Galapagos 5- wildlife galore

Many people have asked me about what animals we saw. The fauna of the Galapagos are amazing, they are very tame, and very accessible to see. We saw sea lions (begging for fish), red/orange Sally Lightfoot crabs, land finches (very dull birds), land iguanas, swimming marine iguanas (really bizarre), lots of pelicans, several kinds of land tortoises (all huge- they can live up to 200 years), and blue-footed boobies (so named because the Spanish thought they looked like clowns, or "bobos"). It was all quite amazing.

Galapagos 4- Spiritual warfare

Unfortunately, the enemy did fight back. Most of our team got sick, some of them really sick. The third night, I was to give a seminar on "evolution and creation". This was the request of the church, they said that this is the biggest problem they face in ministering on the islands! Fortunately, I spoke on this very topic in church just 4 months ago during my series on contemporary issues. But I started feeling sick- very sick with a high fever- before the seminar. Halfway through my message I got chills and began visibly shaking. Louise said my lips were turning blue, and I was very pale- she was afraid I would collapse. After the service and ride home, I had severe chills for an hour, and was sick for two days. This is the result of confronting the ruling spirit of the islands, which is evolution.

Yes, I feel better now!

Galapagos 3- ministry and prophetic dreams

It amazes me to see how God has gone before us on this trip. One of the Galapagos youth workers told us how about 6 months ago she had a dream of us- the church was full of children (over 300), being led by people in blue shirts (our team outfit) with a clown she did not recognize (one of us). God gave us incredible ministry among the kids- there were so many pressing in, it reminded me of the times of Jesus.

One of the coolest things is that one school has a "creation wall" painted on it by a Christian school. This secular school invited us to give an evangelistic rally (so many kids I can't count them all), and a seminar on parenting.

Our construction team is working at an incredible rate. This year's team, has worked together as well as any team I have ever seen. I am so proud of our church!

Galapagos 2- Desert or jungle?

The first thing to strike me about the Galapagos is how volcanic and desert-like it is. It has cool cactus trees all around, and is hot. It truly does look antediluvian, like a place where reptiles rule. But after you climb into the mountains in the middle of the island, it is tropical, with rain and banana trees. We saw the famous giant tortoises on a preserve way up in the mountains. They can move surprisingly fast for something that can weigh up to 600 pounds.

Of course, we are here for the people- about 30,000 of them on the islands, most of them on this island in this town. I am amazed how big Puerto Ayora is, a good-sized town with a huge tourist trade on a beautiful bay. People are very friendly, very typical Latin America. And looming over everything is the seemingly omniscient presence of Charles Darwin, who is like a patron saint here.

Galapagos 1- It's hard to get there!

Now I see why the Galapagos are so obscure. It took 9 (NINE!) trips to get there door to door. It is no wonder we were exhausted just getting there. #1 was driving to the church, #2 was driving to JFK airport (little traffic on the day before July 4). #3 was flying to Miami, #4 was flying to Quito, Ecuador. #5 was flying to Guayaquil, the sole gateway to the Galapagos. After deplaning (we were told we would not have to), #6 was flying to Balthra island, Galapagos (note the cool red iguana logo for Airgal, the only way to get there). #7 was a packed bus ride across the island ("survival of the fittest", someone said- not all our team made the bus). #8 was a packed boat ride across the channel to another island with all our bags on the ferry roof! #9 was a hour trip to our hotel on the other side of the island.

You can get there, but it's not easy.

Quito prophetic dream

An odd pattern- this is the second time this year where I had an unusual dramatic prophetic dream in another country. On the 4th of July (or maybe the 5th)in Quito, Ecuador, I saw myself about 15-20 years from now (it's good to know I will make it!). FYI, that would make me about 68-73 years old. I was retired, but was ministering part-time to Princeton students. In what capacity this was, I am not sure. I never thought of doing this before, but will now consider this for the future.

Ecuadoreans in Wendy's

Last Saturday I went to Wendy's to get a burger. As soon as I looked at the counter man, I thought that he was from Ecuador, where we will be shortly. He almost jumped when I asked him if he were from Ecuador (he was- I have been there twice, and can now recognize many inhabitants). I told him that we were going to build a church and school in the Galapagos, all while he was getting my burger and chicken wrap.

Keep in prayer for us from July 3-13. We will post some good stories and pictures, I am sure. I never knew anything other than tortoises and iguanas live in the Galapagos until a few years ago. There are about 40,000 people there, and the main AG church is exploding with growth. We are taking the Gospel into the heart of Darwin country!

Buddhists in Manalapan

While prayer-walking Manalapan I visited the Buddhist temple on Gordons Corner Road. Most people don't know it is there, as it is screened by high shrubs. I walked all around it- it is like going to another country. The 30 foot high monument is surrounded by idols depicting different prayer postures for various days of the week. There are a number of gongs around it, which I think are supposed to invoke the presence of different gods when they are rung.

They are planning to expand this temple. Pray for the Buddhists of Manalapan.

Christina in the Philippines

We heard from Christina by skype the other day. I am so extremely proud of her and what she is doing, in spite of her sub-par health. She is well, eating the best mangos she has ever tasted! Pray for her cultural adjustment and ability to relate to the girls she is teaching. Five of them just came into the home from a background of sexual abuse, and are in her class.

Dream

Two weeks ago I had a prophetic dream. I saw a huge old dead tree with no limbs on it in our back yard, just off our patio. It had holes in it and was ancient. I looked at it, and said, "This is going to fall." The tree was higher than our home, maybe 50 feet high. As soon as I said this, the tree broke off into 3 or 4 huge sections and fell, hitting our house. Then I woke up.

The interpretation was obvious to me. The tree represents a person who is a pillar, and is going to die. I hope it is not someone close to me.

91 and still counting

My mother just celebrated her 91st birthday. She lives by herself in the house I grew up in, drives, has a memory better than the average person, and has no major health problems. This is the blessing of God! I hope I got her longevity genes. This is from her 91st birthday dinner.