Life in Africa
Hey friends and family:
Thanks so much for your intercession and support...I have to say that my first 2 weeks in Côte d'Ivoire have been pretty intense, accompanied by Daddy's tangible presence, culture shock, substantial spiritual warfare, healings, preaching the gospel, seeking the Lord together as a team for the future outplaying of God's vision for what He has planned.
And it has been a joy to be reunited with my African family here, Abel, Maria, and so many others that the Lord has connected us with.
We're living in a 2 story house the Lord provided supernaturally by speaking to Abel one day, and He led him to this house that was being built. It's in a pretty poor area, though not quite as poor as where we stayed last year. The house hasn't been finished quite yet, but by the time it's finished, it will be 7 bedrooms! That means a lot of room for when teams come, room for an office, room for gathering people, prayer, etc. Especially prayer. At the moment there are 6 of us living here, but that number fluctuates depending on the day. Abel, Maria, Onction (Abel's 8 year old son), Clarice (Abel's sister), Abraham, and I. Slowly I'm getting used to being called the white guy and watching the kids laugh at me as I walk by. Pretty humbling. Maria has been here since January and lived in the slum for the first 2 months. Sheesh.
The Lord has been pouring out lots of revelation since last year about all the stuff He's got on His heart for this nation and beyond. Of course preaching the gospel to the lost with signs and wonders following, planting churches, feeding the poor, training up leaders...the harvest is plentiful. Already quite a few neighbors have approached Abel asking him when we're going to start praying together and gathering. The people are hungry for the Lord here. Real hungry. All I have to do is walk out the door and there's people. But we're seeing the bigness of this vision that the Lord has downloaded on us...and at times it overwhelms me so much. Being with Abel, you just receive impartation of greater faith to believe God for whole nations to come to Him. Every day we hear another story about the power of God being displayed...
I've preached 3 times already, getting back into exercising my spirit to be ready at any time to proclaim the word of God in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Power encounters with people who are demonized is pretty common. Last week the Lord gave me a few words of knowledge before I preached, one of which was about somebody who would come to the gathering that had a problem with their right ear. After I preached, I called out this word of knowledge asking him/her to come forward and be healed by Jesus! (Every time anybody preaches here, you call the sick forth to pray for them...it's routine). So a lady came forward and I laid hands on her and prayed, and she gave testimony later that the pus in her ear completely dried up and she was fully healed! Yay God. The Lord's presence was especially strong Sunday and several people were delivered from demons. The hunger here for the Lord is high.
Father keeps on reminding us of the bigness of what He's called us to, and we plan on gathering our neighbors in our house soon to begin planting a fellowship here. But in the midst of the bigness, He spoke to Abel last night that big visions have small beginnings. Just in one of the houses beside of us, there are 12 families! They will come because they're hungry for the Lord. Our house has an area where probably 75 people can gather. We're trying to sift through how simple church works in Africa...we must adapt it because they love so much the large gatherings and celebrations, but they also gather in homes for cell group type gatherings.
Something else that has been a joy to be a part of is going to the market, buying up a bunch of food (like a 50lb bag of rice, big bag of beans, tomatoes, peppers, and fish) and taking that to various families who are suffering and don't have enough to eat. It's so joyful to give when you are able. Maria had the idea of picking a family every couple weeks, and making surprise visits with food to give them! When we told Abel this, he was overcome with joy. In fact, we plan on setting up giving opportunities for y'all if you want to contribute $40, we'll pick a family every week or 2 and deliver the food ourselves by visiting them. $40 buys a 50lb bag of rice, about 10lb of beans, about 5lbs of tomatoes, various other peppers, spices, fish, etc. It's enough for a family of 6 for probably more than a month (at least with the rice).
Maria has been teaching a health care class, and she is already seen as the Mama of the community...she carries hospitality in her veins. The Lord really has put together a team with the 3 of us that is gifted in many ways...now we are working through how to be a team with different cultures in our midst (i.e. Abel being African and Maria and I being American).
Please intercede for us. We have the victory in the blood of Jesus, and He has fought for us especially this week as the spiritual warfare has been strong. Me personally, I need a boost of faith and filling of the Spirit to root out my fear of man that has been something the Lord has been dealing with. Daddy has been securing me in His love which will free me to walk unapologetically confident before Him and minister in the power of the Holy Spirit, but yet be sensitive to others' suffering and pain.
The Lord spoke to me that our house that we live in is to be called "Always Enough House." (In French, that is "Toujours Assez"). I keep thinking about Heidi Baker who says that there is always enough in the Lord's heart. I've been challenged by Luke 14 and Isaiah 58, where Jesus describes the banquets that HE desires...don't invite your friends or the rich. Invite the poor, crippled, lame, blind, lepers, and those who can't repay you. Then they will come and we receive of the Lord's abundance. In Is. 58 we find out what the TRUE fast is that the Lord desires...loosing the chains of oppression, not turning our backs on the poor...THEN our light will dawn!
The Lord provided us with a refrigerator...even though the power goes out all the time. We're all so thankful for it! Thank y'all for your financial support...that's what made it possible. Another provision of the Lord...a few days after I got here, I was really missing my family a lot and my close brothers. So I asked Jesus for a brother here. So the other day, a guy named Sondé showed up wanting to be poured into and discipled and he's hungry to worship God. Thank the Lord, it's somebody my age who I've been getting to know and fellowshiping in the Spirit with.
We opened a Post Office Box! Here's the address. We can receive packages too!
Adam Short/All Nations
12 B.P. 1894
Abidjan 12
Côte d'Ivoire
Africa
Whoa I live in Africa. Some days I wake up and don't even believe it. Thanks so much for your love and support, it means a ton. Father I ask for You to pour out abundance on my family and friends today in the name of Jesus.
Thanks again so much, bless you immensely. I will try to send some pics soon!
Love,
Adam