I am here in Africa because the love of God has compelled me to be here. God has called me to be here; in this moment. What an honor and blessing that is to be here on his behalf. The kingdom of God works best when we go to each other. Missions is a process of growing your faith; not knowing when and where the money for funding God's work will come from. It takes having faith that God will speak and use the right people, and man he SURE DID. I thank God for each and every person that made this journey possible for me. It's amazing how many people God used and how faithful so many were to his calling on each life. God has been teaching me in the last year that if I am willing to fight His battle, He will provide. God surely has provided for me in more ways than just one, but I am constantly reminded that it is a battle field. The battle field is very evident here. The enemy hates what we have come to do here in Africa. The people of Africa don't exactly know what to do about the problem of orphans here. The answer is simply God.
There are so many orphans all around the world. They are the forgotten, the lost, and at times invisible. Psalm 68:4 says that God is a father to the fatherless, a defender of the widows. He sets the lonely in families. I have come to see that I have expanded my family. I am family to Obed, to Osvaldo and Moises. James 1:27 says, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orpahns and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." This verse really spoke to me today. It is one that I am familiar with, but it is one that hits me right in the chest when I look at the beautiful faces of the children and people I saw at church today in Matipane. Doug taught a lesson on worry at church today. First, we got to introduce ourselves to the congregation. Can I just tell you that we were greeted with the warmest of welcomings. The worship leader and pastor wanted us to spread out amongst the people. No white person was allowed to sit by another white. We all had to be mixed, for they said we were all a part of God's family. It brought me to think about myself and how I am at my own home church. I generally sit in the same row, with the same people, every single Sunday. God spoke to me that I need to reach out and spread my wings. I need to get out of my normal, regular row, and be warm, welcoming, and inviting to others.
The sermon was about worrry; something that overcomes many of us on a regular basis. There are so many things we worry about. Worry isn't about where we are at in the world. Most of us think that if we just had more money we wouldn't have anything to worry about. Worry is universal. It comes from the enemy.
I know many people at home have worried about my stay here, my safety, my return. The team has also worried about how we will be able to accomplish all God wants us to accomplish here in Limpopo. God is moving though and showing that He is mighty and able. I have never seen people worship in such a big way. The people at church today showed me such a passion and love for God by their worship. They inspired me to not hold back, to give EVERYTHING over to God. We had no stage, no grand performance, no sound system, or lighting system. We didn't have air conditioning or heat. We didn't have fancy, comfortable chairs. All we had was a space made from metal and wood logs. Half of the roof was missing, letting the sunlight shine down on us. We all were from different backgrounds, wearing different clothes, speaking different languages, YET I have never felt God's presence so strong. I saw and felt God in powerful ways. I saw God at work in the middle of nowhere, in a dirt field in Africa. God doesn't need to be created into something He is not. We don't need to make him more attractive by having a beautiful church building, creating church into a huge production. God is his own production, and it was very clear to me at church today. The people of Matipane have a passion and love for God that is contagious. I want that, and I felt Him in such a powerful way today, in a way that is very hard to explain.
All I know is to stay connected; to feel God in this way, I must be intentional. I must love Him without hesitation, and I must love others in a way that God first loved us.
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