 |
| Ntombi Phindile |
one glimpse into how God is at work in and around the world...
Friday, April 27, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
A Swazi Picture Of Unity
We pulled off the two lane highway down the steep, weed-covered embankment on the side onto a muddy path. Two women opened the loose gate for us to drive through as several other women hovered by the outhouses on this cloudy morning. There are 8 people sitting on the muddy ground under the tree...the 4 women angled together to talk to the 4 men, respectfully not making eye contact. What looks like a casual Sunday afternoon picnic is actually a meeting of the inner council of this rural area of Swaziland.
As they finish their part of the meeting, we approach them (car floormats in hand to sit on in the mud) and begin our greetings, men first & then the women. I stumble through my Siswati greeting (I haven’t even been back on the ground for 24 hours!) and as the last man asks me a follow up question, I humbly shrug my shoulders as I can’t answer what he’s saying. We begin in prayer & introductions as we meet together as 2 organizations and several community members to discuss our partnership in building a neighborhood carepoint to feed the children of the area. One organization will provide the materials (we discuss whose homestead will be safest to keep these at), one organization will provide the payment for a skilled builder (we discuss where the building will actually be), and the community members will come to help build the building and in return they will receive food from yet another organization. Our discussion continues as to what each can bring to the partnership, as we sit humbly in the muddy field under a tree. The headman of the area says that they have no way to give back, but that he knows God will bless these organizations for their giving.
What began as several kids eating at a broken down building on the side of the road will soon turn into kids playing safely, food being stored without being stolen, because God chose to work through a partnership between this community, these 2 organizations, the organization giving food to workers, the American church who donated money towards this project, the European community who donated money towards this project, and the American college students who will be coming over to help build this carepoint (I will post pictures later of this project & its progress).
As we wrapped up our discussion, we touched on the fact that the surrounding community would see this collaboration & partnership & we prayed that God would be glorified in that. Yet we humbly acknowledged that there is an enemy who seeks to divide Christians, pitting them against one another. We closed in prayer with the men standing & the women sitting still, heads bowed. As I watched a man pick up his boot & another his hat (anything becomes a seat when it's muddy) & walk away, I prayed that God would show His glory in an undeniable way to this community through this building project. Will you join me in praying for unity as this building project moves forward in the days & weeks to come?
As they finish their part of the meeting, we approach them (car floormats in hand to sit on in the mud) and begin our greetings, men first & then the women. I stumble through my Siswati greeting (I haven’t even been back on the ground for 24 hours!) and as the last man asks me a follow up question, I humbly shrug my shoulders as I can’t answer what he’s saying. We begin in prayer & introductions as we meet together as 2 organizations and several community members to discuss our partnership in building a neighborhood carepoint to feed the children of the area. One organization will provide the materials (we discuss whose homestead will be safest to keep these at), one organization will provide the payment for a skilled builder (we discuss where the building will actually be), and the community members will come to help build the building and in return they will receive food from yet another organization. Our discussion continues as to what each can bring to the partnership, as we sit humbly in the muddy field under a tree. The headman of the area says that they have no way to give back, but that he knows God will bless these organizations for their giving.
What began as several kids eating at a broken down building on the side of the road will soon turn into kids playing safely, food being stored without being stolen, because God chose to work through a partnership between this community, these 2 organizations, the organization giving food to workers, the American church who donated money towards this project, the European community who donated money towards this project, and the American college students who will be coming over to help build this carepoint (I will post pictures later of this project & its progress).
As we wrapped up our discussion, we touched on the fact that the surrounding community would see this collaboration & partnership & we prayed that God would be glorified in that. Yet we humbly acknowledged that there is an enemy who seeks to divide Christians, pitting them against one another. We closed in prayer with the men standing & the women sitting still, heads bowed. As I watched a man pick up his boot & another his hat (anything becomes a seat when it's muddy) & walk away, I prayed that God would show His glory in an undeniable way to this community through this building project. Will you join me in praying for unity as this building project moves forward in the days & weeks to come?
"I do not pray for these only, but also for those who will believe in me...that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me & loved them even as you loved me."
(John 17:20, 23)
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Crazy, Brave, Courageous, Adventurous...I think not.
Well, here I am in Swaziland after traveling half way around the world, seeing the sun rise only 4 hours after it set, riding in planes, shuttles & automobiles. I am again humbled that God would bring me all the way over to Africa to allow me to serve Him and I'm thankful for each of the people I got to spend time with before I left. As I was leaving, people used all kinds of words to describe me and this next step of my life....hardly any of which fit. Some said courageous, some said adventurous...but the word that I will always think of when I look back on this season of my life is obedience.
I had thought very little about true obedience before this call on my life, and honestly throughout the process of discerning & surrendering to this call, I thought about disobedience more than I ever had in my life! It's funny that disobedience right now in my life would look like serving full time in ministry, loving on friends & family, pouring into seminary students, tithing & giving generously. But when God has made clear His call on my life for this season, anything besides that would be disobedience. Not that I have it all together and am obedient in all areas of my life (the ground is always level at the foot of the cross!) but in this season of my life, here is my journey towards growing in obedience.
I have always struggled to give things over to God that I thought I had control over, and have struggled to lay down my plans for my life & say "Thy will, not mine be done." And it wasn't any easier through out this process - God called me to surrender some great relationships & things that were/are very close to my heart.
But the thing that surprised me the most (even though it shouldn't have) was the AMAZING peace that has come with surrendering more and more & seeking to be obedient to the Lord. Not just giving up to be more holy, but walking through areas of life & honestly praying "I surrender this to you, Lord...your will be done" The peace that passes understanding comes through surrendering all (circumstances, control, relationships, possessions, plans, hopes, dreams, failures, past, present, future) to the One who already has it ALL in control.
And I wouldn't trade this peace for anything. As I have prayed for friends & family back home, my prayer is that more than anything, you would love & TRULY be satisfied in Christ above all other things (relationships, identity, possessions, successes, plans, etc) and that you would honestly in the depths of your heart surrender to walk obediently to Him (even letting go of that area/item/hobby/relationship that you know He's calling you to let go of & that you keep trying to control).
So even though I go to sleep tonight on a different continent, stepping into a different phase of life & ministry, I go to sleep in peace.
I had thought very little about true obedience before this call on my life, and honestly throughout the process of discerning & surrendering to this call, I thought about disobedience more than I ever had in my life! It's funny that disobedience right now in my life would look like serving full time in ministry, loving on friends & family, pouring into seminary students, tithing & giving generously. But when God has made clear His call on my life for this season, anything besides that would be disobedience. Not that I have it all together and am obedient in all areas of my life (the ground is always level at the foot of the cross!) but in this season of my life, here is my journey towards growing in obedience.
I have always struggled to give things over to God that I thought I had control over, and have struggled to lay down my plans for my life & say "Thy will, not mine be done." And it wasn't any easier through out this process - God called me to surrender some great relationships & things that were/are very close to my heart.
But the thing that surprised me the most (even though it shouldn't have) was the AMAZING peace that has come with surrendering more and more & seeking to be obedient to the Lord. Not just giving up to be more holy, but walking through areas of life & honestly praying "I surrender this to you, Lord...your will be done" The peace that passes understanding comes through surrendering all (circumstances, control, relationships, possessions, plans, hopes, dreams, failures, past, present, future) to the One who already has it ALL in control.
And I wouldn't trade this peace for anything. As I have prayed for friends & family back home, my prayer is that more than anything, you would love & TRULY be satisfied in Christ above all other things (relationships, identity, possessions, successes, plans, etc) and that you would honestly in the depths of your heart surrender to walk obediently to Him (even letting go of that area/item/hobby/relationship that you know He's calling you to let go of & that you keep trying to control).
So even though I go to sleep tonight on a different continent, stepping into a different phase of life & ministry, I go to sleep in peace.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Number Crunchers
-10-
weeks was all it took for God to provide through 40+ families/people/churches who have sacrificed to support me financially
weeks was all it took for God to provide through 40+ families/people/churches who have sacrificed to support me financially
-9-
hour time difference between Swaziland & here (except for now it's 8 because of daylight savings)
-8-
Swazi ministry partners who I can't wait to serve alongside
-7-
different languages now jumbling in my head (absolutely not fluent in any of them, but even a few words in each is enough to confuse me - English, Spanish, Creole, Hebrew, Greek, Nepali, Siswati)
-6-
days until I leave Colorado (which is why the blogging has been lacking lately - too many people to spend time with & too much to do!)
-5-
nieces & nephews that I am going to miss a ton (along with the rest of my family)
-4-
bags to fit my life into (2 checked, 2 carry on - I'm up for the challenge!)
-3-
years since I first heard about the country of Swaziland
-2-
years worshiping & serving at Calvary has flown by & I'm going to miss this community that God has blessed me to be a part of!
-1-
God who is worthy of worship, obedience & a surrendered life
hour time difference between Swaziland & here (except for now it's 8 because of daylight savings)
-8-
Swazi ministry partners who I can't wait to serve alongside
-7-
different languages now jumbling in my head (absolutely not fluent in any of them, but even a few words in each is enough to confuse me - English, Spanish, Creole, Hebrew, Greek, Nepali, Siswati)
-6-
days until I leave Colorado (which is why the blogging has been lacking lately - too many people to spend time with & too much to do!)
-5-
nieces & nephews that I am going to miss a ton (along with the rest of my family)
-4-
bags to fit my life into (2 checked, 2 carry on - I'm up for the challenge!)
-3-
years since I first heard about the country of Swaziland
-2-
years worshiping & serving at Calvary has flown by & I'm going to miss this community that God has blessed me to be a part of!
-1-
God who is worthy of worship, obedience & a surrendered life
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)