URGENT! Please Pray for Chappy and His Group

If you are reading this, please stop and pray for Chappy and the four men who are with him in Arica right now. I just got off of the phone with Chappy, and one of the men in their group was stopped by a customs official and hassled in Johannesburg, South Africa. The other four had made it through with no problem. This particular official demanded to see the man's Yellow Fever vaccination card, but he didn't have one. In fact, not one of the five men had the Yellow Fever vaccination before going to Africa, because it is not a required shot and reportedly can make a person VERY ILL!!! Some visitors to Africa take the shot and don't have a problem, while others, for some reason, become terribly sick for days following the shot. As a result, most American doctors are of the opinion that the reaction to the shot is much worse than dealing with the Yellow Fever if you happen to contract the sickness while in Africa.

The customs official demanded to know who was with this man and acted terrible marching back and forth shouting. The four other men in the group came forward (including Chappy) even though they had already passed through customs successfully themselves, then she personally escorted them to a clinic within the airport and forced them to have the Yellow Fever shot. All of the men are upset for two reasons: first, they have mission work to do in a few hours in the Tonga and do not need to be sick from a shot; second, who wants to have a shot in an unclean airport in South Africa???

Please pray their blood pressures will not be sky high from the ordeal, the needles used were clean and sanitary, the additives in the shot will not be harmful, and they will not become violently ill from the shot. I could hear the concern in Chappy's voice. If you join me in prayer, and ask others to pray, I know our Father will be faithful to answer. I ask you to set aside any judgemental spirit that might try to slither its way into your mind; I know some might be tempted to think the group has no business traveling to Africa to do mission work in the first place. This voice is not the voice of our heavenly Father who loves the African people, especially the African orphans, so very much. Our God has power over this, if we, who are called by His Name, humble ourselves before Him and pray for our brothers in Christ who are doing their very best to serve Him. I thank you right now, ahead of time, for your prayers for my love.

As an update, yesterday was an incredible day for Chappy. He visited the mission-sponsored orphanage in Kibera.....a literal Garden of Eden built just outside the walls of the slums of Kibera. Just a few months ago, their four water tanks (that are supplied by a deep well) began to run dry. Of course with no water, the orphanage would be in major trouble; in fact, they wouldn't be able to operate. This orphanage houses 100 children at the moment and many more children come in each day from the surrounding slums to attend school and get a warm meal.

The orphans, with great faith, went outside and stood around the almost empty containers to pray. They cried out to the Lord, their Life-Giver, and begged Him for water. As you know, it pleases the Father to give good gifts to His children. Praise Him, those containers were filled within three hours.....it should have taken fifteen hours to fill them. Children who have been left behind by earthly parents who were ravaged by AIDS (the children probably watched their parents die a slow, painful death), shouted praises and love to their heavenly Father on that day. They had prayed with expectation, and in response, God provided. Can you imagine the beautiful sight?

Before leaving the orphanage yesterday, it was mentioned that one of the containers had cracked recently. Consequently, the orphanage was left with three tanks of water to supply all of the children instead of the usual four. This loss forced the Wombles (Missionaries who run the orphanage) to become more mindful of conserving their water instead of being able to allow the children to have freedom to consume as much water as they wanted. Chappy asked how much the tanks cost and was told $500.00. My sweet husband, in response, gave them cash on the spot and bought the orphanage another tank. It will be up and running within days.

When Chappy relayed this story to me, I cannot describe the joy that came through the phone. He was thrilled to be able to do something tangible for the orphans. The Wombles, in turn, wrote down each member of our family and committed to pray for us by name. They felt Chappy's love and wanted to give back. So, I am happy to announce, there is a group of orphans in Kenya who are praying for my family.....for my little Hope. Praise the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is in me......Praise His Holy Name!!!

Chappy's group is traveling to the Tonga Region today to visit an orphanage outside of Kruger National Park. This orphanage sits in the middle of the largest population of AIDS in all of Africa, and there are mass graves in this area where dead bodies are placed in large piles and then pushed into holes and covered up with dirt by large tractors. In the middle of the devastation, is the orphanage....an oasis of hope.

If you haven't placed your dot on the map below, please do so today....I'd love to see how many warriors lift Chappy up in prayer today. When I hear from him, I'll pass the word along to his group to encourage them.

"I will surely hear the cry of the orphan....." Exodus 22:22