Some thoughts from Jerry as he heads to Africa...

Everytime that I have been given the privilege of traveling to serve Christ in these wonderful Countries, God has called people to pray and often in specific areas.  As part of Kay Boles prayer God often reminds her of our luggage, and we have had amazing success with our luggage ending up in the right place at the right time!  

Somebody(s) must have been praying over the weather here in Ukraine.  From the first day they keep predicting heavy rains, lightning and flooding, which has happened all over Ukraine causing a tremendous amount of damage, but not anywhere around us!  It has been beautiful and sunny wherever we have gone, no matter what the weather report! Sometimes we can see heavy dark clouds, pouring rain and spectacular lightning strikes only two or three miles away but it is sunny over our heads!  This just didn't happen two or three times but everyday we have been here!      

We had beautiful weather in our first City of Chernivtsy, but the day after we left they had a huge hail storm that caused a lot of damage to crops and fruit trees. Now there is wide spread flooding throughout the Country but not anywhere we have been!   

I am grateful for our weather service, but I think God just wants to let them know who is really in charge and when His saints are praying nothing is impossible!! 

 Acts 2:42- reminds us that wherever the first Century saints met they always shared a simple format: "they devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and to prayer." This happens daily everywhere we have gone!  We are about the business God gives us everyday with churches, leaders, prison, hospitals etc. but our meals have special significance and usually last two hours or more- talking family, faith, the work of the Kingdom, failures, fun stories and dreams... We save a lot of money staying in homes wherever there is space, instead of hotels rooms, but most of what our Lord does on these trips comes out of sharing life with one another and then bringing it all before our Lord in prayer!  And prayer, when all our hearts are together as one, gets the full favor, blessing and power of God which has moved mountains in every field we have been called to...I wish we had more of this first century Life in our busy American world- I believe more would get done than we have ever seen before, and the striving and division that is so common in our arenas would be replaced with the oneness, godly love and divine revelation that Christ's last prayer before the Cross called us to...  

I have to brag on my beautiful wife, Susan, in this area too!  She is a magnet for the women here, her gracious speech, care for others, the depth of her walk with Jesus and gentleness has inspired women everywhere we have traveled!  I was speaking at a rural conference of churches  and immediately afterward some women came up to Sue and peppered her with questions!  By the time they were finished they called her, "Our new Best friend!"...she has been mine for a long time but it is fun to see so many others honoring the beautiful work of Christ in her! 

Today we were up around 3 am as we prepared to leave our hotel room in downtown Kiev for our departure from Ukraine.  It has been one of the most blessed experiences of my life! But also one of the hardest.

We have seen the favor and power of God operating everywhere He has sent us but also the devastating failure of man, maybe more visible this trip too, than I have ever seen before...  

We are just lost without Christ- His love, His forgiveness, His redemption and His sacrifice...He can bring life out of death and the work of His Holy Spirit can so radically change us that Scripture says, 'in this World we can actually be Like Him!' I John 4:17- Amazing Grace!  

Sue is flying home now and hopes to get a little time with our boys and their families in the next two weeks.  I am heading to Africa- Kenya and Ethiopia where there is paralyzing unemployment, pandemic lockdowns, life threatening food shortages and much violence!    

Ethiopia is involved in a civil war right now, with Presidential elections coming next week.  The elections are very tribal and those who lose out just rampage through the slums and cities looting, destroying and even killing out of fear and total frustration!    

It probably sounds strange  but I am desperate to be with these friends who love Jesus and have poured their lives into serving Him in their home Countries.  They are tremendous points of light in what is otherwise great darkness. My life is changed and reoriented everytime I am with them. And, by God's grace, they feel like our being together at times like this has great impact on encouraging the work we are all committed to.  

They need everything- food, work, peace and civility, order and most of all the Gospel of Christ...their greatest request which is made everytime we talk about how to help, is prayer from the saints!  We can do that, and we have seen God stop all violence in Kenya after their last Presidential election.  Before that, there had always been millions of dollars in damage, thousands of brutal beatings and rapes and hundreds of deaths! We are asking God for that same kind of miracle again, for His glory and His mercy over these dear people!  

Thank you for loving Jesus and loving His precious children all over the World!  How can I thank you enough for your steadfast prayers?!  By God's grace many lives will be changed and even saved as a result of the time God has prepared for us here!                    In His love, jerry