"...We shall REAP if we faint not!"

We go through sickness, pain, weariness, hunger, cold, heat, and discomfort. We are attacked right and left by the enemy of souls who with art and cunning, devises every way to thwart our progress. We are worn out and tired of the conflict, but it wages on and on.  It seems to human eyes that our work is only held together by a fine, thin thread.  At any minute that thread could snap and there would be nothing left. We could so easily crumble into oblivion!Today seems to be the ultimate climax. But the verses I just read keep ringing in my ears:"Men ought always to pray and not to faint."  Luke 18:1"Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall REAP if we faint not!"  Luke 6:9REAP!!  What a glorious word that is!!  May there be a plenteous harvest of reaping over here in the jungle mountains!  Let us take hold of His strength and we shall not faint nor be weary!!  And who is holding onto that thin, fine thread? Why God Himself!!  Think about Ellen White's vision of the "Narrow Way." Christian Burdhal relates this vision through song, you must get it! Who was holding onto the cords? --- God was!  And what did the cords represent?  ---our faith!!   FAITH friends, If our faith fails we won't make it!  That's what is holding us together in His hands, and God supplies more faith each day as we exercise and use it, until the fine thread is strong and as large as our bodies!"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning great is Thy faithfulness!"  Lamentations 3:22,23Perhaps a newsletter will come out soon to explain to you some of the things that I cannot mention in this country, on the internet.  Just let's suffice it to say that the work goes on here in BYT.  It is a total miracle straight from heaven how each day unfolds.   We have nothing to fear for the future unless we forget how He has led us in the past!  ...And lead us He has!I am thinking of this clinic and the beautiful new off-road truck parked down the hill.  It is not just here for looks, every bit of its strength and dependability is used constantly on these challenging roads, to transport patients and save lives. These are reminders each and everyday that God holds the chords and He will not let go.Just yesterday we walked into NeLeeGwee.  How wonderful it was to greet all the dear children!  I really am a Mother to each one of them.  If I could just take some of the dirtiest, scrawniest ones home with me.  I could get them well, feed them good food, teach them how to be clean, and to know and love the Lord. You know, in this place, someone is needed who can just be here and take care of the children. Parents would gladly give them up to us and let us take care of them, because they know they cannot.  But I cannot do it because we hike 3 days a week to the other villages and stay so actively busy caring for patients.  So often we have to suddenly respond to a call from another village to see a very sick patient, and drive them to the hospital.  At times we barely have time to prepare and eat our own food.    In NeLeeGwee, BletJaw once again brought food to PeeEuw, the old old lady who lives in the tiny square tin house. She is in a sad condition.  Her house has a bamboo floor that is giving away right under the fire place. She barely has a place to lay down on that is not breaking apart. Soon she will just drop to the ground below!  We arranged to pay ShePaw's husband to build her a new home immediately.  Along with that we will bring her new clothes, blankets and adequate food. Soon I hope I can show you her new house and PeeEuw, bathed, wearing new clothes, and a large warm blanket to sleep under during this very cold season.Next we were taken to a house where I met the twins Mother, PawEe, for the first time! Her husband is still away from home looking for opium, and she herself is a 'heroin queen' meaning she mainlines opium and lots of it. She came home this time only because of a terrible injury to her back, and a nasty infection.  She is filthy dirty.  Opium users do not like water.  They do not take baths. She was in intense pain accompanied by a high fever.  She must go to the hospital.  I had a chance to pray with her!The next day we drove the truck in and tried to carry her out to it, but she would not allow anyone to carry her.  Instead she tried to walk with assistance, suffering intense pain.  I was so thankful for the new truck, because it is so strong, that BletJaw backed it up the severely steep mountainside slope, where there is no road, so that this poor lady would not have so far to go! Please help us pray for her and her husband. There is yet hope that they will find Jesus to turn their lives around and care for their 4 beautiful children.There is so much need everywhere you turn.I also got a chance to help ChweeCoo today.  He is 42 years old, lives in BYT, and is notoriously the worst drunk in my village, or maybe even the worst of every village for miles around.  On several occasions he has terrified the entire village with his violence and anger.  One night he almost killed his daughter! He has a gun! Just three weeks ago he had us all awake at midnight.  It seemed like everyone in the village was screaming in terror and his angry voice filled the dark night air with bone chilling evil. The commotion lasted almost 30 minutes.It was after dark that I was called to his house.  He had cut his ankle with a machete while cutting the weeds, high up in the jungle.  In that dark and filthy little house, I was able to pray with him, numb up the cut, scrub it clean, suture it, and give an antibiotic.  I am so thankful that Tarn and Tucker were with me that night.  However, at that time he was quiet, co-operative, and did not appear drunk. I was unavailable the next 3 days, so when I saw him again, the wound was wet, very dirty, flaming with infection, swollen badly, and one stitch was gone.  I cleaned it thoroughly, increased the dose of antibiotic and prayed.  It may not heal and I may have to take the sutures out and let it drain, but I will wait 1-2 days and see if there is an improvement.  We all prayed for him many times.  The next time I saw him the infection was gone!!  Praise the Lord. An update on this:  He is out looking for opium and is not returning.  The sutures are one week late coming out and this means infection again!These are all God's children.  The most unlikely ones are not too hard for God to reach! (Isaiah 59:1)! Please continue to pray for a reaping of these precious souls.