Grr...

I say grr... because Katie just robbed all the pictures we have of the families on our Corn Project! So, you can check that our on Adonai's blog.

I had to blog today though because it was a good day in the mountains with Thomas. He and I have a list of the "missing" people that we have not been able to find for the last two weeks as we make house visits to pray and access family's needs. Well, at clinic this Tuesday one of the "missing" ladies came back for more food and led us to the others! It was a long walk from the four-wheeler, but we found four missing families and added two new ones today. Our morning started out with the brisk downhill for about 1,000 feet. On our way to the missing lady's house (her name is Maria), we ran into Ignacia, another lady we are helping with food. Ignacia has rheumatoid arthritis, and although she is probably not over 50 her posture is bent and her hands are twisted. She walks with a cane, and at first glance you wouldn't expect her to be able to leave her house. Well, Ignacia began to walk with us to Maria's house and talked to Thomas along the way. She told him how she remembers the first time Leslie and Thomas prayed with her in her home. Three years ago she couldn't walk at all, and felt little purpose in life being stuck in bed. But she said that as Leslie and Thomas prayed she felt something enter her, and they declared over her that she would walk again and pray for others. Well, that's exactly what she's doing. Although slowly, she walks around the mountains (we found her about three walking hours from her house) praying for her neighbors. People call her from towns too far to walk to because of the anointing that she carries. Gathered around Maria, her kids, and Ignacia we prayed and have thanks to God for what he had done in their lives. Maria also had stories of how Thomas had prayed for her husband and son years ago and they were healed. And that was just our first house visit of the day!

There is always a lot of need, but it is encouraging to see God's hand move. He is the answer to people's needs, it's not the food and corn bags that only open the door into people's lives.

We also got to pray with a family in from of their idol. I think they thought we would be afraid to, but Tomas only laughed and explained that the little decorated stature had no power to answer prayers. To make a long story short, the woman in charge of taking care of the idol (lighting candles and such) was only doing it to fulfill her husbands commitment for a year. He had died earlier, but after promising to hold the idol in his house for a year. The woman agreed that she knew only God had the power to save and meet needs, but still didn't want to accept Christ until the idol was our of her house. So on the 25th of January she plans to give her life to Christ. I pray she truly does and that the Lord reveals his power and love to her now. Surely if she understood it she wouldn't wait.

After seeing our missing people we came home on a dusty road. Yesterday we saw mud for the first time in a while in San Pedro. It has been raining there as usual. Duane and I commented as we flew back that we made it all of 2009 without getting stuck in the jungle! Last year it seemed like it was every other time that the rain would close in around us. Anyway, clinic was good. The leaders there are really good about being organized. Duane made an emergency flight to Uspantan while we were there, and Leslie, Katie and I saw probably around 150 people. Tomorrow is clinic here in Canilla and then in San Andres on Sunday. Lots of people will be passing through, and I'm encouraged from today that lives are being touched by God even though we may not be aware.