Day 2

UNBELIEVEABLE! This is about the only way to describe today.  What’s up Life CC, it is Aaron tonight giving you all the update about today and it is an honor to do so.  The day started with a worship service at the farm, which was an incredible experience.  I have sung worship songs my entire life, but today the simplest of songs… “This is the Day That the Lord Has Made”, made me cry like a baby (for the first of many times today).  After worship we went to Lajwatek.  We were welcomed with a tribal song and dance that was amazing.  Shortly after arriving Aloysius took us all down to the well.  Today Pastor Tim, and the entire group were able to drink CLEAN water from the well… It was unbelievable.  Ashley and I made bricks that will be used to build a daycare/ church facility.  I have never had so much fun working a shovel, and spending time with my brother doing something with so much purpose.  We all led “small groups” in the afternoon which was really cool to be a part of.  Lauren and CC actually had a lady accept Christ in their group.  The highlight to the day I would say came when we couldn’t find Pastor Tim and Dustin.  We knew they were safe, but they had disappeared.  When they came back to the main area they had an older gentleman with them.  Upon returning Aloysius went up to speak with them and was informed that the most senior member of Lajwatek – not in age but in political stature, made a decision to accept Christ!  PRAISE GOD, the GOD of the universe is alive and well and doing amazing things in Lajwatek. 

                We left the village and went back to the farm for lunch and a house visit to a wonderful lady and her 3 small children.  We played a soccer game that Ashley got the only hand ball in, but it was a blast.  Gunny as I loving call him from his days in the Corps, or Jim to everyone else, was hanging out with Mr. B, or Pastor Tim’s dad during the game.  They started hanging out with some of the kids at the farm and enjoyed giving the children the time of their lives.  The kids got to see themselves on a camera after their picture was taken.  They were also given some water with a Propel packet in it, and drank so much Mr. B says he heard them swishing when they walked. 

                On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a house that Aloysius has helped with pigs.  The children came from everywhere and it was so amazing to stop and see them.  The children loved Gunny (Jim), as he showed them his USMC bulldog tattoo and pretended to bark at them.  As we walked out I looked back and it looked like something out of a movie as Gunny had kids everywhere around him following him, as they went.  Awesome!

                Back at the hotel we ate a great dinner, and came into the room we are now in, where we sang some worship songs and prayed over Dustin, pastor Tim, and Mitch  (a director at SOM).  We will be going to bed soon, but this will be a day that will not be forgotten.  Thank you all for your prayers, keep praying, the enemy is working, but PRAISE GOD, HE is stronger.  Thank you all and since I get to write tonight I want to tell Faith I love you so much, I miss you, thank you for caring for our boys, and please tell them how much I love them.  You are an incredible spouse and I so thankful for His grace of giving me you for my spouse.  I love you, I’ll see you soon.

Funny Events of the Day:

1)      We found out that if you took a chicken that is definitely someone’s, even though it is in the middle of nowhere, you will be taken back to the elders, condemned as a thief and will probably end up as a pile of ashes

2)      As pastor Tim and Dustin were talking to the Lajwatek senior member, the man we now call John, looked at Dustin pointed at Tim and said I can’t understand him.  If you didn’t catch that Dustin had to translate Tim’s English into English because John couldn’t understand.

Aaron