Hungry...........

Its chow time in Mali! Check out these little rascals diving in to the evening feeding bowl. This is how they roll every meal. The back story.... the adults have already eaten and these guys get the leftovers. I feel bad eating before them and knowing they might not get the best of the bowl, but that's life there. The men and women need the strength to do the work to feed the family. Check out this cool little guy.........


Now check out this little dude? He's not there. Not at the bowl at dinner time. Why? He was born with a disease or became sick as a baby and now his legs don't work right. He can't walk like the other boys and he can't bend his knees like you would to squat and eat from the bowl. I watched as his mom finally made the other boys move over and let him in. They didn't want to, but eventually did. My heart broke as I watched helplessly.

It reminded me who Jesus is. He Is the bread of life. Anyone that partakes will be satisfied. He Is the living water. Anyone that drinks will never thirst again. As I watched it made me ask if I am bringing people to the Bread of Life, or keeping it a secret. Are you helping your spiritually starved friends/neighbors find bread or are you watching them starve? We can't hold back!

Slave or Free?

Check out the cool architecture. This is an old house on Goree Island off the coast of Dakar, Senegal. Pretty interesting to build a house in the shape of a boat. The back story..... Goree Island was the western most slave sending center in west Africa. They built houses in the shape of a boat believing if they could cram slaves into tight spaces exactly like a ship, they would know if the slave could survive the long journey across the Atlantic. It was too much to take in and process. People were treated like that! Thank God slavery has been all but abolished around the globe. Now we have other travesties that need to be defeated. Sinful hearts will always have another cruelty to display toward another. Thus the need for a heart change from the Savior!

It makes me ask myself a serious question. Am I a slave to sin, or a slave to Christ. Each man and woman is one or the other.

For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. 1 Cor. 7:22

True freedom is only found in Christ. Are you a slave to Christ?

Water, Water Everywhere........

You've heard the saying: "water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink".....
I was reminded of this saying on my trip to Mali, West Africa. I just returned from my 3rd trip on Friday and had several impressions from the Lord! It was the end of the rainy season, which was a very favorable rainy season in Mali this year. There were still roads with large pools of water and a stream over the road at one place we traveled each day. While the rains had produced a good crop and the wells seemed to be full, there is still great need for clean water in West Africa. An even great need exists: Living Water!

As women came from the city to draw water from the wells of Samaria, one woman caught the attention of Jesus. She was all alone. After polite conversation, Jesus addressed her most basic need.... thirst. He is the living water that can satisfy the thirst of our soul, even when we don't realize it is thirsty.

The gospel is spreading in West Africa and new believers and churches are being born. Ask the Lord of the harvest to rain down living water on the people. Ask Him to soften hearts and bring courage to the hearer so they may believe and recieve by faith! Will you take living water wherever you travel today and freely give as it has been given to you?!? Living water is needed where you live as well!