Testimony Anisa Baker

7/17/05

Giving up my western comforts to experience the Kingdom of God in action. How very rewarding! I was hungry and thirsty to shed my excess in exchange for Kingdom! Some things were difficult—no question. But oh, how lovely to be faced with difficulty for the sake of the Kingdom!

Team…community within our own team and with the Iris staff, African pastors, and Holy Given students. Mr. And Mrs. Worley and Audra were constantly watching out for me. They were so kind to offer their advice and supplies to me and others when we needed them. The same with Theresa, others on the team, and dorm mates from other groups. When we were on our bush outreaches, all of us from different teams pulled together as one.

The way God would wreck us every day at the Holy Given school and meet us with his precious presence. The same thing happened at the missionary services and soaking sessions. What an awesome thing to encounter God with passionate, like-hearted worshipers!

I was impressed by the power of Ben and Brenda’s ministry to the Holy Given students and to the Iris staff. Their prophetic words encouraged many and brought new life to their ministries. Their teachings were powerful. In one session, Ben spoke about how the western church needs to catch up with the third world church. He ended with a time where the westerners were all to kneel at the feet of the African pastors, asking them for forgiveness for how the western world and church has lorded it over them in many ways. We prayed for them, that their feet would go into the nations, bringing the revival that God had brought them in their brokenness. And they prayed for us, too, that revival and miracles would come to the western church. It was a powerful time of weeping and repentance and crying out to the Lord.

The precious, precious children who would cling to us and look to us with a combination of joy, peace, and sometimes desperation. Though poor in some ways, these kids are rich with a community of people who love them and teach them about the Lord! No mistake—more help is needed. But they’ve got the basics!

Esperanza (her name means hope), a precious girl of about eight to ten years old who lives at the compound. She was very hardened and ruined by the world when I first met her. She dared anyone to love her. So I did. I loved her and accepted her where she was at. Gradually, over a period of a few days, she really warmed up to me and to the other children. She would want to sit on my lap for hours, and she started playing with the other children. She was transformed in a new way!

The sound of roosters crowing in the early dawn hours… the sound of the African pastors waking up and clanging their gong at 6 a.m. for worship (They are early to bed and early to rise! A lesson for the rest of us!). I loved listening to their harmonies of native worship each morning. Most of the pastors are so poor in material things but rich in humility and love. They were so friendly and welcoming to us. I saw Jesus in their eyes, and we shared the understanding of Jesus’ fellowship and love even though we couldn’t understand each other’s language.

The overwhelming joy and awe at going out into the bush to bring the love and message to Jesus to people who’d perhaps never even heard his name! How awesome is that?! I’d waited my whole life for such a privilege….

As we were journeying out to the bush, I couldn’t believe how far out we were going! As our Land Rover left town, the landscape turned into a vast, rolling land of dry, brown grass and bush that reached over the top of our vehicle! African men and women were walking along the deserted road, carrying heavy loads on their heads. Huts and villages were scattered along the roadside. As dusk approached, fires were seen burning outside of the huts… we’d stepped back in time! We drove 200 kilometers on a paved road and then turned off onto a dirt road. It was bumpier than you can imagine! But I was lucky—I was inside the Land Rover! Most of the team (20+?) were piled in the back of a pickup truck, along with everyone’s camping equipment and backpacks….Potholes, old bridges, washed out portions of the road….. we drove for over an hour on this section. Our team in the back of the truck were having the ride of their lives! Out, out, out, out into the deep bush! Darkness everywhere… occasionally catching in the headlights glimpses of villages, fires, people, and huts nestled along the road ….

The look on the people’s faces when we arrived out in the bush. So many were happy; some were a bit frightened and perplexed. Many had a very haunted look in their eyes. I can’t quite explain it. At later prayer meetings, several did ask for prayer for deliverance from demons that haunted them.

The honor of praying for people who were blind, deaf, or infirmed in other ways…. Their lack of pretension in admitting their need and desperation…. It was such an honor to stand with them and let God’s love and compassion come upon me and flow into them. Oh, how he loves them!

The bush children…. They loved us! They were so excited by our presence! They would follow us wherever we went. They surrounded our living quarters and would peek in at us through the fence. A few times, the fence almost came down because of all the people leaning against it! The very first morning, all of us were awakened at dawn by a VERY LOUD, ringing chorus of happy cries from the children! My team mate, Audra, was on a different bush outreach and described how she awakened in the morning to a sea of children’s faces staring at her through her tent. The night before, they’d received some Veggie Tales band-aids (the team had run out of stickers) and were happily singing the Veggie Tales chorus the next morning J

Fellito, Iris Ministries’ fearless outreach leader! He’s a young man of 22 years but with the wisdom of much age! He tirelessly spends himself on 2-night, 3-day outreaches into the bush every week, with one-night outreaches sprinkled in between. He faithfully and powerfully preaches the gospel each time. The love and power of Jesus are reflected beautifully in his eyes.

The African family that allowed us to stay within their bamboo-fenced-in village. An extended family, all living together…. Old, young, middle-aged, babies… all together in one hut. I hung out with a few of the younger girls, and we communicated as best we could. Fellito asked if he could buy their outside bamboo roof in order to build a church in the village. They said yes! What an honor to clear ground and help build the village’s first church—all in one day! The next day, the village had its first church service. We danced and sang, one of our team gave a testimony, Fellito preached, and we prayed for the sick. It was a powerful time. Iris just finished training a pastor from the village, so he will continue the work.

The African stars…….. unbelievable. No lights for miles and miles…… a different hemisphere…… the Milky Way was incredible. And LOTS of shooting stars! Pretty cool to look at in the middle of the African bush J

Seeing a myriad of African faces standing to watch the Jesus film for the first time. This was the first motion picture most of them had ever seen. Seeing their faces… listening to their expressions as they watched… wondering what they were thinking as they heard the story of Jesus for the first time…

After the film... seeing so many hands raised to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. AMAZING AND AWESOME! THE GREATEST MIRACLE OF ALL! Hearing them repeat the prayer and knowing that more precious kids had been added to the Father’s house……

Identifying with the African women and children who came up for prayer. We exchanged looks between us that communicated mutual understanding of the difficulties and pains of life… the love and compassion of the Father just flowed through me for them… I would pray for them and just stand and hug them for a long minute, and they would receive it. In that minute, we communicated more than spoken language ever could…. I saw some tears in their eyes… release had come…

I especially remember praying for a young man whose eyesight was greatly diminshed. As I was praying, I sensed that he needed to accept Jesus first. Another teammate came along and confirmed this sense, and with the help of interpreters, we heard the man say that he did believe in God. He said as he worked in the fields every day, he thought about how there was a God who had created him. He said that his family were Muslims, and they would be angry with him for accepting Jesus Christ, but he was ready to do so. He spoke the prayer of salvation with our interpreter. Another powerful moment!

On our way home from the bush, two people had asked us to stop and pray for others. One was a woman who had many ailments and couldn’t walk on her own. She was from another village but had heard about our presence. She was brought to the village so we could pray for her. We went to the hut where she was staying, and we found out that she’d been going to the witch doctor for two years but hadn’t gotten any better. One of the African pastors on our team asked her if she was willing to stop going to the witch doctor and not go back. She said yes… she believed God could heal her, and she wouldn’t go back. The pastor told her she needed to burn her witch doctor items. So they brought them out of the hut. There were some stones and other things wrapped up in a skin. They tossed them into the fire, and we started to pray for her. After about five minutes, the woman got up and walked on her own and even did a little celebration shuffle!]

We stopped to pray for another man a few villages down. He was very old and was blind. He looked so frail and tattered and torn coming out of his hut. He sat down on the porch, and we gathered around him to pray. He started to see light where there was only darkness, so we prayed some more. He didn’t get his full sight back right then, but we’ll continue to remember him. It’s encouraging to know that sometimes, healing takes place later. We received a letter from someone in a village where an outreach took place simultaneous to the outreach our team was on. Someone from the village wrote to say that the team had prayed for a blind person, and nothing happened. But the next morning, that person woke up, opened their eyes, and saw the roof of their hut! We’ve heard other stories of healings taking place later, too.

It impressed me how hard the Africans lives were… they have to walk long distances for basics like food and water. It’s amazing how they balance such heavy loads on their heads! They grow their own food, cook with fires, have no electricity or running water or usual western wares… it’s like stepping back in time!

Our team faced constant struggles regarding the poverty we saw. How do you handle children begging for food, water, and goods? How do you handle seeing them in such need? Which ones were telling the truth? What about the African pastors? We could go and eat at the nearby restaurant whenever we were particularly hungry. But they could not. And yet, we are brothers and sisters in the Lord…. Was it right that we have options and they do not?

Testimony from Gayle Worley

MOZAMBIQUE TRIP JUNE 25 TO JULY 9, 2005


When I attended the Surprise Sithole meetings, my husband and Peter
Beck were already planning on joining the group going to Mozambique. I
was having health problems and thought that I would be a hindrance. At
the conference I tried to make a deal with God that if he healed me I
would go, but I heard if you go I will heal you. Bibianna prayed over
me about the decision and about my fear of going. As I told our church
family, I believe the Lord wanted me to get out of the boat again. It
didn’t make sense to me at my age or the tremendous cost, not to
mention my health, but I began more and more to understand that it was
a matter of obedience.

I was aware of the inconveniences of not having potable water, of being
hot, and facing cultural differences. Right from the beginning there
were disappointments. Four of us were scheduled to travel a day later
than the rest of the group, but each obstacle seemed to cement the
decision more. We had a lot of support from our church family in
encouragement and prayer. Many told me we would be bringing something
back for everyone. The Lord reminded me that those who stayed behind
with the stuff would also share in the “spoils of war”. I Sam.
30:24-25. As time grew closer He gave me this promise. II Peter 1:16
“For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the
power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his
majestic splendor with our own eyes.” I believe He was telling me I
would see the miracles myself and I did. I saw a man’s back healed, and
a baby paralyzed on one side move her arms. I saw Mary’s broken foot
healed. I saw hundreds of Moslems come to Christ. And Kimberly’s
passport was returned miraculously, the only stolen thing that couldn’t
be replaced.

I saw so many other amazing things. The first day we attended the Holy
Given School, we came in at the end of a session on repentance. I was
so moved by their transparency, humility, and support for one another.
The Lord spoke to me about how these young people with a destiny for
him had been ravaged by the enemy of our souls. But the greater truth
was that He was calling them out and healing them. Often waiting in
line for meals I heard stories of the miraculous ways these students
had been drawn to this school. Some had never heard of Heidi or Roland
Baker until a few months ago. God has a plan and he used dreams,
visions, and prophetic words to get each one there, not to mention the
provision for the cost of coming. Ian Ross spoke on the fatherhood of
God, then on functional and dysfunctional families. God spoke to me
about people needing fathering and mothering.

I saw such humility and desire to follow the Lord in the leadership.
One day we had lunch with Jerry and her son, Demetri. Jerry was a
single mom living in the U.S. who adopted a black crack baby with
alcohol dependency and aids. Demetri cried for 7 months while he went
through withdrawal. His immune system was about zero, continuously on
medication. Jerry with the support of intercessors in her church prayed
for Demetri. When he was eight, the Lord healed him of aids. No doctor
would sign him off as healed. Jerry was taken to court for not giving
him the medicine any longer. There was a long court case in which the
Lord told her not to say anything, that He would defend her. She lost
her job. Finally, the judge decided to throw the case out. Then she
shared how the Lord led them to Mozambique.

I kept getting loud and clear that the Lord was orchestrating this
work. On our three day outreach, I was sitting in the van behind
Felito, the 22 year old evangelistic leading our outreach. I asked him
his testimony. I’ll just share one part. He said the Lord always spoke
to him through fire. He had a vision of Africa with a fire blazing in
southern Mozambique which was spreading up through Africa. The Lord
told him He was taking Africa and asked him if he wanted to come along.
He told him he would be speaking in stadiums in major cities over
Africa. This was Felito’s desire to evangelize. He had the vision
painted on the wall in his office. He also showed us a picture on his
computer during one of the outreaches. There were huge flames of fire
over the heads of the people. I asked him if that was visible only on a
digital camera. No, he said, I took the picture because we could all
see the flames. This humble young man often cooked for us. He worked
along side everyone as well as taking care of the planning.

I was thinking about the news I’d heard at home about Africa. None of
it was very encouraging. To many it looked like Islam was taking
Africa. On the contrary, the Lord was saying, “I’m taking Africa!”
Seeing the work there it was evident that He was doing just what he
said. Psalm 2 came to mind. “ Why do the nations rage? Why do the
people waste their time in futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare
for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his
anointed one. “Let us break their chains, “they cry, “and free
ourselves from this slavery.” But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them. God has a plan and as Henry Blackaby says in
the Bible study, Experiencing God, we need to join Him.

One of the young men on the outreach from the school was Travis. He had
been mentored in a deliverance ministry in Modesto, California. On his
heart was the homosexual community in San Francisco. God is raising up
people with a heart to do what is on his heart. Lord, what is on your
heart? What do you want me to do to cooperate with what your plans are?
Have I ever cared about what is on his heart? So many experiences are
coming together. God wants to save the perpetrators as well as the
victims of evil.

It’s about dying to self. Hasn’t God used books and messages to get
this point across to us? Dying to I have to be right. Dying to my
plans. Dying. Dying. Dying. As Ruth Freund said so well recently, “Dead
people can’t be offended. They have no rights.”
It’s about letting God work out his plans and cooperating with him.

One evening we went to a staff prayer meeting. Many people including
Heidi were lying on a mat listening to the worship music. There was a
knock at the gate. The room only had bamboo walls. Several kids wanted
to come in. she opened her arms and they snuggled down next to her and
eventually fell asleep.

There were about 50 children being cared for at Pemba center. Every
week they have a birthday party for the kids who have a birthday that
week. Heidi was out there leading the games & hugging kids. She sees
the one in the midst of the group. There were about six or seven
birthday cakes. The birthday people were passing out pieces. It was
messy. Some of the older boys were getting more than one piece. But
they are changing in that loving atmosphere. I saw the kids also taking
care of one another. Sometimes it looks messy and unorganized when the
Lord is working.

The trip was about Sabboth rest too. Dave has been talking to me for
years about the fact that the Sabboth was also a picture of rest which
we should be experiencing every day. Heb. 4:9 “So there is a special
rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who enter into God’s
rest will find rest from their labors, just as God rested after
creating the world. Let us do our best to enter that place of rest.” I
like to have “all my ducks in a row” so to speak. This trip was about
flexibility and change. Most of the time I had a great peace that God
was working things out according to his plans. I can see how his yoke
can be easy and his burden light when I let him have the responsibility
and don’t fret.

I had read prophetic words that the Lord was going to supply needs as
He moves. Heidi & Roland have a ministry that is literally exploding.
There’s no way they could wait until all the staff & supplies are in
hand. They have to respond to the invitations when it looks like
everything is in disarray. The Holy Given school started before there
were accommodations for all the students. They cleaned out a bodega or
storeroom and stuffed it full of bunks. When people arrive to visit,
Heidi’s instructions are to turn no one away. They’ve come a long way.
Welcome them. We played musical beds. Some moved to tents. There were
never enough plates, and plastic forks were a treasure. There is a home
for kids, a school for pastors, and the Holy Given school all going on
at once. Sometimes it’s messy. People are cutting in the food line. We
all had our rough edges to be filed off. Living in community has a way
of doing that.

Mysterious Fire on Heads at Outreach

Kids begging for candy from Stefan

Anisa at outreach

Brenda and team praying for kids at outreach

Pemba Kids do crafts

Students from Holy Given School

The Holy Given School is Iris Ministries first international, three-month missions training school based in the Moslem northern province of Mozambique. This includes:

-A three-month Bible school with Mozambican pastors and leaders.

-Directed by Heidi Baker and Lesley-Anne Leighton, Founding Directors, and other international ministers and missionaries.

-Live with hundreds of children and the Father's heart experience.

-Gain understanding of how to minister cross culturally.

Young Man Just Healed of Deafness

Team members outside the girls dorm

SPECIAL BOOK OFFER!!!

Because the Lord has given us a better and cheaper way to get our books published, we want to offer the three now available at the cheaper rate, and give them to our newsletter readers at half the website price if they buy at least two books. For just one book, make it $8.00; for ten or more we'll drop the price to $5.00 each. We want these books to get into the hands and hearts of as many people as possible. They all contain critical and transformational revelation for the end-time church and the final harvest of souls we are about to see. We especially hope leaders and pastors will read them. We want to create a hunger for revival in as many churches and individuals as possible.

I'll briefly describe them below.

You can pay through our web site, but not through the book store. Just email me your address and your order and use the financial support tab on the website: www.ohmint.org
to make the payment. Of course, you can order and pay by mail as well.

The three books are:

"God's Favorite Number" This book on unity has many insights and teachings, including "Accessing the Glory", one of our best loved teachings ever. It also includes a new dimension of communion and the "harvest". Several of our prophetic visions are included. Numerous leaders have endorsed this book, including Joanne McFatter, who was given a song containing the main thesis of the book before she read the manuscript.

"Catching Up to the Third World" is a book on revival in the Western Church. It contains critical keys to use to bring us closer to the revival that we desire, as modelled in many "Third World" nations. Che Ahn calls it a great book on revival and highly recommends it. This book should become a very popular book in the western church.

"Folding Five Ministries into One Powerful Team" is also a must read for leaders who want to help the church move into its destiny. Knowing how the different gifts can work together is critical if we want to see the results we want to see. That was profound! This book also tackles the sensitive issue of how the five ministries should be financed. Have an open mind, or don't bother reading this one.

Here's the testimony from Kimberley Thulien:

As for one of the most powerful moments for me, it was probably the last outreach night, with Liz and Sarah Lex. I was able to talk to Sarah privately at first before the movie ended about receiving the Holy Spirit and pray with her to receive. Then we went into the crowd and had Holy Spirit 101. It was awesome to lay hands on the deaf and have them hear and have her understand that nothing she did could cause that to happen and that the Holy Spirit had come, she had received, and now she would never go back to a normal life because she would never want it again. Liz saw us, and soon she prayed, received, and then she joined with us to pray over the next 3 deaf men and watch as all 3 went away hearing, and jumping, and dancing and praising God. Then we prayed over 2 children who were deaf - both were healed and then a baby who was paralyzed down it's right side - eye, arm and leg. Everything was healed. Then I felt the Holy Spirit wanted just to minister to the girls so I pulled them out of the crowd and all the amazing things that were happening and we went behind the second truck and just started praying together. The Holy Spirit came down mightily on them and both were crying, and shaking, and praying in tongues out loud. They had no concept that a crowd of Africans were coming to watch. They had no realization that a crowd of the Holy Given School students were watching; some with prayers on their lips and some with wonder in their eyes. They didn't hear the evening end, they didn't notice people filing past them to get into the truck. Sarah hit the dirt and God kept ministrering to her there, and Liz shot her hands to the heavens and praised God all the more intently. When I thought we had no more time, and we needed to get into the truck so we could leave, I brought their attention out of their worship and to the present moment. They couldn't stop telling people that they had received the Holy Spirit and had seen His power at work. It was a summary of the whole trip. With sincere faith we had all arrived, believing that we were there for a reason, dying to all that was around us, and allowing God to minister to our hearts on individual paths and at different levels. Then we had to walk out that faith and lay hands on people and ask God 8 simple words; "In the name of Jesus, be healed. Amen." More than just deaf heard and blind saw. More than just lame walked and sick recovered. We learned a valuable lesson that God is relevant for any situation today. As we journey back to our homes and try to process the truths that we just walked through, we realize at times we may not have had faith, and the deaf may not have heard and believed, but Jesus had enough faith for all of us, and just wanted us to help show them love in a visable way. I trust Sarah ad Liz are changed forever, just as many of those villagers are changed forever, just as I am changed forever; and that makes the trip all worthwhile. Whether my cat dies, my planes crash, my grandma dies, I lose all my valuables, get ill myself, or have to protect a young boy from the national police through a language barrier. Love and war cannot be separated. If we love, the war is on. And the war is definately on, so we had better start understanding His love. Without the Lord's strength, we cannot go on and our situation looks desparate, but when our strength is on Him, He downloads His joy so we know that strength is there too. When the healings happend, we also know He downloaded His Spirit and the power that comes with it for any situation, in Africa or at home, We cannot lose it or have it fall off us when we sleep. We have to believe we have received His power, His joy, His strength, and His love so we may walk forth in this war, and above all - to stand.

Thank you once again for letting this crazy canadian join you. Blessing multiplied on you both.

Kimberley

New Books this Month

Hi Friends,

I know I've already sent out a long newsletter today, but this is a special bonus for those who like to read and grow in wisdom and knowledge, etc.

As most of you know, I found a much better deal to get my books published, through the help of my Florida friend, Jeff Dole. Not only did he help me with the two newest books, but he is also helping me redo the older books, so I can get a better deal on them too. I just received a box full of the new version of "Folding Five Ministries Into One Powerful Team". Soon I'll have the new version of Brenda's book, "God is So God", and then we'll redo "Go Ahead, Be So Emotional" and "Signs and Wonders - To Seek or Not to Seek". By then I should also have our ninth book done, which will be about Psalm 23 from a whole new perspective.

I really want to see these books get into the hands and hearts of God's people, especially leaders. So I want to make you a deal on the books that I get the better price on. For those who get our newsletters, I want to offer the three books at half price. Instead of $12.00 each, including shipping, we will ship them for just $6 dollars each, if you buy at least two books. If you just want one book, make it $8,00, If you want ten or more total, we can knock that down to $5.00 each. All of these three books are cutting edge concepts that can revolutionize the church. I'll briefly describe them below.

You can pay through our web site, but not through the book store. Just email me your address and your order and use the financial support tab on the website: www.ohmint.org
to make the payment. Of course, you can order and pay by mail as well. The three books are:

"God's Favorite Number" This book on unity has many insights and teachings, including "Accessing the Glory", one of our best loved teachings ever. It also includes a new dimension of communion and the "harvest". Several of our prophetic visions are included. Numerous leaders have endorsed this book, including Joanne McFatter, who was given a song containing the main thesis of the book before she read the manuscript.

"Catching Up to the Third World" is a book on revival in the Western Church. It contains critical keys to use to bring us closer to the revival that we desire, as modelled in many "Third World" nations. Che Ahn calls it a great book on revival and highly recommends it. This book should become a very popular book in the western church.

"Folding Five Ministries into One Powerful Team" is also a must read for leaders who want to help the church move into its destiny. Knowing how the different gifts can work together is critical if we want to see the results we want to see. That was profound! This book also tackles the sensitive issue of how the five ministries should be financed. Have an open mind, or don't bother reading this one.

There was such an interest in these books in Mozambique and I didn't have them available there except a few I was able to bring and give away. I feel that these messages are from God and that they will change the way the west does "church".

So if you like a sale, just give me an email and I'll get them sent out to you asap.

Blessings to you all,

Ben and Brenda

P. S. It looks like Brenda is starting to feel a bit better but is still in need of prayer.



--

Trip to Mozambique

Dear Friends,

I want to do what our name suggests and open my heart to you. Our goal is always to open the hearts of others to the open heart of the Father, so there can be two-way communication to bring healing, meaning and destiny to man and joy and love to the Father.

So now I want to share some of our life-changing experiences and also ask you all for earnest prayer for our present situation and our need for wisdom and strength to walk this walk. The challenges and opportunities are getting greater and we are more aware of our need for daily miracles of direction and provision for the vision.

Brenda is quite sick at the moment. Please pray as she was already sick when we left Africa, but got worse when the plane landed in Chicago after circling and then bouncing a bit on the landing. She really needs a touch from God right now. Thanks for your prayers.

But on the positive side, we are both in awe at the glory of God that came down in Mozambique. We fought battles on many fronts, including stolen goods, lost luggage, sickness, and lack of sleep and showers, etc. We were confronted with mockers and perverted youth at times, along with the sincere folk. At one time I was litterly mobbed by youths and kids who wanted to grab the little trinkets I was trying to give away. To save my skin, I flung them as far as I could and they left me alone to pursue the goods.

But the power of God that we saw in response to the preaching, following the Jesus film, was enough to overpower every negative thing that we experienced. We don't know how many deaf people got their hearing in the five or six outreaches we were on, but it was at least a dozen. Several totally blind people were also healed and many other conditions were healed instantly, such as severe back problems.

A young man, Filito, 22 years old, leads most of the outreaches. He sees the same results that Heidi does when she goes out on the outreaches. We expect to be blessed to have him in Illinois for a week or so this fall.

The result was likely over one thousand souls saved and probably many more than that. The first outreach, where I preached, was in a village where they were prepared to start a new church. Our outreach night launched a brand new church.

The next night we were in a larger village where there may have been as many as 1500-2000 people show up. There was even greater receptivity there and the village chief said that he had heard about IRIS Ministries and wondered when we would come to his village. He received us with open arms. Not bad for a Muslim community.

The last few days, Brenda and I found ourselves ministering more to the pastors in training and the Holy Given School of Missions. The response was extremely encouraging. I shared the principles from "Catching Up to the Third World". I gave away all the books I had with me, but could have given away hundreds more. We ended up also ministering to all the staff. I shared a little on unity and other things and then Brenda and I ministered to each of the IRIS staff that could make the meeting. It was the first time that almost all of them were prophetically ministered to by any inside or outside ministry. Again, we saw a powerful impact on so many of them, including the Mozambiquens and Brazilians, who had come to work there.

Before we left, we were favored with a lunch date with Heidi and Lesley-Anne Leighton, who runs the Holy Given School. They so appreciate the fact that we want to help and serve IRIS Ministries by helping prepare people for foreign service. And we are so excited about the people God has put in our lives that want to be a part of this great adventure.

Speaking of people, God gave us an incredible team (21 people) and they were all a tremendous blessing in so many different ways. Each of them had life-changing experiences. One of them, Peter Beck, ended up staying there to join in the Holy Given School. He was a total exception to their policy, but God wanted him to get more completely wrecked for Jesus. When we left, Stacey Campbell was there teaching the school. Many other awesome speakers will follow her until the school ends in mid-August. Brenda and I weren't scheduled to speak there, but after Lesley-Anne saw my books she wanted me to share the message with the students and pastors.

At the end of this letter, I will copy a letter we received from Heidi so you can get a better picture of what we experienced, by someone who could speak the language and get better reports. Then I will add a long letter from Rolland with even more information that will blow your mind.

But first, I want to express that we need your prayers now more than ever. We have a vision that is so huge, as a support to IRIS Ministries, and we have many people that want to be a part of it. We need God's help and wisdom to structure and administrate the nuts and bolts of the vision and the finances that will be required.

We want to continue to do everything by faith, including the Sending Center and the classes we will teach at Wheaton, etc. We were also given more prophetic words by Shara and other young, but strong ministries, regarding changes in the way we administrate. We don't want to respond with natural wisdom or manipulation or any other strategy of the flesh. We cry out for God's strategy and His heart for all our decisions. We will go one step at a time, but we need to know enough to share the vision.

Pray that we will get lower still before Him. Waiting on the Lord is Listening, Obeying, and Worshipping. L-O-W. We need to wait on Him like never before. The harvest is so incredibly ripe and the workers are so few. God commissioned us to prepare the workers so they know how to "Die Well" before they get there and fall apart trying to get along with other leaders, like so many before them.

We are counting on many of you to pray for us during this time. After you read the following letters from Heidi and Rolland, you may understand a little more the urgency we feel.

God bless you all,

Ben and Brenda

P. S. To all who were with us on the team. Could you email me a short testimony of the highlights for you? We will try to send them out to our mailing list.

Quick Report from Africa

Dearest Friends,

Just have a few minutes on Shara's computer. We have been blown away by all the amazing experiences we have had. Amid many attacks and hassles, we have seen the glory of God and the tremendous miracles, including the blind, deaf and dumb and others healed. We have seen many hundreds, maybe more than a thousand, saved in a few meetings and we have spent almost three days in the "bush".

We've had people running to us (five or six men) wanting to get saved as we walked through a mud hut villiage. We had another run to us the next day excitedly trying to communicate that he was healed when the team prayed for him.

We are very excited about what still lies ahead for us. We still need your prayers. We have had a little sickness on the team but everyone is OK. Our team is so fired up they don't know what to do with themselves. They will all have exciting stories to tell. Brenda will have enough amunition for ten conferences and ladies retreats from this one trip.

We love you all and thank you for your support.

God bless,

Ben and Brenda and team