Mark Update September 10, 2010

Dear Family, Friends and Brethren,

We rejoice in God our Father and in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and in His Precious Spirit Who dwells within us and guides us into all Truth.

We want to thank you for your prayers on our behalf and on the behalf of His creation here in the jungles of Ecuador. He is a faithful Creator Who loves His creation more than we can conceive, but we believe.

Thank you for your notes of encouragement and concern over these past days since the accident. I had left of my last letter that I wanted to share with you what has been happening in the spiritual realm which we often overlook.

The Tagaeri are a people who have been held captive by the Wicked One for a long,long time. Satan uses fear to keep them isolated and lost. But God hath not given the Spirit of fear, but of  power and of love and of a sound mind. 

Two years ago God asked me to come here and help a group of Huaorani believers bring His Word to these people- their relatives. They have been separated now for fifty plus years. When I asked what kind of help they needed- they said they needed help searching from the air so they could know where exactly they lived and how to get there.

Two Sundays ago, God spoke to me very firmly while my pastor preached about the 12 going to spy out the promised land. He said it is time to do this search. I have spent the last year and a half building a good relationship with these believers in Tonampari. They truly have a burden for their loved ones and display a knowledge of their responsibility to reach them. They need our prayers and encouragement. 

After God spoke to me that Sunday, I entered into a time of fasting for His revealing of His plans more thoroughly. That week my sons and I were at CEMIM, a bible seminary that we attend for a week every other month. On Friday morning of that week, last week, I was compelled to share it with my brethren there. A couple of the pastors laid their hands on me and prayed for God's protection and guidance. I really cannot explain what happened within me other than to just say that my heart broke inside of me. The pain was intense and I could only groan as I cried. I was praying for the Tagaeri and my friends the Huaorani. God has revealed to me since that His Spirit took those prayers and my tears and petitioned God's throne according to His  mind and will.

That was about 8:30 in the morning. As our studies progressed that morning, God impressed upon my heart the need to go to a certain church in Tena that evening. I left early that day to be in Tena in time for that evenings service. In the service that evening, when it came time for the preaching of the Word, the pastor said he could not preach at that moment for he felt a great need to pray against the plans of the Devil. We entered into a time of prayer as the church cried out to God to break the devils plans. I, personally was asking God to send His angels to fight with the fallen angels and permit the Word of God to be preached.

About twenty minutes after prayer someone came and said I had a phone call. It was then I learned all our sons and Stephan were involved in the accident and that there was loss of life, but they were okay. This accident occurred while we were praying!

There is so much to testify to for His glory-but I see I have written so much already---very quickly then and to the point. Some of this may be way out there for some, but believe me when I say there is a spiritual war going on all around us and it is of utmost importance. We are all involved, whether we want to be or not.

After the hospital, about 3 in the morning, God spoke to me upon my bed. He said He did not want me on that bus, but wanted in that church praying with my brethren. I am so glad He did not reveal to me before what was going to occur- because as their father I would have wanted to be with my sons. He furthermore revealed to me that my groanings and tears of that morning were for my sons. We believe John was surrounded by angels as he was standing right near the point of impact, the area of the fatalities on the bus- but came through with only a welt on his back.

We know according to the book of Job, the Devil has to ask permission of God and can only touch what God permits. I believe he was saying- if you are going to try to come into my territory- I am going to come touch yours. God assured me -the battle and the victory are His. Hallelujah!

Tim was xrayed in Tena and found to have a broken jaw--they said it would require surgery and they could not do it there. We looked into doing it in Shell which is closer than Quito and less expensive, but it seemed God wanted us in Quito after talking to one of the doctors in Shell by phone.

We went to a  hospital in Quito Monday morning with a friend who lives in Quito. We no more walked through the front doors when she saw a man she knew from Tena. He was there because his daughter was in bad condition with an infection of some sort in her leg.

To make this much too long story short(er). Tim's xrays came back negative- no broken jaw! Before we left for Quito we all gathered in the living room and thanked God for His goodness to us and prayed for His protection in Quito. We asked God to heal Tim's jaw, stating that if He wanted to use a hospital and a doctor -- we would still acknowledge all healing comes from Him. We furthermore stated we believed He could fix it all by Himself and either way we would give Him the glory. We are writing this now to give Him the glory He deserves.

The best part- that father and daughter in the hospital have since placed their faith in Christ Jesus as their Savior and we know now why God wanted us in Quito! We look forward to discipling them in Christ back at home.

For we KNOW that ALL things work together for good- to those who love God and are called for His purpose!

Please pray with us as we will leave this coming Monday morning with a group of 12 young people- to visit and minister to the young people of Tonampari.

I am sorry for the length of this letter but not it's contents. 

To God be the glory, great things He hath done- so loved He this world that He gave us His Son- Who yielded His life an attoinment for sin- and opened the life gates that ALL MAY GO IN!