Walkers.in.Africa

Africa - a land of Extremes

Africa is a land of extremes. You have the extremely wealthy living next to the extremely poor. You walk into Monte Casino (the inside is built to replicate Venice) and walk out feeling like you've been to another world. You have people driving Hummers and then scores of people that have no transportation. You have those who have forgiven and then those who are still hurting from the Apartheid. You have people on fire for Jesus and then you have people who have only ever heard of the name of Jesus. Oh Africa, do you even realize that God is here and He wants to have a relationship with you which will outshine any of the extremes in this world? The great emptiness you feel points to an awesome God who can fulfill your desires. He is EXTREMELY in love with you.

I've been reading Captivating. The first few chapters talk about how God reveals Himself through women. I love this quote from the book:

“After years of hearing the heart-cry of women, I am convinced beyond a doubt of this: God wants to be loved. He wants to be a priority to someone. How could we have missed this? From cover to cover, beginning to end, the cry of God's heart is, 'Why won't you choose me?' It is amazing to me how humble, how vulnerable God is on this point. 'You will find me,' says the Lord, 'When you seek me will all your heart' (Jer. 29:13).

In other words, 'Look for me, pursue me – I want you to pursue me' Amazing. As Tozer says, 'God waits to be wanted.'”

My heart cries for Africa, and not only Africa, for the lost. Do you not know that He is for you? That He will never forsake you in your weakness? Allow yourself to be pulled from this temporal world of extremes and into His everlasting arms.

Ministry:

We began ministry in Kya Sands squatter camp. I left a piece of my heart there after talking to the people. There as a woman named Life (Cool name huh? A great way to start a conversation about the Giver of Life!). I was able to encourage her in her walk with the LORD and pray for her brothers. Then there was Joseph. Joseph has the biggest, most joyful smile. His kids names were: Believe God, Worship God, and Praise God . . . How cool is that? This man is living in poor conditions yet he is praising God and sharing Him with his neighbors, he even asked for our names and wrote them down so he could intercede on our behalf. I was so blessed and humbled by this man of God! I was able to speak with a young woman who and only ever heard the name of Jesus, I was overwhelmed and didn't know where to begin.

You know, sometimes you just fall flat on your face when you're ministering, it is hard to lead devotions and share the gospel. . . It hurts to have your pride ripped out! This internship is called Impact ME (Missions Experience), but I decided it should be called Bulldoze ME ;). I'm learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, in other words, I'm learning to say, “Help me God!”.

I'm going to sign off with this beautiful hymen:

The bride eyes not her garment

But her dear bridegroom's face.

I will not gaze at glory,

But on my King of grace;

Not at the crown he giveth,

But on his pierced hand:

The Lamb is all the glory

Of Emmanuel's land.

-The Sands of Time are Sinking

First Day of Ministry:

On Thursday we went to the Kya Sands Impact Kids creche (preschool). We walked into the school yard and all the kids came running toward us. We were quickly smothered in hugs accompanied by giggles as they kept yelling, “Techa, techa!”, which is their version of “teacher”. I helped out in the 2-3 year olds classroom. The kids were mostly overcome with excitement to have me there, though a few shy ones stared at me with their big brown eyes. I picked up a little one who was crying quite loudly, poor little Lesed didn't know what to think of his first day of school! He fell fast asleep in my arms as I sat helping the other kids with crafts. Needless to say, it was a fun and very busy morning! Their need for love and attention was evident. What a blessing it was and is to be used by the LORD to love on His kids.

*Here is a picture of Lesed :)

Later that day we went to the Kya Sands squatter camp which is home to about 13 thousand people! It was as I expected: crowded rows of shacks (made up of anything people can get their hands on), smelly, unsanitary, and full of the feeling of hopelessness. I was then hit by the realization that the kids I was playing with earlier actually lived in this camp! The kids were running around playing in disease infested water, no one watching or really caring about them, they were literally at the mercy of whomever. Suddenly Impact Kids looked like a little bit of heaven on earth.

Desire of All Nations:

Here in Africa the need for hope seems more obvious. The people here are not surrounded by the material wants of this world, which too often serve to pacify the truth of our greatest need. Our greatest need is Jesus. He is our only hope and only in Him is the fullness of joy found.

“For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the LORD of hosts.”

Challenges:

We have been receiving some great teaching and encouragement from the Impact Africa staff. I have been challenged to:

-Know who I am in Christ. Look up all the scriptures, they're amazing to go over and over.

-Know Him as the one and only desire of my heart. Jeremiah 29:13

-Throw aside the variations of the old pattern of thinking, for there are new things in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

-Set my expectation on Him and Him alone.

-To take Him at His word, believing that He is who He says He is.

-And so much more!

I want to end with this quote that I've found inspiring:

“God shows himself great not only in shaping the universe to his design

but in reshaping our small hearts to accomplish his large purposes”