Introducing Pastor Elijah
and Mountain Of Light Gospel Church!
What would Jesus do? Another INCREDIBLE life story from Missionary Phyllis:
On our way to church on Sunday, as we passed this compound (above), I noticed rows of people's heads showing above the walls of this distant pile of bricks. Upon our return, we stopped to investigate. We discovered that this building was both mission house and sanctuary for a wonderful Man of God, Pastor Elijah, and his small group of believers.
I was so touched. What would I do about this? I could only immediately tell the Pastor that we would help him! We would complete the building of his church. He began to weep. One woman in his congregation fell to her knees, arms lifted up, praising God.
What would Jesus do? I believe He would build this church.
This is Pastor Elijah, although he calls himself Prophet Elijah. We all immediately fell in love with him! Pastor Elijah, a warm, kind, humble Man of God. He has pastored here for 13 years.
This is where Pastor Elijah sleeps. On a bench. No roof over his head. We immediately went to town, buying a mattress and having a bed made for him. Can you imagine sleeping on a narrow wooden bench for 13 years? We're also buying a pillow, supplying sheets and pillowcase, and building a small cupboard. We're setting all this up in a Friends and Neighbors classroom where Pastor will stay while his church is being built!
Here is Pastor Elijah, meeting a mattress for the first time in 13 years! The carpenter had his bed frame ready by that afternoon!
This is the original sanctuary. Pastor Elijah told us that this is where God meets them every time they gather for worship.
We took Pastor Elijah over to Friends and Neighbors High School, where he'll have an empty classroom to store his things and a place to sleep while we work on his little church. We will raise the walls, put a roof on his church building, INCLUDING doors, windows and floors! He and his congregation can use our church facilities here at the high school or join us in our services! Praise God! We are all so, so thankful for this opportunity to get to know Pastor Elijah and his people, and to build this church for them!!
Pastor Elijah gave his testimony today in our combined service. But before he did, he walked over to the guard house and invited our security guard to join us in church. I love this man!
Then the Pastor told his story. I want to share just one part of it. A family came to him one memorable day, carrying the body of their child who had died during the night. The family had already shaven the child's head, as is the custom, and dressed him in a white gown. They wanted Pastor Elijah to bury him.
But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Pastor Elijah, and falling on his knees, he began asking God to return this child, alive and well, to his family. He prayed and prayed, and God heard him. God answered his prayers, and raised this little boy from the dead. It happened right here, in front of many witnesses, in the small sanctuary of this little church.
And today, noticing that our security guard walked with great difficulty, Pastor Elijah laid hands on him and prayed for his healing. I believe the man will walk again! Praise God!
Exactly ONE WEEK after God led us to this church, we had already made some progress on the building! On Sunday, we held a wonderful combined service, with Pastor Elijah and his congregation AND our own, at the Free Methodist Church at Friends and Neighbors School. Both Pastor Elijah and Pastor Ojo conducted the service.
Afterwards, we trekked over to the church under construction and prayed for God's special favor and blessing to rest on this church, the Prophet and the congregation. What a wonderful day!
We are now raising the roof of Mountain of Light Gospel Church! We are all so very happy to do this, and we know that God is happy, too!!
Enugu UPDATE!
You may recall that work has started on the unfinished secondary school at Bright Hope Christian Academy, Enugu. Things are going well! The ground floor building and retaining wall are nearly completed. We are starting now on second floor! Please continue to pray for the project, for safety, and for God's blessing over our wonderful workers there!
BIG GIVERS, UNITE!
SEND CHECKS!
Our mailing address is:
Schools For Africa
c/o Don Standley, Treasurer
1010 Silver Springs Way
Stanwood, WA 98292
