July 11, 2006
Praise the Lord!
The Ghana Team arrived on time today and all are back home with their families!
Josh covered the entire trip to us in about 45 minutes! We looked at his pictures
already and can't wait to hear the testimonies.
Mark Blum and the team will share in depth with all of us, the church and all us prayer
warriors in two Sundays at Living Way Church. I will try to send out an email with the
date and time, but feel free to contact the church at 858-386-1441 for more information.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support!
Till the next missions trip, God bless you,
Mark Dela Cruz
July 8, 2006
Hi Prayer Warriors...
I'm actually in a restaurant in Accra, and they have wireless access here in the restaurant...
some nice people let me borrow their computer... just to let you know that we are fine, had a
LONG drive backto Accra... and everyone is feeling MUCH better...
Please continue to pray for great health for the team, and safe travel tomorrow night...
we will go to a very interesting church tomorrow – a Church w/ no walls ...
Must go for now... Love you all...
Mark, Bruce and the G-team
July 6, 2006
Good Morning Mighty Prayer Warriors...
Thanks again for all your prayers... yesterday was a Great day... this kid’s camp
was actually in a building... NICE and HOT in there...
Electricity wasn't working... Which means NO fans ... (and building means cement blocks,
w/ open holes for windows and doors... And some makeshift benches)... Which was just fine
w/ us... About 150 kids, having the time of their life.... The only problem was, that old
friend, that likes to visit people or should I say visit their colons... YOU KNOW what I'm
talking about... Everyone but a few people got hit w/ it yesterday... So needless to say the
2 bathrooms in our guest house have been a little busy... But you wouldn't believe the team
unity here... INCREDIBLE!!!
Please pray for everyone's health... no one is really sick, just a little tired... We did
have the morning to chill out today, the kids camp will start in the afternoon... we expect
anywhere from about 400 kids to 1000 kids ... HOLY SMOKE!!! That’s a lot of kids... Just
like Kosovo... I have a few people that want to stay!!! but I promise, I will bring ALL of them back :)
We are praying for LOTS of Salvations today... Keith and Debbie - the missionaries here - told us
that we will NEVER KNOW the impact we have had here.. that God's presence has flowed over the places
we have gone, and changed people FOREVER...
We were Also able to give Keith and Debbie money to buy the different villages grain, because many
of the villagers have very little food to feed themselves... in fact, most of the villages we went to,
don't even know what day it is, or how old they are... Keith asked one man when he was born, and the
man told him, "I was born in the Rainy Season"... The grain that will be given to them from this
team will be a real expression of God's love to them...
We were blessed today to meet a Pastor and his wife that have started about 14 village churches...
He prayed for all of us today, and we felt very honored... a Great Man of God....
Prayer points for today will be...
Health for the whole team...
Salvations in the Villages today....
Travel safety for a 15 hour bus ride tomorrow....
Protection against any fiery darts of the enemy...
THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS...
Kim is doing much better..
Great Devotions every night by a different team member and a SPECIAL THANKS to Mark Dela Cruz
who has been sending you out all these emails.... PS Mark D.... Your Nephew Josh is the cutest
kid EVER!!! He has kept this team truly entertained!!!
Blessings to you all...
Mark, Bruce and the G-Team
Message July 5, 2006
Hi All!
Before I tell you the crazy story of yesterday, I want to thank you all again for your
prayers... This team has really experience some amazing things... both in the natural
and in the spiritual... Africa is such a wonderful place... the spiritual attitude here is
extremely high... whether it is for Jesus, or for Satan...we have been praying for divine
opportunities to share with everyone we meet about Jesus...
There will be lots of stories I don't have time to share w/ you now, but most of the villages
here are Muslim... in fact, yesterday, we passed through one village that was 100 percent
Muslim, and had a 600 year old Mosque in the middle of the town... Yet, all the people
will wave at us a we pass through (Now I know how the Beatles must have felt driving
around)... actually, it's been fun to wave at all the people, and see the most Beautiful
Smiles in the World from the Ghana people...
In one of the villages the other day while pastor Bruce was preaching, he said "The Devil
must LEAVE this place!" and at that SECOND... a ten foot tree branch feel out of the
tree... it was VERY bizarre to say the least!!! Crazy things like that have been happening..
it's been quite exciting...
The dramas have been really fun, but when the Satan Character comes out, they are all
afraid of it (Played by Melissa)... and the other day, she ran out toward the kids during the
dramas, and I've never seen kids run soooo fast... it was pretty funny really... they have all
been responding to the dramas ... it really relates to them....
Most of the huts are made out of Mud out here... everyday gives you about 1000 chances
to shoot National Geographic pictures... (Thank God for Digital Camera's)...
Today we are doing a kids camp at a church about 1 hour away... then we'll have a night service
for the church there.... Please pray for LOTS of salvations, as the kids from all over the town
there will come out......
OK......... NOW for the Crazy Story....
Yesterday, we went on a safari, but it was a walking safari... kinda crazy.... we started out
w/ 2 guides, EACH carrying an elephant rifle... (Which I thought was JUST for dramatic
effect) ... we started off walking through the African plains, through LOTS of trees and came
upon a herd of Warthogs... then a bunch of Gazelle, some Water Bucks, a few Crocodiles, and
then we came upon a herd of 15 elephants... WOW...
We were probably about 200 feet away, but there was a 15 foot observatory for us to watch them,
while some were in the water, and others were just standing there doing their thing.... it was one
of the most amazing things to see them in the wild like that... after about 45 minutes there, we
were moving on, and as we walked behind a bush.... an elephant started CHARGING at us....
at that very second, the guide whipped his rifle around and shot above the elephant, which
stopped the thing in it's tracks, it did an about face, and the whole herd took off running like there
was NO Tomorrow!!!
It was very surreal... but great stories for the Team when they get home!!! I guess it's all
part of the Mission's experience :)))
Our prayer request's for today will be for
- Today’s kids camp, and tonight’s service, for lots of unsaved kids to come and receive Jesus
(They don't have a Bible in their language, and none of the village people know how to read
anyway, so it's not like you can tell them to read their Bibles)
-Pray for Kim, she is felt a little under the weather last night, but feels a little better today
-Pray for our last camp tomorrow in another village
-Pray for God to raise up MORE Leaders here to continue to teach the people
***Quick testimony***
David Simila's hand was really hurting from playing the drums, and
we all prayed for him and God HEALED him Instantly!!! Also, a cool story,... when Keith
and Debbie a few years ago were praying about coming to WA, they went into a prayer service,
and people were praying corporately, and then someone would stand up and pray, and when
Keith asked what they were praying, the pastor told them they were praying the Scriptures
word for word... yet, some of these people had only been saved for 2 weeks, and they don't have
Bibles.... GOD is SO GREAT!!!
Thank you Living Way Church and thank you to all the Prayer Warriors around the US and around
the world who are praying for us.... Your prayers are changing the world... Changing Ghana!!!
We Love You All.... Thanks for pressing on with us!!!
Mark, Bruce and the G-Team
PS... Sorry I can't send any pics.... internet way to slow!!!
Message July 3, 2006
Hi All!
What an exciting time we are having here... and we realize it is because of ALL
of your prayers for us... EVERYONE is having a Blast...but.... Working REALLY
Really hard.... what a GREAT team this is.... you would ALL be soooo proud of them...
2 days ago, we went to Zupprii, a village in the middle of NOWHERE, where Keith and Debbie
(The Missionaries here) started a Church a few years ago... Everyone in the village was so
nice, and hospitable... about 200 + people meet under a tree, where they worship like No
other place I've seen!!! (Our LWC group is in LOVE with the way they worship)...
We performed a Drama for them, and then a few of our team gave their testimonies, of course
a puppet show - Which the Ghana Villages LOVE... and then Pastor Bruce brought a GREAT Message...
We then did a kids camp for all the kids, which they Loved and had LOTS of Fun... 2 people on
our team received their prayer language during worship.... AWESOME!!!
Last night was a real treat for us... we started worshipping at the house we are staying at,
and it turned into about a 2 1/2 hour prayer and worship service, where EVERYONE was prayed
for, and many Great Words were spoken.... (Parents, PLEASE bring your children's dental records
to the airport, because SOME of you might not recognize them!!! Many are CHANGED!!! ) WOW :)
That was such a great time w/ the team last night... Today we went about 1 ½ hours to another
village, where last year a church was planted (Under a tree, just like Zupprii - Hey, no overhead
costs.... :)....
You will laugh sooo hard when you see the pictures of the village chief with a balloon hat on!!!
Everyone in the village, about 150 + all got balloon hats, but I made one for the chief out of
about 8 balloons.... HE KNEW he was the Chief... He was so proud... it was hilarious!!!
About 50 people got saved today.... is this INCREDIBLE or what!!!
Tomorrow we have a surprise for the team,,, we are not doing a kids camp, but taking the team to
a Game park to see animals in the wild.... should be ALOT of fun for them (but we have to leave by 5am)
- Ouch--
8 guys all in the same room - girls are splitting 2 rooms... but PTL for A/C in every room!!! We are ALL
healthy, everyone is sleeping good... Sorry Cathy A... David still didn't get his luggage... but don't
worry.... he definitely knows how to do laundry in the sink :) ... actually, everyone has been sharing
clothes w/ him, and everyone has been doing GREAT!!!
Please continue to pray for Salvation for the all the villagers, great health for the team, good weather
(Its hot, but been pretty good), safety while traveling... at least 3 hours a day on the road, and
continued safety for Keith and Debbie Jaggers.
Thank you all so much for EVERY prayer you have sent up for us!!!
Keith and Debbie said that this is the most UNITY they have EVER seen on a missions team before...
they have been blown away with this group!!!
We love you all so much...Thanks for being such a vital part of this team!!!
Love,
Mark, Bruce and the G-Team :)
Message July 1, 2006
WOW, WOW, WOW....
Are YOU kidding Me or WHAT???
What an AWESOME day we had... after taking 44 hours to get to WA, we finally
made it ... after 28 hours on a plane, then 16 hours on a bus, we made it at 1:30 am,
had some prayer time, then off to bed for a wonderful 5 hours of sleep...
No one knew what to expect... on the bus ride down, about 9pm, after 12 hours of
riding the bus, (VERY Packed)... we had the most AMAZING 2 hour worship and prayer
service ... where we all prayed for each other, then people shared how we all felt
inadequate to be used by God...
We got up this morning, had breakfast at the house, and then off to a village about
1½ hours from WA... Way Out There!!! When we got there, there were about 200 people,
about 150 kids... we sang a few songs for them, then they sang for about ½ hour for us...
it was SO incredible... everyone on our team either started weeping, or wanted to but
held back the tears as they watched this village sing and dance...
We played games with the kids, we sang, played soccer, frisbee, Salvation Bracelets,
and just hung out with them... then about 4pm, we performed our dramas and then
Pastor Bruce got up, told a story, and gave a Salvation Message... about 150 people
raised their hand for Salvation.... PTL!!!
NOW THIS is what we are here for... EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE did SOOOO Great...
Everybody found their niche, everyone participated, and everyone had their socks blown off....
There was a church planted in this village only 3 weeks ago... the people could not have been
friendlier, and you would have thought you were in a National Geographic Magazine...
EVERYONE knew they were really in Africa... many of these people in the village had never
even seen a white person...
We are off to a Church tomorrow in a new village, then we will conduct another kids camp there....
God has been SO faithful to this team, especially after such LONG travel... It was ALOT more
than any of our team expected...
Pray for continued Health,
Pray for Protection,
Pray for Salvations in the Village,
Pray for Wisdom in all we do...
We Love you all so much, and REALLY feel your prayers....
This internet speed is SOOOO Slow, I can't send any pictures at this time... But will try again later....
Everyone sends their Love.... and Everyone is Healthy and Happy....
Love You... the G-Team!!!
Message June 30, 2006
Hi All...
Well, after 28 hours of traveling, we made it to Accra... LONG trip, but we stayed at a Baptist
guest house last night, and we EVEN had air conditioning!!! Praise GOD!!! Some of the kids even
said it was cold in their room... EVERYONE slept great, and we are waiting on the bus to take us
on our 18 hour tour of Ghana... (Tour is a nice way to say REALLY LONG bus ride :)
Everyone received their luggage, except David Arriola, but, he had a great attitude, and the
Greyhound bus will deliver it in WA in a few days, Lord willing... otherwise, I have extra underwear
he can use :)))
The time difference is 7 hours ahead here... and the kids are all excited, because when we exchange
money, the exchange rate is 9400 of their dollars to 1 of ours... so if they exchange $110 US dollars,
they will be instant Millionaires!!! YEAH!!!
Thanks to everyone who is praying for us... We can really feel them... it Means SOOO much to this team
to have your prayers and support... we had an AWESOME time of prayer and worship this morning and last
night also, despite being tired after our trip....
Everyone is ready for ministry, everyone is ready to evangelize, and we love you all... I'm not sure
about the internet at WA, will be a little sketchy at times but will try to send some pictures as I can...
LOVE TO ALL....
Mark and the A-Team!!!