Hello all!
Lots of good stuff to report! I will go back and finish up what I was sharing last time about how God was encouraging me in the midst of lots of challenges and trials.
The day that I found out my clothes were stolen after my car effectively died the night before (Sunday July 25--the day I almost broke into tears in the grocery store), I wrote this in my journal:
I was thinking how so much has been stripped away…Dad, Ken, my car (and therefore convenience, independence), my clothes, my health, etc…so that I really only can hope, trust, depend and find comfort in God…It’s almost as if I’m finding out if God is enough to satisfy me…Things I usually ‘count on’ are no longer guaranteed…the only stable secure thing is God and His love.
Then later that day, after I was in tears, I read my daily devotional and that day’s entry was entitled: “God is Enough” and all about how in the midst of trials we can trust Him to be sufficient!
The next day, as I shared briefly last post, I was able to secure the ability to lead an abstinence club at the local high school in Mochudi. I found out later that YFC has never had a club at that school! My second day back from the States in mid-July, I went over to the school to meet with the Face the Nation [AIDS prevention programme] volunteers for whom I’d been a prayer partner during the 5-week abstinence curriculum they taught at the school. They texted me just 20 minutes before they would be leaving the school on their last day there. So I hopped in my car to be able to see them again before they left and hopefully meet the guidance/counseling staff with whom I would need to talk to get permission to start the abstinence club. In that short time, I did get to meet and exchange contact info with the key staff person, who even prayed with us as we held hands in a circle in her office.
I also contacted another teacher that Face the Nation had connected me with, who wants to help in running an abstinence club. The teacher told me the sobering fact that just in this last term (3 months long) there have been 9 pregnancies at that school, so this club is sorely needed. This teacher is the one I mentioned who has a Masters in HIV/AIDS management and who is translating our materials into Braille for the blind students. I went to the school last week to meet with her, and we are going to meet again next week to adapt/create the curriculum to better fit the students there. She has been asking students what they think will be most effective for a club. Meanwhile, I’ve been researching on the internet and in other approaches to see what we can do for curriculum.
The next day after calling the guidance/counseling teacher to secure the ability to do the abstinence club, Tuesday July 27, I was invited to share with the Canadian short-term team the testimony of how I was called to Botswana and about the accident/recovery and speaking in court. So I was grateful for the opportunity to give a powerpoint presentation to share about God’s “amazing-ness” and redemptive Hand.
That night, I felt led to write a letter to one particular Canadian team member, as the team would be leaving the next day. It turns out she also felt led to write me a letter that night, so the next day we exchanged them at the same time. I read her letter to me later that afternoon after we’d dropped them at the airport. I was blown away by what I read – it was like a mirror image of what I had written to her! Here is part of what I wrote to her:
“It’s a long race this life…it’s not a sprint. You have to have a marathon mentality. Do marathon runners just wake up one day and run a marathon without training? No…they would not be able to finish for lack of conditioning. Likewise, the Lord is preparing you to run with perseverance the race He’s set before you” [Hebrews 12:2].
Her letter, written the same night, included that same verse about running with perseverance the race He’s set before us, and she also included this:
“You are making a difference here! You are! But you are taking down a huge giant here—AIDS—and that’s not going to happen overnight, it will be a marathon. But if you train with God and walk by faith, you will be unstoppable (Hebrews 11).”
Crazy cool, eh? I emailed her when she got back to ask if she remembered what she wrote in hers, and she responded:
“Oh and about your letter...ya i totally remember what i wrote...it was like the same as yours! i was freakin out on the plane when i was reading it. Jehovah Sneaky :P”
I had told her about “Jehovah Sneaky” and now I shall acquaint you as well. You see, there are different names given to God in the Old Testament, like Jehovah Rapha (The God who Heals), Jehovah Jireh (The God who Provides), Jehovah Nissi (The Lord is my Banner), etc…and “Jehovah Sneaky” is another name I like to call God when He does crazy cool, loving things you weren’t expecting :), i.e. the same day we read the letters, “Jehovah Sneaky” had also been at work prompting one of the Canadians to anonymously pay for my new car battery.
A couple nights later, I didn’t so much sleep…for a beautiful reason—the first All-Night Interdenominational Prayer Meeting here at the YFC office! At points there were upwards of 70 people praising and praying to God; 25 people stayed the whole time from 10pm - 6 am!! It was the kick-start of an interdenominational prayer movement that will meet here at YFC regularly. It is definitely a "God-thing"... one of the other YFC staff, Maruping, who just came on staff before I had to go back to the US for Dad’s funeral, organized it while I was in the States without my knowledge and without knowing that I had been journaling and praying about starting the same thing! Also, he felt we should continue the prayer movement on Sunday nights at the office...the same night and place I had journaled about! Meanwhile, the YFC director's wife said she felt the time is now for an interdenominational, intergenerational prayer movement here to unify the churches.
So we are excited about what the Lord is doing here! I helped lead worship for part of the All-Night of Prayer, but honestly I was not needed—local Batswana led worship for most of it and sang their hearts out to God. We spent several hours praising and worshipping God, heard preaching from a pastor followed by prayer for people, and then we all united in intercession. We prayed for the youth here, the political leaders, the church leaders that they would be kingdom-minded, for unity among the churches, for each other and our families, etc. Maruping even led a time of prayer for the Jewish people and the peace of Jerusalem. It was a beautiful and exciting time.
I had actually first found out about it on the preceding Sunday (the rough day that my clothes were stolen and I was sick) when I had attended a local church here in Mochudi with the Canadian short-term team. The church made an announcement in the service about an All-Night of Prayer to be held the upcoming Friday at Youth for Christ offices! It was to pave the way for creating a sustained prayer movement in this area.
The first of those Sunday night prayer meetings was last week (August 8), and we feel this is a prayer movement that should only stop when Jesus returns. We are praying for these meetings to gain momentum and bring unity to the Body of Christ here. One exciting thing to share about the first meeting was that two teenage girls had been walking by and felt drawn to come in…we found out afterwards that they weren’t yet followers of Christ, but they were seeking to know more and learn how they could follow Him! So while Maruping was talking to them afterwards and praying with them, another attendee asked what ministry things I’m doing lately so I told him about starting the abstinence club at the local high school. Turns out, he used to be a Face the Nation volunteer and worked in that school (as well as attended it himself in his teens). He is willing to help with the abstinence club and counseling of teens there!
That same guy stopped by yesterday to tell me that he talked with a teacher at another school where I help lead Scripture Union club, and shared that perhaps YFC can hold a training so the various club leaders at surrounding schools can all come and be equipped on how to lead their own peer-counseling and abstinence clubs. Wow…so that’s cool. Way to think strategically to reach the most youth – train and equip the student leaders from several schools! I honestly don’t know what exactly at this point we would share with them, but he also mentioned that there’s a research agency in town who would be willing to partner with us and possibly provide material and statistics!
The doors of opportunity keep flying open! I need discernment now to be sure I’m choosing the right things to get involved in so I don’t bite off more than I can chew. But that’s a great problem to have…and we just need to pray for God to raise up more volunteers and staff. The fields are ripe for the harvest, but the labourers are few. It is encouraging though to see this guy rising up with such eagerness and willingness to help. He also was one of the lead singers during the whole night of prayer.
Someone sent me a message the other day saying that she was going to pray “that God will send someone alongside you to help you with your work.” I read that yesterday, the day this guy brought up the idea of having trainings for club leaders and expressed his willingness to do whatever he can to help. Then today, Maruping told me that a guy walking past the office told him he wants to get involved—and he too used to be a Face the Nation volunteer! He’s going to stop by and talk to me soon! Amen!!
Tomorrow I am driving 5 hours to a YFC retreat center in Magaliesberg, South Africa with 3 YFC Botswana staff for a youth leader conference this weekend. We will return on Sunday. This will be my first long road trip in Africa, first time driving through a border post, and first time driving in South Africa. Interestingly enough, though, it will be my third time at this retreat center. It was where my mission trip to Botswana in 2004 started and ended! So I’m looking forward to being back there and reminiscing on the many things God taught me there and the journey that He has led me on since. Prayers for safe travels are most appreciated, and also for the Youth Week camp starting Monday for teenagers in a city adjoining the capital. I will give the message on Thursday night about the Holy Spirit and becoming more and more Christlike. Sweetness.
Ok I’m gonna go for a run. I saw a 4 foot lizard recently on a run down by the river! Creepy. Literally ;). Just now I heard rustling outside...a huge herd of goats was in the YFC office yard climbing up and eating leaves off our trees! Like a few days ago, I had to chase the goats out of the yard. Last time the goats were accompanied by 6 chickens too. That was a fun task 'herding' them out of the yard! You're welcome, people of Mochudi, for that spectacle!
Blessings,
Em
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