Nagom!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:10-12

I've arrived safely in D! Thank you for your prayers while I was traveling. I'm excited to be writing from D. and share how I've been witnessing God working so far.

Life in D. is very different. I don't think any amount of description could have prepared me for this new experience. It's so encouraging to see the relationships that the Scheen's have made throughout the years, but it is also very clear that the Enemy has a stronghold here. There is a lack of trust among people in the village which leads to lies and misunderstandings. The community and outside Islamic groups pressure individuals to stay in the traditional belief system making it so hard to be a new Christian. The Enemy is good at snatching up newly-sown seeds. In my prayers I have to remember that Jesus has already won the victory for us. He has greater power and authority than the Enemy, in D. and all around the world.

I have really enjoyed working in the clinic. I have so much to learn from the nurses here. There are many cases that I would probably never see in the US; nor would I have the opportunity to share what I believe with patients. I love to see how the nurses always put God first in their work. Recently, we had the opportunity to pray for healing for a boy's knee. Praying is not something new for the O. people, but praying in Jesus' name sets us apart. It is the important difference in who we believe God is and what He did.

I am still very much an outsider here. Please pray that I would be able to quickly learn the language so that I can better communicate with the patients and others in the community. I'm slowly learning words like "nagom" is a general greeting that means "peace." Still, I wish I knew more. I would love to build strong relationships and share more about why I'm here. It's not for fun or vacation. I really want to be doing God's will first. Without knowing the language, I feel a bit lost and confused. Even while I am learning the language and customs, I hope that my actions would be testimony of the Holy Spirit living in me.

Thank you so much for your prayers. I'm sorry I'll have even more limited access to internet than I thought, so my updates will be less frequent than I would like, but trust that God is protecting me and hearing all your prayers. I hope all is well at home!