DAY SEVEN

2 Samuel 5:20 (NKJV): So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim ("the Lord of the Breakthrough").

A few years ago the church in Suriname was praying for a breakthrough in reaching the Saramaccan people with the gospel. They were praying for someone to be saved which would be a key to reaching the Saramaccan. God answered their prayers through the salvation of Marisska, a young Samaraccan lady. 

Marisska is from the village of Tumalipa, deep within the rain forests of Suriname along the Suriname River. Her village along with almost all the Samaraccan villages along the river had never received the Gospel. The Samaraccan people are Animists. There are many shrines in her village dedicated to the worship of demons. One day she heard that a missionary from Barbados was sharing about salvation through Jesus Christ in the neighboring village of Masiakilki. Marisska walked to the village and heard the gospel message. The animist people under the influence of the village witch doctor voted against the idea of building a church in their village. Marisska then invited the missionary to come to her village and tell the people about Jesus and so he did. People began to give their hearts to Jesus. She and her husband, BaBa, gave their lives to Jesus Christ. 

The missionary asked the village elders for permission to build a church in Tumalipa. The eldest man in the village said to the other elders, “I believe that our village will be blessed if we allow the missionary to build a church in our village”.  The village voted “yes” as a result of the influence of Cena, the senior elder. Today there is a church building under construction in Tumalipa. Not only are Marisska and Baba leaders in the church, but they are respected leaders in the village.

Steve Puffpaff - Suriname

Prayer: Lord as You answered the prayers of the church in Suriname by giving them a breakthrough we have the confidence to ask You to do the same throughout our region of the world.  We believe You for changed lives, villages, cities, provinces, and nations.  May it be so in Your name. Amen.