I want to be more like them

I have spent a lot of time with Pastor Dan and his wife Susan.  I am beginning to understand the difficulties of living a life of ministry in a village affected by famine, starvation and slavery. 

Susan and Pastor Dan at their house "store"

Pastor Dan is a man that loves the people of his village.  They look to him to be a leader despite the fact that many of them are ill and dying.  He has no church building; just sticks that are set up as a symbol of what could be some day.  He prays over those who have AIDS, watches over their children as they die of malaria, sees them toiling in the soil for hours only to recieve a handful of yams to eat and yet he still smiles.  He never gives up hope.  He astounds me.

Susan showing me the AFR file she made and the families that are struggling in the village

She drew a picture on the file... so sweet and creative

His wife Susan is a primary teacher making less than $100 a month with half of that going to pay off her education and mortgage loan (for a house that is only 15 feet by 15 feet).  Susan sells things outside her home to keep them from going under.  The people in the village are so poor that they sometimes buy small packets of sugar that are $.03 to put 1 granule in their tea a day.  There is no added sweetness but to say they have some sugar is better than to say that they have none.  She has lost a son that was born too early, she faces poverty and illness just like everyone else, she sees children drop out of school because their parents can't afford a pencil, she watches the people in the church suffering endlessly and she works in her own small field to feed her 3 boys.  This family is tireless in their dedication to loving the poor. 

Home made sugar packets

Susan translating a my message about being God's child (Romans 8)

I get great pleasure from saying they are my friends.  I count myself blessed to know friends like these.  It was so much fun to speak at their church on Sunday.  Susan translated for me.  We also were able to get Pastor Dan a bicycle so he can visit the church members more frequently.  He has been walking over 10 miles a day going to see them. 

I love these people so much



Pray for these new friends of ours.  They are doing so much to see that our program is successful in their village.  They are so excited about the help that is coming already and it is wonderful to see hope revived.