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Simeon’s First
Birthday With Jesus |
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Had somebody recorded
Simeons words tonight, we would have a psalm of praise longer than Psalm 119.
Simeon just kept praising the Lord, even preaching about His goodness and
faithfulness and grace and love hardly anybody else got to talk :-)
Thats why I chose Davids words from Psalm 145 to start this email sharing
with you about Simeons special birthday celebration tonight. Emmanuel came at 8 p.m.,
and half an hour later I went to get Simeon. I had put my table and chairs on
the balcony, where its a little cooler (34°C/93°F in my apartment at night). Since
there are no cakes or ways of making a cake, I was planning on making
Grießkoch something Austrian (the closest would be milk-rice). Emmanuel
and Simeon were talking while I prepared the dessert. They both liked it, and
Simeon told us that he hadnt celebrated at all. But he was so blessed that
Emmanuel had come all the way for him, that I had prepared the dessert, and
that we were sharing the meal together (out of one bowl). He started praising
the Lord then. Then I went to get the collection of birthday wishes Ive
received from you guys for him. I had translated them in the afternoon
and its still not too late if you still wanna write. Simeon was overwhelmed
when he saw all the wishes and blessings, some really touching him deeply. I
told him that we werent just three celebrating him tonight, but many, many
more who couldnt be here. He read one after the other slowly, interrupting
from time to time to praise the Lord, and start preaching ;-) When he was
done, he was so moved, so blessed. I jokingly said that he couldn’t take any
more gifts, maybe I should keep the one I still have until Christmas. I gave
him some time to recover and finally went to get it. All night I had
been so excited, like a little girl, hardly being able to await seeing him
open it and seeing his reaction to the New Testament in his mother tongue. He
very slowly opened it, guessing it would be a song book. He finally held the
Bible in his hand and slowly read the words in his mother tongue on the front
cover. I asked him to open it and read something to us. He opened it and read
two lines. Then he was so overcome, he had to stop. For the first time I saw
him speechless and at any moment I expected to see tears. This is my
mother tongue, he finally said. And he started praising God again, and saying
what a special night this was. He had been said that he couldnt afford giving
a party and inviting people, but he said that was a birthday hed never
forget. And even more, he solemnly declared that tonight, once again, in a
new way, he was consecrating himself completely to the Lord and to that which
He has prepared for him. He said this night would mark a new beginning. I
later jokingly said whether that included being able to get up Sunday
mornings, since he has let me down several times when I have wanted to take
him to church with me. So, as you can see it was
a very special evening, and I have never seen Simeon so full of joy. Just two
days ago, he didnt come to my English class because, in his words, he
wasnt well psychologically. Emmanuel is also battling a lot. He has a
number of physical problems, and he hates being in Bamako (his first year in
the capital). He was pretty down tonight and asked at the end, whether he
could stop by tomorrow to talk to me. In fact, I have been having a burden
for him for the past two weeks or so. Would you please pray for him and for
the meeting tomorrow, that God would give me His wisdom and His words, and
that His life would flow through me. The three of us are quite
a trio three people all battling discouragement, yet chosen of God to
be the light of the world, to be a light in Mali. I have had some wise
counsel from Gods people that was rather discouraging. Nobody has to tell me
that I cant do anything, I know that full well. But, nobody can tell me
that God cant do it. Nothing is impossible for God! And He will receive even
greater glory if He can work through people like us! Right now, it all seems
like a dead end street. Yet, I know, that when I reach the end of the street,
there will be a door the Lord is leading me towards right now. It might be
dark now, I might not see it, but when the time to step through that door
comes& I have to hold on to the
vision, because without vision we have no life. When I look at the
circumstances, when I consider the situation, the options, the future ahead,
there is no way. Yet, faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see (Heb 11:1). He has said it, and He will do it. So, please pray that I
will keep my eyes on Him, that I take advantage of this time of knowing only
Him and spending much time with Him, that I do not lose hope. And also that
he will send provision especially a car and people to go advance
His kingdom in Mali. Im also praying about
this coming summer, when Ill have nearly fourth months to spend in Vienna and
in Kansas City. I believe my time in Kansas City is going to be very
significant. However, at this point I havent got any means by far to pay for
plane tickets. Good news is that I have
a fridge now. A missionary couple sold it to me; I got it on Monday. Apart from these news,
everything else is continuing. Please dont forget my French neighbor and
colleague Alice who Im getting closer to and is opening up more for the
gospel. And before I forget it,
Simeon asked me pass on his deepest thankfulness for all wishes and prayers,
and he prayed that God would give you back much more than what youve given
him. With that, I will leave
you for today. May you join with me, Simeon, the great cloud of witnesses and
all of Gods created beings and angels in praising the Lord, God Most High,
Jehova, Great I AM, King of Kings, Creator of the universe, and yet Brother,
Friend, Bridegroom and Lover. All for HIM, Claudia P.S. I took some pictures
tonight let me know if you would like me to send you one. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tel. (+223) 220 0311 Cell (+223) 636 6727 IMPORTANT: Don't write my name on
the check, but add a note that it's for me. In
Europe: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=office%40glorywebservices.com&item_name=Claudia+Wintoch&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD |