We had our big celebration at church to thank God for His healing touch. It was an amazing service. People who had been praying and believing God for a miracle all gathered for a night of praising and testimony. The banners were flung out, the children were all decked out in their best uniforms, and the Jericho staff wore matching outfits. Even the musicians were dressed alike. We belted out praise songs and danced (OK for me it was more like swaying) and celebrated God’s Faithfulness. I’m sure is seemed a bit odd to some of the folks when I got up to give thanks for God’s complete healing when I still looked about seven months pregnant! But our Pastor had paved the way by emphasizing that we walk by faith, not by sight. When God has spoken into a given situation, you can risk being thought foolish simply because you know God is going to come through. You may not know how or when, but there is an assurance that He will keep His Word. Noah, for example, took God at His word and built the ark even though there were no rain clouds in sight for weeks. So you can imagine the joy when (starting just two weeks ago) there was a noticeable change in the size of my abdomen. The bulge is now ½ the size it was before and continues to get smaller, thanks be to God on High!.png)
Another area of evident change is my appetite. While in New York City, I could barely eat. Mealtime was torture as nothing tasted good to me and the food didn’t seem to fit well in my compressed stomach. Since being in Honduras, all that has changed. My appetite is huge now and Norma has made it her mission to make delicious low salt dishes for me daily. So while my abdomen decreases in size, my arms and legs are filling out so I’m starting to look less like a killdeer in a watermelon rind (translation: a big belly with spindly legs).
My main activity at this time (besides recuperation) has been to pray for the different aspects of the ministry, especially as challenges arise. The staff keeps me informed of what is going on and I have been so touched to see how Jesus has equipped the entire staff to step out in areas of gifting that they previously did not walk in. The outreaches to those trapped in prostitution continue but instead of going at night, we have been sharing the love of God in a barrio that is known for the prostitution that goes on there. The three Korean teams that came in August helped greatly in this as they did a medical brigade, Vacation Bible Schools, and a Beauty Day (facials, hair cuts, and makeovers) to bless the women and children.
From the minute I hit Honduran soil, everything in me wanted to go out to the Villa to see the progress of the work there and experience the anointing and peace of that place. The climb up the rocky road leading to the Villa loomed large and seemed unattainable at first. I began “training” with Elvia and/or my kids by walking the steepest areas of our neighborhood everyday.
It has not been easy, this waiting upon Jesus to manifest His complete healing, but the verse that has encouraged my heart is found in Hebrews 10:35.
“Do not throw away your confident trust in the Lord. Remember the rewards it with bring you. Patient endurance is what you need now so that you can continue to do the will of God. Then you will receive all that God has promised.” (NLT)
Thank you all for your praying even when you didn’t exactly know what was going on. I am so blessed to belong to the family of God and to receive His grace and mercy and healing which is a direct result of your prayers. I pray Jesus will continue to reveal Himself to each of us as we seek His face.
With so much love in Jesus,
Betsy
