YWAM Arua: Remain in me...

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

-John 15:7, NIV

It was not an easy trip for the members of DR Congo outreach team, but then again nothing worth giving up safety and comfort for ever really is. After a few months of training at the YWAM Arua base, Dorothy Bingi and her team of DTS students and staff embarked on a journey across the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reach God's people there.

The trip itself was quite perilous. The roads in Congo are tumultuous; sometimes it took the team several hours to travel only a few kilometers. They often found themselves in parasite infested waters trying to make a way for the vehicle to pass. At times, they were forced to sleep in the Congolese jungle with no tent to protect them from the rains, wild animals, venomous snakes, and armed government and militiamen. It would have been easy to say that it was too difficult and too dangerous. Most people wouldn't have tried at all, and those who did would have probably turned back. However, Bingi and her team knew that God had called them to reach his Congolese bride and that He would give them the strength they needed to fulfill his will.

"Generally, I would say because we persisted, even when things became harder and harder, we saw the hand of the Lord. If we had given up we would not have seen Him do anything." ~Dorothy Bingi
The team chose to remain in the presence of God and to trust in Him to renew their strength. No matter how difficult the night was or how challenging the journey had been, they were always filled with new joy and strength upon reaching each village that God had sent them to. God was always faithful to his word, and wherever the gospel was preached signs and wonders followed those who believed. The team saw God's hand perform many miracles throughout their time in the Congo.

There was a man who had been paralyzed for some time. He was unable to walk and at times he could barely speak. His body and his mind were both struggling to function as their Maker intended. The DTS team was told about this man, and they decided they needed to pray for him. After spending about twenty minute in prayer the man began to speak to the team. He confessed to them that he had wanted to become a skilled hunter, so he visited a local witchdoctor in hopes of receiving a potion or a ritual that would help him to develop this skill. Rather than being able to find food with ease after his visit, he was unable to hunt at all. Eventually he began to hear strange voices in addition to losing his ability to walk. The team new that God is a God of deliverance and that he brings freedom to the captives. So with faith in the word, the team began to pray and declare God’s truth over this man’s life. Within a matter of minutes he was completely healed. The next day the man followed the team for 6 kilometers, singing and dancing all the way; he was filled with joy for what God had done for him.

God moved in many miraculous ways and taught the members of the team many valuable lessons on this outreach.