I hadn't planned on posting another blog about Martha but I think it is important to share what is going on in this little church and how Martha and we (you too) are being used here.
A little history.
In 2006 we were called out at night to pray for a woman that was demon possessed. She lives right next to a very large temple. Shortly after pastor Khon started a cell group there.
In 2008 I think it was they built a church a couple hundred meters from there.
Some time last year the teacher at this church decided to abandon his church. He return to his former religious practice visiting and offering sacrifices at the local witch doctors house. The teacher subsequently became very ill to where he is now nearly bed ridden.
Since then the church has dwindled to nearly nothing. A faithful lady has picked up and is carrying on as best she can. This is where we were able come in last year helping their children church with our children from the orphanage.
It is not the church I would have chosen, it is a little far and quite often inconvenient to go to. I like a closer nearby children church where the kids have been extremely receptive and loving towards us. It is an easy work to do an more enjoyable for me.
But this is the church God has placed on Ream's heart and she felt lead to help so we did. We were helping here a couple months before Courtney showed up and found Martha February of 2010.
Courtney had helped the family a lot with therapy and trying to figure out the root of Martha's problems.
Back then Martha was barely a year old and was breast feeding fine.
Courtney returned home after three months of a life changing trip, we got busy, and soon with out the extra help we were unable to continue going to this little church out of our way.
Summer came and we found more time and willingness from our children to go and help this church.
I had never met Martha before so it never occurred to me where she was or that I should visit her right next to the church property.
November had come around before Ream took our newest guest to visit Martha when they found out that the mother was not producing enough milk and was starving.
The next trip we gathered all our baby supplies left from the CCF medical trip in September. We took Pedia Sure, powered formula and some baby food and talked to her about feeding Martha.
Next trip we dropped by and the mother said the formula constipated the Martha so she stopped and went back to breast feeding. So we told her to try the baby foods that we had given her.
Then it was "the baby food gives her diarrhea" so they stopped and returned to the breast feeding.
The problem was that Martha was the families first baby, they didn't know how to care for her needs beyond the breast. People in their village don't use formula and they don't really know the effects of changing new foods on the babies.
So Ream was rather frank with them about not stopping the foods and that their baby girl would soon die if she didn't kept adding to her diet. We stopped and prayed with the team as I shared the first time.
We came home a little frustrated with the mom and her efforts and as we began making arrangements for her to go to a good hospital. I sat and prayed about it because it felt a little over whelming for me to have what we felt was an easy thing to care for but was not working out. I then felt lead to blog about it and ask you all for help and prayer.
We got wonderful responses from you all with prayers, concerns and offers to help.
We also had some of our prayers answered our biggest prayer was for her to eat. That after noon she did. Our request was for help with formula cost and we had a good response to this from you all.
We are quite sure with the timing of our prayer that day and Martha waking up that afternoon and reaching for the formula that it was a miracle. In one month exactly she has gone from staving to a some what healthy little girl.
Martha early January
Martha this week, early February
A men right!!
This week we had another mother bring her little 10 month old girl to us for prayer.
The cool thing is that people in the village know. They know what happened with Martha and the word is going out that God is working to rebuild this struggling little church.
Though a man abandoned them God has not.
We also had a young pastor we like tell us he wishes to teach at this church that his heart hurts for them. I am excited to see what happens here and am praying for their congregations return and a revival happens there. Such wonderful things to be apart of.
Martha has her next appointment on the 22nd.
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