Captain's Log #15
April 2001
TROPICAL CYCLONE 'SOSE'
At 10:15pm last night I looked at the satellite photo just received from space and shook my head. "Here we go again!" From the satellites above, the movement of the clouds across this hemisphere are obvious - spinning faster and faster, tighter and tighter in cyclonic movement northwest of the islands of Fiji. I laid the sheet of fax paper down in the galley next to the one showing the isobars with the atmospheric pressure changes. "Thank the Lord for the equipment we have on this boat!". Cindy and I prayed and continued to study the information and I knew I had no choice. "I'm calling it off - we've got what's becoming another full blown cyclone!". I was now less than seven hours from the next scheduled departure of the 'Galilean'. There were a dozen people to find and tell, some of them right then in the middle of a JESUS Film showing many miles away across two rivers.
This is now Tropical Cyclone 'SOSE' that is threatening us and once more we are urgently asking you to drop to your knees and pray with us that it will go away!!
At least this will give me a chance to go ahead and bring you up to date. As it was, I wasn't going to be able to get another report out until after I got back here where they have phone lines, and that wasn't scheduled for another two weeks or more and God has really been at work!!
THIRTY THREE SAVED
The 'JESUS Film' is nothing fancy. It is simply a clear, well communicated biblical account of the life and death and resurrection of JESUS, and one night this last week THIRTY THREE people entrusted their eternity to HIM because of your prayers and the JESUS Film partnership with the Church of the Nazarene!!!
FORGIVE US!!
Her voice drowned out the voices coming from the screen as God died in agony... and she realized it was because of His Love for her...
"Oh God please forgive us!! Forgive us!! Please... please... please... forgive us!!"
Even the chattering sound of the 16mm projector was lost, as the woman's heart wrenching sobs filled the night air and the JESUS Film rolled on. This woman was in real pain beyond her ability to bear it in silence - her heartache reaching out and engulfing those around her, drawing them in. And in the end 33 people were added to the Kingdom that night.
BRAND NEW STRATEGY
Born out of the tragedies some time back and responding to the prayers of countless people like you (625 of you are now official prayer partners), God gave us clear direction! Late one night I was praying and arguing with God as to how things should happen (hey, tell me you never do that), when I felt strongly impressed that God wanted me to hush up and clear the table and be prepared to start from scratch with our approach to the JESUS Film ministry for the South Pacific. Within (literally) minutes a radical new strategy began falling into place. In the days that followed I asked the district leadership to pray with me about this new strategy, then I asked the pastors and as many church members as I could get ahold of, to pray as well that God would confirm this new direction. In the days and weeks that have followed they began coming back to me one by one describing fasts and all night prayer meetings with church boards and family and other believers, that God was confirming HIS Kingdom plans.
TWO NEW JESUS FILM TEAMS
I scheduled meetings describing the strategy at different churches across the Fiji district - the response has been overwhelming! Currently, as of this last week we have now officially registered 'FIJI JESUS FILM TEAM #2' and 'FIJI JESUS FILM TEAM #3' and I have a huge problem you need to add to your prayers!! I only have one set of film and equipment and now I have three teams trying to use it and this on multiple islands with one boat and I'm having to hold off teams #4 and #5 what am I going to do?? Well, you pray because this all simply is in answer to your prayers already and this is worth living for!! I believe in the power of your prayers... and I thank you for them. This is what God intended His church to be!! Unified against the power of darkness and the gates of Hell WILL NOT PREVAIL! What a privilege to partner with you all and watch God at work!
So... please pray about TROPICAL CYCLONE SOSE and pray about getting more JESUS FILM EQUIPMENT into our hands!
Harmon
p.s. I am quickly adding this to the above that wasn't sent out yet. God just gave us an opening into the village up behind here where we've got the boat. We decided tonight to take advantage of being trapped here by this cyclone, even though it was all short notice (the last few hours). We just showed the JESUS Film to ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE people and out of those EIGHTY NINE accepted Christ!!!!
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