JULY 4,2011
Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Greetings and blessings to you all,
Well hello there from Africa! As always I want to first start by saying thank you for your prayers concerning Dr. Wilson and myself during this time traveling overseas. Your prayers have been felt and I believe truly answered as we have witnessed the hand of the Lord move tremendously and also watching various circumstances work out for God’s glory!
Since I last updated you, I mentioned how we started to minister in Armenia and also how that the Russian Mafia worked on our favor to get us visas into Russia for more ministry. I don’t think they knew we were going there for ministry however all worked out fine and we made it to Russia for 1 week.
Armenia went extremely well! We were there for 2 solid weeks and had services literally every day in average 3 services per day. Some days we were in church for 8-9 hours. It was tiring but rewarding and a great spirit of expectation to see God move was in the atmosphere of every service. Also there was a real sensitivity to the Word of the Lord and a call to prayer. Pastor Bill Kiefer of Green, New York joined us for those 2 weeks as well as his son Josh. Together Pastor Bill and Dr. Wilson ministered most of the prophetic ministry and I had the privilege to minister alongside Pastor Bill and Josh in prophetic presbytery. Also Josh and I ministered together in the worship team, him on the guitar leading and I on the drums. It is amazing how that though there is a language barrier between us and the Armenians but when it comes to worshipping the Lord we are on the same page and understand the same spirit, for we are of that same spirit in Christ! We of course do have interpreters for the ministering. I also wound up preaching the last service in Armenia and at the end of my message shared my testimony. Many, if not all wept and some came asking for prayer for their child or loved one, that the Lord would arrest there life as He did mine. So we prayed. Lord, may the saving power of this perfect Salvation You provided arrest the hearts of those who we pray for!
Now the Russian Mafia did help in getting our visas. They also put up the whole ministry team in a nice hotel in the capital of Armenia (Yerevan) when we had about 8 days of ministry there as well. The rooms we stayed in all had a gorgeous view of Mount Ararat up close! Though the mountain is now part of Turkish territory, we were about 30 miles or so away from the mountain and since it is extremely massive, we saw all of the definition and crevices of the mountain.
Mount Ararat is the mountain that Noah and his family landed on while in the Ark! It was a sure sight to behold and every time I saw it I couldn’t help but imagine and visualize the history of the flood and God’s gracious hand upon Noah and all who were in the Ark. The Bible says that Noah found GRACE in the sight of the Lord! And so can we, when we are willing to enter in to a life in Christ! There really is no other way but to enter into the true ARK, Jesus Christ!
Well right after Armenia we flew to Samara Russia and had back to back meetings there in the same church building, which is shared by 4 different churches. Pastor Bill and Josh Kieffer were not with us in Russia. So Dr. Wilson and I ministered together and did about 2-3 prophetic presbytery meetings every day for the first 5 days. I also ministered 3 different services. Two of those services I was asked 5 minutes before the service to bring the Word. And so with a few minutes in prayer, I did! This I take as all part of my training in “the school of the Spirit”. I was invited by another Russian Pastor to come preach at his church, but it was really far away and we were leaving Russia a day before he wanted me to come. However I wound up praying over the Pastor and his wife. During our time in Russia and all our time in Armenia I personally was fighting off some sickness. I had a “horsed” throat to where I would wake up and it took some time to recover my voice for the first couple of hours. Also I had a stuffy nose and I was coughing a lot. The great thing is that every time I stepped behind the pulpit to preach or on the platform to prophesy along with Dr. Wilson, you would not have been able to tell I was sick! No cough, no throat problems, nothing! Praise the Lord! I did treat my sickness during those 3 weeks and I am all better now! Thank you Jesus!
Now the people in Russia were very appreciative of the ministry. There was a good spirit and hunger for the things of the Lord! The last 2 days were spent in some town about an hour away from Ufa Russia, where Doc and I also ministered in a prophetic presbytery. The churches were strengthened and encouraged by the word of the Lord to pursue forward bringing the advancement of the Kingdom of God to their community, region and nation.
In Russia there still lingers a Communist type of spirit among dealing with the government officials. When we were leaving Russia and were at the Moscow airport, as we were getting a luggage, we saw and heard a woman screaming and trying to pull away from a Russian officer. Why? We have no idea, however the officer had her pinned against the wall watching her yell and then at times hitting her with his wooden club and another officer joined in. It cause great distress to witness this and others just watch and walk around them. Again I don’t know why it happened but it was painful to see. Let us remember to keep Russia in prayer and believe for a mighty outpouring of God’s spirit and Word to rest upon the nation and transform it for His glory! Also many of the buildings look like they did under Communist reign. Falling apart, the stench is awful and etc. However in the ruins of tyrannical form of government, lies part of God’s remnant that is on fire for Him and ready to take the nation by storm, to spread the love of Christ and the power of His word!
Well after Russia we flew back to the Netherlands for a few days, switching planes in Belarus on the way. It seems that, that plane switch in Belarus was almost a miss. However God granted us favor and the airport staff literally unlocked the back doors in order to get us on a small business like plane. Thank you Lord! Dr. Wilson and I ministered while in Holland. I had the joy to preach again to the youth group I first ministered to last October of 2010 when in Europe. It was a joy to worship the Lord together!
And so now Doc and I flew from Amsterdam to Casablanca, Morocco and changed planes and then flew to Dakar, Senegal (the furthest West point of Africa). We were in Senegal for a couple of days, meanwhile major political riots are taking place, due to the fact that the current President of Senegal is running for a third term claiming that it is really his second. Why or how? Who knows? So the people are outraged over it and they are flipping cars, burning tires and the patrol officers now are stationed all over the city, expecting another riot. The whole capital city of Dakar also has had their electric power turned off all during the day. Many young people have been in riots also concerning it and went to the national electric power company and turned over all their company vehicles, bashed out windows and burned their tires. These people definitely need Christ! Majority in West Africa are Muslim and the countries we are in are from former French Colonies, therefore they speak French. I am glad my French has been improving, all 5 words. Haha. Each country I speak a few words in that language. I hope I can remember it all by time I come back home. haha
Dr. Wilson and I traveled by car, van and coach bus from Senegal to Gambia and then to Mali. During the 4 days of travel, it was a very trying time. In intense heat, surrounded and CRAMMED in these vehicles with people that have major body odor. I’m talking about 7 people crammed in a car for 6 hours, driving about 40 miles per hour in African/ sub Sahara region! Much of the time we drove off the road because the ground was better than the road itself. The region we are driving is right under the Sahara desert, the largest desert in the world! Also when we would buy our ticket to the bus, we had to wait 4 hours after the “scheduled” time to leave, because the bus wasn’t yet full and due to the long distance and money needed for the gas and such, we waited in the heat during that time. During those few days Doc and I didn’t really eat. We just ate a piece of bread for breakfast, plenty of water and an orange each for dinner. One day we found and bought a few cookies that was boxed and had that for dinner. Many of the foods we could not eat due to health precautions. It was difficult to believe and see the great conditions of poverty throughout part of West Africa. I found many we have dealt with are trying to get as much money out of you (especially since we are Americans, that to them is a class of wealth all in its own) and many deal deceitfully, however can you blame them? Besides the fact that they don’t have Christ, they are trying to survive. Due to major diseases about 85% of a country’s population can die at once!
When we took their means of transportation we can get a glimpse of the hardships they live with. Though only 3 days we fasted (not intentional), it was humbling to be sitting, and profusely sweating along with the locals, who are also hungry too. Much of the clothes they wear and foods they sell were first given to them from other nations and missionary organizations around the world. There is nothing really that they make of their own and if any foods, it is from killing cattle that they have. I thank God for the generosity of giving to this nation, but the true gift given is Jesus. I realized that in other countries, many who have no Christian heritage experience great poverty not only spiritually but naturally in business, plantation, etc… But also the state of wealth is in the mind. You think poor, you live poor, you think wealth and you live with a sense of wealth. One may disagree, but this is something one must see for themselves. Television doesn’t do justice to the poverty and problems other “3rd world” countries face. Especially in America we face “racial” issues, but in Africa many DREAM to come to America. Unless in a large city, no one would think of living in Africa, unless if God put it on their heart or obviously they just have a love for the culture. However they live in very a very trying environment. I have a deeper respect for the missionaries here, because when they come, they are truly laying down their life. We Americans, no matter gender or race, have SO MUCH to be thankful for! God has still blessed our nation, due to the premise of covenant that our forefathers made before the Lord in hope of a prosperous new nation under God! After the slave era when given the opportunity to ex black slaves, they were given the option if they wanted to go back to Africa. Some did go back, thus the nation Liberia came into existence meaning “Liberation”. But about LESS than 5% went back to Africa. The rest stayed in America knowing they can have a better life in America compared to going back to Africa. We all have something to be grateful for. America wasn’t the only nation that had a slave time, but many nations all throughout history and some even this day. This is a fact in history and we can easily treat it as if America was the only place that had slaves. Though it is wrong and should NOT be practiced, but it has happened throughout history. Look at Israel in the Bible and how many times they were held in bondage as slaves to other nations.
Plus a piece of information that we Americans do not look at, is that these “slaves” were slaves already in their country here in Africa. It was tribe against tribe that enslaved one another, so they were already slaves. And these slaves were being sold. You cannot buy that which is not for sale and so African’s sold those that they themselves enslaved.However we Americans or anybody should NOT have been involved in purchasing slaves, however the Muslims of North Africa were the FIRST to buy black slaves and yet many Africans turn to Islam. America bought slaves starting in Portugal. This is why Africa needs Jesus and truly to be set free both naturally and spiritually!
Now I wouldn’t just select the issue of “slavery” to talk about in this update, but when you are here in West Africa, this is what you see and come to know. Traveling the globe and witnessing such conditions will help broaden your perspective on what is going on in the world, because you are witnessing these things yourself.
Anyways our ministry meetings began yesterday here in the country of Mali at the capital, Bamako for about 9 days. Dr. Wilson will be teaching most of all the services on the importance of 5 fold ministry and the local church. He preached Sunday morning and I preached Sunday night in the English service. I sense a real anointing ministering to them as I preached on “God’s name is Jealous” (Exodus 34:14 and 20:4-5) but the Lord had me minister out of the story of the parable of the two sons, one being a prodigal. (Luke 15: 11-32). It is common in Africa when one gives there life to Christ they are mostly after the blessing and do not let go of there other idols and pagan traditions. Also how jealousy runs rapid in the church and some go to church and yet still fallow Islam. How? They just do it. They are after more of the blessing to their life not realizing God is jealous of their love and attention! It is a common type of spirit, in which through the word the Lord had me minister, was addressed and the people there came to me and thanked me for preaching the Word. They have a beautiful spirit and hungry hearts! And the African music is wonderful as they praise the Lord! One starts singing and they all join in and sound beautiful! That I do enjoy! Also after that we will be joined with the team; Pastors John Snyder, Bob Lauver and Steve Yoe, all in Burkina Faso. After that they will fly home and Doc and I will minister in Niger and then head back to Holland to then fly back to the states! We will be in Africa for a total of 3 weeks and this is the last 3 weeks of ministry before we head back to the states!
Concerning Dr. Wilson’s health, he is doing fine. He had to go back on his medication he has been taking since Indonesia, and will be taking it until he sees his doctor back in New York. Continue to keep him in prayer, especially since we are in Africa and under such high temperatures. Niger is recorded to have the hottest temperatures on the face of the planet! The record was 143 degrees.
Anyways, so that is the update for now! There is much more to be said, but it is something you yourself would have to see. Anyways thank you all again for your encouragement on facebook and by emails. For photos of Armenia and Russia please visit my travel sight or look on facebook.
Continue to be blessed and look forward to updating you all again!
God bless,
=Justin=
Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Greetings and blessings to you all,
Well hello there from Africa! As always I want to first start by saying thank you for your prayers concerning Dr. Wilson and myself during this time traveling overseas. Your prayers have been felt and I believe truly answered as we have witnessed the hand of the Lord move tremendously and also watching various circumstances work out for God’s glory!
Since I last updated you, I mentioned how we started to minister in Armenia and also how that the Russian Mafia worked on our favor to get us visas into Russia for more ministry. I don’t think they knew we were going there for ministry however all worked out fine and we made it to Russia for 1 week.
Armenia went extremely well! We were there for 2 solid weeks and had services literally every day in average 3 services per day. Some days we were in church for 8-9 hours. It was tiring but rewarding and a great spirit of expectation to see God move was in the atmosphere of every service. Also there was a real sensitivity to the Word of the Lord and a call to prayer. Pastor Bill Kiefer of Green, New York joined us for those 2 weeks as well as his son Josh. Together Pastor Bill and Dr. Wilson ministered most of the prophetic ministry and I had the privilege to minister alongside Pastor Bill and Josh in prophetic presbytery. Also Josh and I ministered together in the worship team, him on the guitar leading and I on the drums. It is amazing how that though there is a language barrier between us and the Armenians but when it comes to worshipping the Lord we are on the same page and understand the same spirit, for we are of that same spirit in Christ! We of course do have interpreters for the ministering. I also wound up preaching the last service in Armenia and at the end of my message shared my testimony. Many, if not all wept and some came asking for prayer for their child or loved one, that the Lord would arrest there life as He did mine. So we prayed. Lord, may the saving power of this perfect Salvation You provided arrest the hearts of those who we pray for!
Now the Russian Mafia did help in getting our visas. They also put up the whole ministry team in a nice hotel in the capital of Armenia (Yerevan) when we had about 8 days of ministry there as well. The rooms we stayed in all had a gorgeous view of Mount Ararat up close! Though the mountain is now part of Turkish territory, we were about 30 miles or so away from the mountain and since it is extremely massive, we saw all of the definition and crevices of the mountain.
Mount Ararat is the mountain that Noah and his family landed on while in the Ark! It was a sure sight to behold and every time I saw it I couldn’t help but imagine and visualize the history of the flood and God’s gracious hand upon Noah and all who were in the Ark. The Bible says that Noah found GRACE in the sight of the Lord! And so can we, when we are willing to enter in to a life in Christ! There really is no other way but to enter into the true ARK, Jesus Christ!
Well right after Armenia we flew to Samara Russia and had back to back meetings there in the same church building, which is shared by 4 different churches. Pastor Bill and Josh Kieffer were not with us in Russia. So Dr. Wilson and I ministered together and did about 2-3 prophetic presbytery meetings every day for the first 5 days. I also ministered 3 different services. Two of those services I was asked 5 minutes before the service to bring the Word. And so with a few minutes in prayer, I did! This I take as all part of my training in “the school of the Spirit”. I was invited by another Russian Pastor to come preach at his church, but it was really far away and we were leaving Russia a day before he wanted me to come. However I wound up praying over the Pastor and his wife. During our time in Russia and all our time in Armenia I personally was fighting off some sickness. I had a “horsed” throat to where I would wake up and it took some time to recover my voice for the first couple of hours. Also I had a stuffy nose and I was coughing a lot. The great thing is that every time I stepped behind the pulpit to preach or on the platform to prophesy along with Dr. Wilson, you would not have been able to tell I was sick! No cough, no throat problems, nothing! Praise the Lord! I did treat my sickness during those 3 weeks and I am all better now! Thank you Jesus!
Now the people in Russia were very appreciative of the ministry. There was a good spirit and hunger for the things of the Lord! The last 2 days were spent in some town about an hour away from Ufa Russia, where Doc and I also ministered in a prophetic presbytery. The churches were strengthened and encouraged by the word of the Lord to pursue forward bringing the advancement of the Kingdom of God to their community, region and nation.
In Russia there still lingers a Communist type of spirit among dealing with the government officials. When we were leaving Russia and were at the Moscow airport, as we were getting a luggage, we saw and heard a woman screaming and trying to pull away from a Russian officer. Why? We have no idea, however the officer had her pinned against the wall watching her yell and then at times hitting her with his wooden club and another officer joined in. It cause great distress to witness this and others just watch and walk around them. Again I don’t know why it happened but it was painful to see. Let us remember to keep Russia in prayer and believe for a mighty outpouring of God’s spirit and Word to rest upon the nation and transform it for His glory! Also many of the buildings look like they did under Communist reign. Falling apart, the stench is awful and etc. However in the ruins of tyrannical form of government, lies part of God’s remnant that is on fire for Him and ready to take the nation by storm, to spread the love of Christ and the power of His word!
Well after Russia we flew back to the Netherlands for a few days, switching planes in Belarus on the way. It seems that, that plane switch in Belarus was almost a miss. However God granted us favor and the airport staff literally unlocked the back doors in order to get us on a small business like plane. Thank you Lord! Dr. Wilson and I ministered while in Holland. I had the joy to preach again to the youth group I first ministered to last October of 2010 when in Europe. It was a joy to worship the Lord together!
And so now Doc and I flew from Amsterdam to Casablanca, Morocco and changed planes and then flew to Dakar, Senegal (the furthest West point of Africa). We were in Senegal for a couple of days, meanwhile major political riots are taking place, due to the fact that the current President of Senegal is running for a third term claiming that it is really his second. Why or how? Who knows? So the people are outraged over it and they are flipping cars, burning tires and the patrol officers now are stationed all over the city, expecting another riot. The whole capital city of Dakar also has had their electric power turned off all during the day. Many young people have been in riots also concerning it and went to the national electric power company and turned over all their company vehicles, bashed out windows and burned their tires. These people definitely need Christ! Majority in West Africa are Muslim and the countries we are in are from former French Colonies, therefore they speak French. I am glad my French has been improving, all 5 words. Haha. Each country I speak a few words in that language. I hope I can remember it all by time I come back home. haha
Dr. Wilson and I traveled by car, van and coach bus from Senegal to Gambia and then to Mali. During the 4 days of travel, it was a very trying time. In intense heat, surrounded and CRAMMED in these vehicles with people that have major body odor. I’m talking about 7 people crammed in a car for 6 hours, driving about 40 miles per hour in African/ sub Sahara region! Much of the time we drove off the road because the ground was better than the road itself. The region we are driving is right under the Sahara desert, the largest desert in the world! Also when we would buy our ticket to the bus, we had to wait 4 hours after the “scheduled” time to leave, because the bus wasn’t yet full and due to the long distance and money needed for the gas and such, we waited in the heat during that time. During those few days Doc and I didn’t really eat. We just ate a piece of bread for breakfast, plenty of water and an orange each for dinner. One day we found and bought a few cookies that was boxed and had that for dinner. Many of the foods we could not eat due to health precautions. It was difficult to believe and see the great conditions of poverty throughout part of West Africa. I found many we have dealt with are trying to get as much money out of you (especially since we are Americans, that to them is a class of wealth all in its own) and many deal deceitfully, however can you blame them? Besides the fact that they don’t have Christ, they are trying to survive. Due to major diseases about 85% of a country’s population can die at once!
When we took their means of transportation we can get a glimpse of the hardships they live with. Though only 3 days we fasted (not intentional), it was humbling to be sitting, and profusely sweating along with the locals, who are also hungry too. Much of the clothes they wear and foods they sell were first given to them from other nations and missionary organizations around the world. There is nothing really that they make of their own and if any foods, it is from killing cattle that they have. I thank God for the generosity of giving to this nation, but the true gift given is Jesus. I realized that in other countries, many who have no Christian heritage experience great poverty not only spiritually but naturally in business, plantation, etc… But also the state of wealth is in the mind. You think poor, you live poor, you think wealth and you live with a sense of wealth. One may disagree, but this is something one must see for themselves. Television doesn’t do justice to the poverty and problems other “3rd world” countries face. Especially in America we face “racial” issues, but in Africa many DREAM to come to America. Unless in a large city, no one would think of living in Africa, unless if God put it on their heart or obviously they just have a love for the culture. However they live in very a very trying environment. I have a deeper respect for the missionaries here, because when they come, they are truly laying down their life. We Americans, no matter gender or race, have SO MUCH to be thankful for! God has still blessed our nation, due to the premise of covenant that our forefathers made before the Lord in hope of a prosperous new nation under God! After the slave era when given the opportunity to ex black slaves, they were given the option if they wanted to go back to Africa. Some did go back, thus the nation Liberia came into existence meaning “Liberation”. But about LESS than 5% went back to Africa. The rest stayed in America knowing they can have a better life in America compared to going back to Africa. We all have something to be grateful for. America wasn’t the only nation that had a slave time, but many nations all throughout history and some even this day. This is a fact in history and we can easily treat it as if America was the only place that had slaves. Though it is wrong and should NOT be practiced, but it has happened throughout history. Look at Israel in the Bible and how many times they were held in bondage as slaves to other nations.
Plus a piece of information that we Americans do not look at, is that these “slaves” were slaves already in their country here in Africa. It was tribe against tribe that enslaved one another, so they were already slaves. And these slaves were being sold. You cannot buy that which is not for sale and so African’s sold those that they themselves enslaved.However we Americans or anybody should NOT have been involved in purchasing slaves, however the Muslims of North Africa were the FIRST to buy black slaves and yet many Africans turn to Islam. America bought slaves starting in Portugal. This is why Africa needs Jesus and truly to be set free both naturally and spiritually!
Now I wouldn’t just select the issue of “slavery” to talk about in this update, but when you are here in West Africa, this is what you see and come to know. Traveling the globe and witnessing such conditions will help broaden your perspective on what is going on in the world, because you are witnessing these things yourself.
Anyways our ministry meetings began yesterday here in the country of Mali at the capital, Bamako for about 9 days. Dr. Wilson will be teaching most of all the services on the importance of 5 fold ministry and the local church. He preached Sunday morning and I preached Sunday night in the English service. I sense a real anointing ministering to them as I preached on “God’s name is Jealous” (Exodus 34:14 and 20:4-5) but the Lord had me minister out of the story of the parable of the two sons, one being a prodigal. (Luke 15: 11-32). It is common in Africa when one gives there life to Christ they are mostly after the blessing and do not let go of there other idols and pagan traditions. Also how jealousy runs rapid in the church and some go to church and yet still fallow Islam. How? They just do it. They are after more of the blessing to their life not realizing God is jealous of their love and attention! It is a common type of spirit, in which through the word the Lord had me minister, was addressed and the people there came to me and thanked me for preaching the Word. They have a beautiful spirit and hungry hearts! And the African music is wonderful as they praise the Lord! One starts singing and they all join in and sound beautiful! That I do enjoy! Also after that we will be joined with the team; Pastors John Snyder, Bob Lauver and Steve Yoe, all in Burkina Faso. After that they will fly home and Doc and I will minister in Niger and then head back to Holland to then fly back to the states! We will be in Africa for a total of 3 weeks and this is the last 3 weeks of ministry before we head back to the states!
Concerning Dr. Wilson’s health, he is doing fine. He had to go back on his medication he has been taking since Indonesia, and will be taking it until he sees his doctor back in New York. Continue to keep him in prayer, especially since we are in Africa and under such high temperatures. Niger is recorded to have the hottest temperatures on the face of the planet! The record was 143 degrees.
Anyways, so that is the update for now! There is much more to be said, but it is something you yourself would have to see. Anyways thank you all again for your encouragement on facebook and by emails. For photos of Armenia and Russia please visit my travel sight or look on facebook.
Continue to be blessed and look forward to updating you all again!
God bless,
=Justin=