Swaziland Special Edition – Feb
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“Letter From M.O.M.” The Bi-Monthly newsletter of Moving On Ministry WWW.MovingOnMinistry.com www.PrisonMinistry.net/movingon Swaziland Special Edition – Feb. 2006 “I Can Only Imagine” The current trip we went on was organized by Dream For Africa and As you receive this volume of you can read about the programs Letter From M.O.M., we are back from available, expenses and results on their our Africa mission trip. In this website at; Swaziland Special Edition Volume, we are putting some more of the testimonies www.DreamForAfrica.com of “How God Changes Lives” as well as some of our own written articles. This time, it is with the People of Swaziland Addresses to contact Africa. our Ministry Volunteers Chaplain Bob & Linda P.O. Box 6667 Visalia, CA. 93290 [email protected] Volunteer Work: I do it like I am paid great and dearly for it. For surely, the price Christ paid, was dearly and great! Bob and Linda in Swaziland Replenishing Watch our website God’s Word promises to restore the years of the locust, or www.MovingOnMinistry.com more simply the years previously lost. We have also become affiliated with Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the International Prison Fellowship years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the www.PrisonMinistry.net/movingon palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. Swaziland Edition Letter From M.O.M. 1 Chaplain Bob’s Life feelings were that he read the Bible in Many of those receiving this newsletter the garbage room and that was where it have asked for another printout of the belonged. God should have taken my testimony of Bob from past life to life for a statement like that. I now am volunteer chaplain with jail and prison thankful that God did not remove my life ministry and evangelism for church on earth, because I would not have been commitment. going to be in His Heavenly presence. ---------------------------------------------- But God had another plan and had not I would like to share a story of given up on me. I was accepted to the seeds planted in my life and the California State University Humboldt insight as I look back. and moved to Eureka, CA. I have to The greatest influence in my admit that this was really God’s country, life I would have to say was my earthly but I still did not have a personal father. This man would do what ever he relationship with Him. As I looked for could to provide for his family. The work, I found an opening in the service greatest reference of his nature was my department of Sears. I was hired to do mothers dearly love always for him. television and stereo repairs. The When I was probably 8 to 12 manager of the shop came to me and let years old, I had a Sunday school teacher me know that he was a pastor of a local named Malcolm that worked on planting church. Again I thought “I’ll stay away Godly seed in my life. As I look back, I from him” but that was not God’s plan. am sure there was the appearance of the I began to think “either this man has seed going dormant, or even dying. As I something real or he is totally nuts.” I entered middle school years, I bounced decided that I would ask some questions, through a variety of churches because of and so we would spend lunch together in going with friends and relatives. Still, his Volkswagen and discuss Bible any seed that may have been planted was reality. basically “dead.” In January 1971, at the age of 23, As I was finishing my high I finally told Him, God I accept you as school years, I started a job in a Lord and Savior and want you in restaurant where I met a black man, Otis, control of my life but (1) do not expect that was the dishwasher. He let me me to go to some God forsaken know that he was an ordained pastor. I country like Africa as a missionary, thought I want nothing to do with this (2) don’t expect me to work with man. Otis would take the garbage out to youth, and (3) never expect me to be the room to empty and would stay a little involved with inmates, jail or prison longer as he pulled his New Testament ministry. out of his pocket and read for his break. As I went on in life, thinking I Then (the nerve of him) he would come had cut the best deal I could with God, back in and share with me about God’s he started to reveal to me that he wanted love for me and God’s purpose for my me to release some of those things “I” life. I would tell Otis that I did not want was holding on to and fully submit my to hear about it. I explained that my life to Him. This happened over an relatives would use the Bible and extended period of time and it seems religion to tear apart and slay one God knew just the right timing and another. I further explained that my speed for me to grow (you might realize Swaziland Edition Letter From M.O.M. 2 because He is the creator/builder). As I Read Ephesians 4 thru 6 and see released those fears I had and let God if you can see this pattern revealed. have control of those objects, there Notice that 1 John displays the same continually were burdens being lifted. I progression, as does Colossians. now tell people that while people were Now to get back to the “but” getting high on weed in Humboldt three exceptions I had to turning my life County, I was getting high on the Spirit. over to God. “But #3” was not doing I became involved in teaching Jail/prison ministry. Well, I have been youth and running a youth group. While blessed with 3 1/2 years of involvement dealing with the youth, I noticed one as a volunteer with what God has called principle that can be applied with our me to do. “But #2” was to not be relationship with God. I took a group of involved with youth ministry. I have youth out gold panning. All day long I volunteered as Sunday School teacher, watched the young men panning the Youth director, AWANA Club boys gold. At the end of the day, I noticed the director at 2 different churches, and young ladies had the bottles of gold organizer for youth outings. The final going home with them. When I asked one, “But #1” was to not go to some how that happens, the ladies said that the God forsaken country like Africa as a men did it because of love and labored missionary. I had made this known to for the ladies. We actually get to take those around me and one Wednesday home the “Gold” at the end of “our day” afternoon, I had a pastor tell me that he while God was the one laboring for us thought I would have my passport by all those days. then. I said “Oh, you read my testimony I had a friend that invited me to in the newsletter.” That evening at our do jail ministry with him. I told him that church we had a guest speaker from I had told God “no” and he said that was Cameroon Africa. He then told of being probably a good reason to do it. I have involved with jail ministry too. As I been involved in jail/prison ministry for went to talk with him after the service, about 3 ½ years now and can truly say it he said he did not know why, but God is my greatest blessing that was almost told him to give me something – a missed because of “trying” to say NO to snakeskin checkbook cover. Those that God. Later in life, God revealed His know me, know my snakeskin boots are progression pattern for me to follow; a trademark. Four incidents in one day? 1. Sin “OK, God, I will go.” 2. Salvation We then met Bruce Wilkinson 3. Separation in Tulare, CA, who had quit his ministry 4. Sanctification of Walk Thru the Bible and moved to 5. Soul Winning Africa to start a ministry called Dream 6. Stewardship For Africa. We decided it was time to 7. Service sign up Many people try to separate from the As you will see on the pages temptations of the world before following, we gave that “but” to God receiving salvation. Others try to also. Yes, we are back from our mission receive all God’s blessings trip to Swaziland Africa, and truly (sanctification) before they have blessed by the experience. separated from the sin of the world. Swaziland Edition Letter From M.O.M. 3 Dream For Africa make him a Jabez indeed, a man of sorrow. God granted that which he requested. God is ever ready to hear prayer: his ear is not now heavy. Here am I Lord, Send Me . 1 Chronicles 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, Many have read my testimony of “God I that it may not grieve me! And God granted accept you but .