Watching the Stuff

When the children of Israel were going into the promised land - I think it was after Jericho - they were instructed to take the whole area and run everyone out or perhaps it was totally destroy them. (I'll need to re-read.) But not everyone went. Some had to stay behind and watch all their stuff. (Tennessee paraphrase - I'm learning a lot of East Tennessee phrases from Charlie this week.) Anyway, the ones left behind were unhappy because they said they would be left out of the spoils of victory. God, through Joshua, told them that those who stayed behind and watched all the stuff would share equally in the spoils of the battles. You'll need to look all of that up in Joshua, I don't have time to find the reference this morning.

All of that to say, as you pray for us and our mission and "watch our stuff" I believe you share in the victories and in what God is doing here.

Here are some things you can pray for:

The lady who said she couldn't come to Christ because she was the black sheep of her family and no one liked her.
For our health, we've been in homes with chicken pox for two days now.
For the building superintendant who wasn't going to allow us in (thought we were with the police) but instead let us present the gospel. He listened but then argued that all the churches all try to get people from other churches to join them. He then let us go on and visit everyone in that building.
For safety. The gunshots near the school while we were at lunch had the locals concerned for just a short moment. I guess because it was near the school. I guess Bro. Larry was right about the streets of Rio! We had to walk past three guys with guns in their hands to get to the apartments yesterday.
Many people are saying "yes" to the gospel. Thank God for them and pray for the local church as they follow up and disciple in the days to come.
For our physical strength - to keep walking up and down many, many flights of stairs. The apartment buildings are five stories tall.
For our mental strength. It is difficult thinking what to say next in the gospel presentation when so much Portuguese is happening around us.
For emotional strength - as we deal with many hurting people.
For spiritual strength as we share the greatest news these people can ever hear.

There's probably more, but it is time to go eat breakfast. Yummm. Lots of fruit and pastries and eggs and bacon and (some meat I don't think I would ever eat- especially at breakfast).