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Thursday, February 17, 2011

Vineyard UK: come to me


This song seems fitting for the days I've walked around the village of Mlangali in Tanzania, Africa visiting families in their homes. At every turn I was confronted by poverty and sickness, people living in less then acceptable shelters while suffering with various insufferable health issues. I met a man today working his farm with what seemed like a fractured leg, a woman with a persistent cough, another man with severe back pain, many children coughing with runny noses and others with various sores and painful ailments. At one point, a woman came looking for me (and my translator) as she must have heard that I was visiting and praying for people. She asked for prayer for her husband whom she said literally lost his mind one day and gave away everything the family owned leaving them in poverty with nothing.

It’s painfully obvious that the kingdom of darkness is actively at work in oppressing people and stealing their hope for a future. The reality of Jesus’ words couldn’t ring truer, “The thief [devil] comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ESV). God is life and He desires to bless people with an abundant life. Throughout the day, I was reminded by Holy Spirit that God cares for every aspect of each and every person. He cares about their physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual needs. At each home I was overwhelmed with great compassion for the family, Christ’s compassion, and as I was talking with them about their lives all my heart wanted to do was pray that God would intervene in their lives and restore all that the devil has stolen, killed and destroyed. Thankfully, I had an opportunity to pray for just about every family I visited. Praise the Lord!

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