March Edition
Hello Friends,
How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. Things are
going well here. Last night was the junior class’ biggest fundraiser and it
went really well. They were worried because they are a small class (about 27)
and were going to be serving 300-400 people, but everything went so smoothly. The
weather has been so nice. There was a while where we weren’t sure if the cool
season would be cool, but about 3 or so weeks ago it turned. The best part
about it is that the price of strawberries is going down!!
-Sickness: There are a few people who are having serious
health issues and need prayer. One of these people is our director. Over
Christmas break, he and his wife went to New Zealand to visit their son and
daughter-in-law. While there, and since returning, he has experienced major
back pain due to the long plane rides. After consulting several doctors, he has
been advised to head to the States for surgery on his back. Please pray that he and his wife will be safe
as they travel. Pray that the
doctors in the States will have wisdom in knowing how to operate. Pray that his recovery will go better
than anticipated. And pray for
everyone here as we carry on without him and lift them up in prayer. They hope
to return at the beginning of May so they can be here for the end of the school
year – and the next few years! Another prayer need is one of the dorm parents.
A few weeks ago a lump appeared on her neck, and after several doctor’s
appointments and an MRI she has also been told that it may be wise for her to
go to the States to have it checked out further and possibly operated on. Pray for her and her husband as they
look to God for what the best option is. If they have to go to the States, pray that her dorm boys will be well
looked after. And finally, the daughter of another dorm parent, and an alumni,
is also experiencing back pain. This has been an ongoing problem for a while.
The pain will disappear for a while and they’ll think she healed, but then it
will come back. She is hoping to go on a mission’s trip this summer and does
not want this to hinder that. Pray
that the doctors and neurologists involved in her situation will have the
knowledge and the wisdom to know what to do for her. Pray that whatever is chosen will not hinder her chance to go on
this trip. She is really looking forward to this opportunity she has to share
her love for Christ with others (Also, pray
that she and her sister – who is also going – will be able to raise the funds
necessary for the trip).
-Danielle: She is back in the States and adjusting to life
there. Thank you for your prayers about a car, I think I have already mentioned
this, but she was able to buy a car soon after returning to the States. She is
still searching for a job. As most of us have been in her position before you
can identify with her. Please pray
that she will be motivated to go out and search for a job. Pray that she will trust God about where she should look and that
He has a plan for her.
-Missionaries: Please continue to lift up Jose daSilva and
Zeneide in prayer. Here are two of the latest updates.
From Wednesday:
“Unfortunately
we DO NOT have good news. Today I went to the office of one of our attorneys
and he gave me the sad news that the Habeas Corpus was DENIED for both Jose
Dilson and Zeneide. Reasons? 1) Public disturbance. 2) Lack of assurance of
permanency in the country. 3) Continued activities (we suppose they are
referring to evangelism). They are illogical reasons that reveal precisely
what’s going on behind this whole situation. We do not have all of the details
yet. Friday we will have a meeting with our three lawyers to better understand
the situation. Our ambassador will be present.
It seems that there will be an appeal to a court of Dakar, however these
procedures take at least one month.
Jose Dilson and Zeneide still do not know. They'll know tomorrow. Pray for
comfort for them.
Pray for comfort for our children and for the family of Zeneide. The Lord knows
our limits and how much we can bear. We are in your hands Lord!!
Jose Dilson E Marli”
As difficult as this news is, here is a letter written by
Jose before this news came out. It is so encouraging!
“Letter
written by José Dilson, in the prison of Thiés - Senegal
Feb 25, 2013
Dear brothers and sisters,
God is great and merciful. He does not change or stop being what He is, because
of the problem or difficulties that I may be experiencing. The circumstances of
life, no matter how difficult they may be, do not diminish God's glory or
goodness. I cannot in any way keep from looking to my Lord and putting my
confidence in Him, my eyes and hope are fixed on Him.It's now two o'clock in
the morning, and I cannot sleep. All the nights are hot, without space to turn
over, extremely uncomfortable. In spite of all this, I know that Jesus is at my
side, and this comforts me. I see my colleagues all asleep, and I keep
imagining that Jesus wants to have some time with me for us to talk a little.
These are the moments when I have freedom to express my frustrations, my
feelings of anguish, my fears - what a dear friend, how I love Him!
During these nights I experience battles you can't imagine. I also feel the
presence of the enemy close by, whispering in my ear, saying that God does not
care about me. What a fight I wage against self-pity, against the feeling of
despair, loneliness, injustice, anger, and so many other feelings that seek to
dominate me. I rebuke those mental battles in the name of Jesus, the One who
shed even His last drop of blood for me. He is infinitely good, and His mercy
endures for ever!
Those battles are fought not just at night, but also during the day. One needs
to have a lot of courage, along with humility, and overall the Lord's grace to
resist the insults, the acts meant to humiliate us, the arrogance and
disrespect. A while back a muslim man approached me and began to verbally
attack me saying: "You are nothing. You know nothing. And nothing you
teach is worth anything. You are less than the little toe of anyone here."
And with many other words he tried to humiliate me more and more. The words he
spoke were hard and terrible.
And all I said to him was: "Yes, you can continue. Yes, I am listening.
Continue!" He became even more impassioned and poured out a flood of
insults trying to drown me in his hellish words. After a brief silence, I asked
him: "Have you finished? Have you said everything you want? If so, can I
speak now?" With a stern voice he replied: "Speak!", expecting I
would reply in a tone of arrogance and anger.
So, I began by saying: "You're right. I really am nothing. I am less than
a grain of dirty sand. I am dust. I am a worm. I am a filthy rag. I am a dead
dog. And, almost crying, I added: "But I want you to meet someone who was
everything, who was the creator of the universe, full of glory, the sovereign
Lord, who inspite of all that, loved me so much He gave up his life to be
insulted, broken and shed his blood for me. But not only for me, but for you,
too. You are important to Him, and He loves you. He died for your sins and rose
from the grave so that you could have eternal life."
And when this man heard me say that, it was as if he had been shocked with 50
thousand volts. He never expected that reaction. He expected I'd pay him back
with equally harsh words. Then, with a soft voice he told me: "I have been
trailing you and watching your movements over the past month. I was sent to
test you, to see if you really are a man of God. And I can say that you are the
man of God that everyone says you are. For a man of God, when humiliated, is
exalted by God. Starting today, you have my respect!"
I was overwhelmed to hear this man recite the Word of God! Now he is one of my
best friends. He has not come to Christ, but he has never again opposed my
sharing Christ!
My dear brothers and sisters, I want to remind you that your life is hidden in
Jesus, regardless of where you are or in what circumstance you find yourself.
You might find yourself being humiliated, misunderstood, sad, anguished, sick,
facing many needs. I want to encourage you today: "Cast your care upon
Him, for He cares for you." Don't let the enemy receive any glory, for the
Lord is present, even though He's not solving your problem in the way you had
hoped. He will give you grace to endure and to be more than a conqueror.
Some days ago another man, to whom I've been ministering since I first arrived
in prison, asked me: "How can I be a Protestant?" I answered:
"I'm going to answer your question in way that's different from what
you're expecting. I'm going to imagine that you are asking me:How can I receive
Jesus in my heart and become converted to Him?" I then showed him some
Bible verses, especially Rom 3:23, Rom 6:23, Rom 10:9-10. I told him about the
expulsion from paradise, the condemnation to eternal death, the plan of
redemption through Jesus and his death on the cross. I told him that it is
necessary to believe in Jesus and obey him, and after sharing a few other things
I asked him: "Do you want to give your life to Jesus and become one of his
disciples, believing and obeying him? He answered: "I do. I want to give
him my whole life. I want to live for him." This man is French, 55 years
old. The Lord has given me the opportunity of sharing His love with such a
diverse audience: catholics, atheists, muslims, christians. Alleluia!
We need to remember that our life belongs to Christ, and since the one who owns
us is the Lord, he has the right to use us however he desires, and wherever he
desires, to fulfill his perfect will. He is God, the creator. In Him we live,
and move and have our existence. What a privilege to be chosen by Him to be in
this place and at this moment, in order to be his arms, his feet, his mouth in order
to embrace, help and show the way to so many here, who besides being prisoners,
are so needy in every imaginable way.
I want to thank all of my brothers and sisters who have been with me in this
prison. I can honestly say that my biggest desire used to be to leave here and
rejoin those I love. However I have been praying the prayer of Mary: "May
your will, Lord, be fulfilled in me." And if it be his will that I stay
longer in prison, in order to bring freedom to those who really are captive
(physically and spiritually), then may it be. He will give me grace to handle
it, as He has so far. And He will give grace to the brothers and sisters who
have been giving us the necessary support here.
I do cry and lament over being imprisoned, for I would rather be with my
family, my wife, my children, whom I love deeply. Freedom is priceless. How it
is precious! I had it for so many years of my life, and I didn't realize how
important it was; how I should have taken more advantage of it to spend time
with the people I love. But at the same time I rejoice in being a prisoner for
the sake of the Gospel.
After the latest hearing (dealing with a man we had hired who claimed to be a
lawyer, but really was not), the judge told me: "My work as judge has
finished, the only issue that remains now is the fact that you converted
children (minors)." He has seen that all of the other charges are false.
The judge himself said that we are not "gang leaders" and he sees we
are innocent of the enemy's accusations. The judge even told Zeneide that she
was unjustly imprisoned.
All of this confirms what I've said from the beginning: I am a prisoner of
Christ, and God is my judge. When the moment comes, He will release us from
here, and I want to leave with the feeling that I was faithful to the Lord
during my journey through this place.
The moments of pain and need, the times of illness, discomfort, loneliness,
tears … everything will be rewarded when we shake the hand of hundreds of
people there in glory. When I assisted in the funeral for Amadu (a Christian
from Liberia who died here in prison on Christmas day), I thought: "One
day I will embrace him in glory, and together we will give praise to the Lord
for His salvation". May our Lord and Savior whom we have the privilege of
serving receive glory!
I would like to thank you for every email and message of encouragement, posts
on Facebook, contributions, prayer meetings and times of intercession for us.
Only God can really reward you.
I love you, dear friends, and even those I've not yet met personally, but who
now are part of our lives, who have demonstrated so much love and affection for
me and for Zeneide, as well as for Marli (my beloved wife) and my family
(Jonatas, Debora & Zucki). May the Lord continue to shower your lives with
blessing.
Christ's prisoner,
José Dilson”
Well, that is all for now. Have a great day.
Ruthanne
