Encouraging conversations and happenings!

Greetings all!

Lots of interesting things to share! First off, to clarify last post, I found out that the school where I stopped by and “randomly” parked right where the student I’ve been counseling happened to be standing (especially exciting because I hadn’t been able to get in touch with her because she lost her phone)…and then where I later prayed to find her so I could take her to professional counseling and found her in 3 minutes after I started looking at the school and felt I should ask a few girls on a bench who told me she had just been with them 2 minutes earlier—yeah, I found out the school population is approximately 1700, not just 1000! So, that makes then seem even more like some “God will make a way” moments that I “happened” to find her both times!

A few days after I found the student at school and drove her to counseling, I met with her that Saturday to talk. I feel like we really deepened our friendship a lot. She seems very relaxed and open with me. She brought 6 journals of personal writings/poetry that she wanted to share with me. So we sat there under some trees at the school and went through some of them, using them as springboards for deep conversation. The others she let me take with me to read on my own. Perhaps the most encouraging point was that she shared with me how her roommates at the dormitory had all been really scared the night she’d had counseling, and she had led a prayer for to Jesus on their behalf! She smiled and said to me, “I led the prayer!?!” She told me that maybe her perceptions about God are changing…maybe there really is something to this Jesus… Coming from a girl who just the week earlier said she didn’t want to talk about God at all, this was a huge breakthrough and encouragement! Thanks for any and all prayers for her…keep them coming! “God will make a way!”

We also hung out more with her friend that I met the week before—playing basketball together at the school. They want to meet my other housemates sometime, so hopefully we can find a time to all meet. The student told me, “Tell them to come and meet your sister!” When I was leaving, she told me for the first time, “I love you.” It’s cool to see the trust building in our relationship.

The visit also had some good timing aspects to it— The student’s mother stopped by so I got to meet her face to face for the first time. And earlier, the student had told me that the school office, though they had given her release to go with me to counseling in Gaborone, had been reluctant and wondered if she couldn’t go on the weekends instead. This was interesting/confusing to hear because the school counselor had given me the full go-ahead in our many times of correspondence.

Then just after we were talking about this, we were walking by the parking lot to go the basketball court. Who should pull up in her car to park like 10 feet from us? – None else but the school counselor herself! Not sure why she parked there at the school on a Saturday afternoon…but it worked out! So I was able to ask her what was going on. She apologized that she hadn’t communicated with the main office sufficiently to let them know the details. They would still prefer though if she could go on weekends or after the class that ends at 3:10 pm. So I called the professional counselor in Gaborone and we’ve worked it out now with the school that I will drive her to counseling in Gaborone on Thursdays after she finishes that class (the counselor’s weekends are already booked).

Hospital scare

Last Sunday, so the day after we’d hung out, I found out that this same student had been hospitalized with severe pain. Her friend that I played basketball with the day before gave me the phone number of the dormitory matron who had taken her to the hospital so I could find out more info (the student still had no cell phone). So I called the matron and was able to speak with the student. At that point she didn’t know what the pain was from, but later they discovered it was swollen intestines. I asked if her mother knew yet that she was in the hospital (no) and if she wanted me to call her mom and give her the matron’s number so her mom could also call her too (yes). So I called her mom and let her know.

The student’s friend who I’ve hung out with a couple times texted me in the morning to tell me that she was back from the hospital in the dormitory, but crying because the pain was actually worse. Right after getting the text, I was driving to work thinking I would call her once I got to work, and who should I see walking along the road during school hours, but that very same friend who I was about to call! I pulled over and asked her what was going on. She was walking up to the general store to buy some medicine to help our friend. I told her to tell our pained friend that I had to go to work, but we at YFC would pray for her during our prayer meeting right away and then I’d call her. So after the daily prayer meeting, I called the hurting student, and she said she was about to go with her mom to the hospital again. I told her to hang in there and that we were praying for her.

I planned to visit her in the hospital in Mochudi that afternoon, but found out later that her mom had taken her to the hospital in Gaborone. I checked in with her mom the next couple nights to see how she was doing at home near Gaborone, and by Wednesday the doctors had cleared her to be back at school. Now she is doing much better, though she asked if I could bring her some salad because the doctors said vegetables and salad will help her feel better. So on Saturday, though our schedules didn’t work out to meet and talk for long, I was able to stop by for a special lettuce delivery and briefly catch up with her. We’ll catch up more this Thursday on the way to and from counseling. While it has its challenges, I really enjoy the opportunity to really “love on” this girl like a big sister.

YaRona FC – More deep discussions

The Saturday before last, the Botswana Harvard Partnership sent a representative to share with the youth at YaRona FC (formerly called Coffee Bar) about HIV, abstinence, and about the Mochudi Prevention Project they are launching for the next 5 years in Mochudi. It was the same doctor I heard speak at a community youth committee meeting about the plan I mentioned in an earlier post—Mochudi being the only village in the world where Harvard University is doing an HIV-prevention project like this.

One of the two boys I had shared the gospel with and talked with for over an hour the preceding week at YaRona FC came back that night. He told me he had decided to follow Christ. He told me he’s prayed each day and night since then. The other boy couldn’t make it but would come the following week. Sure enough, the next week (this past Saturday), both of them showed up. They had both, on their own, sought out the Scripture Union advisor-teacher at their school (who I know because we’ve worked at SU there), and had asked questions about God. The one was still not 100% sure if he wanted to trust in Christ and follow Him alone. So he was still learning more and asking questions. I told him that’s great that and was able to answer some more of his questions. He’s still thinking about it and “in the middle.” A huge stumbling block also for both of them was learning that those who follow the Lord are supposed to wait until marriage for sexual relations. They are having a hard time believing that’s even possible or worth it. I encouraged them that the Holy Spirit inside them can give them the strength to wait…the one guy who already accepted Christ was like, “I need that strength; I want that strength.” Prayers are appreciated for both these guys who are feeling unsure if they truly want to follow Christ.

Meanwhile, they had brought along a friend of theirs who was listening to our conversation. I started talking to him a bit later and asked if he goes to a church. He said no…he doesn’t know anything about God. He doesn’t know any of the prayers that other kids in school seem to know even if they aren’t Christians. So that naturally led to me asking, “Do you want to know more about God?” He nodded. So I was able to share with him for perhaps a half hour or 45 minutes until it was closing time. Like a flashback from two weeks earlier with his two friends, we basically reached the point where he’d heard the gospel presented, we’d looked at Scriptures in both English and Setswana, discussed things, and was where it was now up to him to think and decide for himself if he wants to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior…but then it was closing time.

We have little booklets that YFC produces that share the basic gospel message with Scriptures, and we were going through that as a basic guide to our discussion. One of the questions near the end is, “Is there any good reason why you do not want to invite Jesus Christ into your life right now?” and when he’d read that, he said, “No, there is no good reason.” And he had just been sitting there listening during the whole discussion with his friends about how following Christ involves repentance (turning from wrong habits such as pre-marital sex), so I knew that he was aware what trusting in Christ entails in that regard. So it sounds like he may genuinely choose to follow Christ and pray to invite Him to be his Lord and Savior. I gave him the little booklet which includes more details on how to start and grow in a personal relationship with God and told him to come back with any questions. So we can also pray for him as he is now also at the point of deciding how he will respond to Christ.

Other ministry opportunities opening up!

For some reason, the students in Standard 7 (the last year of primary school…12 & 13 year-olds) finish school for the year at least a month before all the other students. So now they are on vacation with not much to do. Thus, Youth for Christ Botswana puts on a program for them daily to keep them occupied in a safe, constructive way. We on staff take turns overseeing each day’s program. It’s a similar set-up to YaRona FC, where they can come and play games inside (pool, table tennis, table soccer) or basketball and football outside for most of the time and then the YFC staff member designated for that day shares a short message or presents a drama or video. It’s a great opportunity, especially when it’s been difficult to work in the schools due to the new school schedule.

It started last Monday and I was in charge of that day. It went well…I led some songs with guitar, we watched a funny short movie that portrays how people may incorrectly view Jesus or have misconceptions about Him, and then I gave them the same questionnaire I’ve been giving the students at Maru a Pula private school where there is a list of descriptors of Jesus and Christianity (some biblical, some not) and they were to check all that they believe are true. This helps us see where their misconceptions lie and what things we need to focus on to help them better understand the Jesus of the bible and the gospel message. Unlike most of the clubs we lead at schools, many of the kids coming to this program are not yet followers of Christ. Thus, we could see a lot of misconceptions in their answers. For example, many said these were true: “Going to church makes you a Christian”; “You get to go to heaven if you do more good things than bad things.” Now we’ve honed in on those things in the other days talks/dramas so that their misconceptions can be cleared up. I am scheduled to lead the last day of the holiday program and I plan to give them the same questionnaire to see if their views have changed to align more with the bible’s teaching through our program.

Speaking of Maru a Pula private school, I led the club there last Tuesday. A couple weeks back, I had also shown them the same hilarious Jesus video as the conversation starter for the discussion about how many people have misconceptions of Jesus and Christianity. Then they had completed the questionnaire and they’ve been giving the questionnaire to their peers, some of different faiths, so it has been interesting to see their responses and talk through things. Last week was the most students we’ve had lately, with several new students, and the discussion went really well. They were begging me to show the Jesus video again! Here’s the link if you want to be amused: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUdiZBTifcU

Later that day around noon, we found out that one of the schools in Mochudi where we used to lead the Scripture Union club had somehow made space for us to have the club during school hours. We haven’t had the club this term due to the school schedule changes, but they were enabling us to have the club for the last hour of the school day (3:30-4:30)! “God will make a way!” I gave the message on eternal perspective and to quote my dad, how “we just don’t get eternity and how SO short our life is on this earth compared to eternity.” I shared how the choices we make on this short time on earth (most significantly how we respond to Christ) affect our eternity forever. I shared how it has helped me with my dad’s death to know that he is spending his eternity with the Lord because of his faith in Him.

Christmas in the States!

By the way, I’m working out a flight to come back to the States for Christmas to be with Mom and Ryan for this first Christmas without Dad. I had not planned on this trip back, but we all think it is probably best to be together this first year. It looks like I’ll be in the States from around December 6 until January 5. Minnesota friends, this will likely include a week visit in there too because a trip back to my jaw specialist in St. Paul is wise. My jaw is still an issue…I have been wearing the appliance full-time since May (much longer than the first time I wore it) without huge improvement. The specialist thinks one of the disks may be one of place in the jaw joint. It’s not a ton of pain, but I feel it more when singing and eating (two pretty much essential activities), and it would be nice not to have to wear the appliance all the time. Prayers for that are always welcome too. Thanks.

Well, take care and keep running the race that’s set before you!

Love, Em

P.S. – Speaking of running, so there I was, last Saturday morning going for a run out in the trails in the bush (countryside) by the river, where I rarely see anyone else besides cows, goats, and my 4-foot-long lizard friend…when I passed a family of people collecting firewood in the distance and heard, “Emily!!!” I waved, thinking, “Did random people in the middle of the bush just yell “Emily!” to me??!! Mochudi has over 40,000 inhabitants so it’s weird to think that the random people I see in the bush would know my name.

As I ran past them on the way back, I realized that they had indeed yelled my name…they were closer now and I recognized that they were the same group of kids who always run with me for a few minutes when I run past their house! So the littlest boys started running with me like usual, and the little girls tried valiantly to run whilst carrying firewood (and laughing at the spectacle) but they realized holding firewood was not the most conducive condition for effective running. We waved goodbye and said we’d see each other later!