Friday, September 28, 2007

Pray for Don Richman

As I prepare for my fall mission trip I am grateful that I can count on your prayer. I am trusting God to enable me to bring encouragement to believers, pastors and other leaders. I desire to teach and preach the word of God as it deals with the message of salvation through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, marriage, family and personal living issues especially for young people.


I join the apostle Paul in saying, "....pray on my behalf that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness (and clarity) the mystery of the Gospel." Ephesians 6:19.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

God's Protection

Dear Prayer Team,

We are praising God for His protection after an eventful evening yesterday! At around 5pm we were all in the kitchen preparing supper when we heard our dog, Jethro, barking excitedly and then yelping in pain.

Nate stepped outside to see what was going on. He saw a man wearing only underwear standing on our boys' swing in the backyard, apparently trying to get away from Jethro. Nate came back inside and then the man ran around the front of the house and climbed onto our front porch. He tried to open Nate's office windows and then tried to enter our front door, which was thankfully bolted and locked. As we observed the man through our front windows, we were able to tell immediately that he had mental problems.

Nate called our night guard, Bosco, and asked him to come to deal with the man. He was here within a few minutes, just in time to meet the man as he was climbing over our front gate. He told us later that he was sure the man was demon possessed.

Surprisingly, during the whole episode none of us felt fear. The boys were more curious than alarmed. Elijah was constantly asking questions during the ordeal, "Will he hurt Jethro? What's he doing? What's wrong with him?" We prayed aloud several times for God's protection while he was here, and then after he left, we prayed for the man's protection from those who may try to harm him. Society here doesn't have a way of dealing with such people, so they end up roaming the streets and often being beaten for disturbing people. We wondered later if we could have handled the situation differently and if maybe Nate could have had the opportunity to cast the demons out of him in Jesus' name. We are praying for this man now as he roams around town that he would be delivered from his demons before he is harmed by someone.

As vulnerable as we felt, and as angry as we were at his intrusion, we know that he is someone's son and we know that Jesus died for that man. We keep thinking of the accounts in the New Testament of Jesus casting demons out of individuals and of the miraculous transformations afterwards – "clothed and in his right mind". We know that God has the same power to work miracles today as He did when He walked this earth.

A few hours later I (Rhoda) narrowly missed stepping on a snake in our home as I walked out of our bedroom to the living room. I turned on the light in the living room and looked back down the hallway to call out a question to Nate when I saw the snake slithering right outside our bedroom doorway, just where I had stepped a moment before. We have been told to treat all snakes as poisonous here, no matter the size. This one was only about a foot long so Nate was able to kill it easily with a shoe. This is only the 2nd snake we have seen since coming to Uganda – both of them being in our home. ☺ We are thankful that we have had minimal exposure to them as some of our missionary friends nearby have literally been over run with snakes, finding 3 foot long cobras in their cupboards and everything. We praise God again for His protection!

We have received emails from several of you asking if we've been affected by all of the flooding in our area. The hardest hit areas are in the North, so we are far removed from it. Bridges have been swept away, crops have been destroyed, thousands are homeless, and over twenty people have died in Uganda alone. The floods stretch across the whole of Africa from Western Africa to the Red Sea. There is expected to be another wave of heavy rains hitting East Africa soon.

After a wonderful month with my parents here in August, this month has been spent getting back into our normal routine of language study. Nate has been hitting it hard with our language tutor, but I have taken a break from the last few weeks of lessons as I have been spending a lot of time in bed with morning sickness. Yes, God has blessed us with another little one! We look forward to meeting him/her sometime next April.

Nate continues to meet with the ELCU pastors each Saturday for Bible study, singing and prayer, as well as fellowshipping over a meal. Since the Jesus Film campaign, a few of them have started Bible studies in the areas where the film was shown and are making plans to begin more in other villages. It is exciting to see their passion for spreading the Gospel. We have had several financial gifts lately designated for purchasing Bibles, so we have been able to get Bibles into the hands of many existing members of the pastors' churches and now into the hands of those who are seeking Him in the Bible studies. His Word will not return void.

Please pray with us…

Praise God for:

  • His protection from the mad man who tried to enter our home yesterday
  • His protection from the snake in our home
  • The new little one that He has blessed us with!
  • Great strides in language learning for Nate
  • The new Bible studies that have been started since the Jesus Film campaign

Pray for:

  • Protection and deliverance for the mad man
  • Those affected by the flooding in the North
  • A healthy pregnancy for Rhoda and safe delivery of our little one
  • Unity amongst the ELCU pastors
  • The salvation and growth in faith of those attending the pastors' Bible studies
  • Wisdom as we are soon to enter our 2nd phase of missionary service here – "the planning phase"
  • Protection from the Enemy

Thank you for your prayer support and for all of your encouragement in the work here!

In Him,

Nate, Rhoda, Elijah, Judah and baby

* Website: jorenews.blogspot.com

"I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Psalm 16:8

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Back in Tanzania - Jesse Long

The past eight weeks have passed way too quickly and with way too little communication from me…sorry about that. It is hard to believe that when I last wrote, we were about half-way through our Uganda film campaign back in early July. Since that time:
  • July 19th – Ben and I returned to our respective cities in the U.S.!!
  • July 20-September 10th – I was busy visiting friends and family, speaking in churches/youth and college groups/Bible Camp/etc, having medical and dental check-ups (All of which went very well! Praise the Lord!), and attending the weddings of a couple friends. It was quite nice to drive a nice car on smooth American roads and I was thankful to have several opportunities to participate in various all-American activities like a Mariners game, a University of Washington Volleyball match, Labor Day camping, etc.
  • September 11th – Ben flew from Minneapolis to Amsterdam and I flew from Seattle to Amsterdam where we both met and boarded a plane together heading back in Arusha, Tanzania. We arrived at about 10am, Wednesday, West Coast time (8pm, Wednesday here).

I want to thank you all for your continual prayers during this time in the States…again, despite my lack of contact. It was such a blessing from the very beginning to the very end. Without a doubt, the biggest blessing was seeing and re-connecting with all of my immediate family…and many of you as well!! I am totally overwhelmed by the strong network of friends that God has placed around me. It truly makes my being over here possible.

Thank you for your prayers as we traveled over the past 24 hours, as well. Everything went very smoothly. We are excited to be back serving where we know God has called us to be during this time. We will spend this next week moving back into our home and preparing for some guests who will be arriving from the States on the 19th of this month. Their 2 weeks will lead us right into classes starting up again at Waama in early October. We covet your prayers. There is much to do even in getting settled back in. We hope to have our first film showing campaign already the weekend of the 22-23rd.

Well, it is 11:20pm on Wednesday already here so I should get to bed. I hope to have some new pictures on the blog soon but they are not there yet.

God bless each one of you and may He continue to draw us all closer to Him and make us continually more effective in impacting the world where we are to His glory.

In Christian love,

Jesse

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Ben and Jesse Return to Tanzania

Sorry it's been so long since I've written. I've been back in the States for almost 8 weeks now. It has been a great time to visit family and friends and to share with many people about the work in Tanzania. I feel much refreshed.

In a couple of hours, I'll be boarding a flight en route to Tanzania via Amsterdam. The goal is to do the same things we did last year: teach at Waama Bible College and show the Jesus Film on the side. (Yes, I'm privileged to be working along side of Jesse Long again this year.) Our current commitment to this work is for one more year. We have no clue what lies beyond, but look forward to seeing how the Lord leads us.

Would you pray for...
  • a safe journey today for both Jesse and me. Jesse is flying from Seattle (and I from Minneapolis). We will meet in Amsterdam again and fly the rest of the way together.
  • a good reunion with our friends and coworkers in Tanzania.
  • wisdom and grace as we reenter life and ministry in Tanzania.

Praise God for...
  • a great time back in the States with many opportunities to testify of God's faithfulness and visit with family and friends.
  • the wonderful team I have behind me, including many new teammates.

Thank you all for your prayers. May God richly bless you all,

Ben

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Mary Ann Jackson's Mother Dies

I know I just wrote you yesterday, but we just wanted to let you know that Mary (Mary Ann's mom) died today at about 3:00. She had a pretty ruff night and most of the day, but is now resting. Mary Ann's sister Susan was going to come tomorrow, but came today about 1:00. Gracie was at a birthday party across the street when it happened, then I took her over to my brothers so she wouldn't be here when they came to take away her body. Both Gracie and Mary Ann are now crying together and talking of all the good times we've had with Grandma. Gracie just drew a picture of Grandma dead and all of us crying and went back and put it on her empty bed. She knew this was coming for some time now so we've all had grieving time now for awhile.

Thank you all for your prayers. This has been quite an experience. Pray for openness now to share the Good News with family and friends. It already has. Pray also for us as we handle all the funeral arrangements etc. in these next few weeks or so. Grace to you all, Darwin.

Darwin, Mary Ann and Gracie Jackson

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Friday, September 07, 2007

Darwin Jacksons in San Diego

"True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than fine oration of great length."

C.H.Spurgeon

Gracie has started school here in San Diego while we continue to care for Mary (Mary Ann's mom). It's so amazing to see her now in first grade... and going to the same school Mary Ann did. She really loves it. A little girl that goes to her Sunday school is in her class as well.

Mary Ann's mom is getting weaker all the time. We don't think it will be long now until she leaves. She actually asked the nurse today what she could do to speed it up. Everyone is doing well through it all. Yours and our "groanings" are being heard.

I am signed up to go to Kansas city, MO, Sept. 23-29 for church planting training with Dr. Patterson through All Nations (http://www.allnations.us/). Please give a "groan" that Mary Ann would be able to continue here without me, and that all the details of making the trip would fall into place.

Thank you again for remembering us before God in your prayers, your fellow workers,

Darwin, Mary Ann and Gracie Jackson

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Visit our web site at www.geocities.com/darwinwj