Test of Faith and Gods Protection

Tonight is a diffrent post there are no pictures, just the images in my mind from a couple of nights ago, and a story that I hope brings comfort to those who hear the story of Gods protection. A couple of nights ago, me and some of the guys went out at night to do an outreach, and street witness to some homeless people in the Alleys of Mozambique and the City. As we left the hotel we drove for about 15 minutes before we got to where we were stopping. As soon as we pulled up to the building down this dark alley these 2 motorcycles pull around the corner and head towards us, as soon as one of the guys sees them he said they were the cops. At the time our translator was out of the car talking to some people a little ways away from the car, once the cops got to the car they drove past and then turned around and pulled up behind the vehicle. When I looked back there were two cops on each bike wearing all black and they were carrying AK-47S, as they walked to the car I herd them load their guns and then I saw them stand at the back corner of the vehicle with thier weapons pointed to the car. At this moment there were 3 things that immediatly went thru my head. My Faith, my beautiful fiancee Heather, and what will happen to her if something happens. Well as the man walked up to the car he asked my friend to get out and come to the back, he called for the translator to come over and it must have been about 10 minutes before the leader came to the car and asked for pasports. Immediatly I realized mine was in the Hotel well that made me and another guy out of the 5 of us. After some talk b/t the cop and one of our guys they decided to make me and the other guy get out of the car, not a good feeling well at this very moment I could just feel Gods peace come over me and I kenw that everything was ok. At that moment they wanted me and the other guy to stay back while the others went back to the hotel to get our passports, again not a good feeling being in a foreign country having to stay with cops with AK'S and wait to see what happens, but again I knew God spoke to me that it was going to be ok. Well after a little more talking the cops told us to get back in the vehicle and they told us that after we were done with the people we must leave. As soon as they told us that our prayers were answered we gave them some water and then witnessed to the guys and then we left. Now the whole time this was going on the inside of that car there was alot of praying going on, I know that all the prayer from back home protected us and allowed the hearts of those men to soften, and allow us to minister to the homeless. I asked the question to myself. Is Jesus to me, the man I call Savior, do I really believe what I have is worth giving to someone else. Absolutly, for when we trust him he will always stay true to his will and his promise no matter what. For he proved himself on the Cross what other promise do we need.

Water Pump, and A Can of Beans

Ive had a couple of things happen to me since I have been here that have really moved on my heart but the main one that God spoke to me was a little event that has taken place on several occasions, A Water Pump And A Can Of Beans. Every day the little kids will go and pump water from a well and fill up there bowls and wash there plates, then from there they run to get in line and grab the only meal they will recieve for the day, a bowl of white rice with beans. As I have watched these kids do this over and over I decided to go and pump the water for them so they could wash there hands and be able to go eat faster,but today was diffrent I began pumping the well and as I was pumping and they were getting water God spoke to me so clearly" Thats why your here to give them water"but not the physical water, the water Jesus gives. Kids were gathered all around, all pilled up under the well just getting soaked wearing the same clothes day in and day out and I could not stop thinking about how that is what we are here for. To Love them and hold them and show them Jesus, to pour out the water Jesus gave then, and the water he still gives now. As for the can of beans I cant help but say that us as Americans take for granted so much, the things we have and the priveledges God has allowed us, after the well I sat down with some of the kids and played with them. But I looked over at this little boy who must have been 3 to 5 years old feeding his little brother who was maybe at the most a year old, out the the only cup of rice and beans they had, man it convicted me so much b/c I had a bag of beef jerky in my pocket I had been hiding all day and I saw this little boy with the only thing he had giving to his little brother. Yeah I chewed on that for awhile and God deffinatly softened my heart. I have to say the one thing God loves is a child's heart and it amazing how he will use a child to show us how to have one.

Johannesburg,Mozambique,Maputo

Well how do you explain this day, I got to reunite with great friends and spend an amazing day with some of the most beautiful kids you will ever meet. This is (from left to right)Ben Rogers,Charles Young , Me, and Isaac Williams they are truly great friends and they have such great hearts for Africa. All the others pics are from the Indian Ocean, and the Church with all the kids but this was an amazing day and I was truly blessed God is moving and the work has just begun.

My only Bag for Africa

Yep thats right this is my only bag for Africa. I would first like to say that there is exactly 15 pairs of clothes,12 pair of socks,5 bags of beef jerky,8 granola bars,all my hygeine stuff, a pair of boots,hat,camera,Bible, journal,and a good book "Courage that changed the World". All that is listed is inside that Pack, I actually have two days more than needed just in case. I thought this would be funny to post b/c we will be in Africa for 2 1/2 weeks. Your Probably wondering how did you get all that stuff into one bag, well this bag is actually my carry on and I didnt want to loose any luggage so I went back to the good ole days of the Marine Corp, HA HA yeah when you need to pack something they did a pretty good job of teaching us how to do it "ration". I do have to say Heather started laughing and this morning at the church I deffinatly got a couple more laughs. But anyways ranger rolls are the way to go, and all I need now is a window seat and I'll be set.

Ultimate Frisbee and my Brother

Last night my best friend and I went out for our last hangout night before I head out to africa. It was a great time, we went to LSU to play Ultimate Frisbee with a bunch of guys Chris knows. We started at 9:00 and we didnt get in until around 11:45, but I do have to say that I am black and blue all down my sides with scrapes and strawberries. The best thing about last night is that Chris and me got to really hangout for the first time in about 4 years, we have both been gone in the Military and when I came home he was still in California. But it was good times just catching up and really spending that good ole Guy time out on the field. There was about 45 guys out there and they were all from diffrent ministries at LSU or diffrent churches in town and the best part was that we all came together in unity, it was a blessing to be able to share in the blessing of ministry with so many believers and come together without labels or titles. I look back on all the years that Chris and me have grown up together, and all things we have been thru it was good to be able to stand back to back with each otheronce again and get in the dirt. He has deffinatly been my brother and it has been amazing to see him grow so much with his wife Kristen and his son Hunter they are an amazing family. But there is nothing better than having a friend that you know will stand at your side no matter what happens in life. (John 15:13 )

4 Days till Hope

I still cant believe that it is already here, Africa, what a joy to know that this whole trip is about bringing hope to our family across the world that so desperatly needs it, I found this Video that really touched my heart b/c there is this one scene about 3 quaters of the way thru that shows all the kids in afield singing the song "This is the day that the Lord has Made" it's so awesome. I get overwhelmed with the thought that God has given us the priveledge to bring Glory to his name and Spread his Gospel, I know that lives will be eternally touched and the Kingdom will be impacted forever that is such an awesome feeling .

WHAT AN AMAZING ANSWERED PRAYER

Well these last 9 months have been amazing and God has only blessed Heather and me even more with a huge answered prayer. For the last 9 monthes of Elevate we have been praying that God would open a door and allow us to move into Ministry and bless us with financial support, well about 5 months ago Heather and me were praying and I just felt this incrediable peace that God would open a door now I did not have a clue about where it would be or what I would be doing but God just gave me this peace that everything would be ok. The other day in one of my final evaluations with Michelle she was going over with me all of my progress and just what her and my Pastors see in my future, well she told me that Pastor Dino would like me to go serve out in Danville California and pretty much all my finances will be taken care of. Wow what a blessing and opportunity to spread the Gospel I could not believe how specific God had answered the prayer, Heather and me were so excited and I just got overwhelmed with knowing that I had been intrusted with this responsibility to carry the heart of HPC to another one of our campuses it is so exciting. Heather and me have been talking for the last few days about how Awesome God has been in our lives in the Godd times and the Bad, and just how he has blessed us so much with his favor, and we just cant even understand. There has been alot of sacrifice and patience over the last year and God has given us so much .We have truly felt this as an Honor to be apart of something so big and to be where we are. I was thinking on a personal note that there is so much to be thankful for looking back on all the roads life has brought us on, and allowed us to learn from. The value of others and the lessons I have learned have all been such amazing gifts from God, I was always raised growing up to know the value of hard work and Discipline. And in the Marine Corp I learned so much about the importance of others, and integrity,Honor,Commitment,brotherhood and Discipline. And all of these things have pored over into my relationship with Christ, and it has all given me such a perspective on Poeple and how much they matter too the Kingdom. I am truly blessed , my family is really excited and so supportive, they were even talking about us out with all our future wedding plans and her school. There arent words to express how Humble this has made me feel and to remember that this is all for him and his glory.


Im about an hour from SanFan I think to This is actually a pic from Danville I found it is so beautiful
Im also about an hour from the coast, the last time Iwas in Cali I was in the Marines and my home was in theDesert of 29 Palms not the most luxurious place trust me. It actually snowed at night when I was there then got to 100degrees during the day and I was staying in a tin can with dirt floors.