In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day,...or Monkey Poo On Your Shoes!

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day is the title of an inspiring little book we just finished reading. The book is about a brief but interesting story in 2 Samuel 23:20 about Benaiah, who amongst other fearless acts of bravery, literally chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed him. The overall theme of this book is to take on the lions in our lives with boldness and courage. This book is a godsend to us personally, because over the past couple of months we’ve been surrounded by a whole pack of hungry lions!

After we rescued Mariquita, who was abducted from Kilometer 33 this past July, the Tarahumara Indians have been trying to cause us problems because they believe we overstepped our bounds by getting involved in their private affairs. Others are jealous that their children cannot live at Una Esperanza and are trying to cause us problems. Some are angry because we now close the ministry center early each day so that the girls living there have at least some privacy during the day. Maria and Alicia’s (Mariquita) absent and abusive father is threatening to take them away from Una Esperanza. A few months ago the person who has provided an aircraft for this ministry over the past two-years decided to sell it, so we are currently an aviation ministry without a plane. Our funds are getting dangerously low and we have a ministry center, seven staff members, and a girls home to support! Lions everywhere!

Looking at our current circumstances, I suppose we could chose to live in fear, with doubts, uncertainty and despair, questioning why are we even fighting this battle? After all, we’ve poured out our lives (and a great deal of money) into those we’ve helped over the past five years, and for what? A pack of angry lions trying to tear us to pieces?

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day is about examining how we as Christians should react to the lions in our lives. We have to make a conscious choice on how we are going to react to these lions. When faced with these ferocious man-eating killers, we can run, cower and live in fear, or we can pick up the sword and go on the offensive! God’s word is this sword as described in Eph 6:17. We can choose to believe what God says about us and our situation, and we’ll be empowered to take on these lions with boldness and confidence knowing that we will be victorious!

We’ve chosen to pick up this sword and go on the offensive! We’re marching on with a boldness like never before in spite of our circumstances. Throughout all of these challenges we truly have peace, joy, courage, contentment and confidence. This ministry belongs to God and He has assured us that it will go forth, and nothing that the enemy can throw at us can stand in the way of victory. After all, the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy. He is first and foremost a liar and his fate is sealed.

Lesli describes the recent attacks by the enemy as being similar to going to the zoo and having a monkey throwing poo at you when you walk by his cage. The enemy spends a great deal of time hurling poo at God’s children, hoping that some of it will stick. It makes us laugh because when we choose to stand in God’s truth, it is as if God raises up such a wind that the poo blows right back into the monkey’s face!

We know that the reason the enemy has been throwing so much poo at us lately is because God is getting ready to do something incredible through this ministry, and the enemy hates it. We also know that God will provide all that we need in His timing. He will provide protection for our children at Una Esperanza, the financial resources to continue the ministry, protection from lies, and a new plane. In the meantime He has provided us with a poo-shield to fight off the attacks of the angry monkeys and a sword to slay the ferocious lions. We’re confident in Him and His word and we will be victorious!

Update:

As of today, Maria and Alicia (Mariquita) are still living at Una Esperanza, praise God! Please continue to pray that God would protect them from the threat of being taken away and that they would remain safely at the ministry center.