Merry Christmas!!

Hey! :)

This week was jam packed with ministry but we took one day off. On Monday we went to the natural hot springs in the mountains. It was like a public hot tub with natural saunas because the water was pretty much boiling. It was awesome!

Tuesday we visited the homes of Compassion International sponsored kids. We got to minister to their families and share skits and songs. We did this all week in the mornings. 

The afternoons were always different. Because Monkayo doesn’t get many foreign visitors we are always invited places. Tuesday especially we ended up going to about three parties. Here for every celebration they roast an entire pig. I usually can eat pork, but it kinda freaks me out to see it in pig form.

Wednesday through friday we had the same schedule. We started the day visiting compassion families then went to the plaza. The plaza is just a park that was beautifully decorated for Christmas where dozens of people gather every night. We surprised them the first night and we came and sang Christmas carols and shared testimonies and stories.  I ended up playing with the kids all night. We played tag, hide and seek, sang songs and they taught us some games too. After that first night I had a possy of about 30 kids that would tackle me whenever I showed up. I have learned to just brace myself and plant my feet when I see them coming. haha. The next night we came back with more to perform. After each performance the team would just go out and pray and talk to people. More and more people would come the next night because they here that there are foreigners. You wouldn’t believe how much attention we get because we are not from here. On friday morning I just knew God was going to do AWESOME things at the plaza that night, and HE DID. We set up a sound system and preformed the skit I am in which is the Everything skit. I also shared my testimony. There was literally a sea of people on the plaza that night. So many people came to know the Lord that night!! It was amazing.

Friday morning while we were visiting the Compassion families we ended up going to the flooded area. It was literally only two blocks away from where we live where there was at least 8 feet of water. We got to share about the hope that only God can give us and that we may not know why these things happen but we know that God is ALWAYS with you when they do. It was really powerful.

Saturday we visited an old woman who had broken her arm and was sick. We came to pray for her and right when Sarah touched her she said she was healed. She repeated that about 40 times while we were that the pain had stopped and Christ had healed her. It was amazing. She was healed because of her faith. She reminded me about those who wanted to touch Jesus’ robe because then they would be healed. 

The family we are staying with owns a bakery and in the afternoon we helped him sell bread for Christmas. The bread here is AMAZING! 

Yesterday was our Christmas day. Except instead of Christmas its called Thanksgiving so there aren’t many presents just a lot of food. They killed two pigs and an entire cow for the church’s celebration. 

Afterwards a few of us went to the far out villages and handed out bread. I felt like santa. Then our team was invited to the youth Christmas service at the church. Sergio shared a message with them about God’s plan for them and their gifts. Then our team wanted to bless them so we prophesied over all of them. 

After church Sergio told me that the kids were looking for me earlier and they said that they already missed me. I am loving this community and all the children here. Having a great time! Merry Christmas! Love you!

P.S. Here are all my team mates for future reference so you know who is whom.

Tom (leader)

Kelly

Sarah

Sergio

Grace

Tim

Katrine

Jina

Jeriah

Sandro

Nayibe

and Me :)