God is good!

Hello again from Fiji. We are having an amazing time here already. We arrived on Tuesday, and spent Wednesday and Thursday adjusting to the time and to our new surroundings. We had a few meetings scattered about in there, but other than that we pretty much had time to ourselves. We are getting to know the staff at the hotel, and enjoy talking to them. They are very fun loving and really enjoy talking to our children.

Thursday night we joined a cell group from the Emmanuel Worship Center (EWC), one of the churches we will be working with while in Nadi. In was a great time of worshiping with our Fijian brothers and sisters. There was a message given by one of the men in Fijian that they interpreted for us. We met outside one of the cell group member's home. It was a three or four room metal shack with the kitchen in a separate little shed to the side. The poorer people live in the metal shacks, while those a little better off live in concrete block houses.

Friday morning we split up a little bit and six of our group went to the local hospital to minister to the people there, five were dressed as clowns. Four others went on a prayer walk through the city of Nadi, one went to visit a local orphanage, and 4 stayed back at the hotel due to a little sickness. Chick, Lynda, Robin, Tavita and Caleb O. were dressed up, and Caleb D. decided to go unclowned. We received lots of smiles from the people on the bus, especially from the children. The hospital group was joined by the Youth Pastor from the EWC, Uate (pronounced Watā). While there the group prayed over people that were sick and their families that were visiting. They were well received, and only one Muslim man refused to be prayed over. While there a woman who the team prayed over received healing from the asthma that she was suffering from. After that she received Jesus as her savior. Another woman, Jhatika an Indo-Fijian, that was prayed over was in the hospital for drinking a whole bottle of weed killer trying to commit suicide. She was experiencing a lot of hardship at home with her family, and couldn't take it any more. Uate lead her through renouncing the Hinduism in her life, and lead her to Jesus as her Lord and King. She also forgave her family for what they had done to her. She also forgave her one child who had died.

Dan, Bill, Joshua and Nathaniel went through town on the prayer walk. We had the opportunity to pray over a young Indo brother and sister who were looking for rent money that was due. We also ran into the DTS team, and had a great time ministering to them and lifting their spirits. They were especially excited to see Josh and Nathaniel.

Frank went to visit an orphanage right down the road from the hotel. He spent some time there praying over the staff and talking with the children. He fell in love with about a half dozen of them. From there he visited a local village and talked with the people there. On his way home he had the opportunity to talk with a man for just a few minutes while waiting for the bus. The man told Frank that he must have been “sent” because the man was so lonely.

Denise, Micaiah, Israel and Isaiah stayed behind at the hotel. Israel and Isaiah were not feeling well, hopefully just a little jet lag.

Friday night we surprised the DTS and met them at the airport and said goodbye to them for a while. They are going to Samoa for about three weeks. They were excited again to see us all. We got a chance to pray over them and send them off. Also Friday night Caleb D. had the opportunity to go to Uate's youth group. The theme of that night was that the people are seeking God's hands and not His face, meaning that we are all looking for the things that God provides for us, but not the greater blessing of truly knowing Him.

It has been and amazing time already, and we look forward to more amazing things that God is going to do through us.