GOD BLESS AMERICA AND AFRICA
Ministry and Prayer Concerns
Written by: Staff
Post Date: Nov. 15, 2005
These are our final thoughts on our recent trip to Africa. It shares our compelling desire to continue to work in the mission field to help make a difference in the lives of children in the Name of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your prayers and support. ** Please note this writing represents only one part of our experience in Africa. The movement of the Lord is expanding daily in the nations of Africa in a powerful way. This journal speaks of one war torn area in Northern Uganda, at the refugee camps near the Sudan border where there is so much despair and anguish that people often no longer believe in any God, Christian, Muslin or any other. But our team was willing to travel into these areas to share the gospel and give out Bibles and goods.
November, 2006
As we walked down the ramp at the airport on our return trip from Africa we held hands and quietly sang, "GOD BLESS AMERICA, land that I love." It was so good to come back to our country. A land founded with God, blessed by God. We prayed that our country never loses the freedom and prosperity that comes from loving God and serving him.
The contrast is much different when we go to Africa. Much of Africa's roots are deeply founded in darkness, witchcraft and devil worship. We experienced it all as we traveled into different regions in Kenya, Rwanda, The Congo and Uganda. We saw the devastating effects of the unreasonable and violent acts of genocide, greed and pure evil. We saw the innocent children starving in the refugee camps along the Sudan border, orphaned by AIDS and whose parents have been slaughtered because of rebel wars. The constant fear of living in a land where violence reigns is a continual topic of the day.
Who is safe in this land?
No, not the farmers who risk their lives just by going out to work their fields. Not the young women who are often stolen from the fields by rebel soldiers as war brides and taken to the mountains to serves as sex slaves. Not the children who become rebel target practice for those whose boredom is too great to bear this day.
Who can survive in this rebel terrorized land?
Where food supplies run short for the 10's of 1,000's that flock to the Internally Displaced Persons camps.
Their lives consist of living in a 12' round, grass roof mud hut with dirt floors and a charcoal stove to cook their family's ration of millet mush and beans. Barely enough to survive as they watch before their eyes, their once healthy children's bellies bulge with damaged spleens from malnourshiment.
The emotional destruction of the victims of terrorism and war is seen on the sun weathered worried faces of the people. The bondage of fear is evident in the whole community.
Yet, out of the eerie stillness of the Pabbo refugee camp of 67,000 people in the distance could be heard songs of praise and worship. We began walking toward the sound, taking a large collection of children following us like the "Pied Piper" through out the camp. We came upon the church of about 350 people who were singing in a large room in the heat of the day. They had so many smiles! What a contrast of what we had seen previously that day. They are the light of the community sold out to God for life. They have fresh hope and peace, only available through Christ in their lives. These people are on a mission of love and peace to break the darkness from their lives and land. Please pray for them as they strive for the same kind of opportunities that we have in America, freedom to serve God, to have enough healthy food, to be at peace, to have prosperity and to have life. The song they desire to sing in their hearts is "GOD BLESS AFRICA - land that we love."
In the Name of Jesus Christ, the son of God, the only way to heaven - let it be so!
Thank you for your prayers and support as we completed our seventh trip into the mission field of Africa. We look forward to our 8th trip next year, one of a new covenant, new connections, new opportunities. We have been invited to share the Gospel also in Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Sierra Leone. We lift these nations up in prayer and seek God's will in our lives and mission work.
In His Service,
Steve and Carol Carlyle
Pastor's serving the Lord together,
Grace In God's Hands Ministries
A National Heritage Foundation
P.O Box 368
Prosser, WA 99350
www.graceingodshands.com
November, 2006
As we walked down the ramp at the airport on our return trip from Africa we held hands and quietly sang, "GOD BLESS AMERICA, land that I love." It was so good to come back to our country. A land founded with God, blessed by God. We prayed that our country never loses the freedom and prosperity that comes from loving God and serving him.
The contrast is much different when we go to Africa. Much of Africa's roots are deeply founded in darkness, witchcraft and devil worship. We experienced it all as we traveled into different regions in Kenya, Rwanda, The Congo and Uganda. We saw the devastating effects of the unreasonable and violent acts of genocide, greed and pure evil. We saw the innocent children starving in the refugee camps along the Sudan border, orphaned by AIDS and whose parents have been slaughtered because of rebel wars. The constant fear of living in a land where violence reigns is a continual topic of the day.
Who is safe in this land?
No, not the farmers who risk their lives just by going out to work their fields. Not the young women who are often stolen from the fields by rebel soldiers as war brides and taken to the mountains to serves as sex slaves. Not the children who become rebel target practice for those whose boredom is too great to bear this day.
Who can survive in this rebel terrorized land?
Where food supplies run short for the 10's of 1,000's that flock to the Internally Displaced Persons camps.
Their lives consist of living in a 12' round, grass roof mud hut with dirt floors and a charcoal stove to cook their family's ration of millet mush and beans. Barely enough to survive as they watch before their eyes, their once healthy children's bellies bulge with damaged spleens from malnourshiment.
The emotional destruction of the victims of terrorism and war is seen on the sun weathered worried faces of the people. The bondage of fear is evident in the whole community.
Yet, out of the eerie stillness of the Pabbo refugee camp of 67,000 people in the distance could be heard songs of praise and worship. We began walking toward the sound, taking a large collection of children following us like the "Pied Piper" through out the camp. We came upon the church of about 350 people who were singing in a large room in the heat of the day. They had so many smiles! What a contrast of what we had seen previously that day. They are the light of the community sold out to God for life. They have fresh hope and peace, only available through Christ in their lives. These people are on a mission of love and peace to break the darkness from their lives and land. Please pray for them as they strive for the same kind of opportunities that we have in America, freedom to serve God, to have enough healthy food, to be at peace, to have prosperity and to have life. The song they desire to sing in their hearts is "GOD BLESS AFRICA - land that we love."
In the Name of Jesus Christ, the son of God, the only way to heaven - let it be so!
Thank you for your prayers and support as we completed our seventh trip into the mission field of Africa. We look forward to our 8th trip next year, one of a new covenant, new connections, new opportunities. We have been invited to share the Gospel also in Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Sierra Leone. We lift these nations up in prayer and seek God's will in our lives and mission work.
In His Service,
Steve and Carol Carlyle
Pastor's serving the Lord together,
Grace In God's Hands Ministries
A National Heritage Foundation
P.O Box 368
Prosser, WA 99350
www.graceingodshands.com
