Things are Happening

This past Sunday was pretty hectic. Africa is a crazy place, I will say that. It is certainly different than America in a whole lot of ways...I mean that's obvious right? But I'm talking about spiritually. In America we don't see a ton of witchcraft, ancestral worship, witchdoctors, and curses. But those things are fairly prevalent here. I'll get into all of that in a minute...before the hectic news regarding those things, we had some other news come in the morning. At about 9 a.m. one of our Swazi friends came to let us know that little Tevi was doing really poorly in the hospital. She had gone in Thursday with bad stomach problems and they talked about doing surgery Friday, but thought she wasn't strong enough. Apparently Saturday they discovered that she had holes in her bowels (???) and did surgery. Sunday morning she was doing so badly that the hospital called the sisters (the Anglican nuns that run the girls home here) and said that they didn't know how long she would hold on. The sisters left immediately to head to the hospital which is a couple hours away and they were able to spend several hours with Tevi. She seemed to be doing a little better and the sisters headed back. But soon after they left Tevi did pass away. So we got that news Sunday night. She was 11 and absolutely precious and we were blessed to have the last few months with her. Most of us truly believe that she came here to be loved and to know God's love. Maybe you remember me saying that she had spent the previous 5 months of her life abandoned in the hospital and was severely malnourished and depressed. So when I first saw her and she came to be in my class, I did not know how or why she was still alive. I couldn't understand HOW she was physically still alive. She was obviously holding on for something. Well, what she found here in Bulembu was love love love. We adored that precious girl and welcomed her into our school and into the Jacaranda girls home and we had a great time with her. She suffered so much with the diseases inflicting her body and she experienced so much pain, we are glad to know that her last days were wonderful and that she is now dancing in Heaven with Jesus. That's the beauty of our future hope! But of course it's been hard and we miss her so much. I guess I never really thought I would have to actually encounter this-losing a student out of my class or even our school-I guess I thought it was something that might happen sometime in the future...but not now while I'm here...not til after I was gone. But it has become a sad reality for all of us here.
Then Sunday night Alison and I were waiting and waiting for the girls (housemates) to get home from church and we just watched the clock until it had been 2 hours since church had let out!! We were really confused as to what they could possibly doing!! Well they finally got home and let us know the craziness that had gone on that evening at church, and in the morning at the church in Piggs Peak. To make a very long story short-Sunday morning this Swazi woman, Ntombi, who has had a close relationship with Kara for about 9 months (Kara seriously has been helping this woman so much...but I can't possibly begin to explain the depths of it) was set free from 4 demonic spirits that were possessing her. But they believe there is still one more inside of her. I know this all sounds crazy but I promise you that even though you probably have never seen this stuff in America, it is certainly happening here. It probably happens in America more than we realize too. I actually prayed at a similar thing last November when a young woman was possessed. None of us girls have ever seen this stuff and we certainly don't have a reference file for it, but we just pray in the spirit as we are led. Anyway, that night at church this other woman had a similar thing happen and our housemate Gennie was down at the church praying for almost 4 hours with a few other people. She has not yet been set free though. But we know that God is at work in this place and Nomsa will also be set free. The really interesting thing is that these 2 women were raised on the same homestead and probably have the same curses placed on them by Ntombi's stepmother. Crazy crazy crazy, I know. It all sounds bizarre and crazy but it is real. Praise God that people are being set free. We are praying and fasting our lunch times this week for these women and the children's center in the village and for Bulembu in general. Please keep us in your prayers especially during this time. Thanks!