PATRICK'S NEW NAME

We heard more news from Patrick's team in Swaziland today. This message sent from Drew, one of his male teammates, was especially interesting to us as it mentioned our boy by name:

"Wow...God has done so much in us this week, I don't even know where to start. I'll save most of the stories for when I'm home...God is working amazingly! We have been going to care points usually 5 days a week, and we have built different relationships with the kids. Yesterday Christina and I were helping the women at the care point move food, and we found 6 rats in the food storage room. She, Patrick, and I spent over an hour killing all the rats, cause they were getting all in the kids' food. Yesterday evening we also helped by painting a playground at a different care point. Last week we met another missions team called "Hosea's Heart". They run a home for girls at risk for prostitution and abuse...and tonight we are visiting them and the girls there! i am so excited. We also have an opportunity to do a church service of sorts at the Hope House on Monday."

We also heard that they were going to visit the Nazarene Hospital in Manzini.

As Drew said, "Wow...God has done so much". What amazing opportunities the team, including Patrick, is getting to serve and grow and learn.

After hearing about Patrick killing the rats, his brother Travis said he is now "Prat", a combination of Patrick and Rat.

Prat, the rat killer. Prat a warrior for the little ones. Prat, one who is willing to do the hard things, things he wouldn't have ever done here in America, for the sake of ones who can't fight for themselves.

Today, it was rats. In the years to come, I can only imagine the forces my young man will be willing to stand up against for the sake of the call. For the sake of our Lord. For the sake of the least and the lost.

Patrick at the Sandra Lee Centre
January 2012