Wonderment

I have been pondering many things of late, not the least of all is the seemingly tangible presence of God. Don't get me wrong I know He is there all the time by faith, but I mean His strong over whelming reality that I have felt before. People still come in to New Life Church and say "Wow, his is different you can really feel God here", but I hunger for more. I know it is coming but I still pray "Come Lord Jesus Come quickly to fill us a fresh"

Then thanks to friends and fellow workers Jeff and Kate (and Mick) I came across this web site - www.irismin.org - Jeff and Kate have just returned from seeing these guys in Adelaide. I read an article that stirred my heart and set some things spinning in my heart. Here is a portion of it.

"Much of eastern Congo is in ruins. Roads and railways are washed away. Hospitals are destroyed. Electricity is rare. Government troops and rebels are both the cause of torture, beheadings, rapes, massacres and burned villages. There has been a peace deal and an election, but the dying continues, greatly aggravated by hunger and medical neglect. We were just back in Joseph's village where we bought property and built a church and school. Many of our church ladies have been raped by soldiers. Their husbands won't come back to them, and they are full of STDs. Children die every day in our school. Many eat only a handful every three days. There are no jobs. Soldiers are hungry, desperate, often unpaid and dangerous. The village children in rags have seen so much violence that they make AK-47 toys out of banana trees.

Yet in the last few days at our church in Kalonge we have seen the presence of God overwhelm the prevailing mood of despair. Never in all the world have I seen greater intensity of prayer and worship. They sob, they agonize, tears pouring down their faces. Their powerful voices soar with electrifying worship. They laugh in the Holy Spirit with joy unspeakable. Their joy to suffering ratio sets a world record in my experience. Their memories are healed. They look forward with huge anticipation to what lies ahead -- revival across Congo! We began with 28 churches under Joseph last year, and now we have 85. The word has gotten out: God does miracles and makes people happy! Key leaders are joining us from the government. Joseph has a fiery vision from God for touching all of Congo. And yet again we are starting at the bottom with the least of these, right here in Kalonge. They deserve our support, our hard-earned money, our time and our lives.

Oh and how this sets my heart ablaze, while we bemoan the music, the seats, the lighting, they in their incredible despair rejoice and God sends His Spirit. Nothing is more needed in this self obsessed western World than a visitation of God. Revive our hearts, oh Lord.