We missed our 9:30 flight to Mombasa this morning because we were caught in Nairobi traffic for 2 hours. We arrived at the airport just as the plane was about the take off. ” Count it all joy my brother when you go through various trials and testings”. All things work together for good! Sorry, I am just reminding myself to be happy. Good thing is that there was a 2:30 flight so we arrived safely at Kathy Pryor’s lovely little cottage on the beach.
At noon today we were sitting in the airport waiting area and there in front of us was a Muslim Cleric with his son, and two of his disciples. Their clothing was impeccable and they looked like characters out of the Lawrence of Arabia movie. One of the disciples was reading the Quran out loud, moving his fingers down the pages as he read. The Cleric had his eyes closed and was earnestly praying. He had a necklace of beads like a Rosary in his hand and he was moving his fingers from one bead to the next. This went on for over an hour. I said to myself, “Now this is someone who believes in something”. “This is someone who is unashamed to display his faith in front of the whole world.” And I was challenged. This is the kind of faith that all of us who are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ need to display in our lives. It is the kind of faith we must display if we are to win the Spiritual war for our world.
My guess is that 30% of the people on our plane were muslims headed for Mombasa. Mombasa has been the scene of an intense spiritual and physical battle. The Muslims have targeted this city and the surrounding area and are intent on making it a “Muslim State” within Kenya. As we landed in the airport I could feel the change in the Spiritual climate. Actually I could feel the oppression of the principalities and powers over this place. We had to take a little ferry to get to Kathy Pryor’s house and to the YWAM base and when we got to the other side we passed through a junction where hundreds of vendors were selling their wares. The darkness over the place was so thick that even the sunlight was dimmed.
I am telling you all this to ask you to pray earnestly for Kathy Pryor and the Christians on the YWAM base here in Mombasa. All of them have been struggling with things like oppression, exhaustion and feeling like they need to leave for a while. Whether they know it or not, it is a blanket of Spiritual oppression, trying to drive them out of this place. They are under attack and I believe we can help them by including them in our prayers. Let me encourage you not to underestimate the power of prayer. I have had a lot of response from people about my emails and the incredible things that have been happening here every day, but let me tell you something that is not obvious. It’s all because of prayer! It’s not us! It’s Him responding to the prayers of the saints. This kind of stuff doesn’t happen often in my life back home because at home we don’t have the kind of prayer support we have right now. Think about that and pray.
Right now I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your prayers for us in this place. You are changing this world right along with us!
Anyway, in spite of the Spiritual warfare I sense in this place, we just love Kathy and we feel blessed to be here. Kathy has served the Lord for over 22 years. She has served the body of Christ as a faithful servant. She has taught hundreds the principles of God’s word. And she has kept this base alive.
More tomorrow.
Richard