Domata Discipleship School Of Ministry

Submitted by Jason;

     It's always interesting to see how the Lord uses events, situations and circumstances to orchestrate his kingdom. Like a chess player, He is strategically positioning his people for advancement and victory all over the world. Here, in Belize, is no different. I 'd like to share some of the events, situations and circumstances that He has recently used to lead us into the next season of ministry here.
     As you may or may not know, we've been ministering in Buena Vista, Bz, a small Spanish village, since Oct '13. Recently, with the financial help of some friends from the U.S. and Canada, I was able to take a young needy boy in the village shopping for some school uniforms and supplies.
     While shopping, we stopped at a Hindu owned store in San Ignacio. I found some of the items that he needed and proceeded to purchase them. At the check out counter, the store owner began to randomly tell me about this unusual pain that he gets in his head that travels down into his neck and shoulder as he rang up the items. Although I knew that I was supposed to pray for him to be healed, I paid for my stuff and left.
     I was convicted for not obeying what the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. When I got home, I was asking the Lord what had happened. What was behind my disobedience? How did I miss such an opportunity for the Lord to show himself strong on my behalf as well as the Hindu man's behalf? The Holy Spirit quickly pointed out that I was walking in the flesh, not in the Spirit.
     We, Christians, have all been there, right? We pray for opportunities to minister as we go about our daily business and when they present themselves, sometimes we just fall short of accomplishing the very thing that we know that we are supposed to do. My failure was not walking in the Spirit in that moment. I was with a few friends, enjoying our shopping that day, paying little attention to spiritual matters. The bible says in Romans 8:8, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.", and Galatians 5:25 says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.". If I had been walking in the Spirit, I would have been prepared to confront such a spiritual matter when it presented itself, but I was not. I repented to God for my disobedience and vowed to go back and visit the Hindu store owner.
     A few days later, a friend of ours stopped by our house and I shared this experience with him. He, Francie and I decided to go to San Ignacio that day to see this man. When we arrived, I greeted the man and asked him how his head and neck condition was. He said that it comes and goes and that he remembered me being in his store. I told him that I came back to pray for him. He pulled out a few chairs and we sat and visited with him for about 15 minutes.
     He told us how he grew up in India in a Hindu home, but when he came to Belize someone gave him a picture of Jesus and that every time that he looks at the picture it's as if Jesus is beckoning him. Those were his words. As we shared with him he seemed a bit uncomfortable, but he listened to us and allowed us to pray for him. I believe that, like many Hindus, he honors many gods and Jesus, to him, is just another god on his list. The pictures on the walls and statues in the store of Hindu gods is evidence enough that he has not fully placed his faith in Jesus Christ as the one true God.
     Before we left, he introduced us to his employees. We asked one young lady if she had any needs that she'd like for us to pray with her about. She told us that her and her husband are separated and that she wants to be reconciled to him. So we agreed with her in prayer that this would take place in her life.
     I shared these encounters with my church in Spanish Lookout and publicly asked the church to notify me of any strong Christian churches in the San Ignacio are that I could refer my new friends to so that they could have a church to attend and connect with. Unfortunately, the reports that I received were not favorable towards the churches there. This was such a surprise to me for a city the size of San Ignacio, which along with it's twin city of Santa Elena has the second highest population in Belize.
     About a week later, I was introducing a friend of mine to a man that I met from North Carolina, USA who was in Belize to, ironically enough, look for a building in San Ignacio to start a bible school that he has been led to pioneer. The three of us agreed to take a ride to San Ignacio to see the building that he was in the process of negotiating a deal with the landlord on.
     As we drove, we talked about this store owner and I told them that I'd like to pay him a visit to see how he is doing. When we arrived, we visited the man and again he gratefully pulled up some chairs and allowed us to visit with him. I asked him where his employee, that we prayed for, was. He said that after we prayed, she received a phone call from her husband asking her to move to Belize City to be with him again. Together, we rejoiced. He then introduced us to his other employees, one of which shared how the other young lady had told her about how we prayed for her and our prayer was answered. So, we asked her if we could pray for a need of hers as well. She agreed and,  before we left, we prayed for alcoholism to be broken in the life of her father. After this, we visited the building which is visible from the Hindu store. We walked through it as our friend shared his vision for how the Lord was leading him to use the building.
     In the following days, we spent some more time together sharing our lives and what the Lord has done and is doing. Francie and I were asked to pray about considering getting involved with the new bible school.
     As we did, the Lord used the events of my experience with the Hindu store, the situation that has presented itself in the form of an opportunity to serve in what I believe is going to stir the hearts of many and the circumstances of a city in need of a strong ministry that powerfully demonstrates the love of Christ, among other things, to confirm in our hearts that this is, in fact, the direction that we are to go in for this next season of our lives. So, in mid-June, we will assist in the pioneering work of Domata Discipleship School Of Ministry.
     We, as in times past, continue to walk in faith for provision. We are currently in need of sound  equipment, musical instruments and other supplies. Anyone with a desire to plant a seed into this ministry would be greatly appreciated.
     As always, thanks in advance to those who partner with us both financially and in prayer as we continue to give ourselves away for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to God be the glory.