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 September 8, 2010 |
Prayer Request for August 20, 2008Sorry, I know you have not been hearing from me for a long, long time. One of the involvements I have become entangled in is the Women Arise Conference for the Women of Southern Africa which is being sponsored by Rev. Marie Miller from Foundation Ministries along with the Women's Ministries of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (Zambia). This morning Rev. Miller asked me to enlist as much prayer as possible. So of course I thought of you wonderful praying partners. Please do pray. "PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST who has blessed us in the HEAVENLY REALMS with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Eph. 1:3 It does seem as if the Southern Africa Women Arise Conference has caused something to be "stirred up" in the heavenlies. Praise God that every spiritual (and even some natural) blessings come as a result of Christ working on our behalf in "the heavenlies"! Rev. Miller and the "pre-team" have been in Zambia for about a week, working non-stop on details of preparations for the Women Arise Conference which is beginning today, August 20 and running till Saturday, August 23. The North American teams (US and Canadian) arrived safely yesterday. Shortly after the second team arrived, it was announced that His Excellency Dr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, the President of Zambia had died in hospital in Paris, France. Seven days of National Mourning were declared. We don't yet know exactly what that is going to look like but as of now things are calm in the country and as far as we know the Women Arise Conference will go on as planned. Please pray that peace will rule in the country and there will be no disturbance to the Conference. The roughly 45 women coming from Malawi had a long, hard journey yesterday, arriving at about 02:00 AM. Coming in so late, they went to their accommodations and decided just to lay down on the beds, fully clothed, without even unpacking their bags. At 03:00 AM a big "BANG!" was heard and a fire started. Being fully clothed, the women were able to get out, with all their suitcases (which had not been unpacked), and even some of the mattresses belonging to the Chalo Trust School. This morning when Women Arise Hospitality personnel went to the school to find the ladies from Malawi, they found them sitting outside, with the dormitory burned to the ground. They hadn't had any sleep but were rejoicing for the VICTORY as no one was injured and all their goods were saved. What a blessing that they had had a hard journey and late arrival! Had they arrived on time, unpacked, and gotten to sleep early, the story could have been very different. Please rejoice with us that 45 women were saved! However, now we ask you to pray because the Women Arise Conference is now short 87 beds. Please pray that alternate accommodation will be found. Also please pray for strength for the women who got no sleep and those who will now have to deal with looking for alternate accommodation. Also please pray for the Planning Committee who has been working for a long time but are still faced with many details and challenges that must be worked out. Pray for strength and health for each one. Pray for Rev. Miller, Elease Walton and Sue Wolthuizen (the pre-team) who have been here for a week helping the Planning Committee with those details and challenges. Pray especially for Rev. Miller who has not been getting much sleep since being in Zambia. Also please pray for the North American teams who have just arrived, that their time adjustments and jet-lag will be minimal. Pray for African ladies coming in from other countries who face various border and/or flight challenges. Pray that throughout the Conference, the women of Southern Africa will be blessed with "every spiritual blessing in Christ!" Does the enemy want to destroy what God wants to do in and through the women of Southern Africa? Of course he does! Will he be able to? No way! Why? Because we are VICTORS in Christ! "With God we will gain the VICTORY, and He will trample down our enemies." Ps. 60:12 Thanks for your prayers! Blessings! Cheryl Ann
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