A New Young Disciple

For about two months now, our team member Susana has been discipling Da Meh, an 11 year old Karen girl. Though Da Meh is quiet, she's always wanting to know more about Jesus and has a heart to share with the lost. Since becoming a disciple, Da Meh has already made a first generation disciple, Tu Meh, a girl in our complex who lives in a split Buddhist/ Catholic home. Da Meh's mother is Catholic and Da Meh has already had opportunities to share truths from the Bible with her mom, like when she realized her mom was praying not only to Jesus, but to Mary as well. Da Meh boldly gave her life to Jesus and hasn't looked back!

This past week Da Meh was sick with a high fever and strep throat, but still faithfully met with Susana to read scripture and pray. She also felt one night that God told her to go to a local Mosque with team members Susana and Jerome to share more about the Bible with a man they've been working with there! She's so hungry to learn more about Christ and wants to share him with everyone!

Please be praying for Da Meh to continue to feel better, for her to keep being faithful in meeting with Susana, and for a continued hunger to share with the lost.

*Da Meh is on the far left in the picture

Continuing the Movement in Haiti

Julio was part of the Houston team off and on the past 4 years, and he lived with Jacob for most of that time. But last year God really laid a burden on his heart to launch a movement of disciples making disciples in his own country, Haiti. So back in August he moved back home, and a couple team members helped him to lead a discipleship training there to help spark the movement.

Because almost any form of communication is so hard to come by there, we heard very little from him since he moved. Just yesterday, however, he had an opportunity to call and give an update (though it was pretty brief since his phone kept disconnecting the call).

As far as ministry goes, we had hoped he could disciple some of the key leaders from the August training. But according to him, most of the leaders we had identified have proven to be too committed to their church system. After working through a couple generations with some of them, they became less committed and distracted by their programs and services.

But some of the other guys from the training, ones we didn't see a lot of hunger from at the time, have given their lives to getting the job done. So there's a group of committed disciples that he meets with regularly.

Additionally, Julio has identified an area of town where the believers are much more prone to put their faith into action, rather than intellectualize things. So he's excited to start working more with them.

He finally got accepted at a job he was trying to get into. Not sure what it is exactly, but something ministry-related. So I think he'll start that this week. We were surprised to find he hadn't already gotten a job, since he's been there around 6 months, but apparently it's very difficult to find work there right now, even for the educated.

Also, his health has been really manageable lately, so he hasn't had to worry too much about it. For the past 3 years or so he's really struggled with pain and stomach problems resulting from his MS, so ministry was difficult, at times. It probably also helps now that he's surrounded by family members who can help him out and hold him accountable to resist isolating himself.

Anyway, those are most of the thing he was able to communicate yesterday. His assignment now is to find a more consistent way to communicate with us, and then we can have some deeper conversations about what's presently going on, as well as next steps.

Please be praying that God would continue to guide him in ministry, and that more and more believers there would come alongside him to become co-laborers. If we see that there are many leaders there committed to making disciples, we will probably have to consider holding a second (or I guess third at this point) training. Thanks guys!

Onaizabe Come with ME

A beautiful Burmese Muslim family has had countless interactions with our team for the past year. Their two oldest, Muhammad and Onaizabe, starting connecting with us after they went to multicultural camp this past summer. Some of their younger siblings spend time inside our homes, and we've shared the gospel with their entire family!

The dad is, for a lack of better terms, a dead beat dad who is literally drinking and smoking his life away. He is very welcoming and accepting of our team though. A few months ago when we shared the Creation to Christ story with this family, the mother said it's all good and makes sense but she can not believe in it. She said she will die Muslim because that's what her parents expect. However, she was unable to tell us a single thing about her religion. She has agreed, though, to letting team members Keri, Susana, and Jenny continue to come back as well as spend time with the oldest daughter, Onaizabe.

Onaiza says she agrees with the gospel and that Jesus is who he says he is, but is scared that her parents will find out. When we asked her to make a decision, she said she needed some more time. We encouraged her to pray to "Allah" and then pray to Jesus, and see if she experiences/ feels anything.

Jenny and Keri will be following up with Onaizabe tonight! We are prepared for two outcomes: she decides she wants to follow Jesus and learn more about Him or she decides she won't follow Him due to fear of dishonoring her family. Please pray for Lord's will to be done and that he would work supernaturally through her, which is what it often takes for a Muslim to come to Jesus. Also pray for continued opened doors into their home and that their whole family would give their lives to Jesus!
Picture: Keri, Onaiza's little sister, and Onaiza