Thursday, July 27, 2017

Let's give the devil a black-eye

This guy was huge.  He must have been well over 6 foot tall and built like an American-football defense player.  HUGE.  He was dressed in the long IsIamic tunic (sorry I don't know the right name for that item).  
had been giving out the Swahili version of the GLOW tracts.  Before leaving the house, I prayed and asked the Lord to help me know which ones to take out and how many.  I loaded up 10 packets plus a few extra.  That would give me more than 1,000 tracts to give out.   In addition to this, I loaded up probably 20 health books into my backpack. (That will be another post!)
I had to go into the main part of town to the National Library to deliver the new books for the ISBN office.  The sidewalk was teeming with people.  I offered tracts out as I walked, and often I would have to stop and stand in one place just to hand them out quickly enough as hands would reach over to get one.
I had finished at the National Library.  I prayed about where to go, and headed off in the direction I felt lead to.   I had been praying a lot.  I was asking God to help me get the right tracts into the hands of the people that I met this day.  I was headed down towards City Center.  I was offering tracts to anyone that might want one, but not pushing them on anyone. 
As I mentioned before, at times they would be going as fast as I could separate them.  Often I didn't even see the faces of the takers.  Then it happened.  
"Excuse me!  Excuse me!", I heard from behind me, as this huge representative of the human race loomed over me.
He came around me from behind as I realized he was trying to get my attention.  I turned to meet him, and he started asking me question (I think in English).  
"This thing you are handing out." He showed me a GLOW tract.  "Is it about religion?", he asked.
Not knowing which one he had received, as he was showing me the back, I replied, "A little bit."  I was wondering if he was mad or what.  Was I finally in trouble this time?  This conversation took place several hours ago.  I wish I remember it more clearly now.
He showed me on the back where it says (in Swahili) "Do you want to learn more about the Bible? Contact us by phone or email."  
"This is about religion!" He said, still booming a bit.
I just kept silent and looked at him.  I didn't know what I should to say at this point.  
He continued, "I am IsIamic."  
I had sort of gather that already from his clothing.
He continued, "Is this for me?  Can ANYONE learn more about the Bible? Even me, an IsIamic?"
Now I had something to say! "Yes!  This is for anyone who would like to know more."
He looked confused and intrigued at the same time.  At this point, I handed him another tract which was a small Bible Study within itself.  He looked pleased.
He said, "Thank you!" and he headed the way I had come from, and I continued ahead, praising God.
The main reason I was on the street this day handing out tracts is because my hard drive on my laptop is down.  If things had been as I planned, I would have been staying at the house where I am house/pet sitting working on the new books and tracts that we are translating and having printed.  Well, Satan may have meant it for evil, but God allowed it for good.  Instead of working indoors, I was out on the street and met this beautiful (scary and big) human being that wants to learn more about God.  
*BLACK EYE TO SATAN TODAY!*
Please join with me in prayers that God will help us get these tracts into the hands of those that will accept them.  Please pray that people will be willing to take them, willing to read them, and that they will respond to God's Holy Spirit seeking to reveal Himself to each one of them.  We are in this battle together.  Your prayers and support are life to this work as we are tools in God's hands here.  PLEASE keep praying for the people of Dar es Salaam and all of Tanzania (and all the world!)  Let's see THIS GOSPEL of the Kingdom go into ALL THE WORLD! 

Sunday, July 16, 2017

1 Million GLOW tracts Dar es Salaam

The original idea was to distribute all one million tracts all over Dar es Salaam in four days.  Of course there were some adjustments that needed to be made, but they are going out.  I looks like it will take more like a week, but they are going out in mass amounts.  People are excited to receive them, and we see people all over the city reading them, and sharing them with others. 
Yesterday I offered one to a person about 1 1/2 hours away from where we were distributing them earlier in the week.  He said he had gotten one on that other side of town.  I asked if it was good.  He said it really was and asked if we had given any down in Mbeya (very far away from here about 5 hours on the OTHER side of Kibidula).  I told him we had not.  He asked if we please would.  He said the use of alcohol there is very bad and people need help.  He had gotten the "breaking addictions" tract.  He gladly took the other three subjects I had with me yesterday. 
On Thursday, we were in another area, and one of the team gave a man the same tract.  He got so very excited.  I was the last of the team (and the only one speaking Swahili).  He asked if he could have more, as he works with addiction recover houses in several places.  He asked where he could buy them, and if he could have some more right now.  I gave him instructions how to contact us to order more, and we also gave him a bundle to use immediately.
People are gladly taking them, and they are reading them.  We are getting amazing responses from people.  AMAZING responses.  I can't share them all, and I don't want to share too much, as to hurt the cause.  Please keep praying for people as they receive HOPE!  People need HOPE.  People need to come to know that Jesus loves them, and has plans to help them in every area of their lives!  THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!