Isaac And Brittany .com

I want to write to you all about what I have learned recently about compassion and its power. I know that some of you who read our blog posts dont necessarily believe in devine healing. I am going to talk about it but with an emphasis I think a little closer to what it should be. Recently one of our church members Baba gave me a letter. He gave me permission to share from it.
In the letter he thanked me and God for what was happening in His life. I was so blessed because every other 'letter' I have received here has been a request for money. His was not, in it he related to me that since the time he was a young boy 3-4 he has never walked on his own and has never felt like a man. Since the previous sunday when we prayed for Him he has begun to walk. His right knee which he had never been able to move began to move and the muscles in his feet also. He said 'pastor I can kick now and the other night I stood for a long time with no assistance'. I am changed through this testimony. I must confess that in the past divine healing has been something that really excited me but until this testimony, it was something that never touched my heart this deep, I never experienced the compassion of God. I saw in Baba the restoration of not just his legs but his dreams. He talks now, as his legs get progressivly stronger, about playing football on the beach with us. He now dresses to impress, and carries himself with an aura of confidence. He can now walk quickly without any crutches when before he needed two. He is happy. He knows that he is loved, by us, but more profoundly by his Creator.
There is another story I want to share with a similar heart. We have been housing 8 guys from off the street who are now attending Bible college. One of them, Ali, has the biggest heart of them all. He also has the biggest temper. Pastor Andrew and I realized that this temper was not getting better no matter what we did. We told him, after a morning fight, that we wanted to have a special meeting with him that night. We sat him down and Andrew began to pray and talk to Ali. He asked Ali what was going on inside of him. In the middle of Ali's explaination Andrew interrupted Him, with a kind of insight that only could have come from God, and a kind of heart that could only come from a father. Andrew spoke truth to Ali about the forgivness of God and the love we have for him of the truth that its not Ali's fault. His part in the war as a child soldier, the people he killed and thing things he did, were him being taken advantage of by wicked people. Ali just cried and recieved the love. I sat in awe. It felt like family. Ali felt it. I felt it, and Andrew definitly did as well. I wanted to cry all night as I thought about what happend. This guy who has never known a stable home, who is an outcast from his own family and village, was finnaly recieveing the love of the Father in heaven and a father on earth in Andrew. I felt the heart of God for these guys, the fatherless, the ostricised. God sees them. He feels for them so deeply. Im beginning to too.
Both of these stories together are trying to teach me something. I say this becaus the Bible says it. It calls testimonies 'our teachers'. I am learning that God values a kind of living that only He makes possible. Its a kind of living that has hope for the world around us beyond the help of the world around us or the abilities within us. It is the 'audacity of hope' that having faith in the one who died for our sins and by whose 'stripes we are healed' produces. I am challenged to believe again. I am challenged to turn my head towards and not away from the one in need. I am challenged to believe that when I choose to love that my weakness is met not only with Gods strength but also His compassion. A kind of compassion that I am learning melts my heart completely. I am learning that in a world that says I need to be more (stronger, wiser, richer, better planned) that I can be less. That I can be weak, that I dont have to be better than anyone else, or prove myself to myself or to the world around me. I want to learn instead that there is hope for the hopeless, and to be a part of delievering that same hope. There are better things going on. Baba's and Ali's that God wants to bless me to know and wants to touch with His love. I like that and I pray we will all learn more together.
Love you
Isaac

Hello all,

It has been just over a year since Brittany and I arrived in Sierra Leone. We have seen so much happen and I am writing to tell you thanks. In the midst of a country filled with poverty and oppressive conditions. I look at all of my friends and family, their support and encouragement and I am so grateful. It has been you that have inspired us, challenged us, supported us, prayed for us. It has been you most of all that have believed.

Since coming we have seen so much happen. I can only attribute it to the grace and favor of God. When we came we were met with an unfinished one story brick building with only our room and bathroom complete. Pastor Andrew and his family living in a 'pan body' house attached to the side. We had no running water but to walk 100 yards to a tap. We had no electricity except for a generator that we only used a couple nights a week. We slept on a thin mattress on the ground and lived on minimial finances. The one church, also attached to the house, was made of wood and tarpoline (still is :). For a few months we were the sole financial supporters of the ministry.
In one year...

> We took in 5 kids who lost thier mother and father.
> -we took one into our room :)
> 5 more churches have been planted in the surrounding communities
> -two tailored specifically to street boys and prostitutes
> A ministry from the US called No Boundaries International began to partner with us brining much needed financial support and added vision/manpower.
> -they spearheaded all the work with the streetboys and provided the Bible college
> We began two outreaches to groups of streetboys in different parts of Freetown with a time of feeding and a small church service (football too:)
> Another Pastor has recently decided to visit us with his son.
> -his heart is for streetboys and his son is a sound studio owner
> -those two things are the main focuses of Pastor Andrew and I. (I love how God brings people together)
> A man with a vision for agriculture has begun to take trips to set up a program here providing jobs and income and opportunities.
> Our discipleship team went from 2 to 10 with 20 more Bible college students.
> The house is now two full levels with an small third level for a music studio.
> -the first floor is completely finished, the second about half.
> We have power from the government about 30% of the time!
> We have running water about 40% of the time in the house!
> Brit and I have a nice canopy bed made by a church member!
> We have seen multiple incredible healings and changed lives.
> We live with 8 guys from off the street who are attending our Bible college and training in business, welding, and tailoring.
> A property was given to us in a village where we have a Secondary school 90% finished, farming, a church and missionary house planned.
> We just finished, successfully, the first semester of the Bible college.
> We feed about 30 people per day.
> Brittany and I taught and prepped the kids for school until July. teaching everything from the abc's to astronomy.
> The kids have started school and are doing well.
> We have pending agriculture projects and outreaches into the provinces following the Bible college.
> We have started 4 small Businesses via micro loans to church members.
> We have all night prayer 7 days a week (I know that sounds crazy to most people but its awesome) from 12am to 4am
> -4 teams take 2 nights a week each.
> All of the above has not been one persons vision or work, it has been a divine mixture of talent, coincidence, vision, and effort. That have come together in such beautiful way involving such beautiful people
> -and that's why I'm thanking all of you!
> We are so privileged to be here.
Thank you for the support

> God is so good> Love you all> Isaac