Olifants Drift Outreach Adventure!

Greetings all!

Olifants Drift Outreach!

'Tis time to share the stories from our outreach to the remote village of Olifants Drift. On Friday, 29 April when the world’s attention was fixed on the royal wedding in England (even Botswana’s President Ian Khama was in attendance), six Batswana staff and I piled in YFC’s SUV (Toyota Venture) for the journey northeast to Olifants Drift, a remote village of roughly 1200 people accessible only by dirt/mud roads. Thankfully the roads were dry both ways so I did not have to exert my mud-driving prowess again! Along the drive, we encountered many cows, donkeys, and goats…and a few other humans.

Last post I shared some of the ways we felt led to go to Olifants Drift, and now I’ll share a bit more to show how it all worked out for this outreach to happen. I mentioned that Olifants Drift first came up to me in August one day when I noticed it on a Botswana map for the first time and just felt a desire to go there…and Maruping (having no idea I’d been thinking of Olifants Drift) brought up later that day or the next as a prayer point that Olifants Drift has no Christian church and we should pray for it because a church in Mochudi called Bible Life was hoping to establish a church there. Then the next day, I saw “Olifants Drift” written on a woman’s day-planner at an NGO meeting for those fighting AIDS.

Well, we had tried to go on an outreach to Olifants Drift in November, but we couldn’t find accommodation. Soon after the New Year, John, a Motswana Christian policeman from Mochudi interested in furthering the kingdom of God, was directed to YFC by his friend Justice, who used to be a YFC staff member. John came and met Maruping, and it was discovered that John is good friends with a Christian police officer in Olifants Drift named Mookitse. Mookitse had already called John and urged him to bring a group of Christians to do an outreach in Olifants Drift because at that point there was still no Christian church or fellowship in the village. Thus, John had already been organizing a group from Mochudi and planning a trip to do that. Maruping told him that we at YFC had also been planning to go, but just lacked accommodation. Because of John’s connection with Mookitse, they were able to work it out so that half of us stayed with the police, and half at the primary school. So that answered our prayers for accommodation in Olifants Drift!

So when we arrived in Olifants Drift, we went straight to the police station, where we met Mootkitse (pictured above) and he directed us to the school. That evening I met a woman who shared more of the story that shows how it truly seems like God has been orchestrating this whole thing. She is a woman from Mochudi who has owned land/fields out near Olifants Drift for decades. She would travel out to Olifants during the holidays and school breaks. She attends a church in Mochudi called Christ Embassy, and she told me that God put a burden on their hearts at that church to pray for Olifants Drift last August – the same time that it first came up to me and that the other church, Bible Life, also had a burden to start praying for it! So Christ Embassy, Bible Life, and YFC all started praying for Olifants Drift in August! This woman, an elder in the church, was appointed as a national “missionary” to help with the establishment of a Christian fellowship in Olifants Drift. Since her retirement from teaching 5 years back, she has lived in Olifants more regularly, and now she has moved there full-time to help get the Christian fellowship going.

So two months ago, in February, she and others (including Mookitse) started gathering for Christian fellowship at the primary school. When we came, the fellowship consisted of 10-12 people with no pastor, just the oversight of this church elder. Even in their short two-month existence, they’d already faced opposition and challenges, especially from a group who came to the village claiming to be the literal twelve apostles.

Unique Experiences :)

When we first arrived at the primary school, our home for the next few days, we quickly saw that we had arrived just in time for dinner…to be killed. There tied to a tree was a large goat and a couple guys were getting ready to slaughter it. The goat, sensing his impending doom, jerked free of the cords that had bound it to a tree. So… “dinner” ran away! The goat made a mad dash for the bush with our guys chasing after it!! They caught it in the field and led it back by its horns…literally “led to the slaughter.”

Wow…I’ve lived in Africa, Bangladesh, Guatemala, Nicaragua, etc, but never seen an animal killed for dinner. We enjoy the privilege of supermarkets here in Mochudi, or you can buy meat from a slaughter house. So this was a new, and honestly, slightly disturbing, experience for me! A couple of the YFC staff and I moved away from the scene and found our solace in husking corn and throwing it in the big black cauldron over the open fire in the outdoor kitchen of the school. Also a new experience for me, and definitely less disturbing, haha.

Goat ended up being on the menu each day…let’s just say, I’m thankful we brought along a lot of bread. Even if we hadn’t killed it right there, I just really don’t like goat meat. I wasn’t a fan in Bangladesh, and 6 years later when I tried it again in Olifants Drift…nope…still not a fan. Please know that I was careful not to be disrespectful; and if there hadn’t been sufficient alternative food, I would’ve partaken of the goat meat more.

Another interesting experience was bathing. It involved boiling water over the fire, mixing it with cold water, then standing in a large tin ‘bathtub’ and pouring water from the bucket over oneself. But where did one do this? Outside in the walkway between two buildings (NOT an enclosed space)! Can’t say I’ve ever bathed outdoors in the open under the stars. Due to the darkness and lack of backlight, those walking by (whom you could see because they were illuminated) could apparently not see the one bathing because of it being so dark. Still…awkward! I wondered if my white skin made a difference to this theory…haha. Right before I was about to bathe, someone started up a car that happened to be facing directly in line with where we bathe…the headlights flipped on as they reversed and drove off! Had I bathed two minutes earlier, I could’ve been “caught in the headlights,” literally…and I’m sure I would’ve resembled a deer in the headlights…supremely awkward! So, I am thankful for that NOT happening—supremely awkward situation averted…thank you Jesus!

The first night we had a meeting discussing the situation in the village (hearing from the local Christians) and spending time joining together in worship and intercession. We had walked down to the river earlier in the evening…which is perhaps the Limpopo or a main tributary from it (people were disagreeing on that), but either way, the water of the Limpopo flows in that river. Some locals we met beside the river told us there is a snake-spirit-woman living in the river who kills people (people disappear). They said she looks like a mermaid, but with a snake bottom. Interesting…

Later that night, I wondered what was in the metal tin on a desk in the classroom where I slept. Oh—how about the decomposing, furry goat skull!?! Sweet dreams! That night’s sleep was perhaps one of the worst in my life—due to the river nearby, the mosquitos were out in full-force, and we, sleeping on the floor of a classroom, did not have mosquito nets, nor did we think to pack repellant spray. I tried covering myself, head and all, in my sleeping bag to keep them away from my face and ears, but this got way too hot. When my head or arms were exposed for relief from the heat, mosquitos whined and landing on my face and arms almost immediately. Finally, I decided to change into long pants, socks, and hooded sweatshirt with the hood over my head/face, and sleep on top of the sleeping bag. Finally, I could fall asleep! This successful discovery was not made until 3 am, however. This wouldn’t have been so bad, had we not planned a prayer meeting for 5 am!

So I got up at 4:45am, physically appeared at the prayer meeting, but soon realized that I left my mind on my pillow. In my bleary-eyed, half-dead state of mind, I glanced in the closet of that classroom thinking I would leave my backpack in there. What did my bleary eyes behold? Oh—how about the bloody goat carcus!?! Ok, not putting my bag in there!… Wow…I was so tired I couldn’t really pray anyway, so I got the keys to the Venture and slept for awhile more on the bench seat. I felt kinda bad since we’d talked the night before about how important it was to pray in the morning before we go out to do ministry (with which I agree) and how we all should be there. So I felt like the others might view me as a “pansy-Christian” or something, but I knew that given my lack of sleep, my choice to sleep longer was in fact wise to prepare me for the long day of ministry ahead. When I returned to the 2-hour prayer meeting at 6:15am, God comforted me and made me smile by leading me to read Psalm 127—“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Amen! :)

Reaching an Old Woman for Christ

After breakfast, we split into groups to go house-to-house through the village, inviting people to the evening open-air service we were holding that night and sharing with those who wanted to learn more about Christ. I was the only white person (and non-Setswana speaker) in the entire group, the entire village for that matter, so they paired me with Thapelo, one of our YFC volunteers (he’s the translator for his pastor during sermons). I only had time to reach one house because I was going to return back to the school to help with the Children’s Ministry.

At the one house, we sat down and talked with an old woman, whose Setswana name I would murder if I tried to spell it, but whose English name is Elisa (Batswana usually have two names like this). She was recovering from leg surgery so would not be able to make it to the evening service, but wanted to hear more about Christ. So I shared the gospel message with Elisa, using the bridge analogy that I often use with Victoria Falls (but in her case I contextualized it by using the river in town). After a long talk and discussion, she indicated that she wanted to trust in Christ alone…not any ancestors, witch doctors, or other gods. She wanted to give her life to God. So Thapelo and I prayed with her, and then prayed for her leg to recover quickly so she could walk to the church services at the school. This very sweet, gentle old woman was very thankful that we came and talked with her.

It was only after we were leaving her yard that I remembered how earlier that morning John, the Mochudi policeman, had felt strongly during prayer that we need to reach the old people too (not just young) in the house-to-house ministry because some of them would be unable physically to get to the evening service or the church services, and we don’t want them to die without hearing the gospel message. So it seems like Elisa was perhaps one of those very people!

Music & Sharing with Kids/Youth

I walked back to the school and helped lead songs with guitar with the kids. Naomi from YFC shared bible stories with them, and then I shared the gospel using that bridge analogy (having the kids physically try to long jump across the “river” I’d drawn in the sand and realize they all fall short and need a bridge—which I drew as a cross). There honestly weren’t that many kids…only about 6-8, but later that night at the evening service and the next morning at the Sunday morning church service, there were about 50 youth and children.

All told, in the house-to-house ministry, 106 young people were reached with the gospel message and 40 chose to give their lives to Christ! We gave them the sign-up sheets to start our Indepth 18-part correspondence bible study course. Normally from such a distance, we would mail them back and forth, but interestingly enough, they don’t even get mail in Olifants Drift! Their mailboxes are in Mochudi! So that would be pretty much pointless to mail them the bible studies! Once again, it’s the policemen to the rescue…Mookitse and John drive back and forth from Olifants to Mochudi at least a few times a month, so we’ve organized it so that the Christians in Olifants Drift will turn in their bible studies at the school (where the church meets) and then Mookitse or John will bring them to us to get corrected and to provide the next ones.

Can’t Get Away…from the Goat!

On Saturday afternoon, I was attempting to take a nap in the classroom when my peace was disturbed. What’s that grinding sound I hear? Oh—someone sawing and cutting at the decaying, furry goat skull to glean more edible parts!?! Later in the afternoon, I went with Maruping and Mookitse to set up for the evening program. We all got in the car, but then Mookitse got out. He evidently forgot something. What did he bring in his hands when he returned? Oh—a bowl containing the decaying, furry goat skull!?! Seriously!?! I feel like that freakin’ goat was haunting me, haha! I turned to Maruping before Mookitse got back to the car with the goat parts and said, “Maruping, you have to hold that…I cannot hold that!!” (The smell of the goat was really quite disturbing to me by that point…well and of course, gazing at decaying goat parts isn’t on my top ten list of things to do). So Maruping thankfully held the bowl of goat parts on his lap as we drove to a house, where it was deposited. Thank God! And no…it never reappeared…the goat’s haunting presence only remained in the meals we ate. I just find the whole situation quite humorous…first the goat tries to run away…and then it haunts around every corner, haha!

Open-Air Services in the Village

The evening service on Saturday was delayed due to a thunderstorm. We had 12-15 people squished in the Venture to provide cover, including an old man and woman from the village. At one point there were 5 people squished in the front bench seat of the Venture as we waited out the storm. Good times!

Then the weather cleared, revealing an amazing clear starry sky, under which we held our tent meeting. At one point during prayer for people, I was invited to play the keyboard ‘til the end of the service. I appreciated and enjoyed that opportunity.

Sunday after the church service, we handed out Christian literature to adults/youth, and storybooks & little toys to the kids.

We made sure to reiterate the times the church fellowship is meeting at the school and encourage the people to continue meeting there and growing in their faith. Then we had lunch (goat again! Praise God for fresh rolls!), packed up, and took some group photos:

Then we headed back to Mochudi. Thankfully, the rains hadn’t made the road too muddy or water-covered, so it was smooth driving (just had to dodge the cows and donkeys). All in all, it was a memorable, albeit exhausting, trip! Thanks so much for any & all prayers that were offered for it. We continue to pray that God strengthens that growing body of believers and helps them to be lights in the darkness.

Sharing from Suffering

Later that night I was scheduled to Skype (internet video call) with one of the YFC World Outreach leaders, Art, and his church bible study group. They have been studying the book of Job and wanted to interview me on my views on suffering and God after my accident and dad’s unexpected death. The internet connection quit in the evening though, as is usual, so they called me instead. I was thankful for that opportunity to share some of what I’ve learned and experienced over these past few years.

I’ve found it also helpful in my one-on-one ministry with young people here who are going through hard times to be able to share some of what I’ve learned through my experiences. Right now, if you think of it, Slim could really use some prayer for encouragement. She’s had some trials and setbacks as of late and it’s been getting her down. Please pray for her faith to remain strong and for her to continue to cling to the Lord. Tumelo could also use prayer--unfortunately her counselor is booked up with the running of the Face the Nation AIDS-Prevention program these next few weeks, so she cannot counsel Tumelo. During this break from counseling, please pray for Tumelo’s reconciliation with her mother and that she would make wise choices and come closer to God.

Take care…gotta finish planning for the next volunteer training tomorrow in Gaborone!

Blessings,
Em