How can I express all that has happened this week? Ramonda’s visit has been anticipated by me personally for a month already. I knew the kids would love her and I was hopeful that the Gumuz women would respond to her as well. But this visit has far exceeded any of our hopes. God has poured down his blessing on this visit.
First, the women not only had their first self led fellowship time on Sunday but on Tuesday 18 women came together for Ramonda’s teaching. Three women served us well and there was such a good fellowship time in the middle. They responded eagerly to Ramonda’s teaching time and desired another morning.
We planned for Thursday morning again though one is never sure if they will indeed return for a second teaching time.
At 8am, only a few women had arrived but within ½ hour, 15 of the 18 women were there. I needed to teach my children (though I would have loved to be there.)
I returned at 11am as the women were drinking their 3rd round of coffee. There was an amazing spirit among them and Ramonda filled me in on how the teaching time had gone. She had taught using the story of Hannah and the women responded with great interest.
Askale was filled with great emotion. Here were women that she had invested 4 years of her life in through prayer and Bible teaching and visiting them in their homes. She saw little fruit during those 4 years with only a few women believers.
Here sat 15 women begging for more teaching. They said, “We are like little plants in the ground. If we do not get regular teaching we cannot grow. Even now some women have not come because they have not been watered. We cannot wait any longer.”
Askale has never seen such a response before. Her teaching was met with a passive response and when asked questions, they had little to say.
They were so appreciative of Ramonda’s teaching but said it was not enough. Pray with me as I work with Askale to begin a regular women’s program. They desire to all come together (from different villages) to encourage each other and learn together.
Ramonda, Askale and I were deeply blessed by these women today and I trust that you are too. It is only through prayer that the stronghold among women in this place will be broken. And as Askale says, “The first work is prayer. It is easy to speak words but this teaching will be difficult.” In other words, the women want the teaching but Satan will work hard at distracting them and discouraging them.
And so I am asking you, my dear friends, to pray with me in regards to these women and the many who have not yet responded to the gospel. The power of prayer is what will bring about fruit no matter how good the teaching is that we provide.
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