Quick Update...

Well, I am back in Africa returned from the Island of Mauritius, and it was an amazing trip.

We were in Mauritius for 10 days, the first was spent on recovering from jet lag and getting settled into our flat, but after that we preached every day until the last. Of the eight days we ministered, I got to give six messages. I talked about Healing, Identifying ourselves in Christ, Being the Temple of God, Forgiving those who hurt us, ourselves, and God, Running away from God's call on your life, and my last sermon was on the Prodigal Son and the love of the Father.

Aside from preaching, I got to pray with hundreds of people. Some for Healing, some for deliverance, some for their families, and about forty asked me to help them come to know Jesus. While the preaching was satisfying, the prayer and salvations really made my trip. There were people who received their healing then and there, others who are still waiting. There were people filled with the Spirit.

I know that I went to Mauritius to serve and to bless others, but I walked away from that Island having been very blessed myself.

Right now, my hosts have Dial Up Internet Service so they're getting charged for every minute I'm online, so I won't go into too much detail, but I'll post more when I get Home.

I took about 300 pictures of Mauritius, and I received a CD with more pictures from one of the Mauritian pastors... so one of my first priorities when I get Home (after sleeping) will be to sort through the pics and post the ones that really show what was there and how it was.

Much love to you all!

Resting in Africa...

So, as Mom let you know, I've arrived in Africa. It turns out that Jackie cancelled all of this week's ministering so we could stay at home and help Annatjie recover... I also get to rest up quite a bit myself... 15 hours of flight time is a very long time, and no matter how many movies, episodes of House, or how much music you listen to, you can't really rest.

I've been here three days now, and slept most of one of them to recover from the plane... yesterday Jackie took me all over the countryside showing me Jo'burg, Pretoria, and a whole bunch of suburbs. For those of you who have been to Tijuanna, you'd find that many parts of South Africa are very much the same. The government built homes for the poor, who then built onto them or built up around them, or who knows what all.

The land here is very dry, and really does remind me of Southern California... that same kind of scrub brush... soft, gentle rolling hills (near Pretoria, not so much in Jo'burg).

My primary problem so far is that I don't know a lick of Afrikans. Everyone I've met so far can speak English, but they only do so for my benefit. Most seem to be more comfortable speaking Afrikans, or one of the African languages. I'm starting to pick up a few words here and there, and I can tell when I am supposed to laugh, but it's a bit odd sitting there listening to a whole conversation in a language I cannot speak.

Oddly, it reminds me of home a bit... how my family and I slip in and out of English and Spanish... but here, it's Afrikans, English, and one of 11 other languages.

Sunday I will be going to an English speaking church, where I will get to stand up and speak for a bit with one of the other ministers who will be going to Mauritius. I plan on speaking on Faith, in a condensed sort of way, so keep me in your prayers.

He is there.

In case you haven't heard yet. Jono arrived in Johannesburg safe and sound. He had a good flight, was ready to get off of the plane though. It was a little cooler than he expected, in the 60's or 17'c. (I had to find a conversion chart myself.) Will let you know what he is up to in a couple of days.