Jacob

Greetings from Moscow, today at 12:00 pm Moscow time my good friend Jacob at age 34 went home to the Lord. Many of you knew Jacob through my emails over the last 7 years. Some of you had the opportunity to meet Jacob. There is so much to say about this young man. Jacob knew what tribulation and poverty was all about. Born in Cameroon, (Oteh as many called him) left Cameroon and ended up in Moscow like so many other young Africans to find a better life. Unfortunately for Jacob it was a hard road that few people will ever walk. However it is here in Moscow where Jacob found His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jacob over the last 8 years has helped many Africans, not just fellow Cameroonians, with visas, support, food, lodging, and in many other ways. Jacob worked with me on sending many Africans that found themselves over their head here in Moscow, back home to Africa. I often would suggest to Jacob about returning home but optimism would always get the best of him and he would endure to the next trial. I cannot tell you the times Jacob has been assaulted, harassed and discriminated, but he would always rise to the top and move on. Jacob had an uncanny way establishing friendship with various police men. Jacob would amazingly earn their respect and would have an opportunity to give them a Bible. Over the last two months Jacobs’s heath had been deteriorating. Several days ago I met him (at the same Hospital I visited him 7 years ago), and prayed and anointed him with oil. Jacob could hardly speak and was very tired. For more than two weeks he had a hard time breathing and was getting almost no sleep. Jacob told me he was tired and he wanted to go home to Cameroon. To make matters worse, Jacobs’s father had died two weeks earlier. Jacob was grieved for his Dad, he told me his Dad loved him very much. Every hospital that I visited Jacob in the last month (which was 3) everybody knew who he was from the nurses to the patients. I would bring along bibles and other pamphlets about the Good News of Jesus Christ and Jacob would give them to his fellow patients. The last time I met with Jacob he told me of the young Russian man in the bed next to him. Jacob told me that he had taken a liking to Jacob and helped him in and out of bed. Jacob had become so weak that he could not even lift himself in and out of bed. Jacob told me that the young man was very attentive to all his needs. I met Jacobs’s new friend and shook his hand, I noticed his arms were almost completely covered with colorful tattoos. I commented that they were beautiful and he allowed me to inspect them. It was evident that this young man had had a tough life, and the tattoos gave testimony of his prison life. But yet he had a huge smile and you could tell he loved helping Jacob out. One thing that struck me about this young man was not his tattoos, or even his big smile, or the fact that he would get out of his bed and help Jacob get back into his bed after relieving himself, what struck me about this young man that had a hard life written all over his face was that he had no legs. But that did not stop him from serving his fellow brother that was born in a different country, and had a different shade of skin. God has some very incredible children He has created and I‘m awed at times by the character I see displayed in lives of people who know what tribulations and poverty are all about. Jesus wrote to 7 literal churches in the book of Revelation telling the churches what He liked and what He did not like in His churches. As Jesus spoke to the church in Smyrna, Revelation 2:8 He said “ I know your works, tribulations, and poverty but you are rich. Jesus did not have one bad thing to say to the church of Smyrna. He was not ashamed of them, and did not rebuke them for their wretched condition, say they lacked faith. Jesus did not give them a quick solution to get out of their tribulations and poverty. He only told them that they could expect more, and “to be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.” Jesus seemed to be very comfortable with the church of Smyrna, and all their trials, persecutions, and poverties. Jesus said Himself in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." One thing Jacob has never been able to do is clap his hands to the Lord. Sometimes during worship I will glance over at Jacob, and knew that he could never clap his hands and praise the Lord, and I know he would if he could have. You see Jacob as some of you know was missing an arm. It was severed in an accident as a small child. But today December 7 2006 Jacob was able for the first time to clap and raise both his hands before the Lord. Romans 8:11 "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." 2Corinthians 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." Philippians 1:21 "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Please pray for the service for Jacob, Jacob was well known in the African community here in Moscow. Many of the guys and gals do not know the Lord, that God would get all the Glory.

Also in the photo is Dr. Tom, I could spend the same amount of time talking about Tom and how he has been a great help to the helpless here in Moscow. He is in the hospital awaiting a much needed hip replacement surgery. Please pray all will go well and Dr. Tom will be restored to active duty.