A Note From Chuck (With A P.S. From Doc)

Hi Folks!

Chuck here. I just wanted to share an amazing experience I had today.

The Med Team was working with some Burmese refugees in the mountains today, and Doc and I went out to see how it was going later in the afternoon.


What an incredible beautiful place! Doc said he was shocked by the contrast of beautiful scenery and poor houses and people. It was truly a contrast.


While there we had an opportunity to meet a newer Christian lady, and her story brought tears to our eyes. Let me try and summarize it for you.
This lady was a Buddhist Animist just a year ago.


Her son (not the little tike in the photo above) was literally demon possessed with some kind of goat sounding demon. He would "bray?" like a goat and couldn't talk when he was under this spell.


These people live by a huge old banyan tree that the Buddhists believe to be the home of many spirits (read demons). The people would regularly come to the tree and make sacrifices, not long ago a pig head was hung on it, which is quite gross, don't you think?


Any time anyone tried to live near the tree, and just have a life, something bad would befall them. When the Burmese came and asked if they could live up by the tree, the Thai's said sure! Not long afterwards the mission here planted a church among these refugees, RIGHT UNDER THE BANYAN TREE!

This lady and her son who lived down the road kept waiting for something bad to happen to the church, and to the workers. But every time she walked by - the church was having a meal - inviting her and her son to join them. They would have worship and sing loud and strong, which she could hear from her house - all the while with NOTHING bad happening to the church and it's people (yeah I know the church IS the people but you know what I mean).


So the woman was intrigued. Her son continued to have these "goat attacks"

The preacher there told her that she didn't need to be afraid, that Jesus was stronger than any spirits living in trees. That Jesus was stronger than any goat demon. And so she continued to come.

About 3 months ago, she and her son were baptized! The boy has been healthy ever since. She gave her testimony a few days ago. She said, "i have learned that there is only ONE GOD, and he has lived with us as Jesus! He is stronger than any thing else that exists. he is my Lord, and he has saved my son! I will never turn away from Jesus!"

What a great witness. I have been blessed to meet this woman and her son.

If we could all express our faith so simply, and strongly.

Thanks for praying for me and the team. Your prayers are truly being felt!
We are praying for you all as well - praying that as you read the stories of our journey, your lives and your hearts will be changed, as ours surely have.

Blessings to you all,
Chuck

P.S.
OK, it's Doc speaking now.
It has been a wonderful day. just finish pluggin in the photos from the Chuck's account of the day and wanted to add a note.

I am trying to think of an emotion that was not invoked today in some form. This probably has been the best day of the trip thus far. I have lots of photos to share and will elaborate more soon. But they may have to come a little later, cause it's Friday night sometime around midnight.

Tomorrow should prove to be another day full of surprises and treasures all its own. I challenge you to really look at your life and see what we do have. May you find more treasure than you thought you had. All to often its get up, go to work, eat the same ole lunch, come home to the same ole spouse or home and then your off to bed before you know where the daylight went. I figure this is getting posted on most of your lunch breaks, so if you do read this...try looking at your afternoon with fresh eyes.

I'm feeling a little like a pirate talking bout all this treasure. Guess that means all of my ECU peeps are getting a shout out. ARRGGH! Thanks for the prayers.

TTFN

Doc