TRIP: Feb/Mar: 2006 with Michael Robin, married to Kari:
We depend so very much on God for our finances for these trips. After sending out nearly 300 letters of appeal and making personal appeals for the dear ones in Africa, we found ourselves with very little to take with us for the dear ones there. The situation was so bleak that I called our main host, Elijah Bankole, to ask him if we should cancel our trip. He told us that the people were waiting for us, and that we should come, by faith, believing that God would supply. So, we forged ahead.
THE POST OFFICE
On Friday before the Wednesday we were to leave, the postman delivered to us our passports and visas. The only problem was that the overnight postal envelope had become worn and had developed a tear on one end. The visas were not there, nor were the passports. They had become lost in the mail!!! By the time we checked out the obvious places the post office might have left them, the week-end had come. On Monday before the Wednesday we were to leave, 'day after tomorrow', we spent the day confirming that the passports were not able to be recovered, so, at the last minute we flew to New York. Keep in mind: we are to leave in two days!
Monday night, arrive in New York, where we are greeted by the driver for our friend, Dr. Jo Omeokwe, a pastor and a math professor in the New York College system, who for years, has expedited our obtaining of visas for Nigeria.
Tuesday morning in New York: (We are to leave the next afternoon from Minneapolis!) The Nigerian Embassy told us the they could not help us until we obtained a passport. I called the U.S. Passport people, who told us that we could not get an appointment for days. Michael Robin called the same people and we were given an appointment for 2 P.M. that same day!! We had our passports in hand that same day! We rushed to the Nigeria Embassy and were told to return at 9 the next day, in New York, the same day we were scheduled to fly out of Minneapolis! At that point we had to make a last minute decision: whether to risk $3,000 that we would forfeit if we could not make our next day's flight, or to cancel, and, perhaps reschedule, to be on the safe side. We decided to risk everything, hoping that God would do the impossible, by 1) getting our Nigerian visas the next morning, in time to make our 10:50 a.m. flight to Minneapolis, in time to catch our 3 something P.M. flight to Africa. We received our passports at the Nigerian visas in Manhattan at 10 A.M. Normally, it takes nearly an hour and a half to get to the Kennedy airport. We made it in about 20 to 25 minutes!!! They were just making the last call, and were ready to close the gate when we rushed up. Karen and Kari did our last minute shopping and packing, picked us up at the Humphrey Airport in Minneapolis, and rushed us to the main terminal in Minneapolis. We ran for the gate, and arrived, just as they also were making the last call at the gate. When we sat down in the airplane, we looked at each other in amazement, and rolled our eyes, wept tears of joy!
We ministered all the way over, on the plane, including the airport in Amsterdam.
Ministry to Chaplains
In Nigeria, we ministered to chaplains, about 150 of them, on Marriage and Family. I taught them the difference between a marriage that may only be "Christian", as contrasted with a marriage that is "Kingdom", that is, a marriage where the couple relate to each other as Christ the King of Everything, wants them to relate. I talked to them about a Kingdom Husband who is loving, tender, gentle, right spirited, with the fruit of the Spirit, and who is servant hearted. I gave them a commission from John 13 where Jesus thrice commanded us to wash each other's feet. The husbands present were given the charge to go home and wash the feet of their wife. Later the 70 year old arch bishop, founder, president and general in charge of the chaplain's association, went home, knelt at the feet of his wife, and washed her feet!!! I was mightily impressed, and, so was his wife!
SAVED FROM THE CUTTING!!
One of the most gratifying things was to hear two first hand testimonies of two baby girls who had been saved from the cutting, because of our book on female circumcision. An Anglican priest, Brother Segun, took it upon himself, with permission, to print two thousand of these in memory of his late wife, and we have been getting these books out, through spheres of influence, to the dear ones who can and do do something about the matter.
TIRED OLD MISSIONARY
In September of 2007 I was returning from Nigeria, and was very tired. At over 6 feet tall, I weighed some 300 pounds trying to cram all that muscle into small airplane seats made for shorter people with much less muscle than me. I have to make a constant effort on these flights to keep my body in my own seat space and not let my shoulder or arm or knee or foot go out into the isle to be hit by food carts or people. Before boarding the overseas flight home from Amsterdam, I asked one airline lady if she could have mercy on a tired old missionary and allow me to be seated in first class on my silver elite. She named a ridiculous amount of money that such a move would cost. So I asked another lady, who simply said no. At the boarding gate, I asked another lady, who said, "You sit over there, I will see what I can do." A few minutes later, she assigned me to a new seat. It was "I - A" in first or business class. This seat was like an overstuffed living room chair with an adjustable foot rest.
A VILLAGE ON THE OCEAN
In late 2007, I was invited to minister in a remote village near the Atlantic ocean, some distance southeast from Lagos, on the coast. We drove and drove, having car trouble on the way, finally arriving at a place in the sand where we had to trek through the sand toward the shore. We climbed down into a 20 foot boat canoe dug from a huge tree log, and were pushed with a long pole through the swamp, through waters that were infested with alligators and snakes to an island that contained a remote village, consisting of Moslems, some Christians and some idol worshippers. The people were very joyful and curious to see my white skin, and gathered round to see and hear. I told them about how we can sit on the throne with our Heavenly Father, and with Jesus, and asked them if they wanted to do that now. Everyone of them wanted to sit on the throne with Heavenly Father, just like it talks about in Psalm 91 and in Ephesians 1 & 2. I told them that it was first necessary for them to become born-again, by inviting Christ Jesus to come into them, as Lord and Saviour. Everyone of them, including the Moslem people, responded by doing so. I told them that they must leave their sins behind. All promised to do so. They came running. All joined me around the Throne of God, with the expectation of living here continuously, from now on.
CATHEDRAL!
One of my greatest thrills, is to minister to the Anglicans, who have been very eager and very open. One priest gave up his own bed and bedroom for 20 days, so that I could be comfortable. The savings to me was over $800. He insisted that the money saved should be put back into the ministry. I spoke at a huge cathedral, amidst the pomp and splendor, and was wonderfully received, wearing my simple cotton African garb, in contrast to their clerical gowns and formal dress. I was given permission to preach the Gospel freely. Everyone was gloriously receptive.
SONGS
To enable me to be able to remember better, certain verses of Scripture I set to music and song. Many of the verses that I often refer to while preaching the Gospel of The Kingdom. Here are some of them:
Ps. 16:8 & Ps. 16:11
Ps. 37:7,8
Ps. 91:1-4
Ps.135:20,21
Ps.136:1 & Ps.136:3
Mt. 5:48
Mt. 6:33
Mt. 7:21
Mt.24:13 & Mt.24:14
Ro. 6:6 & Ro. 6:11
1 Co.15:57
1 Co.16:23
2 Co.1:3 & 2 Co.1:12
2 Co.2:14
2 Co.3:18
2 Co.9:8
Gal. 2:20
Eph.5:20
Ph.4:13
1 Th.1:1
He.13:15
While I am able to go to Africa, the stories will continue! In the meanwhile, we all lived HAPPILY EVER AFTER!!!
20 September 2008
Dear Ones in Christ:
HalleluYahweh!!!
I am 2 days since safely arriving back from Nigeria! All glory be to God, for all the great things He has done. On the flight from Nigeria, the cabin attendants made room for me to sleep four seats across! I was able to help a Yoruba speaking man that desperately needed insulin, so on the flight from Europe, they put me in first class.
I had an appointment with the doctor, as I had fallen in Nigeria, so I needed encouragement for my broken shoulder and rib. They are to read the X-rays today. At the hospital, I noticed a doctor's name that seemed Yoruba, so I inquired, and I found and met a lovely doctor who is now, with her entire Yoruba family our great good friends!
When I arrived in America, Karen, Dawn Joy, Timothy and Joshua Samuel, Tim's mother, Kari and their new Baby Kaitlyn, and Timothy Bankole were all there to greet me with cheers and gentle embraces, laughter and photographs, while many others looked on, smiling. When I arrived home at the farm in the bush, Michelle, and grandchildren Shekinah, Eleeshua, Zechariah, Shoshanna, Ezekiel, and Elijah James were all there to greet us, along with our dog, who wagged her tail and made funny sounds. They had made a lovely beef dinner and we all had a happy time around the table, too busy rejoicing that I did not have time to tell them any adventure stories from Africa. One good thing about my sore feet, and pains, was all the sympathy I got from everyone. But, I don't know if this, and my gout, is considered "suffering for Jesus" or not, because God and everyone has been treating me so well.
One of the highlights of this trip to Ghana and Nigeria was their tremendous response to the marriage seminars. After each of the 6 or 7 seminars, the wives and husbands were deeply repenting to each other for having deprived and defrauded each other, from 1 Cor. 7. The people in this part of the world are soooo hungry to learn and are soooo willing to change. I can talk to them about marriage, eating properly, female circumcision, the King's Greatest Secret, the Throne-Room Mentality, Yahweh's Name, and the other aspects of Gospel of the Kingdom, and these people repent, and they CHANGE!!!!!!!, and they rise to new and powerful levels of being more gloriously victorious in these areas. Dear friend Pastor Bassey testified, "I have been running away from sugar for the past 10 years." I met Pastor Dele who had earlier testified, "We would have circumcised our daughters, had it not been for you!"
DEPRIVING, DEFRAUDING, WITHOLDING
A pastor's wife who has been depriving, defrauding him for years, was overheard counseling another woman, "You must not fail in this, your ministry to your husband!" Whole congregations came into these revelations of the King's Secret, the Throne-Room, etc. In NO new congregation, had ANY one given the desired answer to the question, "What did Christ take with you to the Cross?", until God taught them through us. A lady in a marriage seminar publicly testified that though she had escaped into the bush when they came to circumcise her as a child, that it had been done when she was helpless while giving birth. Please give great glory to God for the deep and glorious changes that are now in place, as a result of your sacrifices and efforts. See what the Lord has done, through your giving, prayers and efforts?! Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
A great man of God, highly skilled and trained, promised to translate 5 of our books into Yoruba! Another, The King's Greatest Secret into French! (Earlier I received a prophecy saying that my books would be translated into 150 languages, but that I must be diligent.) People prepared and brought meals and fruit, fuel, made lovely clothes, provided transportation. Beloved friend, Anglican Pastor Segun, who had been widowed with 5 small children, and who has repeatedly opened his home for me to stay, safe and comfortable, is soon to be wedded to the loveliest of African princesses. At great sacrifice, Elijah Bankole gave to me both car and driver friend Festus, for my safety and comfort. Festus is now becoming a minister and I often encouraged him to share the microphone.
INVESTING
By the way, if you want me to invest your money for you in very fruitful, and rewarding strategic places in God's Kingdom, I am willing to do so: In Ghana, host Timothy Gambo, wife and children, in Nigeria, dear friend Pastor Yinka and family, Festus and family, Pastor Bassey and family, Provost Ojeniyi and family, Elijah and his 30 churches, with their pastors and families, and their strategic ministries - your financial sacrifices and investments in these bright and effective corners of the Kingdom of God, will bring the greatest joys and rewards to you! I have been and am willing to be your own personal Kingdom representative and ambassador for these loveliest of families and friends. Amen.
Next week today, the 25th, is Karen's birthday!!! May everyone greatly honor her for allowing God to be so sweetly magnificent within her!!! All our kids with all their families plan to be together! Wow!! And, it looks like living grandchild number 12 is on the way, via Darling Daughter Dawn Joy and her husband, Pastor Timothy!!!
The future? We are in the hands of God, but, I was informed on this trip that a school is being named after me, in spite of my objections, another honorary doctorate, many invitations and open doors, etc., but, at age 70, next year, every heart beat, each breath, coherent thought, and the ability to function are alllllllll, a sweet and precious gift from Papa Yahweh.
The most important thing of all, that we shared is the Creator King of Everything, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are willing and able to live in every part of us! Ephesians 3:19b says, "May you be filled with all the fullness of God!" Can you imagine meeting someone like this?
Love In Christ our Everything!!!
john roy and Karen Bohlen 715-866-4060
THE DOCTORATE!
I am frankly puzzled about something. On the one hand, the Bible says in Phil 2:13 "For it is God Which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." But, on the other hand, Jesus said, in Rev 22:12 "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." The Bible speaks much of reward. The mystery to me is that God works in us, both to will and do of His good pleasure, on the one hand, yet, He rewards us for that which He works within us, on the other. Isn't that amazing?
Izzzn't that amaaaaaaaaazing?!!!
Or, in the Yoruba language, "I yanu, ni?!"
These were the words that I spoke at a reception speech that I gave at the the Way of Peace Ministry's recent 20 year convention, where the Bible College received their University status from Vision University based in Ramona, California. They called me forward, midst much pomp and splendor, and awarded me an official honorary "Doctorate of Theology"!
My other honorary doctorate from Mt Olives University is: "Doctorate of Divinity". And, from The Bible Way Institute in Stevensville, Texas, an earned "Doctorate of Divinity". But nobody calls me "doctor". Smile. One reason is that I prefer to be called "Brother John", or, "Eru Iranse", which means, "Bond Servant".
BADAGRY
There is a place called "Badagry". I was invited to visit the King of Badagry, on this last trip. Badagry is the place where the first Gospel was preached in the whole of Nigeria. I was taken to the sight, where there had stood a 160 foot Agia tree about 30 feet in circumference, under which the sermon had been preached. Before that, for 350 years, slaves had been traded from that location from 1473 to the 1850's. Now, I was to see the old King, midst much pageantry, surrounded by his chiefs and his household. After being introduced, I prayed for him, presented him with a selection of my books. I repeatedly told the king that I loved him, "Mo ni fe nyin" and "Mo fe ran re, lopo, lopo", he smiled and I asked him for permission to embrace him, we warmly embraced. He also presented me with an official "Badagry Pilgrim Award", signed by the King De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyii, OFR LLD, J.P.) The Akran of Badagry Kingdom.
MY SHOULDER!
It was in the Badagry area, on September 14, 2008, at the age of 68, that I preached in Rev Johnson's church, on "The Throne-Room Mentality" about how we can sit upon our Heavenly Father, Papa Yahweh's lap, within the circle of our Heavenly Father's long, strong loving arms, and listen to His heart-beat, His whispers of encouragement and love and guidance, and play with His whiskers, and snuggle down deep into the folds of His robe, under His feathers, under His wings, as it says in Psalm 91 and Ephesians 1:20,21, and 2:4-6. After I preached, I hurried on my way out of the church to be on time for the next Sunday morning church service. On my way, I walked on some boards through a slippery muddy place, after a rain. The end of the left board sunk into the mud, and my right toe caught on the on-coming right board, and I could not regain my balance! I knew when I started to fall, that I had a choice: I could either fall on my shoulder, or I could fall on my pretty and beautiful face. I decided to fall on my shoulder. On impact, I knew immediately that something was seriously broken, because I really fell hard! I could not raise my arm. I also broke a rib or two, because there was a knife-in-the-ribs kind of pain at every breath, cough, laugh, sneeze or bump in the road.
THE 20 YEAR OLD BOY
On this January/February 2009 trip, I was practicing "friendship evangelism" with a 20 year old man in Badagry at the French Villiage guest house, when the conversation "naturally" flowed to the question: "Are you aware of ever a time in your life, when you asked Jesus, as God, to come and live on the inside of you? Or, are you aware that you ever became 'born again'?" When he said "No", I was able to lead him in a prayer of acceptance and appropriation. It was a really clear and moving decision for Christ! Wow!
At that same hotel, there were three of us men that had the room that only slept two to a bed, so I had the privilege of sleeping, at least part of the night, on the floor.
THE KING OF BADAGRY
Over the years, I have prayed personally for and have been invited to visit, many African kings. Badagry is a land area the size of a large county, and has a well known and documented history, of coconut capital, ocean fishing, and a 350 year slave trading location and port. It is also the site of the first missionary to Nigeria. I was able to minister to and pray for this king, give him some of my books, embrace him, repeatedly telling him that I love him. It was a very sweet time, and was one, I believe, that he will remember.
MONEY FROM HOME
Typically, I will give out any money brought from home, within the first several days of arriving in the African country. It can be something like bill paying time in the United States, with enough to meet 10 needs out of 30. Some of my dearest pastor friends live in 3 small rooms, sometimes with no running water or electricity. The rest of the time, I "live by faith", looking to God as much as the pastors themselves. Most of the time, the needs get met, while at other times, I am inconvenienced. After leading the young man to Christ, as told above, we needed to make our way across the huge territory of the city of Lagos, through traffic and bad roads, and through very hot temperatures. We began the journey of about 60 miles, and the journey took over 5 hours, through the thickest of traffic, extremely dangerous driving, over rough roads, and through oven like heat. I am over weight, and in my 70th year, have diabetes, and, after 4 hours of driving, was hungry, thirsty, over-heated, cramped and tired - with not enough money to purchase a cold bottle of water or a small piece of chicken, and, needing to go potty. I begged the driver, a local medical doctor who sacrificially offered to drive. (He spent 8 hours on that hair raising journey!) They did stop at an air-conditioned fast food chicken place, and, pooled their money and purchased a piece of chicken and a cold bottle of water for me. That night, I called a friend in the United States who has money, and I begged him, would he please send me some money? I could not stop myself from weeping at my slightly desperate condition. The money was never sent, but God met our needs, and we came home wonderfully victorious. It is interesting: When I left Nigeria, I had no pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters or dollars, but I flew half way around the world, through Holland, and did not need any money, since meals and snacks were included in the ticket. Please do not be critical of my friend who had money but did not send any, because I pleaded with him to not send any money, unless he was led by God to do so, and that we are not to give "out of necessity". But there have been times when I have gone to one friend or the other, some of them quite wealthy, and said, "Do you believe the Bible?" They said, "Yes." I said, "Do you believe the part where Jesus said, "Give to him that asks of you"? They said, "Yes." I said, "I'm asking." But they did not give. . . .
THE MAN OF GOD AND HIS LITTLE HOUSE
One mighty man of God, a humble pastor, from West Africa, invited me to visit his home. I was nearly horrified when I saw his place. It consisted of 3 small rooms, very little furniture, no electricity, no running water, a bathroom outside and around the corner, with no running water. The pastor had only one small bed with only one mosquito net, so he insisted that his wife sleep in the bed with their two small boys, under the net, while he himself slept on the floor with the mosquitoes, cockroaches and rodents. Yet, he and his wife dress neatly and work hard in ministry, including visiting the jails and prisons. They often have little to eat. He speaks 9 languages, and his beautiful wife speaks 10. Rent for them in a decent house would be $100 per month.
THE WALKING STICK
Since I am in my 70th year, and had a bad fall about 6 months ago, still in physical therapy on my shoulder that I broke in 4 places, the doctor insisted that I use a walking stick. Elijah's driver, my good friend Festus had one waiting for me at the airport. He made it himself from the limb of a tree. It was a wood that was nearly white, and its surface invited writing. So, just for fun, I wrote in Hebrew, German, Yoruba, Twi, etc., words of Scripture, of love, of praise. That walking stick was quite a tool for witnessing, everywhere I went. It came up, even with my shoulder, and, with my white beard and flowing African clothes, people kept telling me that I looked like Moses. I don't know how they knew.
MY DRIVER WAS A PRISONER!
In the country of Ghana, I told a story previously about an encounter with the police, when I begged the policeman to beat me with my cane. But this time, our driver, had rented a car that had an improper license plate. The police stopped us, and took the driver, the pastor I described above with the small house, and held him for ransom. When I walked back to where they were holding him, the boss policeman told me that I needed to give them money before the driver would be released. "You mus' bail de drivah!", he told me sternly, in front of the other policemen. The only problem was I did not have any money. "You mus' bail de drivah!" he spoke more loudly. Suddenly, I shouted, with equal authority, "We will pray!", and I began praying, out loud, for the policemen. They immediately removed their berets, lined up for prayer, stood at attention, while I stood and laid hands on each of their heads, praying with authority, God to bless and keep them. It was a holy time, there at the police blockade, with the cars going past. One of the policemen begged me to come back from America and teach their people again. Instead of bailing the driver, I had the privilege of "bailing" the policemen, with my prayers. Amen. We went joyfully on our way.
DIABETES
In West Africa, there are millions of people who have diabetes, and don't even know it. (This is even true in America!) One evening when I was preaching in an Assembly of God church, I was led to test the blood sugar of the pastor. Though it had been more than two hours since he had eaten, his blood sugar tested around 250, while his wife tested 121 or so. I may have saved his very life, by having tested him, then warning him and instructing him to minimize even healthy carbs, starches and sugars, maximizing protein, to lose weight, and to prolong his health and years. I have done the same thing with others, and their lives have been rescued.
Once again, I am planning another trip to Nigeria, during the last 3 weeks in August. It is now 5 weeks until I am to leave, and, at present, have no money toward the trip, for water, lodging, transportation, visa, plane ticket, or, most important, love offerings for the dears ones who so desperately need money to live and keep on ministering. I also need money to print more books. For example, my little book on Female Circumcision, or FGM has actually been used of God to save baby girls, little girls and women from being mutilated in their genitals! But, I need to print more of these, in order to rescue and prevent more of these.
I have just turned age 70. However, I am continuing to believe God for strength and provision and protection and empowering. Amen. I hope to continue to be able to give you ongoing updates.
I love you!
Respectfully,
john roy bohlen