Write His Answer

As I anticpate sitting with family and friends around a table overflowing with food this Thanksgiving, I think of the

Contrasts

Thanksgiving has ushered in
the Christmas season.
I am sobered
not so much by the calories I have
consumed
or the prices in the mall
(although both are too high),
as by the contrasts I see.
There is plenty and want,
joy and grief,
love and hatred,
hope and despair,
the real and artificial.
Father, help me to see You and to share
Your love.
Move me to give as Your Son gave
when He willingly went
from the manger to the Cross.

 
 
And I think of my friend, Terry Bryan, serving the Lord in Kenya, and I pray for her. In the second picture below, Terry is showing the Jesus film.
 
Father, thank You for Terry’s love for the people of Kenya, for her courage, and for her faith. Continue to surround her with Your hedge of protection and provide the funds to enable her to provide needed medical care, clean water, education, and so much more.
 

 
 
 
Theresa Brynan, RN, is President and founder of JIOA. She has worked with the Pokot people in East Pokot, Kenya since 2008.  She travels to the most remote, marginalized regions of East Pokot. She oversees the program activities and develops and facilitatesthese activities personally.  http://www.jesusisourall.org
 
 
 
Happy Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for.

Thank you for your prayers, words of encouragement and support. When I am in the bush, I have no internet and can only text if I have network and charge on my phone. So last week, a few people received a radical text message on their phone, from me, asking for prayer for peace and that it was being threatened on every side. Thank you for praying. Although I was safe, it was serious and I didn’t have enough battery to explain. In one day, I heard of a number of incidences that occurred involving 2 or 3 young Pokot men stealing animals from two other tribes and killed one person. Then, I received a text warning there was to be a huge raid against the Pokot, by another area of another tribe, the following week in my far places. The Lord told me to pray. I am thankful for cell phones in the bush, people praying, and God.

Thursday, as I was heading to the bush the road was pretty bad. Parts of it had washed out and I had to find ways around the difficult spots. At one point it rained somewhere and the water had risen in the road and was coming pretty swiftly. I didn’t realize the road diverted the other way now because the old pathway had been washed away. My truck sunk like a rock up to the frame on the left side. I guess it didn’t help that I was carrying a half a ton of water in the tank on the back of my truck. I really didn’t want to part with that water. The soccer team heard I was in trouble and came to dig me out. It didn’t look too bad early on but then, it began to rain somewhere again and the water began to rise again and the truck sunk deeper. It took many hours. Those who were left at the end, ran ahead of me in the dark, to show me the rest of the way to safety. I presented them with their new football. I felt really cared for. I am thankful for people who care.

The river had also risen and could not be crossed so I slept in my truck. Friday, I came across the some army and peace makers from the neighboring county where the animals were taken. They were responsible to retrieve the animals from the family of one the accused. I had a school closing to attend but decided to have a peace meeting the following day. I am thankful for those who help to keep our countries safe and for those who help to bring reconciliation and peace to our hearts, homes, communities, nation and world.

That day I attended a school closing 30 km in the bush. It is one of the schools that the gutters and tank are to be installed and the mattresses and blankets are to be given. The children sang and those who were top in the classes given special prizes. I was able to distribute micronutrients and chlorine tablets to the parents, encourage them, distribute clothes and underwear to some of the students, and give them a soccer ball. It was wonderful to see the joy on their faces as they watched the Jesus movie. I am thankful for children learning and growing, mentally, physically and spiritually and for all of you who have prayed and helped to provide for these most basic needs. Thank you. God loves all of His children.

Saturday, it was market day but, about 30 men came to the peace meeting. To my surprise, it was mostly young men. We discussed many things, including the penalty for stealing animals which they were witnessing that day. They want peace and expressed their concerns and challenges as well. It was confirmed those who live in the farthest area were responding to the threat of raid by bringing their cows down from the far mountains where they were attacked last May. The blessing of rain we are getting will also help to promote peace by providing grass and water for the cows to live on. It rained during the meeting and the river rose with a fury like I had never seen there. It was cutting away the steep river bank. A goat was swept by. Later that night, a person was also lost to the swift water. I am thankful for rain, grass, prevention, provision, and peace. I am grateful for comfort in times of sorrow.

I slept a restless sleep in center again in my truck. The next day, I could not reach the church under the trees. Even though I could cross the river, the water had cut away the pathway to get to that place. I traveled 30 km back through the mountains to the cement hut (the one with the cat) and made it in good time. It did not rain that night so, the next day, I was finally able to get a truck to transport the gutters, tanks, mattresses and blankets to two schools, one 30 km and the other 50 km out. The 10,000 L tank didn’t fit in the truck so they tied it on the tail gate and the frame with some straps I had. I sent them off and I still had time to go a school near the cement hut to deworm about 400 children and give them cookies and a soccer ball. Just for reference. The cement hut is the starting point when I say I traveled 30 km out or 50 km out into the bush. The bush is about 100 km deep. I am grateful for safe journeys and God’s care.

I was able to purchase the gutters and attachments for all four schools, the 10,000 L tank, 40 mattresses and 40 blankets when I was in town the week before. The hardware store donated a 5000L tank to help the children and also the cookies. I was surprised. That had never happened here before. The truck, when transporting the goods from town to the cement hut, was delayed and the rain came first and everything got wet. The next two days were spent drying everything out. Everything dried well, it was just a little extra work. I will try to have the gutters installed in the next two weeks. I am grateful for generous hearts.

There is another problem I didn’t realize the people had. Their traditional round homes are made of mud and sticks with a grass roof. It has been so dry, the homes were in disrepair. Now, it rained, so there is mud to fix the walls but, there has been no grass to repair the roof. The roof is full of leaks, rain is coming in, leaving the children cold, wet and sick. I would like to buy plastic sheeting for the roof and blankets for 100 families. The blankets are $2.70 each. These are nice heavy blankets. They don’t have access to these blankets or plastic sheeting out in the bush. Would anyone like to help? I am grateful God sees our suffering and hears the smallest voice.

My heart and prayers go out to the people of all of the bombings in all of the different countries that took place while I was in the bush. We need to pray. We do not fight against flesh and blood but, against principalities and powers of darkness. I have seen in the bush how effective prayer has been to bind the enemy. That is why I pray diligently and cry out for prayer still. If you would like to pray like a warrior but don’t know where to begin, I am willing to share the first 7 pages of my daily prayer book with you to help you. I am grateful for healing, grace, comfort, and hope that comes from God and for compassionate hearts that overflow with love to those whose hearts are broken. I am thankful for the many prayers that have risen on behalf of those who have suffered and are living in fear. I am thankful for the mighty weapons of rejoicing, thankfulness and prayer to help us overcome. I am thankful to God for being everything to me. Jesus Is My All. He is able. He makes a way when there is no way and all things are possible with Him. He is my love and my life.

What are you thankful for?

If you get an opportunity, like Jesus Is Our All facebook page and I will try to update it when I can.

If you use Good shop or Good search for your online purchases for the holidays, please consider putting Jesus Is Our All as the charitable organization you would like to help. It is free yet, many stores will donate a portion of your purchase to Jesus Is Our All and it will cost you nothing. They have coupons that are available for your shopping discount too. It’s a win win. Google Good Shop and Good Search today!

If you would like to give a gift to directly help the children and families of Pokot, please visit our website www.JesusIsOurAll.org or you can send a check to

Jesus Is Our All
P.O. Box 111
Frederick, Pa. 19435

Thank you for your prayers!

Blessings to you, with love and prayers, I am thankful for you!

Terry Brynan