Aaron

This Cross is inside the Orthadox Church in the Bulgarian Camp here at Kandahar. This is the most wonderful example of craftsmnaship I have seen in a while. The Church is made of all wood. Everything including the crosses and walls. Soldiers built it and it is marvelous.

My food intake here at KAF has gone down to a minimum as I don't have a food card and therefore you are stuck to a schedule when the bus will bring you over to the DFAC and back. Because of this I have been eating only a big lunch evryday. Don't worry mom, it is enough for me as my appetite has diminished anyway since I have been here.

So yesterday I went and had a big lunch but of primarily vegatables and alos a peice of chicken. I was full when I left so I figured that I was good. Yesterday also, if you read the blog, I came to realize that I had not been letting go of the one thing that was keeping me truly from Him, the longing for home. I prayed most of the day about this and was able to really make progress past this. I felt good and had a new vigor for what I was doing and the time that I would spend here in Afghanistan. I truly felt as if I had stepped past a stubling block in my heart.

I spoke to Catherine, and as we find time and time again, when one of us is Spiritually strong Satan will attach the other. We have experienced this several times now over the past few months. He battles against the family as well as the indivdual so we have seen this seesaw several times. It wasn't that it was a strong attach but enough that we prayed and talked to try to fight him back. At the end of this Catherine was stronger and focussed on the Lord.

So as time passed yesterday I sat and continued to read my Bible. My plan here is to read through it once this year at least. I was hopeing for twice but my schedule and Gods plans for my ministry here use a lot of the spare time, thankfully. So these few days have served that I can move ahead of schedule and be prepared for times when I can't read. It was a nice day, and a nice fellowship with the Lord.

So at around 1800 I began to feel hungry again and instead of just ignoring it I decided to go to dinner and then walk back in time to check todays flight and call Catherine when she arrived home from work.

I sat at a table alone, as alone as you could be with three hundered others around you and began to eat my meal. A few minutes into it two men sat down in front of me across the table. They were both Phillipino and the one directly across from me was very small and thin, long hair in a pon tail, and a thin mustache. He smiled. I don't know how the conversation started but we began to talk about how long we were here, our children and families and what we did.

He explained to me that he had been here for three years and that he did this for his children. He had gotten married late in life and now at 51 he had a three kids, the oldeat ten. He was trying to make their life good. I told him that I only was here for one year. He smiled and said only one? Yes! That I planned on returning home and finnishing school. He asked uin what and I explained, Biblical Studies, that I hoped to be a Pastor. He said "Oh" and perked up.

He then stated that he believed in God but not the Ten Commandments and this began our conversation. We spoke about the troubles in the land and the root of conflicts and wars. I explained to him that I felt that mans pride is at the root of all sin. That in some form or another a man believes that he is better than another, or stronger, or better looking or more deserving and that is what stems all other sin. Ultimately that man sins as a result of not fearing God and believing he can do better without Him.

He then asked me a question about the difference between Catholics and Christians. Now I know that most Phillipinos are Catholics so I now felt I better tred lightly, however I took a deep breath and dove in. I actually thought for a moment that this could be the moment that somebody thinks that I am prostilitizing and that I get in trouble. I continued and explained the differences starting with history and ending with works vs grace. We spoke briefly about Baptism and that he was baptised as a baby and how I at thirty nine. We spoke about giving communion and if that was given to the Ordained only or to all that believe in rememberance of Him.

The next big question was about those that are already dead. Can anything be done to get them into heaven if they did not believe in God before they died. I explained that for me the only path is through Jesus Christ and that if you did not believe in Him then you were destined for eternal seperation from God, Hell. This didn't sit well as he had family members that he prayed for to go to heaven even though they did not believ in God.

I explained now that God is just, that He treats everyone justly. Because of this justness He must not waiver from the guidlines that He has established. That if He showed favoritism to just one person that did not believe in the Lord Jesus Chrsit and have faith in his heart that He was Lord and Savior that He would not be Just. That we must know that He is unchanging or our Faith would not have a foundation.

He sat back and smiled. The he said to me, "I think you must stay here longer than a year. I think you should be speaking like this to others". Oh no! One year. I replied. I then stood up and asked him his name. Aaron he replied. I said Aaron it was nioce to meet you, I hope I get to see you again. We said our goodbyes.

I walked away, thanking God for the opportunty to wittness to this man. Granted he was a Catholic but still the Lord had provided me an opportunity tio speak of my Faith to another. Not just to sit there and ignore the situation out of fear but to actively engauge in a conversation with somone I did not know. This is seed planting, this is making disciples of the World. I walked home praising Him for that opportunity.

I thought as I laid in bed how the day progressed. As I woke that morning I was in dispare and lonely. I turned to the word and saw that I had a stumbling block, "My Money" had been getting in the way. I spent the day in His Word and in the evening the Spirit worked through me and I was able to wittness to another of His people. He will bring us all to a place iof descsion and then let us make a choice, do we walk with Him or not.

Lord I pray that each one of continue to trust in you and choose to Follow you. I pray that we step in faith to your Word and your promises to us. I pray that each believer be a light in the darkness and a voice to others of your Glory.