WHAT A RIDE!

I can say that about a lot of things right now!! What a ride!!

Starting at the obvious – Harpuna Beach – watching whales on a perfect sunny day with waves big enough to knock me down (twice) but … once I was out past where they broke it was such fun to rise and fall on the swells in the warm salt water – what a ride!

Listening to Rya’s story – Rya is from Tajekestan – she told her story about how she came to be in Kona – amazing! Briefly she became a Christian as a young teen but this was not good in her family’s eyes. She was beaten beyond recognition and her life was threatened. A couple of years later, she was in her church when it was bombed. She survived but returned to help those whose clothes had been blown off when a second bomb went off burning her over 90% of her body and exposing the insides of her brain. She died and saw Jesus but asked to return to earth to serve Him. He agreed and she came back to the excruciating pain of her injuries. The doctors said she would not live but she did – she is now fully healed except for a small scar on her head.
She wanted to study at Oral Roberts University but had to get better English skills. She enquired about ESL in Kona. But instead she was allowed to enroll directly in a discipleship training program (this is not normative) …. She had the means to travel to Moscow and apply for a visa which she received. She borrowed some money from a friend and flew to LA. She tried to get a flight to Hawaii but was short of funds. As she was getting help on the internet to find a cheaper flight, someone heard of her plight and paid her way…. So here she is.. what a ride!

By the way – an offering was taken to pay off her debt and send her on outreach – that will be another amazing ride!

Day of prayer and fasting – There were many amazing speakers, testimonies and declarations - Caleb talked about how battles are won or lost in the heart . I had time to examine my heart and God spoke to me about many things. A number of scriptures came to mind about mercy, about feeding the hungry … like Isaiah 59 – one part reads “spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed’ …. I pray for more opportunities to do that very literally… what a ride!

Sitting on the shores of the ocean outside at a church service with waves crashing, praising God and being led through scripture at a seeker sensitive but not watered down examination of the word. What a ride!

Hearing about Mission Building opportunities all over the world - this is for both those who are adventuresome and for those who are less adventurous. www.missionbuilders.org. What a ride!!

It’s all good. Very good!