As our Saturday evening service ended today, a lady came to us to ask for prayer for her family. Her mother, a member of our church, had passed away the week before and from that time on, she and the rest of her family were plagued by a spirit of fear. The woman could not explain exactly what it was they were afraid of but, as a new Christian, she knew God could help her.
Her husband, a Buddhist, had been to the lamas to try and make sense of the situation. They told him on 2 separate occasions that someone else was destined to die in their apartment. This left the family with even more fear and desperation.
Hetee and I decided we need to go over there and pray "on location". We got a few of our leaders and as we were heading out the door, her husband called her on her cell phone. He was drunk and crying, telling her to hurry up and come home because he was scared to death to be there alone.
We walked up the 4 flights of stairs, not knowing what to expect. We were greeted by a very warm and nicely decorated home but I could feel in my spirit that I wasn't welcomed there.
First, we sang the chorus of "Awesome God" a few times, then we began to pray in tongues. The husband called out angrily from the other room where he was slumped over on his knees in front of his pictures of Buddha and his now deceased mother-in-law. Hetee and the men who were with us went in to greet him and he stood right up and grabbed Hetee by the collar! Three of our guys held him down but he was trying hard to punch Hetee in the face. I directed the wife to stay in the hall with the 4-month-old baby. My heart was pounding! I never liked dealing with drunks and, as a rule, I avoid them as much as possible.
This guy was really getting out of control! He picked up the framed picture of his mother-in-law and smashed it onto his forehead then he lunged after Hetee again. Then, suddenly, he let go of Hetee, turned to the Buddha picture and picked it up and threw it to the wall. I didn't see him let go of Hetee so, when I heard the glass I thought it was Hetee going through a window or something.
When I turned and saw Hetee still standing, I was relieved, to say the least. The drunk guy calmed right down, I mean, he went from drunk to sober, just like that! He looked at Hetee square in the eyes and said, "Thank you for coming. I'm not afraid anymore!" He then told us that while we were praying in the other room, he "saw" his mother-in-law and she told him not to be afraid. I don't know about that, but all of us were starting to feel a lot more peaceful. It was really crazy because he didn't know that we had come to pray. In fact, when we got there he was too drunk to even hold his head up. But, somehow he knew that we represent the peace her felt in his heart.
Hetee explained that they should not allow anything pertaining to false religions in their home because Satan was using those things as a foothold. We prayed for the wife and 2 kids and gave them some scriptures to read then said our goodbyes. The wife looked totally relieved and said that she felt so much peace.
Praise the Lord!
On the way home I asked Hetee if he was scared and he said, "No, because I know Satan can't touch me."
This morning we started 2 encounter retreats, one men's and one women's (about 100 people in all), and I could definitely feel the spiritual tension going on all around all day long. We really kicked butt today and are well aware that we'll see reciprocation as the enemy tries to gain back the ground lost today. We are pressing on with much prayer and ask that you keep our family and church members in your prayers as well.
Thank you again for partnering with us through faithful prayers and financial support. More testimonies to come!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
My Day
Today was Nate's last day at the dentist. For a while, anyway. He has to go back in 3 months for a check-up but other than that, he's a free man. To celebrate, Hetee took him to the toy store, as promised, and let him pick out the toy of his dreams. He chose a cool remote control car with a re-chargeable battery. Now he can chase me around and terrorize me without having to worry about the batteries dying. Niiiiice.
This afternoon Nate and I took a bike ride across town to my parents' house. He rode on the back of my bike and we had about a 30 minute ride one way. I hadn't ridden that much since I was 16! It was definitely an "eventure" as he calls it. During our adventure I had ample opportunity to teach him firsthand the virtues of sticking with something and not giving up even when it's difficult and you want to quit (in our case this would mean admitting defeat and calling daddy to come get us).
In other news, yesterday we got Miss Abi's ears pierced. And get this, the dentist who did Nate's teeth also does ear piercings so we got it done there. A one stop, root canal, ear piercing, packaged deal. Hm. Well, I'm impressed.
We'd had the earrings for a while (my mom brought the gold piercing earrings from the States) and Abi really had been wanting to do it. I tried to hold off but it was all she talked about! I told her it would hurt a bit but she still wanted to do it so we all pile into the car and head over to the dentist's office. After she was done with Nate, she called Abi in and got to work.
I wish I could say it went smoothly but it was a disaster, albeit a hilarious one. Abi freaked, shreaked and dove into my lap. Nate came bounding in and nervously tried to comfort her. The people in the waiting room were starting to look scared. I was trying to comfort her while trying to decide whether to proceed with the plan or abort! Hetee gave me the go-ahead and I told the dentist I'd hold Abi so she could do the other ear. I told Nate that Abi might like him to hold her hand, like I held his when the dentist was drilling, etc. He obliged and Abi gratefully accepted.
The dentist and I were both drenched in sweat, nevertheless we continued on to the second ear. Abi SCREAMED and Nate, out of shear instinct lunged forward to hold her but in doing so, hit the hand of the dentist who was holding the back of the earring. It flies across the room and she gets down to look for it. Both kids are screaming, scaring the living daylights out of the waiting room people. Hetee steps in and, thankfully, finds the back. We snap it on and get up to pay. Kids are still sobbing. The dentist shoes us out and says, "You can pay later! Just go!"
Reading over what I just wrote it sounds like I was really brutal to my kids. But, Abi LOVES her earrings and says she's not mad at me at all. She IS pretty dramatic.
I did learn something through all this. I learned that if you want your little girl to wear dainty little earrings you should have her ears pierced as a newborn OR let her grow up first and just ignore the pleading and whining that will definitely ensue until then. =)
I also made some green tomato bread. I had tons of tiny green tomatoes from the greenhouse that didn't turn red and I was wondering how in the world I would use them up before they rotted. This bread was really good and tasted just like zucchini bread. If anyone's interested I can post the recipe. Let me know!
Off to bed now...gotta get up early..meetings and classes and more meetings. Got a full day ahead!
This afternoon Nate and I took a bike ride across town to my parents' house. He rode on the back of my bike and we had about a 30 minute ride one way. I hadn't ridden that much since I was 16! It was definitely an "eventure" as he calls it. During our adventure I had ample opportunity to teach him firsthand the virtues of sticking with something and not giving up even when it's difficult and you want to quit (in our case this would mean admitting defeat and calling daddy to come get us).
In other news, yesterday we got Miss Abi's ears pierced. And get this, the dentist who did Nate's teeth also does ear piercings so we got it done there. A one stop, root canal, ear piercing, packaged deal. Hm. Well, I'm impressed.
We'd had the earrings for a while (my mom brought the gold piercing earrings from the States) and Abi really had been wanting to do it. I tried to hold off but it was all she talked about! I told her it would hurt a bit but she still wanted to do it so we all pile into the car and head over to the dentist's office. After she was done with Nate, she called Abi in and got to work.
I wish I could say it went smoothly but it was a disaster, albeit a hilarious one. Abi freaked, shreaked and dove into my lap. Nate came bounding in and nervously tried to comfort her. The people in the waiting room were starting to look scared. I was trying to comfort her while trying to decide whether to proceed with the plan or abort! Hetee gave me the go-ahead and I told the dentist I'd hold Abi so she could do the other ear. I told Nate that Abi might like him to hold her hand, like I held his when the dentist was drilling, etc. He obliged and Abi gratefully accepted.
The dentist and I were both drenched in sweat, nevertheless we continued on to the second ear. Abi SCREAMED and Nate, out of shear instinct lunged forward to hold her but in doing so, hit the hand of the dentist who was holding the back of the earring. It flies across the room and she gets down to look for it. Both kids are screaming, scaring the living daylights out of the waiting room people. Hetee steps in and, thankfully, finds the back. We snap it on and get up to pay. Kids are still sobbing. The dentist shoes us out and says, "You can pay later! Just go!"
Reading over what I just wrote it sounds like I was really brutal to my kids. But, Abi LOVES her earrings and says she's not mad at me at all. She IS pretty dramatic.
I did learn something through all this. I learned that if you want your little girl to wear dainty little earrings you should have her ears pierced as a newborn OR let her grow up first and just ignore the pleading and whining that will definitely ensue until then. =)
I also made some green tomato bread. I had tons of tiny green tomatoes from the greenhouse that didn't turn red and I was wondering how in the world I would use them up before they rotted. This bread was really good and tasted just like zucchini bread. If anyone's interested I can post the recipe. Let me know!
Off to bed now...gotta get up early..meetings and classes and more meetings. Got a full day ahead!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Bad, Bad Momma
In case you're wondering what I've been up to over here in my little corner of the world, I've been having a week-long pity party, stopping momentarily only to revel in my guilt at what a bad mother I am for letting this happen.
The week before last, Nate started complaining of a toothache. We had taken him to the dentist about 6 months ago to look at that same molar as it was getting a spot on it. The dentist applied some liquid to it and told us it should stop the cavity from progressing. Well, here we are, 6 months later and it's hurting. Bad. So last Friday, after several attempts we finally get to the dentist and she informed us that he will need to have it filled but before that, the INFECTION IN HIS GUM has to be treated! Oh, and he has another cavity on the other side!
The dentist drilled and did a root canal on the first molar without and kind of painkiller or tranquilizer!!!!!!! (Oh, my poor baby!) He was so brave and barely even flinched although he admitted later that it hurt. The second root canal was done today and he had a couple times where he was in pain and said he would not open his mouth anymore. I told him to think about how he helped me get through Kenny's birth by holding my hand, etc. I told him I'd hold his hand and help him get his mind off the pain, too. He opened his mouth again and handled the rest like a pro. We have 2 more days of treatment/cleanings (the dentist wants to make sure that all the pain/infection is gone) then he will get the fillings. I've never had a root canal and I really feel for him.
At the beginning of the whole ordeal I told him with tears in my eyes that I wished I could take his pain and have the root canals for him. A couple days later Nate was at the kitchen table holding his cheek while I was taking my vitamins (I have a bad cold). He said, "Mommy, I wish I could take your cold and have it instead of you."
How could I let this happen? I breastfed him until he was 2 and a half! I taught him how to care for his teeth from an early age! I never give him juice or sodas and we drink water or milk at home! He eats very little sweets and has a good diet overall so I just don't see how this could have happened. I feel terrible and I'm crying my eyes out and I know you're just gonna say, It's ok, it could have happened to anyone." but we all know that doesn't help.
Anyway, thank God for His mercy. The gum infection was gone within 24 hours of praying and treating with tea tree oil. I also juiced some carrots for him to drink as vitamin A helps fight infection.
He's been a real trooper and, at 5 year of age, is more man than most of the men reading this right now.
Please keep Nate in your prayers these next few days, as we finish up at the dentist. It's been a trying time for him and he needs healing and rest.
The week before last, Nate started complaining of a toothache. We had taken him to the dentist about 6 months ago to look at that same molar as it was getting a spot on it. The dentist applied some liquid to it and told us it should stop the cavity from progressing. Well, here we are, 6 months later and it's hurting. Bad. So last Friday, after several attempts we finally get to the dentist and she informed us that he will need to have it filled but before that, the INFECTION IN HIS GUM has to be treated! Oh, and he has another cavity on the other side!
The dentist drilled and did a root canal on the first molar without and kind of painkiller or tranquilizer!!!!!!! (Oh, my poor baby!) He was so brave and barely even flinched although he admitted later that it hurt. The second root canal was done today and he had a couple times where he was in pain and said he would not open his mouth anymore. I told him to think about how he helped me get through Kenny's birth by holding my hand, etc. I told him I'd hold his hand and help him get his mind off the pain, too. He opened his mouth again and handled the rest like a pro. We have 2 more days of treatment/cleanings (the dentist wants to make sure that all the pain/infection is gone) then he will get the fillings. I've never had a root canal and I really feel for him.
At the beginning of the whole ordeal I told him with tears in my eyes that I wished I could take his pain and have the root canals for him. A couple days later Nate was at the kitchen table holding his cheek while I was taking my vitamins (I have a bad cold). He said, "Mommy, I wish I could take your cold and have it instead of you."
How could I let this happen? I breastfed him until he was 2 and a half! I taught him how to care for his teeth from an early age! I never give him juice or sodas and we drink water or milk at home! He eats very little sweets and has a good diet overall so I just don't see how this could have happened. I feel terrible and I'm crying my eyes out and I know you're just gonna say, It's ok, it could have happened to anyone." but we all know that doesn't help.
Anyway, thank God for His mercy. The gum infection was gone within 24 hours of praying and treating with tea tree oil. I also juiced some carrots for him to drink as vitamin A helps fight infection.
He's been a real trooper and, at 5 year of age, is more man than most of the men reading this right now.
Please keep Nate in your prayers these next few days, as we finish up at the dentist. It's been a trying time for him and he needs healing and rest.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
What's making me smile these days...
It's been a few weeks since I last posted. Here's a rundown of what's been making me smile:
- my birthday
- zucchini bread
- girl time with mom
- seeing Nate being so brave at the dentist's office
- seeing Mongolian women become more health conscious.
- hearing my kids say "thank you" and "I'm sorry" to one another unprompted
- homemade bread
- helping the poor
- helping new mommies breastfeed
- dinner out with my hubby
- an encouraging email from a new friend
- a care package from my dear friend, Sara
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