Two very hard things happen in South Africa during the winter and early spring: water is hard to come across and fires are easily started. These two things have especially been a problem in the area that I'm in this year. Many villages near us, including Mbonisweni and Dwaleni, have really struggled with having enough clean water. Water is usually provided by the government, and people have been getting dirty water or no water at all from the government for quite a while now. Many people from the villages have decided enough was enough and started rioting and protesting earlier today. Roads are being blocked with trees, including the road that the Ten Thousand Homes base is near. People of the communities have resorted to burning tires and gum trees as a demand for clean water. The fires are spreading very quickly because it is so dry outside, and officials are focusing so much on stopping the fires from spreading and clearing the roads that they have no time to focus on trying to provide what is being demanded. It is hard to say how long these things will go on for, but riots like these can easily slip into something much more violent. Many of the families who are close to us and are not a part of the rioting are hiding in their house. Please pray for this situation! I am not telling you all of this so that you can pray for my safety. I am in a very safe place, and I know that God has his hand of protection over all of his children here. I am asking you to pray over this situation because this is not a matter of just physical fighting, but sprititual warfare over people that I consider to be my family!
Please pray for the innocent and peace-keeping people of the community: the leaders, the children, the pastors, and the families that we know very well. Please pray for those that are starting the fires and fueling the riots that they would be shown that this violence is not the way. Please pray for the officials that they would contain discretion and be good leaders who follow up on their promises. Please pray for workers as they fight the fires and everything else, that they would be kept safe. It is so hard to see so closely what is happening to the ones you love so much and not being able to guarantee them safety and protection. Please pray for peace.
Finally, pray over the spiritual warfare that his happening in these villages. Darkness and light are so evidently fighting against each other here! People on the base here have been observing how much Satan has been trying to get a hold of these children of God lately. Just yesterday many of us witnessed a demon-possession, and we have each had experiences that have revealed how much is going on in a spiritual way. Many of us also strongly feel that the riots are just one of the ways he is trying to get control of the people in these communities. Pray that all of us would be strong enough to fight off this evil. That the light would overcome the darkness. That this would be an amazing opportunity to reveal in fellowship and in ministry that God brings healing, unity, peace, provision, and so much more.
Please pray for the innocent and peace-keeping people of the community: the leaders, the children, the pastors, and the families that we know very well. Please pray for those that are starting the fires and fueling the riots that they would be shown that this violence is not the way. Please pray for the officials that they would contain discretion and be good leaders who follow up on their promises. Please pray for workers as they fight the fires and everything else, that they would be kept safe. It is so hard to see so closely what is happening to the ones you love so much and not being able to guarantee them safety and protection. Please pray for peace.
Finally, pray over the spiritual warfare that his happening in these villages. Darkness and light are so evidently fighting against each other here! People on the base here have been observing how much Satan has been trying to get a hold of these children of God lately. Just yesterday many of us witnessed a demon-possession, and we have each had experiences that have revealed how much is going on in a spiritual way. Many of us also strongly feel that the riots are just one of the ways he is trying to get control of the people in these communities. Pray that all of us would be strong enough to fight off this evil. That the light would overcome the darkness. That this would be an amazing opportunity to reveal in fellowship and in ministry that God brings healing, unity, peace, provision, and so much more.