and the people honored him and listened to him. However, in the course of the story, it was revealed where his power actually came from and how he needed to repent for being involved in this. What a tough concept for people who have gone to witch doctors their whole lives and relied heavily on their power, thinking it was from God! However, in the discussion time, the men really got personal and discussed specifics and how that is wrong to be involved in that anymore. Steve did not have to say anything at all - the men drew the truth out of the Word themselves and applied to their lives as the Holy Spirit guided them. We didn't have to say a word! Later, Jose told Steve how much he had learned in the story and how there is so much that is new for him now. Steve explained that before we KNOW the truth about something, we do things we shouldn't. But once we KNOW the truth, then we have the opportunity to obey it. Jose said this story was a real "turning point" for him. Pray as he tries to apply these truths in his every day life. It is one thing to say this is true - quite another to live by it when your child is ill and you know the witch doctor can make him better - but you shouldn't go to him because of where his power comes from. They need to trust God and God alone in these situations, but it is hard when your child's health is at stake! Pray for them.

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One more cool story - a couple weeks ago, we had some visitors staying with us who live and work in a very secure location where being a Christian is against the law and the believers face much persecution. They came with us to our Bible studies, and they shared just a little about persecution and how people are being imprisoned and even killed for their faith. When we arrived in the one village, Jose started out the time by having someone read from Matthew 5 - the passage about loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you! He had been studying this passage the previous week (he can't read so his wife reads to him or he listens to the Bible on tape). Jose had NO IDEA that we even had visitors coming that week or what they would share about, but the Holy Spirit was preparing the way by leading him to study this particular passage and share it with the group. When I heard what he shared, it gave me goose bumps to realize what God had done. I had the privilege of translating for our friend (Steve was home sick that day) as he shared about the persecution in his area and how the believers here could pray for the believers there. Jose and the others were very touched by his testimony, and our friend even videoed a message from Jose to the believers in that area to press on in the work despite the hardships they face because "what God says to do is more important than what the men tell you".

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We were touched by these stories and greatly encouraged to see how God is working amongst the Agta. I hope they were also a blessing to you. Please continue to pray for these new brothers and sisters in Christ as they continue to grow in their faith. Pray for them next week in particular as 7 of them go with Steve about 20 hours north to help with a church planting training in a tribal village up there (the village where I - Jen - grew up!). Pray that Steve and the guys would have many hours of valuable discussion and learning Bible Stories as they travel and that this week would prove to really ground these men in the Truth. Keep praying - God is using your prayers!