Jeff and Danette Johnson
August 3, 2009
Hello all! Below are a couple of updates I received from Danette. They should give you a bit of a glimpse of what she is about and facing in Sierra Leone. Please keep her in your prayers, I've talked with her quite a bit and especially coming off Mozambique it is not easy...
Jeff
Wednesday update
Our outreach to the village was cancelled today because of heavy rains. The rains were so heavy that rivers careened down the mountain side making their way between the houses and turning the streets into larger rivers. One bridge was washed out. So far 15 people have been killed, and some houses have collapsed. One house fell in, killing a family of five. Children are often carried away by the currents and found dead. It is truly a dangerous time in this city of Freetown. Especially with houses built upon houses on the rocky sides of the mountain.
Very tired. We hope to go out to the village tomorrow. I have so much to write, but another time.
Last weekend update
On Sunday we went with Pastor Andrew to his church. This is what we saw: We drove through the city passing many nicely dressed church goers. Churches were found in various old buildings and you could hear music coming from them. Everyone seemed happy as it was a typical church going day. All I knew was that we were going to a church for the street boys.
As we turned down the only tree-lined street, there in a group under one tree was wheel chair upon wheel chair, crutches, young boys, tons of youth aged kids, and one girl. All crippled. They were all excited to see the pastor. We had brought chairs along and set them up on the sidewalk outside, praying the rain would hold off long enough to hold church. They greeted us with smiles and moved from their wheelchairs or crutches to sit in the chairs we had set up. It was a church service like no other. "The least of these" were gathered to worship God and to invite the Holy Spirit to come down. We worshipped, singing a "new song" onto the Lord. The Holy Spirit came with such heaviness and sweetness.
They were asked to share what God had been speaking to them over the week. Some were almost weeping as they shared how the Holy Spirit had healed one of malaria and how they had felt the Presence of the Lord enveloping them with His love. One man rose shakily to preach before Sophie and I were to share. He spoke on Romans 12:1-2. Amazingly it was the exact same verse and message that Sophie and I SEPERATELY had felt the Lord had laid on our hearts to share. There was power as each one of us rose and said the same verse had been given to us. I sensed the Lord saying that this was a special day. That He was causing something to happen amongst them because He was repeating the same message three times.
I shared also from 1 Peter. I talked about how the world tries to fit us in a shirt that is too small. It constricts us and keeps the divine gift inside of us from coming out. But when we take off the shirt of the world and put on God's garments, they fit well. They are comfortable. I compared how my shirt would try to fit the pastor (whose shirt was large) but how his shirt fits him well. I talked about their divine callings on each one of them and how those callings will only come forth if we wear God's garment. It will be His glory that is seen because it is HIS.
They all were very open. Here were these: too self-conscious to attend any other church. No fancy clothes. No big bands. No difficult steps to maneuver. But here was love, acceptance, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Because of HIS touch they have found hope in the midst of trial, they have turned from drugs and alcohol to minimize the pain, and have turned to His loving arms. Their hearts have been and are being healed and I believe that their bodies are and will be healed as well.
I just felt that the above needs to be shared. This was real church. The Lord has used me to speak messages, pray for people, prophecy over people, and I am believing to bring forth hope to some of the poorest people and to encourage the bible students here.
Tonight we met for a leadership meeting which turned into a praise service. The Spirit moved me to dance and something shifted. The spirit moved me to dance in the middle of all the chairs and then the others began to dance, too, (I found out later they had never danced before). Then the Holy Spirit fell and there were prophetic words, encouragement and singing. My ankle did not hurt at all during the dancing and for awhile afterwards, but it is kind of painful now.
I am staying in a two story house. Downstairs is where Isaac and Brittney live along with five orphan children and an older boy of the pastor. Upstairs is where Sophie and I stay with the pastor and his wife, another woman, and three smaller children. The food varies, but always a large bread roll with egg/onion/spices to put on it and mayo. Lunch consist of rice and some spicy topping usually with fish in it. The evening varies with how busy everyone has been sometimes another egg and bread sandwich or chicken and a roll. I bought a few things from the store to eat: bananas and some cookies. Water comes in bags instead of bottles (it’s cheaper) and I am still trying to get the hang of it without spilling the water all over me.
Email: jjfamily.zambia@gmail.com
Pictures: http://jjfamily.smugmug.com/
Bless you all.
Jeff, Danette, and the kids J