Captain's Log #20
September, 2001

As I write this report, I write it hoping that we can get it sent out to you before too long as we are still about 70 nautical miles, or 10 hours at sea from phone lines. Yesterday we finalized the 30 acre land transfer that we have been working on. We also chose an incredible location for the church. It's high on a ridge with a breath taking view and tomorrow we'll start to clear land that is nothing less than tropical jungle.

THE BARTLES
Welcome to Dr. and Mrs. Bartle as they hit the soil of Fiji running. What a direct answer to our prayers this is! The Johnson's and us see these great people as perfect for filling the desperate need that we have of training workers to become the leaders that we need. Already, the first classes are under way right now. Please pray for the Bartles. What a privilege to watch what God is bring about here in Fiji. The Field Director, Jim Johnson sees himself as a facilitator. While also being responsible to oversee the work in Tonga and Samoa he is working hard here in Fiji to help the Bartles and us best accomplish the specific work that God has called each of us to. Please pray for the Johnsons. We are truly humbled and excited about the fantastic team that we are privileged to be a part of!

HELLO...
"Hey...   Hello over there..."   The woman looked up and across the bustling street in the direction of the voice. When she saw who it was, instantly she turned her head away. She had barely caught a glimpse of the man before diverting her attention...  trying to walk on through the people...   hoping he would not pursue...  not wanting any contact with this one. "Hello...   Hello..." She heard her name then, he wasn't going to let her go. The voice was closer, he was crossing the crowded street towards her. She looked back, there he was facing her. She didn't want to be here right now.

EIGHT YEARS
It had all happened over eight years ago. It seemed like at least a lifetime had passed since that dark night back then. That night when these two had been in that smoke filled room packed to overflowing with people. People even on the outside as far as they could see or hear, watching the strange and intriguing things happening inside. That dark night when the man had burst his way inside and through the crowd and in a drunken rage had flung people left and right and smashed the sacred ceremonial bowl of Kava and destroyed the incantations and ceremony and worship of the ancestors and the gods they served. The powerful witchdoctor had seized the moment that night and from the frenzy of demonic worship she had brought down the wrath of all the power she could call on, focusing her fury on the man who had ruined this night...   With all of the ability that she'd perfected through her life, the witchdoctor pointed a shaking finger at the man and screamed out the sentence of death!  "You will die in three days!" A eerie silence filled the room as people drew away in fear from the man who had just been doomed to die.

TEA?
That was more than eight years ago. Now here they stood, facing each other on the crowded street of the capital city with people pouring around them. This was the witchdoctor and the man she had cursed. His face was beaming as he pointed to a cafe not to far away. "Let me buy you a cup of tea?" He seemed to be glad to see her.  "No, no. I can't stay, I need to be going!" - "Then let me walk with you, I'd like to tell you something." Eventually, reluctantly she sat down and accepted the tea. Finding it difficult to look directly at the man.

TO ALMOST DIE
It seems that he had almost died way back then so many years ago. Within hours - sickness, infection, by the end of two days he looked like he was on his way out. His body in excruciating pain, already his eyes were sunk in and his skin had turned gray and pulled tight...   he was in trouble, tossing back and forth in bed fighting a fever and fighting to hold on. But that was a long time ago and now, eight years later...   today...  he looked very healthy and strong and glad to be alive and actually excited to be talking over tea with the witchdoctor who had tried to kill him.

TAXI
It took some time and some talking, but eventually the tension eased and the two finished the tea and climbed into a taxi and began working there way through the streets of Suva to one of the outlying suburbs. It wasn't completely clear where they where going or why. The taxi pulled to a stop and they climbed out and in front of them was a church. It was a Nazarene church. As they walked up to the front door there was the sound of the taxi leaving behind them. They stood there alone and the witchdoctor was puzzled. She had no idea what she was doing here. This isn't what she had thought. Whatever she thought they were going to do, wherever she thought they were going... this wasn't it.

A CHURCH
As the man from that night long ago looked at her, he pointed to the church. "Do you see this church here?...   I am the pastor of this Nazarene church!  Eight years ago I was dieing because of you and God answered my desperate prayers and He let me live. Now I live to tell others what I have come to know about Him. That is why when I saw you, I had to talk to you today. You do not have peace in your life, it is obvious. Listen carefully, there is only one God, one Creator. There is other supernatural power, but only one God. You will never know peace in your life until you know Him."

THE JESUS FILM
Of course her life was in shambles and filled with turmoil. She had long ago lost her husband and lost her kids and though people considered her powerful she had lost all the things that really mattered and she of all people knew it. She had never known peace. Slowly she began to explain something to this kind man, who was so different from the man in a drunken rage she remembered from eight years ago. She began explaining about something that had happened this last week. Way over in a different part of town, near where she lived. Some people had come to a clearing not far from her house and they had shown a movie about the life of Christ. Of course she had not gone over to see the movie, but she couldn't get away from the sound and she could see much of it from her house. She had not been able to escape the message of Love and hope that she had heard.

COINCIDENCE?
The man's face lit up. "Let me tell you how God is trying to show you His Love. Do you know that movie that you saw that night this last week way over there? None of us knew why, but we felt that God wanted us to go to that area...   it was us... this church here...  my workers and our team, we are the ones that showed the movie about Christ that you saw this last week!" Slowly the witchdoctor woman began to cry, then she knelt down on the cold, hard, cement floor of the church. Next to her knelt the man that she had tried to kill. She asked God to forgive her and she accepted the Love and forgiveness of Christ into her life, and she accepted the peace that seemed to flood over her.

THERE'S A WITCHDOCTOR AT HOME
They went from the church to the pastors home and there they talked things over with the pastor's wife, who is a strong woman of faith and the pastor's family and all felt that it would be best if the lady moved in with them and stay for a while as she grows in her faith. Please pray for them! The truth is she's not a Witchdoctor anymore, as of right now she is a child of the King...  a sister in Christ...  she is family. Who but our God could do such a thing?

UPDATE
We just got back to the main island of Viti Levu. What a great, great trip! Out of 44 systems on this vessel, not one single new mechanical failure for this whole trip in over 18 hours of running - wow, wow, wow! That's never happened before. Keep on praying! One of the best trips we've had so far on all fronts. On the island of Kadavua, the District Superintendent, two or our JESUS Film team members and myself used cane knives and shovels and pitchforks, we burned and cut and dug and cleared and leveled and worked until we drug ourselves down off the mountain top and collapsed each night. The bush and reeds and vines and grass was all twice as high as our heads and so dense you couldn't see the next guy over working 10 feet away. Out of 30 acres, after more work than I care to remember, we've probably only got a half acre cleared so far. On this new church property, we tried to leave the wild pineapples and bananas and mangos and coconuts as we made room for the church and the new pastor to plant Dalo and Cassava and Yams and anything else he wants to stick in the ground for food - because it will grow!! I found out how excellent the juice from a certain wild leaf quickly squeezed and rubbed into an open wound will stop the blood flow, even my American blood or African blood or whatever my blood is?
 
We met with chiefs and met with others and talked and listened and worked and sat and stood in amazement as to how God has been going before us and how His work keeps unfolding in front of us. Keep praying for this new 'JESUS Film started' church on the southern shores of the island of Kadavu. Pray for the pastor and his family that will lead them and the work that lies ahead. Pray mostly for the victories that God has allowed us and you to be a part of - it is worth whatever it takes. For each one there was a Calvary. Tell me what could be more important? What a great privilege to partner with you all and be able to represent you here in the South Pacific in this Kingdom work.
 
Harmon

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