NEW PLACES, NEW FRIENDS

At Applebees today with Doyle & Dana Piper, after church on The Mount (Mount Olivet Assembly of God in Apple Valley, Minnesota. What a great service and a great couple with a big heart for missions, God bless you two; and God bless Pastor's Mark & Teresa Olson, thank you for letting us be a part of your family today.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday Jan 19, Mt Olivet Assembly of God, Apple Valley, MN am service

Sunday Jan 26, Staples Assembly of God, Staples, MN am service

Thursday Jan 30, International Bible Givers 6:30 pm

(meets at Mt Olive Lutheran, 700 Western St, Anoka, MN)

Justice to the Nations

2 Corinthians 8:13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. This is a shocking picture, it speaks of injustice in the world. The world is full of need and though there may be plenty for one many live without basic necessities. The most tragic need though is the need that so many have to hear for the first time the good news that God loves them, that Jesus died for the forgiveness of their sins. That the power of the gospel can bring hope & healing into their lives. The world needs Jesus and that's why we are going to Sierra Leone. Because everyone must hear, every village must have a church, the gospel brings justice and changes people and nations.

 2013 Kid's Christmas at Njai Town, Sierra Leone (2 photos)

For the last 3 years Cindy & I have partnered with the church at Njai Town to bring a meal and good news about Jesus to Children in that area. We're hoping to be there in person next year, see more on our website dcafrica.org

ITINERATION

 Itineration is the job of traveling around the country and telling people about our call to Sierra Leone, our plans for ministry and what we have seen God do there in the past; oh and we must also raise funds. For me this is a great time because I love to tell that story. This pic is from a Sunday Night at Willmar Assembly og God church, Willmar, Minnesota. What a great time, thank you Willmar AG> http://www.willmarag.org

CROWN OF THORNS:

A few weeks ago I was conducting a church service at a local home for boys who have had trouble with their behavior. This is a regular monthly meeting for me on Sunday afternoon, I am in a rotation with 3 other ministers.

The service is started with a little talk with the boys and then prayer and singing, they seam to like it when I come because I play the guitar and because of the singing. This time I stopped the second song because i thought someone might not understand the message when one of the boys who was obviously very troubled asked, "do you think God will forgive me". This was quite touching to me because that was my own question when I was saved many years ago; I remember praying, "God if you can forgive me I want to be saved too". I had not grown up in the church and I knew I had sinned greatly against God, I wasn't sure I could be forgiven. The good news that I have learned since then is that there is no sin to great or trouble so bad that God can not forgive us and bring us out of. I assured the boy that God had made a way through Jesus Christs suffering & death on the cross to pay for his offences and forgive his sins, the young man was so glad and prayed then and there and asked Jesus to forgive him and come in his life and be his Lord, so did the 2 boys on his left & right. I pray that one day they will be sharing their story of forgiveness with many and be reminded that Jesus payed the price so that anyone who believes can be forgiven and become part of the family of God.

Jesus said:    All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. John 6:37

Blessing the Bikes & Pig Roast 2012

Lots of fun and food and great motorcycling at the 2nd annual Blessing the Bikes. In spite of the threatening rain the church was full of people enjoying the good food & good music. Above the house band (Mille Lacs Band) takes the stage to lead the crowd in worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some hungry onlookers inspect the pig to insure it's thoroughly done. It looks about perfect to me.

Lots of HOGS on the spit and on the tarmac.

All in all it was a great day at Mille Lacs Living Water Assembly of God Church. We worshiped God, ate well and had a lot of fun. Who ever would have thought you could have fun at church.

God bless you all!     Rev. D

2 Great Jobs and a Chicken Man

This is Memuma Coomba, God blessed her husband with a great paying job with the UN. So he decided to build a church in their village, Njagbema.

They hired Foddy and his van to bring the ministry team to Njagbema. When the sun went down the people sang, and danced, and worshiped; everybody watched the Jesus Film and then I got to tell everyone the story of the Chicken Man, and how much God loves them, and how Jesus died for their sins.

When I asked who wants to have Jesus forgive their sins and become part of God's family alot of people said YES! Now I know I have the greatest job in the world, telling people about Jesus and how to get to heaven.

Cindy's Plea for Sierra Leone Trip

Ever since we left Africa Danny has wanted to return. As you know Danny & I are co-pastoring a church in Wahkon and God has truly blessed us this past year, our congregation is small, it meets the bills of our building with a small stipend for us. God has used the generosity of other churches in our area for a modest support for us. This summer a temporary job opened up for Danny and by being frugal we have been able to save enough for his air fare to Sierra Leone, almost $2000. He has all the documents, shots and permission to go.

Before we left Sierra Leone we had discussed with some of the pastors a vision they had many years ago of starting a remote bible school. Pastors and students would do their course work in blocks as it fit into the planting and harvesting of crops. A qualified teacher, a pastor with biblical training, some of these men have or are working on their master’s degree in theology would go out to a centrally located city or village and they would hold bible school.

To help with this we are raising funds to purchase a motorcycle. They do have public transport but it would not be practical for this application. Our church has raised $800 toward the purchase of one of these 100cc motorbikes. The cost for one of these is roughly $1400 depending on the registration fees, and the rate of exchange.

We have stepped out and purchased the ticket to Sierra Leone, but Danny will need money for food, lodging, transportation etc. once he arrives. We left all of our equipment to hold the outdoor campaigns with the pastors and it has been used since we left. Danny plans to once again hold the Jesus Film Festivals we used to reach people for Jesus Christ when we lived there. We will need money for gas to power the generator and transport the gear. We sold our truck before we left Africa so we will need a vehicle to use too. As you can see we also are a bit short of purchasing a motorbike for the pastors to get back and forth to teach the classes.

Danny had given up on the idea of returning to Africa this year and then as God often does, He started opening doors and giving that gentle stirring. This is a huge step for Danny as his best friend Chief Daddy Bok went to heaven this year and Sierra Leone will not be the same without him. Sierra Leone is a scary place without the comfort of your best friend and guide. For me, Cindy, preaching three Sundays in a row is huge and leading our Tuesday night fellowship too. We both are stepping out in faith, but we know God will be with us, because it’s not about us it’s all about Jesus.

We are asking for your financial help to accomplish this outreach to a large amount of people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus before they slip into eternity. Danny will be leaving on January 4, 2012 and returning on January 27, 2012. Please pray for his health (He suffered with malaria for months after he returned last time.) Please pray for God’s divine appointments and direction. Pray that God would give him and the pastor’s wisdom as they set up this school. Most of all pray that the Holy Spirit would go before and prepare hearts for salvation.

Mille Lacs Living Water Church
P. O. Box 40
Wahkon, Minnesota 56386

Christmas Njai Town, Sierra Leone

2010 Christmas @ Njai Town in Sierra Leone.

Last Christmas Pastor Sulaiman Kpewa, his wife Jestina, and Trinity Assembly of God, Njai Town, S.L. sponsored a meal for the Musulim children in the area. Many for the first time heard the gospel, and experienced the love of Jesus in a tangible way.

This year Mille Lacs Living Water Assembly of God of Onamia, Minnesota USA, Pastors Danny & Cindy McCollor, will be partnering with the Kpewa's and Trinity A. G. We hope to reach even more Children for Jesus Christ.

Jesus called them and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdon of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Luke 18:16-17 new king james

Letter to the Un-Churched Part 1

“Your sins are forgiven, your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (From Luke 7:36-50) These are the words of Jesus to a woman who had led such a sinful life that her deeds were well known in her town. A woman with a bad reputation and was looked down on by her community. People were surprised that Jesus would have anything to do with her. This is the one who washed Jesus feet with her tears & poured perfume on them. Jesus recognized this as an act of faith and forgave her many sins.

In this story we see something of God’s character especially his willingness to forgive when we put our faith in Jesus. The fact is Jesus has been forgiving and breaking the power of sinful habits for over 2000 years now, the church today has many who can tell of how Jesus changed their lives and broke habits, addictions, and sinful lifestyles that they were powerless to change on their own.

So what’s your excuse? What’s keeping you from trusting Jesus for forgiveness and the power to change? Is it shame or imbursement, fear of what people will think; do you feel hopeless or powerless to change who you have become? Then there’s the one “The church is full of hypocrites,” ever used that excuse? I encourage you to put all the excuses aside and give Jesus a chance to prove what he can do when you put your faith in him. That’s what I did 36 years ago and I’ve never been sorry about that decision. My life was empty and I was without hope before I received Jesus Christ’s gift of forgiveness, he gave me the power to turn from my destructive lifestyle (sins), and I have hope and direction in my life today.

Now this is my challenge to you; this Sunday get up early, get to church on time, find a seat sit down and quietly tell God you want to trust Jesus to forgive your sins and give you the power to change, habits, addictions, and anything that isn’t good about your behavior. Then watch what God can do when you put your faith in him. I guarantee you will never regret that decision.

May God grant you the faith to believe in the power that is in the love of Jesus Christ,

Pastor Danny

In Loving Memory of Chief Daddy Boc

Chief Daddy Boc

with neighborhood children

Chief Daddy Boc, Cindy & Pastor Alex

Bokarie & Sela Bokarie & Santos

Remembering a great Man, Chief Daddy Boc

In Loving Memory of Chief Daddy Boc

True friends are rare and hard to find, I think sometimes they find you, and sometimes in the strangest situations and places; this was the case with my friend Chief Daddy Boc (Bokarie Momoh). I had certainly bit off more than I could chew with my decision to move for a year to Sierra Leone, West Africa but God is faithful in providing just what we need just when we need it. What I needed was a friend like Chief Daddy Boc, he wasn’t a chief when I met him but from the first It was apparent that he was destined for greatness and he was a man of understanding beyond his peers.

If you’ve been a follower of this blog especially during the time Cindy & I were living in Africa you have heard of how God blessed us and worked in us and through us in Africa. I made a point to try and report the events in our lives as they happened and not exaggerate what was happening or how we felt in our time there. There is one thing that was unintentionally understated in every report we made to the blog and in our email to friends back home and that was how important to our work, sanity and safety was Chief Daddy Boc. Every film showing, Bokarie arranged for the equipment to be loaded and guarded when necessary. Every time we traveled he was our security, he found the people to keep our vehicle working, our electric working, water supplied, and every need met.

Bokarie was a follower of Jesus Christ who served God with a servant’s heart and with all his strength. Sometimes after Cindy & I returned to the USA I would talk to Boc on the phone and he would tell me about our neighbors and friends in Sierra Leone, I always wanted to return if only for a few weeks to relive the adventures with Chief Daddy Boc and our brothers & sisters there, but this week I learned Chief Daddy Boc has gone on to be with Jesus. He had a tooth removed and his mouth was infected, after suffering for a while in Bo and the pain and swelling getting worse, he was taken to the hospital in Freetown where he died. What a tragedy, over and over in Sierra Leone I’ve heard similar stories where someone dies from something that people just don’t die from any more in my world (USA) where medical treatment is readily available.

I will miss you Chief Daddy Boc, thank you for being the best friend a man could ask for.

Rev. D