I'm now on my "home assignment," or furlough. I was due for mine a bit earlier this year but decided to stay longer so that I could go on the mission trip to Malawi/Zambia and then also head to Thailand for the Youth for Christ International General Assembly (weeklong conference every 3 years). After Thailand, I returned to Botswana for 72 hours to help lead another prayer walk in Gaborone...and then flew out the next day to England for my cousin's wedding and the start of my furlough. I'll explain more about all that in a future post...
I just wanted to post a couple times that are already set of when I'll be sharing in Michigan (a couple other churches are still getting back to me):
Sunday December 7th: I will be sharing at Croswell Wesleyan Church in Croswell, MI for 10 minutes in each service (starting at 9:30 and 11:00am) and then for about 45 minutes during the Adult Education hour during the second service (just after I share for the 10 minutes in the service).
Sunday December 14th: I will be sharing at Grace Ministry Center in Kimball (at the far end of the outlet mall on Range Road) for a short interview in both the 9:30 and 11:00am services. After both services, I will share more with Powerpoint pictures in the JOY room (it will be a bit longer after the 11:00am service).
Minnesota friends, I haven't forgotten you! I am actually typing this from Minnesota...I drove up with my mom to be with my brother Ryan for Thanksgiving. We will drive back Saturday to Michigan. "What? So soon??" you may ask. Do not dismay...I will return to Minnesota for at least a couple weeks in January to see Minnesotan friends then. I'll post details later of when I will speak in Minnesota. I will be flying back to Botswana on January 29th to start my third term...February 14 will mark 5 years since I moved to Botswana!
For those who might be wondering about what happened with the Youth Centre in Gaborone, here is a quick update:
As noted before, we had to move out on June 30 because we hadn't raised enough ($344,000) to buy the property that we had been renting, once the owners decided to sell. The owners gave another interested party time to possibly buy it before it would go on the open market. That second party has declined, also due to lack of sufficient funds. Therefore, the last I heard from the landlord, they were making plans to place the property on the open market. We are therefore, as far as I know, still able to purchase the property if we are able to raise the money. We are praying that God would help us either raise the money for that or somewhere else. It was certainly beneficial to have a place to hold youth events, meetings, trainings, etc. One time a few months back, I was walking in Gaborone and a teenage boy came running up to me and asked me why we don't have the Youth Hang-Outs anymore at YFC...I had to explain that we needed to move out and told him to pray with us that God provides for us to stay there or guides us to a different location.
Meanwhile, we are in the process of applying for YFC to become a chartered club at the University of Botswana. This will enable us to have a classroom where we can schedule meetings (i.e. volunteer trainings/meetings and prayer meetings). We won't be able to keep anything in the classroom or have events that can really draw teenagers (i.e. with basketball, games, food, etc), but it will at least give us a place to hold meetings. At the last YFC volunteer meeting in Gaborone, we had over 45 volunteers! Please pray with us that we are granted club status. No matter what happens with regard to getting our own centre again, we believe that having a club presence on the university campus will be beneficial, especially to hold regular prayer and worship meetings and to recruit, train, and mobilize volunteers to reach other students and teens for Christ.
Well, I hope you've had a great Thanksgiving holiday. It was my first Thanksgiving with family or in the US since 2009. I am thankful for every prayer that is offered for the ministry and me, as well as every financial gift that sustains the ministry. I am thankful just that you are reading this! It helps to know there are people who care and who are together in this cause to reach youth for Christ in Botswana!
Many blessings,
Ember
