Urgent Prayer Request

Feb 11

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Ps 20:7

Today we just want to give you a quick update. Val and I are in Nairobi right now and are leaving tonight for an overnighter bus back to Mombasa. We came into the city yesterday morning off of a tornado. Whenever we leave Mombasa for a moment or take a step back for clarity we sleep so much. The last day has been amazing, sleeping and getting important things done without the endless distractions, and we got to see a couple of our friends who live here. We came because my visa ends next week and Val’s in two weeks. Actually I was deemed to leave the country 2 months ago when my 6 months were up.. but God has done a miracle for me with this past extension. We have been waiting on our permits to process through immigration which will allow us to do the work we are doing in Mombasa. Realistically we are not even to be doing any “work” right now and Sandra (Pastor Salito’s wife) has already been arrested due to this but by the hand of God, released. We have all been under this same pressure, sadly the corruption in this country is bent on bribes, impossible bureaucracy, and especially in Mombasa, there are people who are hoping to see us in prison because we have not given them handouts. But we really know the resistance we are constantly receiving is not from flesh and blood, but the spiritual darkness over Mombasa is very real and evil and we are a very real threat.
When we come to Nairobi, it is like fresh air for Val and I, and we ask ourselves.. why aren’t we doing this work here? But then we realize shortly after.. oh yea, that’s why we are in Mombasa. Mombasa in one word is Sodom, and only the Lord knows how many hoops we have been forced to jump through and how many times He has saved us from very serious danger. But this is exactly why we are here, the Lord cries out for the lost in this city, and we already are deeply wounded by His love for specifically 10 amazing kids who are worth every moment I wish I was just home.
We went to the Principle Immigration Officer the last two days to seek out the current handle on our permit applications. He informed us that the committee was meeting next week to accept or reject our permits along with others. He looked over our applications and treated us like people and this gave us hope! And the Lord already is at work in our midst because Mr. Chariyot extended my visa 2 more months while we wait for our results.. (miracle!) But he did not renew Val’s visa, and we are positive this is because God is wanting us to ask Him for a miracle. We need a miracle that God would make these chariots and Pharaoh’s army fall at His powerful fist of water and we would be able to go free to the Promised Land. Please join us in prayer. We feel very strongly that we are supposed to pray this thing through. Honestly, in the natural, it would be most likely for them to refuse our applications and they have already been doing this to Pastor Salito for the last YEAR. There is really NO hope, but we don’t hope in horses or chariots.. we hope in the Lord that He can do the impossible. But we need your help, please pray this thing into reality with us. They are meeting next week to decide the fate of our visa status and ability to do work in Mombasa.
Other than that.. we have 5 boys finishing their second week of school right now! It is amazing to see them back in school.. they are very hard working and are facing all of the challenges they have with confidence. Some of the boys have gone as long as 8 years out of school, so to jump right into the 3 week of the semester is a lot of work in itself. They have to readjust from never thinking to focusing from 7am-6pm for 6 days a week! There have been ups and downs because its not easy and it will take time. Downs: not sleeping, struggling living a scheduled life, fitting into a classroom of students 5 or so years younger than them, struggle to catch up and do well, struggle to follow our rules and to live disciplined lives. But the ups are so glorious: we are the proud parents of the class clowns and teachers pets, the teachers are amazing and are excited to give additional help and create special bonds with the boys, we love the teachers and they are becoming my mom away from home.. when the boys are in class I go and just talk to their teachers and tell them my problems, the boys look so great in their school uniforms, they are starting to see themselves not as street boys, they are very focused, they are proud of themselves.
Now Val and I know that our focus needs to shift. We have been focused on school, food, schedules, disciple, rules, and all the details and getting of things into place. We know this shift is now specifically because He is sending us Rachel Morrell on Thursday! God has made a way for her to join us again, long term. She will lift much off of our shoulders and be the most amazing blessing to us and all the family who already love her so much. Jesus has definitely been speaking to Val and I that now we must start our in depth counseling and healing with each boy. We will also be doing teaching times on Saturdays. The biggest thing He is showing us is that they need so much more! They need more love, more counseling, more attention, more motherly love, more of Him through us! Their wounds are becoming more apparent and need immediate attention as now they really are looking to us as moms and are desperate for love. The phrase God keeps laying on me is LOVE SUFFERS LONG. I hate that phrase..
I spent the last day before our trip suffering long love for one of the boys. It hurt, he needed to test my love over and over and the Lord wanted me to be stepped on and hurt by him, but it was so that he could see Love suffers long for him. It hurt and I was extremely exhausted afterwards, but I know that is what God wanted from me.. to suffer long for this son. To let him hurt me and get healing through me probably for the rest of our relationship.. but I am honored to do it, because this is the love I don’t have for him, but God does.. His love has already suffered death for him and will suffer the wounds in and out everyday as he searches out the reality of this love and the unending relentless fight it will go through to love him.
God is amazing. I am so lucky He would suffer long for me, it is horrible to do, but He wants to do it for these beloveds and there is nothing more powerful on the face of this earth than this love that will suffer long.
There is nothing else worth living for.. Have you realized that yet? Real living and real beauty are waiting for you.
Carly