Each morning on the water filter trips, we have an hour of discussion about the kingdom of God and how we can be more surrendered to Jesus, how we can relate more intimately with Him and each other, and how we can more be used by Him to do His work.

I have a “captive” audience as there is literally nowhere to go and nothing else to do. Each month, there are some of the same guys and some new guys on the delivery team. Some have a real hunger for Jesus, others were invited but didn’t know there would be such serious discussions. They experience some things for the first time as they see guys pray for each other, talk seriously about the Kingdom, worship together, and then work together serving the people on the rivers. Overall, these guys have been quite receptive to my teaching and my encouragement to pray for one another. I’m challenging them to walk more closely with Jesus and also to make our filter deliveries a Kingdom work with eternal significance. I encourage them to speak with their Father and listen for His direction as they approach a house and as they deliver and set up the filter. They then ask the residents how they might pray with them and they gather with the family and give thanks for the filter and pray for the family and any needs they might have. These guys are getting better all the time in conversationally walking with Jesus. They are seeing that walking with Jesus is more than religion, do’s and don’t’s, etc.  They are experiencing the joy of relationship with Him apart from the burden of rules and laws. 

It’s a joy to be able to converse, to teach, and to understand in this language. The whole missionary endeavor changes when you can communicate. It’s been a long road. It is nice to be able to communicate in such a way as to be used. On a recent trip, I had a long conversation with a woman about her struggle with depression. It was nice to be able to converse easily at that level. I recently took a national Portuguese test and get my results in a month. I took the same test two years ago and what a difference! The test seemed so easy in comparison to two years ago. 

Our ministry is one step at a time, one day at a time, trusting the guiding hand of our Father in leading us to those who are hungry for Him.

Further…

True beauty resides within the family of God, His most varied, inexplicable, glorious, wonder-full creation yet.

The Gardener decides which flowers remain for a full season and which are harvested while young.

The return on worldly riches does not nearly equal the cost.

A self-focus will destroy you, from the inside out. A Jesus focus will give you life, from the inside out.

The speed at which life passes so increases when you have kids, when you would especially like to slow it down.

All good deeds can be done for self gain or done with self abandonment, trusting in your Father’s vision and control.

Lies may make you appear better to others but you will think less of yourself.

Treating people with respect will always give you a good return.

If you lie and embellish, you will eventually neither believe yourself nor others.

Each and every second, there are more “beyond understanding” miracles taking place within your body, to sustain the gift of life, than Jesus performed in His entire lifetime on earth.

Criticism and praise both test your character.