Hello everyone!!
After the cool “divine appointment” with the attorney on Tuesday, I wrote in my journal the next day how letting God lead your life is such a blessed adventure – “Lord, I love the adventure of life with You at the helm…such a blessed adventure with You. I love it. I love you.” Then the next day, I was amazed yet again by another day of cool opportunities…
I spent all day Thursday with one other YFC staff member, Sara, at a Government consultative workshop to help revise the Botswana National Youth Policy, which hasn’t been revised since 1996. We suggested policy changes and strategies in the areas of youth employment, poverty and hunger, the environment, science and IT, leadership development, vulnerable youth/orphans, recreation/sport/creative arts, education/training, health – HIV/AIDS prevention and care, moral and spiritual development, gender issues –i.e. working for equality and empowerment of females, and positive cultural values.
Some quick facts listed in the policy are that according to a 2001 Census the youth account for 38.4 % of the national population in Botswana. The estimated 2009 HIV prevalence was 12.3% for those 20-24 years and 25.9% for those 25-29 years old. So in my age bracket, 1 in 4 people has HIV/AIDS.
There were people there from the government, private sector, NGOs, and youth organizations like YFC. Sara and I were the only two makgua (white people), the only two non-Batswana in the meeting of about 25 youth representatives. Basically the government wants to create a new National Youth Policy and Action Plan to implement the policy because the 1996 is definitely outdated in terms of current concerns. The hope is to present it in July to the Parliament to be approved and implemented. They want to publicize it so that it is well-known through newspapers, a press conference, radio, TV, and on their website. Our comments would help revise and enhance the policy.
So they split us up into groups, each group focusing on three of the strategic areas mentioned above. I was in the group that worked on the last three – moral and spiritual development, gender issues, and culture values. There were 5 people in my group, and I knew nothing about them. So when we began talking about strategies to foster moral and spiritual development, I did not know where they stood in terms of beliefs…
The conversation initially focused on whether we should have a law passed where youth have IDs and are carded at pubs, and underage youth are not able to purchase alcohol. They were discussing that for quite some time (mainly in Setswana), but after awhile I shared that while it’s not bad to have such a law, I think we need to focus on the deeper issues of the youth’s moral and spiritual development. Instead of focusing on how to catch youth in pubs and forcefully changing their behavior, why don’t we try to change their hearts and morals so that they won’t want to go to the pub in the first place? I shared how the youth are thirsting after something to fulfill them, to satisfy them. They are searching for love and acceptance, and they think it can come from their peers, which then increases the peer pressure to engage in risky behaviors, like drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. I shared that as a Christian, my relationship with Christ fulfills me…and likewise when I was a teenager, I didn’t feel the need to engage in those risky behaviors to fulfill me. So I shared that if we could help youth grow spiritually, then we would see the morality falling in line as a result.
Then I mentioned how Youth for Christ goes into schools and helps promote a lifestyle of morals and abstinence from alcohol, drugs, and sex until marriage ….all flowing from a personal relationship with Christ. The secretary for our group wrote down as one of our strategies: “Young people need spiritual guidance to build their morals, teach them about responsibilities—that teaching can be done at schools by youth organizations like Youth for Christ and BOFWA.” I wasn’t expecting that she would write YFC into the suggested strategy, but hey, that’s cool with me!
For gender issues, one of my suggestions was written down for our group and shared with the whole group: “Teaching girls job skills and how to start their own businesses (possibly with micro-credit/micro-loan programs) so they can be financially independent.”
For the culture section, I suggested that the government enforce policies that protect people’s religious freedom and ensure that the teaching of culture does not violate religious freedom, e.g. it does not force youth to embrace or take part in traditional religious practices which they do not believe. This is currently a big issue in Mochudi (for more details, email me and I’ll email you more). I was one of our group presenters and thus was able to share those things with the whole assembly and the government youth representatives present. I was also able to suggest that perhaps the government could help groups like YFC to get in to more schools to share about moral and spiritual development, because now it is hard to get into schools. How cool to think that the government could actually help to get Christian groups into schools to present to students! [It was interesting that to start this government-led workshop, one of the government youth department workers asked for someone to pray and ask God for wisdom and guidance in our meeting].
We won’t know how much bearing our comments will have, but it was a very encouraging day to be able to share our thoughts, concerns, and strategies in all these areas and see that our comments and thoughts were valued and recorded. It felt like such a privilege to be there and have the opportunity to make some small impact. They are doing several of these consultative workshops throughout the country to gain feedback and insight from the youth and young people. It was also very refreshing to see the people of Botswana acknowledging and addressing the issues facing youth and working to create strategies and action plans to implement them. The proposed National Youth Policy which we were revising is 55 pages long (and we can still read through it more thoroughly and send in our revisions and ideas to the Department of Youth office. The Action Plan to implement the strategies is 48 pages long, and most of the policy and action plan I totally agree with already and hope that it can be implemented effectively.
Ok, back to more of the cool stories of the day. After I had shared with my group about how Christ fulfills me and if we can help youth experience that, they won’t feel the need or desire to engage in risky behaviors…soon after that, it was tea time and one of the other group members told me that she is a Christian. After tea time we finished our strategies and then the conversation unexpectedly turned to focus totally on Christ. The group members were often speaking in Setswana, but all of sudden, the one who identified herself as a Christian said in English to the young woman next to me… “We died with Christ, and were raised with Christ...we have been justified, and now we are being sanctified…and there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” So that was like, “Whoa…ok, apparently we’re talking about Christ now!” So I whipped out my bible, which I had decided to bring along for some reason. I was able to find the verse she was trying to cite (Romans 8:1) and show it to the girl next to me. Then the guy to my left asked her to share about why she is born again…and then I asked him the same question.
He then shared that he realized he was such a sinner and that he needed to instead be on the straight and narrow way. He shared how he had been living with his girlfriend in 2005 and one day when he went to Gabs (the capital), she was murdered. He was the prime suspect because he was the boyfriend, and he was thrown in jail. He was imprisoned for 8 months until the lawyers fighting for him could prove that it could not have been him. During that time in jail, people from Prison Fellowship, a Christian ministry, shared the gospel with him and he gave his life to Christ and has been living for Him ever since! He invited me to his church, so I might check it out some Sunday. The other young woman told me how to get to her church too. She was sharing with me that it’s great that God could use his imprisonment to help bring him to cry out to the Lord. She said it often happens that we cry out to God and spend more time with Him when things are bad…and we talked about how we should spend time with God even in the good times because He is worthy and we should praise Him at all times. While we were having this conversation, the next seeming divine appointment arrived…
Right then, a 19-year old guy came up to me and showed me a riddle he’d been trying unsuccessfully to figure out. He said he got it from his pastor. He had it written down in a notebook and held it out for me to read. It was something like this:
A word gives birth to a word, and this word becomes extinct so that many words could have eternal meaning.
Well, I said it sounds like a very unique, interesting (not totally accurate!) way of explaining the basic gospel message…that a Word (God) gives birth to a Word (Jesus, the Word made flesh), and this word becomes extinct (dies on the cross) so that many words (people) could have eternal meaning (eternal life). I showed him John 1 where it talks about the Word being made flesh…and then John 3:16—“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” I said it’s important to note that it’s not just everyone who has eternal life, but only those who believe and trust in Christ. Then I just felt led to ask him, “Have you done that? Have you believed and trusted in Christ?” And he honestly said, “No…I just go to church, but I haven’t made that commitment yet.” I asked, “What’s holding you back?”
After he shrugged, I felt led to share the Victoria Falls analogy about how it’s not enough to just go to church, do good things, or even know that Jesus died and rose again (even demons believe that). So I drew out a picture of it and was explaining the gospel with my bible there…we were almost finished when we had to break for lunch. We intended to continue the conversation later, but the conference went an hour past schedule (so it was 8 am- 5 pm). Meanwhile, Sara had invited him to come to the Coffee Bar outreach where we could talk more with him. In my bag I had a little booklet that briefly explains the basic gospel message, so I was able to give that to him so he can read it over before we talk again at Coffee Bar. It was just really cool to see how God orchestrated that…using a riddle that refers to the gospel. And how these opportunities opened up at a government meeting, so that we were talking about Jesus for much of the day! If you feel led, please pray for this 19-year old guy and for our conversations in the future. We don’t have Coffee Bar this weekend, but next.
I will be on the missionary conference Monday through Wednesday, so I'll update you after that!
Blessings,
Em
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Retreats, 4K, divine appt with Attorney!
Greetings everyone!!! Lots of cool things to report!
Refresh Retreat – Learned of a Breakthrough!
YFC and a church in Gaborone partnered to put on the first ever youth retreat weekend in this area as a follow-up to the Youth Week camp in South Africa that YFC runs for nearly 1,000 teens from across southern Africa. About 60 youth attended, and six of us YFC Botswana staff helped out. I met the youth pastor of the church, and he was amazed to hear the fresh news that we as YFC have permission to go into the non-religious private school in Gaborone, talk with students and hopefully start a praise and worship band during their break times. Apparently, it has been near impossible to get into that school with a Christian organization. Our ability to minister there seems to be a true breakthrough, which was further confirmed when I spoke that night to the whole retreat—after I mentioned that we have an open door to start working at that school, I was surprised to be interrupted by cheers and clapping from the youth interns and several youth who had amazed looks on their faces! So praise the Lord for this breakthrough, and please pray that God would guide us in how to pioneer the ministry there and to find students to join me in a worship band. At the retreat, I befriended a student from that school named Linet who signed up to get involved in YFC, as did several other students.
Refreshing Fellowship and Recreation
The retreat was called “Refresh,” and its title was an apt description. It was quite refreshing to be able to meet and befriend so many youth and leaders from Gaborone, where I will be focusing my ministry initially. In informal fellowship times, I had the opportunity to share my Botswana calling story with a couple people and share my accident/recovery testimony with one of the worship leaders, who was fighting back tears at the part about extending mercy to the man who hit us. I was also able to lead a devotion time in the morning and had the privilege of counseling and praying with a teen girl who wants to live fully for Christ now every day. Though she lives hours away, she was thankful to learn that we can help disciple her with the YFC correspondence follow-up bible studies.
It was also refreshing to have extended times of praise and worship led by an extremely talented youth band and to realize that they play/sing many of the same songs here that I’ve led in worship in the U.S. I find it a beautiful thing that people from Botswana, America, and my housemates from Europe all know and are singing the same worship songs to our Lord. I hadn’t been sure how my worship-leading style would “go over” here, and was willing to adapt to the Botswana style of worship; but now I am excited to realize that it is primarily very similar with the same instruments (guitars, bass, drum-set, etc) and style of worship, even for the songs in Setswana.
The outdoor pool and the beautiful setting next to a river with wild monkeys swinging in the trees were other refreshing aspects. It was also the first time I’ve really felt the sensation of being cold while in Botswana, and it gloriously coincided with the ability to have my first warm shower here! Refreshing indeed!
4K race!
The last day of the retreat (April 18), five of us housemates ran in a 4K as part of the first annual Gaborone Marathon. My left knee had been giving me grief since my 27th birthday on April 6 (my body knew I got older, haha!) So because of that and getting sick, I hadn’t run since April 6. Thankfully, the 4K went well, and my knee has been fine. It was great to see the improvement from my last 4K race in October (my fastest time in training on April 6 was over 6 minutes faster than my time in October!). Praise God I’m feeling more and more back to “normal” in terms of physical recovery.
Divine Appointment?? Methinks…
So yesterday I found out I needed to get a document notarized. Unlike in the States where you can roll up to a bank and find a notary as easy as finding a cop in a donut shop, here you actually have to go to an attorney and they charge anywhere from $15-$45 just to notarize/certify a document! But I needed to get it done, so I drove my first solo trip in my car to Gabs (Gaborone) to find the attorney. The first one I tried to locate I could not find anywhere on the short street it is supposedly on. Thus, I called one that was nearby to ask how much they charge…the same ($15 per sheet). So I drove to their law office, finding it successfully. However, once back in the attorney’s office and ready to have it notorized, he realized that he had run out of his stamps/official seals. He apologized and sent me with a “messenger” (one of the secretaries) who rode in my car and directed me to a nearby attorney’s office where they could notorize my document. Notorization was successful. I asked the “messenger” where I was supposed to pay, and she said at her law office. Thus, we got back in my sweet ride and I drove her back to the original office. By the time I had locked my car and set the alarm (it was a bad area of town with lots of thieves, she said), she was already back in her office out of sight and the receptionist was yacking with another man. Thus, I just sat down, waiting…wondering…Who do I pay? Where do I pay?
Then the attorney (who’d run out of stamps) came out and saw me sitting there. He asked if it all worked out at the other law office (affirmative). Then I asked who I should pay, and he said, “Oh no, I ran out of stamps…you do not have to pay anything.” Sweetness! Then it gets better…so I’m walking out to leave and he asks where I work, or what I’m doing here in Botswana, and I replied that I work for Youth for Christ. “Oh! You should preach to me!...I’m wanting to learn more about God…we should have a conversation sometime because I am figuring out what I believe.” He had already given me his business card earlier, so he asked me to call and possibly we could talk more about God. I said, “So you are spiritually seeking?” and he replied, “Yes…and you’re a missionary…we should talk.” He said he’s gone a few times to a church in Gaborone (and it happens to be the same one I go to most weeks, the one we just partnered with to run the Refresh Retreat!). So we will probably see each other there sometime. I called him last night and shared that another YFC staff, George, and I could meet with him sometime after church or after work on a weekday in Gabs to talk more with him. He liked that idea, and we’ll be in touch to find a time that works!
How crazy-cool is that?! I rode home from the attorney’s office praising God for His obvious hand in leading me to that particular attorney. I had praise and worship music playing through the sound system wire I got for 15 cents last time I was in Gabs, just smiling in awe of how I just got a $15-$45 service for free and an open door to share more with a man who is spiritually seeking!! God is amazing! So some days it’s a taxi driver, other days an attorney…it’s cool to see who God has us cross paths with if we are willing to be His witness.
Upcoming Conferences and Trips
Tomorrow, I am attending the Botswana Department of Youth, Mochudi Youth Office consultative workshop as one of the two YFC representatives for an all day conference on the Draft Revised National Youth Policy. I honestly don’t know exactly what that means, but I’ll let you know on the flip side!
Then Friday, I hope to drive to a village about 1.5 hours away to meet up with the YFC Botswana dance/drama team. They are doing a weeklong outreach there, and I thought it’d be cool to go for a day or two to experience it (since it is similar to what I hope to do with a full-time team in the future here). So I will probably leave Friday, spend the night there, and come back Saturday.
Then Monday through Wednesday, I will be attending (and possibly helping to facilitate) a Botswana Missionary Conference called Joining Hands, where all the missionaries who work in Botswana get together and network to reach Botswana for Christ. It is the 13th annual conference, and it happens to be held at the same beautiful camp where the Refresh Retreat was! So, this means…beauty, monkeys, pool, warm showers, glory! And moreso, I am excited to learn more about what everyone is doing in Botswana and how we can work together to further God’s kingdom here. The missionaries in northern Botswana who I worked with in 2004 will attend. One of them is on the board of directors organizing the conference, as is Koekoes from YFC.
Alright, well, this has been long, but I doubt I will have internet access due to all these conferences and retreats until next Thursday. So, I figured a long one can tide you over til then (and explain what I’m doing so if you feel led to pray you can!).
God is good!
~Em
P.S. I needed to get another thing notorized just now, and I decided to try the police station here in Mochudi where I heard there is a Commissioner of Oaths (like a notary in the U.S.). A bank worker told me to try there (they didn't have a notary there). I figured I'd just ask if it was possible at the police station and how much it might cost (my housemates said they usually have to go to their embassy though one time the police did it, but in Gabs not Mochudi). But I figured it was worth a shot instead of driving back to Gabs and paying $15 for it at the attorney. So I just went there, and they had me come in to the police office and sit with the Commissioner of Oaths police officer. He asked why I didn't go to my embassy, and I said they haven't returned my call, and I was just checking to see if it were possible here and how much it would cost... He proceeded to just do it with no problem and didn't charge me anything! Sweetness.
Refresh Retreat – Learned of a Breakthrough!
YFC and a church in Gaborone partnered to put on the first ever youth retreat weekend in this area as a follow-up to the Youth Week camp in South Africa that YFC runs for nearly 1,000 teens from across southern Africa. About 60 youth attended, and six of us YFC Botswana staff helped out. I met the youth pastor of the church, and he was amazed to hear the fresh news that we as YFC have permission to go into the non-religious private school in Gaborone, talk with students and hopefully start a praise and worship band during their break times. Apparently, it has been near impossible to get into that school with a Christian organization. Our ability to minister there seems to be a true breakthrough, which was further confirmed when I spoke that night to the whole retreat—after I mentioned that we have an open door to start working at that school, I was surprised to be interrupted by cheers and clapping from the youth interns and several youth who had amazed looks on their faces! So praise the Lord for this breakthrough, and please pray that God would guide us in how to pioneer the ministry there and to find students to join me in a worship band. At the retreat, I befriended a student from that school named Linet who signed up to get involved in YFC, as did several other students.
Refreshing Fellowship and Recreation
The retreat was called “Refresh,” and its title was an apt description. It was quite refreshing to be able to meet and befriend so many youth and leaders from Gaborone, where I will be focusing my ministry initially. In informal fellowship times, I had the opportunity to share my Botswana calling story with a couple people and share my accident/recovery testimony with one of the worship leaders, who was fighting back tears at the part about extending mercy to the man who hit us. I was also able to lead a devotion time in the morning and had the privilege of counseling and praying with a teen girl who wants to live fully for Christ now every day. Though she lives hours away, she was thankful to learn that we can help disciple her with the YFC correspondence follow-up bible studies.
It was also refreshing to have extended times of praise and worship led by an extremely talented youth band and to realize that they play/sing many of the same songs here that I’ve led in worship in the U.S. I find it a beautiful thing that people from Botswana, America, and my housemates from Europe all know and are singing the same worship songs to our Lord. I hadn’t been sure how my worship-leading style would “go over” here, and was willing to adapt to the Botswana style of worship; but now I am excited to realize that it is primarily very similar with the same instruments (guitars, bass, drum-set, etc) and style of worship, even for the songs in Setswana.
The outdoor pool and the beautiful setting next to a river with wild monkeys swinging in the trees were other refreshing aspects. It was also the first time I’ve really felt the sensation of being cold while in Botswana, and it gloriously coincided with the ability to have my first warm shower here! Refreshing indeed!
4K race!
The last day of the retreat (April 18), five of us housemates ran in a 4K as part of the first annual Gaborone Marathon. My left knee had been giving me grief since my 27th birthday on April 6 (my body knew I got older, haha!) So because of that and getting sick, I hadn’t run since April 6. Thankfully, the 4K went well, and my knee has been fine. It was great to see the improvement from my last 4K race in October (my fastest time in training on April 6 was over 6 minutes faster than my time in October!). Praise God I’m feeling more and more back to “normal” in terms of physical recovery.
Divine Appointment?? Methinks…
So yesterday I found out I needed to get a document notarized. Unlike in the States where you can roll up to a bank and find a notary as easy as finding a cop in a donut shop, here you actually have to go to an attorney and they charge anywhere from $15-$45 just to notarize/certify a document! But I needed to get it done, so I drove my first solo trip in my car to Gabs (Gaborone) to find the attorney. The first one I tried to locate I could not find anywhere on the short street it is supposedly on. Thus, I called one that was nearby to ask how much they charge…the same ($15 per sheet). So I drove to their law office, finding it successfully. However, once back in the attorney’s office and ready to have it notorized, he realized that he had run out of his stamps/official seals. He apologized and sent me with a “messenger” (one of the secretaries) who rode in my car and directed me to a nearby attorney’s office where they could notorize my document. Notorization was successful. I asked the “messenger” where I was supposed to pay, and she said at her law office. Thus, we got back in my sweet ride and I drove her back to the original office. By the time I had locked my car and set the alarm (it was a bad area of town with lots of thieves, she said), she was already back in her office out of sight and the receptionist was yacking with another man. Thus, I just sat down, waiting…wondering…Who do I pay? Where do I pay?
Then the attorney (who’d run out of stamps) came out and saw me sitting there. He asked if it all worked out at the other law office (affirmative). Then I asked who I should pay, and he said, “Oh no, I ran out of stamps…you do not have to pay anything.” Sweetness! Then it gets better…so I’m walking out to leave and he asks where I work, or what I’m doing here in Botswana, and I replied that I work for Youth for Christ. “Oh! You should preach to me!...I’m wanting to learn more about God…we should have a conversation sometime because I am figuring out what I believe.” He had already given me his business card earlier, so he asked me to call and possibly we could talk more about God. I said, “So you are spiritually seeking?” and he replied, “Yes…and you’re a missionary…we should talk.” He said he’s gone a few times to a church in Gaborone (and it happens to be the same one I go to most weeks, the one we just partnered with to run the Refresh Retreat!). So we will probably see each other there sometime. I called him last night and shared that another YFC staff, George, and I could meet with him sometime after church or after work on a weekday in Gabs to talk more with him. He liked that idea, and we’ll be in touch to find a time that works!
How crazy-cool is that?! I rode home from the attorney’s office praising God for His obvious hand in leading me to that particular attorney. I had praise and worship music playing through the sound system wire I got for 15 cents last time I was in Gabs, just smiling in awe of how I just got a $15-$45 service for free and an open door to share more with a man who is spiritually seeking!! God is amazing! So some days it’s a taxi driver, other days an attorney…it’s cool to see who God has us cross paths with if we are willing to be His witness.
Upcoming Conferences and Trips
Tomorrow, I am attending the Botswana Department of Youth, Mochudi Youth Office consultative workshop as one of the two YFC representatives for an all day conference on the Draft Revised National Youth Policy. I honestly don’t know exactly what that means, but I’ll let you know on the flip side!
Then Friday, I hope to drive to a village about 1.5 hours away to meet up with the YFC Botswana dance/drama team. They are doing a weeklong outreach there, and I thought it’d be cool to go for a day or two to experience it (since it is similar to what I hope to do with a full-time team in the future here). So I will probably leave Friday, spend the night there, and come back Saturday.
Then Monday through Wednesday, I will be attending (and possibly helping to facilitate) a Botswana Missionary Conference called Joining Hands, where all the missionaries who work in Botswana get together and network to reach Botswana for Christ. It is the 13th annual conference, and it happens to be held at the same beautiful camp where the Refresh Retreat was! So, this means…beauty, monkeys, pool, warm showers, glory! And moreso, I am excited to learn more about what everyone is doing in Botswana and how we can work together to further God’s kingdom here. The missionaries in northern Botswana who I worked with in 2004 will attend. One of them is on the board of directors organizing the conference, as is Koekoes from YFC.
Alright, well, this has been long, but I doubt I will have internet access due to all these conferences and retreats until next Thursday. So, I figured a long one can tide you over til then (and explain what I’m doing so if you feel led to pray you can!).
God is good!
~Em
P.S. I needed to get another thing notorized just now, and I decided to try the police station here in Mochudi where I heard there is a Commissioner of Oaths (like a notary in the U.S.). A bank worker told me to try there (they didn't have a notary there). I figured I'd just ask if it was possible at the police station and how much it might cost (my housemates said they usually have to go to their embassy though one time the police did it, but in Gabs not Mochudi). But I figured it was worth a shot instead of driving back to Gabs and paying $15 for it at the attorney. So I just went there, and they had me come in to the police office and sit with the Commissioner of Oaths police officer. He asked why I didn't go to my embassy, and I said they haven't returned my call, and I was just checking to see if it were possible here and how much it would cost... He proceeded to just do it with no problem and didn't charge me anything! Sweetness.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Zebras, birthday, sickness/recovery
Dumelang!
The day before Easter, a board member of YFC and his wife took all of us housemates out for dinner again at Spur in honor of my birthday on April 6. Then he, Ant (short for Anthony) took us on a game drive through the Gaborone game reserve. We just rode in his vehicle and it was quite cheap (like a dollar per person). We actually saw lots of wildlife – impala, ostriches, warthogs (some baby warthogs too!), and lots of zebras! We got out of the car and took pictures of the zebras only about 35 or 40 feet away. Then we went back to Ant and Nellie’s house for some dessert.
The next day was Easter and we celebrated at church in Gaborone; and the next day (Monday April 5) we each paid about 20 dollars to go on a safari with a guide at a park called Mokolodi. Interestingly, because of the recent rains, there were not many animals out and about at all (since they don’t need to go to the watering holes as much). So in our 2 hour safari, we saw less animals than in our really cheap game drive in Gaborone. Go figure! But the hilly scenery was quite beautiful with hills/mountains in the distance and good views from the high points. We did see a couple cheetahs and a hyena that they adopted from a young age, so they live in an enclosed part of the reserve and are fed because they lack the natural instincts to survive in the wild.
The following day (April 6) was my 27th birthday. I started it out with a brisk 4K run…and later in the day my body must’ve known I got older because my left knee started hurting and swelling for the first time I can remember. After a few days resting from running, it feels better now. Right as the knee was starting to improve, I got sick with a fever/stomach bug. I had to register my car under my name instead of the previous owner, and I had to do it that day, so I waited in a long, hot line outside. Then to get out of the penetrating sun, people at the front of the line were crammed into the small indoor office. So many people that it was stuffy and quite hot. Since I wasn’t feeling the best already, I started sweating like crazy and felt nauseous, so I left to get some fresh air outside in the shade. Again I went back in and was ok until right before my turn, another wave of nausea came over me, but by God’s grace I made it through to get the registration. The same day (Thursday, April 8) I also got insurance for my car and made my first trip to Gaborone in my car to fetch a YFC missionary care coach named Lynn from the airport. I met her last May when she led a YFC retreat in Colorado, and she keeps up with me through email and phone. It was great to have her here for four days.
Once we picked her up from the airport, I decided to be adventurous and try to find a shopping mall that has the store that E.J. (YFC Botswana director) said sells wires needed to work an mp3 player in my car. So after a slight detour thanks to some erroneous directions, we arrived there. And I’m thankful we did. I walked into the store, asked a clerk if they had these wires for a car sound system. Then this guy opens up a cabinet inaccessible to customers and says, “Well, we just sold out of them, but there is this one left. It is already opened because I was using it to test something, but you can have it for one buck…You can try it out with your mp3 player to make sure it works.” So I got mine, tested it, and sure enough it worked swimmingly. Not only was there that cable but also a charger to charge my mp3 player in the car! All for 0.95 thebe – less than one pula! Translated into American dollars, we’re looking at about 15 cents!!!!! Craziness!!! So I went to pay for it, and sure enough it was less than one pula. The cashier just smiled giving it to me and the smile was huge on my face too – all of us knew I was getting a ridiculously amazing price…literally almost a steal!! Thank you Lord for crazy cheap things!! This is NOT normal here…things are quite comparably priced to the U.S., so it was a true blessing, and now I can ride in style with my tunes. Sweetness!
I’ve been taking it easy since then with the sickness bug I had…the doctor gave me medicine and wanted me to stay home and rest. So today is actually my first day back at the office, and this afternoon a few of us are going to help out at a camp for high school kids this weekend. I’m super excited to go—being stuck at home was slightly like being a prisoner…I only ate bread and water for the most part, I couldn’t really leave because I was supposed to rest, and there are bars on the windows! (all the houses/buildings here have bars on the windows for security). So today is a taste of freedom and thankfully more tasteful food! The camp even has a pool I hear! If I’m feeling up to it and my knee is all good, I am registered to race in a 4K on Sunday…I know with the knee and sickness lately it won’t be the best time I could do right now, but I hope I can at least enjoy a ‘fun run’ as they call it.
Alright, well, I’ll let you know next week how it all turned out. Prayers would be appreciated for the camp to spiritually impact the teens and for everyone’s health (as this bug has been going around). Take care.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
~Em
The day before Easter, a board member of YFC and his wife took all of us housemates out for dinner again at Spur in honor of my birthday on April 6. Then he, Ant (short for Anthony) took us on a game drive through the Gaborone game reserve. We just rode in his vehicle and it was quite cheap (like a dollar per person). We actually saw lots of wildlife – impala, ostriches, warthogs (some baby warthogs too!), and lots of zebras! We got out of the car and took pictures of the zebras only about 35 or 40 feet away. Then we went back to Ant and Nellie’s house for some dessert.
The next day was Easter and we celebrated at church in Gaborone; and the next day (Monday April 5) we each paid about 20 dollars to go on a safari with a guide at a park called Mokolodi. Interestingly, because of the recent rains, there were not many animals out and about at all (since they don’t need to go to the watering holes as much). So in our 2 hour safari, we saw less animals than in our really cheap game drive in Gaborone. Go figure! But the hilly scenery was quite beautiful with hills/mountains in the distance and good views from the high points. We did see a couple cheetahs and a hyena that they adopted from a young age, so they live in an enclosed part of the reserve and are fed because they lack the natural instincts to survive in the wild.
The following day (April 6) was my 27th birthday. I started it out with a brisk 4K run…and later in the day my body must’ve known I got older because my left knee started hurting and swelling for the first time I can remember. After a few days resting from running, it feels better now. Right as the knee was starting to improve, I got sick with a fever/stomach bug. I had to register my car under my name instead of the previous owner, and I had to do it that day, so I waited in a long, hot line outside. Then to get out of the penetrating sun, people at the front of the line were crammed into the small indoor office. So many people that it was stuffy and quite hot. Since I wasn’t feeling the best already, I started sweating like crazy and felt nauseous, so I left to get some fresh air outside in the shade. Again I went back in and was ok until right before my turn, another wave of nausea came over me, but by God’s grace I made it through to get the registration. The same day (Thursday, April 8) I also got insurance for my car and made my first trip to Gaborone in my car to fetch a YFC missionary care coach named Lynn from the airport. I met her last May when she led a YFC retreat in Colorado, and she keeps up with me through email and phone. It was great to have her here for four days.
Once we picked her up from the airport, I decided to be adventurous and try to find a shopping mall that has the store that E.J. (YFC Botswana director) said sells wires needed to work an mp3 player in my car. So after a slight detour thanks to some erroneous directions, we arrived there. And I’m thankful we did. I walked into the store, asked a clerk if they had these wires for a car sound system. Then this guy opens up a cabinet inaccessible to customers and says, “Well, we just sold out of them, but there is this one left. It is already opened because I was using it to test something, but you can have it for one buck…You can try it out with your mp3 player to make sure it works.” So I got mine, tested it, and sure enough it worked swimmingly. Not only was there that cable but also a charger to charge my mp3 player in the car! All for 0.95 thebe – less than one pula! Translated into American dollars, we’re looking at about 15 cents!!!!! Craziness!!! So I went to pay for it, and sure enough it was less than one pula. The cashier just smiled giving it to me and the smile was huge on my face too – all of us knew I was getting a ridiculously amazing price…literally almost a steal!! Thank you Lord for crazy cheap things!! This is NOT normal here…things are quite comparably priced to the U.S., so it was a true blessing, and now I can ride in style with my tunes. Sweetness!
I’ve been taking it easy since then with the sickness bug I had…the doctor gave me medicine and wanted me to stay home and rest. So today is actually my first day back at the office, and this afternoon a few of us are going to help out at a camp for high school kids this weekend. I’m super excited to go—being stuck at home was slightly like being a prisoner…I only ate bread and water for the most part, I couldn’t really leave because I was supposed to rest, and there are bars on the windows! (all the houses/buildings here have bars on the windows for security). So today is a taste of freedom and thankfully more tasteful food! The camp even has a pool I hear! If I’m feeling up to it and my knee is all good, I am registered to race in a 4K on Sunday…I know with the knee and sickness lately it won’t be the best time I could do right now, but I hope I can at least enjoy a ‘fun run’ as they call it.
Alright, well, I’ll let you know next week how it all turned out. Prayers would be appreciated for the camp to spiritually impact the teens and for everyone’s health (as this bug has been going around). Take care.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
~Em
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Dance/Drama Team Rocks Botswana!
Buyela Team from YFC South Africa
On Monday March 22, a dance/drama team of 14 young adults from Youth for Christ South Africa arrived. Their team named is Buyela, a Zulu word meaning “return.” They seek to help people return to God and for family reconciliation – fathers’ hearts to return to their children and children’s hearts to return to their fathers (based on Malachi 4:6, Luke 1:17). You can find them online at www.buyela.com. They have stayed at the YFC office all week as they’ve ministered here in Botswana. They presented a 90-minute program to the entire student body at three schools in Gaborone. March is officially the Month of Youth Against AIDS here in Botswana, so schools are more open to having presentations about AIDS and encouraging abstinence to prevent its spread. The team also presented to the orphans at the YFC daycare and to the School of the Blind students Friday. On Saturday, March 27, they performed at an open-air abstinence rally in the center of Mochudi that was co-sponsored by Youth for Christ and a Women’s Prayer Movement in Mochudi. We were up at 5 something a.m. to be in town by 6:30 am to put up a big-top tent. The dance/drama team from South Africa performed a few of their dances and the dance/drama team from here in Botswana performed a powerful drama. There were various speakers sharing about the AIDS situation here in our district, as well as the reasons why to abstain and how, through the strength and grace of the Lord, to actually abstain and be faithful during marriage.
I was thankful I brought my trusty Botswana umbrella along to the rally because when the sun was beaming down and we were all sitting under the sun (the tent was for the sound system and stuff for the presentations), most people were cooking like chicken under the sun. But I had a slice of shade courtesy of my patriotic umbrella. Many people from Botswana also brought along their umbrellas (most people carry their umbrellas everywhere to block the sun, and only occasionally the rain). I ended up offering it to one of the German volunteers (Kyra) and her boyfriend Alex who arrived Friday on a visit from Germany (let’s just say he came from the Germany winter and is NOT tan at all!). Another addition to our household is another American YFC missionary, a 23-year old named Katie! She arrived Thursday night and will be working with the orphan day care for at least 2 years. So she is now sharing a bedroom with me in the house. I was the first American long-term missionary to move here, and now there are two of us!
Saturday night we had dinner together as a household (9 of us now with Alex and Katie!). Simone from the Netherlands was the cook that day (we take turns cooking) – a delicious meal of sausage, potatoes, corn, peas, and carrots. Soon after, we walked to the YFC office where the South African dance/drama team performed at the Coffee Bar. It was the biggest turn-out all year, which was awesome because of the powerful and important message that was presented. Several students committed their lives to Christ after their presentation! It was a very encouraging night!
The next day (Sunday, March 28), the South African team presented at a youth service at the church in Gaborone that the YFC director E.J. pastors. It was the “last hurrah” before the team drove back to South Africa yesterday. The people really liked it and already want the team to return.
After that last performance Sunday night, we were all quite hungry (not having eaten dinner yet). One of the YFC Botswana board members was there with his wife and he decided to treat us ALL to dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in Gaborone called Spur. So there were 22 of us (the YFC South Africa team and then most of the YFC Botswana staff)!!! What generosity!! It was an amazing treat! I had chicken enchiladas…muy bueno!
Overall, it was such a blessing having the Buyela team with us for a week. We spent a lot of time with them and grew to be friends so we miss them already! We YFC Botswana staff (though mainly E.J.’s wife Koekoes) prepared meals for them all week, including a braai (barbeque/cook-out) Friday night. We are thankful for the team’s visit, and we pray that the message of abstinence will take root in the hearts of all the teens and adults who saw/heard them this whole week and that it will lead to behavior change that helps reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. This is the type of team that we want to organize and lead to travel full-time throughout Botswana to schools/communities. Right now, the YFC Botswana dance/drama team is part-time volunteers and they perform in Mochudi and nearby towns. I will be focusing on the ministry in Gaborone and Mochudi now to help get that going more, as we try to organize members, training, and funding for a full-time travel team.
On Monday March 22, a dance/drama team of 14 young adults from Youth for Christ South Africa arrived. Their team named is Buyela, a Zulu word meaning “return.” They seek to help people return to God and for family reconciliation – fathers’ hearts to return to their children and children’s hearts to return to their fathers (based on Malachi 4:6, Luke 1:17). You can find them online at www.buyela.com. They have stayed at the YFC office all week as they’ve ministered here in Botswana. They presented a 90-minute program to the entire student body at three schools in Gaborone. March is officially the Month of Youth Against AIDS here in Botswana, so schools are more open to having presentations about AIDS and encouraging abstinence to prevent its spread. The team also presented to the orphans at the YFC daycare and to the School of the Blind students Friday. On Saturday, March 27, they performed at an open-air abstinence rally in the center of Mochudi that was co-sponsored by Youth for Christ and a Women’s Prayer Movement in Mochudi. We were up at 5 something a.m. to be in town by 6:30 am to put up a big-top tent. The dance/drama team from South Africa performed a few of their dances and the dance/drama team from here in Botswana performed a powerful drama. There were various speakers sharing about the AIDS situation here in our district, as well as the reasons why to abstain and how, through the strength and grace of the Lord, to actually abstain and be faithful during marriage.
I was thankful I brought my trusty Botswana umbrella along to the rally because when the sun was beaming down and we were all sitting under the sun (the tent was for the sound system and stuff for the presentations), most people were cooking like chicken under the sun. But I had a slice of shade courtesy of my patriotic umbrella. Many people from Botswana also brought along their umbrellas (most people carry their umbrellas everywhere to block the sun, and only occasionally the rain). I ended up offering it to one of the German volunteers (Kyra) and her boyfriend Alex who arrived Friday on a visit from Germany (let’s just say he came from the Germany winter and is NOT tan at all!). Another addition to our household is another American YFC missionary, a 23-year old named Katie! She arrived Thursday night and will be working with the orphan day care for at least 2 years. So she is now sharing a bedroom with me in the house. I was the first American long-term missionary to move here, and now there are two of us!
Saturday night we had dinner together as a household (9 of us now with Alex and Katie!). Simone from the Netherlands was the cook that day (we take turns cooking) – a delicious meal of sausage, potatoes, corn, peas, and carrots. Soon after, we walked to the YFC office where the South African dance/drama team performed at the Coffee Bar. It was the biggest turn-out all year, which was awesome because of the powerful and important message that was presented. Several students committed their lives to Christ after their presentation! It was a very encouraging night!
The next day (Sunday, March 28), the South African team presented at a youth service at the church in Gaborone that the YFC director E.J. pastors. It was the “last hurrah” before the team drove back to South Africa yesterday. The people really liked it and already want the team to return.
After that last performance Sunday night, we were all quite hungry (not having eaten dinner yet). One of the YFC Botswana board members was there with his wife and he decided to treat us ALL to dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in Gaborone called Spur. So there were 22 of us (the YFC South Africa team and then most of the YFC Botswana staff)!!! What generosity!! It was an amazing treat! I had chicken enchiladas…muy bueno!
Overall, it was such a blessing having the Buyela team with us for a week. We spent a lot of time with them and grew to be friends so we miss them already! We YFC Botswana staff (though mainly E.J.’s wife Koekoes) prepared meals for them all week, including a braai (barbeque/cook-out) Friday night. We are thankful for the team’s visit, and we pray that the message of abstinence will take root in the hearts of all the teens and adults who saw/heard them this whole week and that it will lead to behavior change that helps reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. This is the type of team that we want to organize and lead to travel full-time throughout Botswana to schools/communities. Right now, the YFC Botswana dance/drama team is part-time volunteers and they perform in Mochudi and nearby towns. I will be focusing on the ministry in Gaborone and Mochudi now to help get that going more, as we try to organize members, training, and funding for a full-time travel team.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Stories from Botswana 2004!
Stories from my last trip to Botswana
*I thought I would share a few stories from my last trip to Botswana in 2004 that relate to what I referred to in my last blog post. It was when I first used the Victoria Falls analogy and saw the Lord use it to impact hearts:
One day [in June 2004], we were at a high school in northern Botswana doing AIDS awareness/prevention, and an 18-year-old boy came up to me during some downtime and asked me a peculiar question. He asked if I could show him in the Bible where it says which day is truly the Sabbath...Saturday or Sunday. I thought it was kind of a minor detail that, in the big picture, didn’t make much difference; what matters is if your heart is right with God. But he was insistent to know for sure. He even had a list of every scripture regarding the Sabbath that he’d gotten from a pastor. Along the way he said something that made me see the deeper misconception and confusion he had—he said, “But if I break just one law, I’ve broken the whole law.” Ah! -- from that I realized that he was trying to be right with God by the law, by trying to follow every law and command of God. I shared that James had made that statement (James 2:10) about breaking the whole law precisely to make the point that we are all going to break at least one law (because no one is perfect and can obey all of them), and therefore we are all sinners guilty of breaking the whole law. All have sinned, and each person’s sin causes a separation between them and God, who is holy and sinless.
Then God gave me the idea to use Victoria Falls, world famous waterfalls right near Botswana, in an analogy. So I shared the analogy with him [Read the last post, if you haven’t yet, for the analogy].
I went on to share with him that Ephesians 2:8 states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” So it is by faith in Christ and repenting of our sin and trusting in His forgiveness that we can cross over to God, not by doing good works or trying to follow every commandment. So the boy I was sharing all this with asked, “Then should we then just disregard the law and commandments and not bother doing good works?” We had been looking at Romans 3 at the time and the very next verse answered perfectly: “Do we then, throw out the law by this faith? Of course not! Rather, we uphold the law.”
And the next verse in Ephesians (after saying it’s by faith, not works, that we are saved), says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Thus, we should not do good works or obey the commandments as a means by which we are “saved”, to earn our way to heaven, but we should still be doing good works as a natural outflow of our love for Him and as a result of our relationship with Him. For example, you can’t be made right with God just by going to church every Sunday – if you haven’t trusted in Christ’s forgiveness and entered into a personal relationship with God, going to church is just an example of long-jumping across Victoria Falls in vain. But does that mean you shouldn’t go to church once you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior? Of course not! It is just now a result of your faith and love for Christ, not a means by which you are earning your salvation. So likewise, you can still do good works and try to follow His law, but out of a different motivation, that of love, not fear.
After I explained this all to the boy and wrote it out and drew him the picture of Victoria Falls and Christ as the bridge, it really seemed like he understood it. Two days later, I came upon him in a group of people and when he turned and saw me, his face lit up. In his hand, he was still clutching the paper on which I’d written the analogy and he held it up and excitedly exclaimed, “This has meant so much to me...I understand it! It’s true! It’s in my heart! It’s changed me!” I replied, “That’s great! But don’t keep it to yourself—tell your friends and others here at school!” He replied, “Oh, I already did that yesterday!” As we parted ways, he shook my hand, looked intently in my eyes and said, “Thank you...I will never forget this…I will never forget you.” It was just amazing to see how God had set him free from trying to follow every single law out of fear in order to get to heaven—worrying which day the Sabbath was on in case he might be breaking that one rule—to the point now where he understands the good news and forgiveness in Christ.
A few weeks later, July 10th rolled around (which is a very significant date in my spiritual journey and calling to Botswana). We were going hut-to-hut (or house-to-house) sharing the gospel, and I’d never thought to use the Victoria Falls bridge analogy to explain the gospel in hut-to-hut ministry because we usually had visual aids with which to share the gospel. But on that day, we were without our usual visual aids, and the first group of 5 people about my age knew nothing about Jesus. So I decided to use the analogy and I drew it out in the sand (Botswana is all sand) and it really drew them in, and I explained how Jesus is the only way back to the Father. I am one who would rather someone really think about whether they are going to commit to following Christ so I know they are truly genuine in their commitment, but after we talked for about an hour and I had them explain back to me what the gospel means, they already seemed very genuinely ready to make an informed decision to follow Christ. The guy even had tears in his eyes! So we prayed with them and connected them to a local church where they could grow in their faith.
The next week, we used the bridge analogy in the Vacation Bible School we had in a rural village called Sehitwa. We drew two lines about 25 feet apart and had kids try to long-jump across, and each day as the week went on, we elaborated on the analogy. On the last day we actually built a cross outline out of wood between the two lines and we gave kids the opportunity to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior and then walk across the ‘bridge’ as a public symbol of their commitment to follow Him. We had the oldest kids in our group (12 and 13 years old so they could definitely understand our teachings all week). We did not pressure anyone, and some took longer to decide, but in the end, every last one walked across that bridge and we prayed with them. Praise God! One boy had not smiled all week, but after walking across the bridge, he broke into a huge smile. And throughout that week, the analogy was used by our ministry groups at villagers’ huts and people trusted in Christ for the first time. It was just so cool to see how God could use a simple analogy in so many lives. And it made me realize that God can use anybody to make a difference. If He used me, He can use you.
*I thought I would share a few stories from my last trip to Botswana in 2004 that relate to what I referred to in my last blog post. It was when I first used the Victoria Falls analogy and saw the Lord use it to impact hearts:
One day [in June 2004], we were at a high school in northern Botswana doing AIDS awareness/prevention, and an 18-year-old boy came up to me during some downtime and asked me a peculiar question. He asked if I could show him in the Bible where it says which day is truly the Sabbath...Saturday or Sunday. I thought it was kind of a minor detail that, in the big picture, didn’t make much difference; what matters is if your heart is right with God. But he was insistent to know for sure. He even had a list of every scripture regarding the Sabbath that he’d gotten from a pastor. Along the way he said something that made me see the deeper misconception and confusion he had—he said, “But if I break just one law, I’ve broken the whole law.” Ah! -- from that I realized that he was trying to be right with God by the law, by trying to follow every law and command of God. I shared that James had made that statement (James 2:10) about breaking the whole law precisely to make the point that we are all going to break at least one law (because no one is perfect and can obey all of them), and therefore we are all sinners guilty of breaking the whole law. All have sinned, and each person’s sin causes a separation between them and God, who is holy and sinless.
Then God gave me the idea to use Victoria Falls, world famous waterfalls right near Botswana, in an analogy. So I shared the analogy with him [Read the last post, if you haven’t yet, for the analogy].
I went on to share with him that Ephesians 2:8 states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” So it is by faith in Christ and repenting of our sin and trusting in His forgiveness that we can cross over to God, not by doing good works or trying to follow every commandment. So the boy I was sharing all this with asked, “Then should we then just disregard the law and commandments and not bother doing good works?” We had been looking at Romans 3 at the time and the very next verse answered perfectly: “Do we then, throw out the law by this faith? Of course not! Rather, we uphold the law.”
And the next verse in Ephesians (after saying it’s by faith, not works, that we are saved), says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Thus, we should not do good works or obey the commandments as a means by which we are “saved”, to earn our way to heaven, but we should still be doing good works as a natural outflow of our love for Him and as a result of our relationship with Him. For example, you can’t be made right with God just by going to church every Sunday – if you haven’t trusted in Christ’s forgiveness and entered into a personal relationship with God, going to church is just an example of long-jumping across Victoria Falls in vain. But does that mean you shouldn’t go to church once you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior? Of course not! It is just now a result of your faith and love for Christ, not a means by which you are earning your salvation. So likewise, you can still do good works and try to follow His law, but out of a different motivation, that of love, not fear.
After I explained this all to the boy and wrote it out and drew him the picture of Victoria Falls and Christ as the bridge, it really seemed like he understood it. Two days later, I came upon him in a group of people and when he turned and saw me, his face lit up. In his hand, he was still clutching the paper on which I’d written the analogy and he held it up and excitedly exclaimed, “This has meant so much to me...I understand it! It’s true! It’s in my heart! It’s changed me!” I replied, “That’s great! But don’t keep it to yourself—tell your friends and others here at school!” He replied, “Oh, I already did that yesterday!” As we parted ways, he shook my hand, looked intently in my eyes and said, “Thank you...I will never forget this…I will never forget you.” It was just amazing to see how God had set him free from trying to follow every single law out of fear in order to get to heaven—worrying which day the Sabbath was on in case he might be breaking that one rule—to the point now where he understands the good news and forgiveness in Christ.
A few weeks later, July 10th rolled around (which is a very significant date in my spiritual journey and calling to Botswana). We were going hut-to-hut (or house-to-house) sharing the gospel, and I’d never thought to use the Victoria Falls bridge analogy to explain the gospel in hut-to-hut ministry because we usually had visual aids with which to share the gospel. But on that day, we were without our usual visual aids, and the first group of 5 people about my age knew nothing about Jesus. So I decided to use the analogy and I drew it out in the sand (Botswana is all sand) and it really drew them in, and I explained how Jesus is the only way back to the Father. I am one who would rather someone really think about whether they are going to commit to following Christ so I know they are truly genuine in their commitment, but after we talked for about an hour and I had them explain back to me what the gospel means, they already seemed very genuinely ready to make an informed decision to follow Christ. The guy even had tears in his eyes! So we prayed with them and connected them to a local church where they could grow in their faith.
The next week, we used the bridge analogy in the Vacation Bible School we had in a rural village called Sehitwa. We drew two lines about 25 feet apart and had kids try to long-jump across, and each day as the week went on, we elaborated on the analogy. On the last day we actually built a cross outline out of wood between the two lines and we gave kids the opportunity to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior and then walk across the ‘bridge’ as a public symbol of their commitment to follow Him. We had the oldest kids in our group (12 and 13 years old so they could definitely understand our teachings all week). We did not pressure anyone, and some took longer to decide, but in the end, every last one walked across that bridge and we prayed with them. Praise God! One boy had not smiled all week, but after walking across the bridge, he broke into a huge smile. And throughout that week, the analogy was used by our ministry groups at villagers’ huts and people trusted in Christ for the first time. It was just so cool to see how God could use a simple analogy in so many lives. And it made me realize that God can use anybody to make a difference. If He used me, He can use you.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Seeing the Potential in Youth
Sharing the Gospel at Coffee Bar!
On Saturday, March 20, I spoke at the Coffee Bar outreach at the YFC office. On Saturday nights, YFC runs a Coffee Bar outreach where we open up our building to teens from 7-10 pm and have games like ping-pong, pool, foosball, four-square, football (soccer), chess, puzzles, etc for them to play. Then we build relationships with kids, many of whom are not Christians. I recently talked to the youth ministry chairman here in Botswana who worked with YFC in years past, and he said that our Coffee Bar is the only one of its kind that he is aware of in all of Botswana for youth. About half-way through the Coffee Bar evening, one of the YFC staff shares for about 5-10 minutes a short message about God’s love, the gospel, etc.
First off, we were thankful that a lot of kids came anyway despite the rain and cooler temperatures (not cool to me but most of them wore pants…maybe it was in the 70s). As I said, many/most of these kids are not believers (i.e. a couple weeks ago, I talked with a teen whose breath smelled clearly of alcohol). So it’s cool that we are able to share with those who really need to hear of a greater hope and a deeper satisfaction than what this world has to offer.
I felt led to share the basic gospel using Victoria Falls as an analogy. Obviously in 5-10 minutes, you cannot get into a very deep theological explanation of the whole gospel, but I felt this was a good basic summary and if they wanted more explanation, we are always available and can help disciple them. I first used this analogy on my last trip to Botswana and it really was relevant to many kids and adults in Botswana. So…to start off, I had 5 of them long-jump as far as they could. Then I showed them pictures of Victoria Falls and asked if they had just been long-jumping across Vic Falls if it would really matter who could long-jump the furthest? No…they would all fall short and drown. Similarly, our sin had caused a separation between us and God, and no attempts on our own (i.e. good works, following the laws in the Bible, giving to charity, attending church, doing mission or volunteer work, etc.) can bridge the gap. Even if we obey more of God’s laws and do more good things, it’s just like long-jumping further across Victoria Falls—it is futile; you still fall short and die. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In James it says if you keep the whole law but fall in one point, than it’s like you’ve broken the whole law (James 2:10). The effects are the same—separation from God (Romans 6:23).
Then I went on to explain more of the gospel and how God wanted a close relationship with each of us, so out of His deep love, He sent his Son to create the only bridge back to a close relationship with God through His death on the cross and His resurrection that defeated death. I emphasized that it’s not enough to know Jesus died and rose again to create the bridge back. That’s like standing and looking at the bridge and saying, “Yup, I believe there’s a bridge,” but never crossing it. Even the demons believe in God, but they certainly haven’t trusted in Christ (James 2:19). Turning from our sin and our own ways (repenting) and trusting in Christ as our Savior (from sin and death) and as Lord (to lead our lives) is the way we cross over the bridge. But that is not the end…it is only the beginning. We were not just saved from something, but for something—God has a plan for each of our lives. And we are meant to develop a close relationship and friendship with God and to now obey his word/law out of love (not fear…nor as a means to gain heaven or earn His favor). It will not be easy to follow Christ, but it is worth it and He is worthy.
I showed some posters of Vic Falls I have, including one of the bridge across from Zambia to Zimbabwe, and then said we YFC staff are available if anyone wants to talk to us tonight or whenever. After I finished, I erased the diagram of the Vic Falls and cross bridge I had drawn on a white board and went to put the posters and my bible away. When I returned just a minute later, there were a few boys who had already re-drawn the bridge analogy on the white board and were talking to one of the YFC staff about it. I ended up talking with two of these guys (both age 17) from then until Coffee Bar ended (so for about 1.25 hours!). They had lots of questions about the bible, faith, sin, peace, evolution, life issues and struggles, etc. I was amazed how honest and vulnerable they were with me. They have trusted in Christ but had some questions and could use some discipleship. They both wanted to start our discipleship bible study course (an 18 part correspondence course—where they mail in a lesson and receive the next lesson with the previous one checked and commented on by YFC staff—which really ground a new believer in the foundations of faith). One is really interested in drama/acting and being a part of the YFC dance/drama team when he is old enough. By then we hope to have a full-time team that travels throughout the country that I would lead, so perhaps he will be on my team someday! I can sense so much hunger and potential in him. He said he had read in the bible that morning a passage about ambassadors/messengers and feels like God wants him to be an ambassador and messenger telling other people to believe in Jesus. Sweet!
Another guy came over to look at the Vic Falls diagram and I could tell he was deeply thinking about it all. Another YFC staff member talked with him, and he told her that he knows he is like standing staring at the bridge but he hasn’t crossed over…he hasn’t trusted Christ and turned from his sin. He knows he needs to, but he has a lot of questions still. He took more information and I think the first bible study to read over. So let’s pray for him and the others who may be thinking/considering following Christ, that the Lord would continue to draw them.
Altogether, I felt it went quite well and was thankful to have the opportunity to really talk deeply with those guys afterwards. As I was thinking about it tonight and how they show such promise and yet need discipleship to clear up some misconceptions, I happened to read this from The Holy Spirit by Billy Graham:
“In the Acts of the Apostles we read of Apollos whose earnestness, love, and great gift of oratory appealed to the hearts of Priscilla and Aquila. However, he was immature and unprepared to lead others into the deeper Christian life. He had progressed barely beyond the baptism of John. But this godly couple, instead of laughing at his ignorance or decrying his lack of understanding of true biblical orthodoxy, took him into their home and in love expounded the way of the Lord more perfectly to him (Acts 18:26). Then he began to use his great gifts for the glory of God and the winning of souls. He left an indelible impression on the early Church and helped promote the kingdom of God in the first century.”
*Wow...I just got a chill thinking of the potential within those guys I spoke with tonight, especially the one who wants to be an ambassador/messenger sharing about Christ and wants to act on the team...how this passage could fit for him—how he has such great potential and acting gifts combined with such a beautiful heart seeking after the Lord. And already, the Lord seems to be putting His mark on him, stirring him to be an ambassador and messenger to tell others to believe in Christ and to use his acting gifts in the music/drama team (like how Apollos “began to use his great gifts for the glory of God and the winning of souls”).
I had that feeling of, ‘Who is this? Who will he grow up to be?’ Last week I shared in a prayer meeting how we never know if the kids we are working with will end up being the next Billy Graham or Ravi Zacharias (Ravi is an internationally-known Christian speaker/author who was the lone youth who responded to give his life to Christ at a huge Youth for Christ rally in India decades ago). Funny how the Lord just led me to a book by Billy Graham that confirmed what I had JUST been thinking—that we just need to disciple him and clear up his misconceptions and he could be such a vital part of the kingdom of God. Obviously, we want to pour into every kid who desires to grow in Christ, regardless of whether they end up being famous or shining Christ just in their village. Either way, they have such great potential, and the Lord has plans for each of them to promote the kingdom of God in the twenty-first century. I feel so blessed to be able to help youth reach their potential and discover and live out the calling God has for them, the unique role in His kingdom that only they can play.
On Saturday, March 20, I spoke at the Coffee Bar outreach at the YFC office. On Saturday nights, YFC runs a Coffee Bar outreach where we open up our building to teens from 7-10 pm and have games like ping-pong, pool, foosball, four-square, football (soccer), chess, puzzles, etc for them to play. Then we build relationships with kids, many of whom are not Christians. I recently talked to the youth ministry chairman here in Botswana who worked with YFC in years past, and he said that our Coffee Bar is the only one of its kind that he is aware of in all of Botswana for youth. About half-way through the Coffee Bar evening, one of the YFC staff shares for about 5-10 minutes a short message about God’s love, the gospel, etc.
First off, we were thankful that a lot of kids came anyway despite the rain and cooler temperatures (not cool to me but most of them wore pants…maybe it was in the 70s). As I said, many/most of these kids are not believers (i.e. a couple weeks ago, I talked with a teen whose breath smelled clearly of alcohol). So it’s cool that we are able to share with those who really need to hear of a greater hope and a deeper satisfaction than what this world has to offer.
I felt led to share the basic gospel using Victoria Falls as an analogy. Obviously in 5-10 minutes, you cannot get into a very deep theological explanation of the whole gospel, but I felt this was a good basic summary and if they wanted more explanation, we are always available and can help disciple them. I first used this analogy on my last trip to Botswana and it really was relevant to many kids and adults in Botswana. So…to start off, I had 5 of them long-jump as far as they could. Then I showed them pictures of Victoria Falls and asked if they had just been long-jumping across Vic Falls if it would really matter who could long-jump the furthest? No…they would all fall short and drown. Similarly, our sin had caused a separation between us and God, and no attempts on our own (i.e. good works, following the laws in the Bible, giving to charity, attending church, doing mission or volunteer work, etc.) can bridge the gap. Even if we obey more of God’s laws and do more good things, it’s just like long-jumping further across Victoria Falls—it is futile; you still fall short and die. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In James it says if you keep the whole law but fall in one point, than it’s like you’ve broken the whole law (James 2:10). The effects are the same—separation from God (Romans 6:23).
Then I went on to explain more of the gospel and how God wanted a close relationship with each of us, so out of His deep love, He sent his Son to create the only bridge back to a close relationship with God through His death on the cross and His resurrection that defeated death. I emphasized that it’s not enough to know Jesus died and rose again to create the bridge back. That’s like standing and looking at the bridge and saying, “Yup, I believe there’s a bridge,” but never crossing it. Even the demons believe in God, but they certainly haven’t trusted in Christ (James 2:19). Turning from our sin and our own ways (repenting) and trusting in Christ as our Savior (from sin and death) and as Lord (to lead our lives) is the way we cross over the bridge. But that is not the end…it is only the beginning. We were not just saved from something, but for something—God has a plan for each of our lives. And we are meant to develop a close relationship and friendship with God and to now obey his word/law out of love (not fear…nor as a means to gain heaven or earn His favor). It will not be easy to follow Christ, but it is worth it and He is worthy.
I showed some posters of Vic Falls I have, including one of the bridge across from Zambia to Zimbabwe, and then said we YFC staff are available if anyone wants to talk to us tonight or whenever. After I finished, I erased the diagram of the Vic Falls and cross bridge I had drawn on a white board and went to put the posters and my bible away. When I returned just a minute later, there were a few boys who had already re-drawn the bridge analogy on the white board and were talking to one of the YFC staff about it. I ended up talking with two of these guys (both age 17) from then until Coffee Bar ended (so for about 1.25 hours!). They had lots of questions about the bible, faith, sin, peace, evolution, life issues and struggles, etc. I was amazed how honest and vulnerable they were with me. They have trusted in Christ but had some questions and could use some discipleship. They both wanted to start our discipleship bible study course (an 18 part correspondence course—where they mail in a lesson and receive the next lesson with the previous one checked and commented on by YFC staff—which really ground a new believer in the foundations of faith). One is really interested in drama/acting and being a part of the YFC dance/drama team when he is old enough. By then we hope to have a full-time team that travels throughout the country that I would lead, so perhaps he will be on my team someday! I can sense so much hunger and potential in him. He said he had read in the bible that morning a passage about ambassadors/messengers and feels like God wants him to be an ambassador and messenger telling other people to believe in Jesus. Sweet!
Another guy came over to look at the Vic Falls diagram and I could tell he was deeply thinking about it all. Another YFC staff member talked with him, and he told her that he knows he is like standing staring at the bridge but he hasn’t crossed over…he hasn’t trusted Christ and turned from his sin. He knows he needs to, but he has a lot of questions still. He took more information and I think the first bible study to read over. So let’s pray for him and the others who may be thinking/considering following Christ, that the Lord would continue to draw them.
Altogether, I felt it went quite well and was thankful to have the opportunity to really talk deeply with those guys afterwards. As I was thinking about it tonight and how they show such promise and yet need discipleship to clear up some misconceptions, I happened to read this from The Holy Spirit by Billy Graham:
“In the Acts of the Apostles we read of Apollos whose earnestness, love, and great gift of oratory appealed to the hearts of Priscilla and Aquila. However, he was immature and unprepared to lead others into the deeper Christian life. He had progressed barely beyond the baptism of John. But this godly couple, instead of laughing at his ignorance or decrying his lack of understanding of true biblical orthodoxy, took him into their home and in love expounded the way of the Lord more perfectly to him (Acts 18:26). Then he began to use his great gifts for the glory of God and the winning of souls. He left an indelible impression on the early Church and helped promote the kingdom of God in the first century.”
*Wow...I just got a chill thinking of the potential within those guys I spoke with tonight, especially the one who wants to be an ambassador/messenger sharing about Christ and wants to act on the team...how this passage could fit for him—how he has such great potential and acting gifts combined with such a beautiful heart seeking after the Lord. And already, the Lord seems to be putting His mark on him, stirring him to be an ambassador and messenger to tell others to believe in Christ and to use his acting gifts in the music/drama team (like how Apollos “began to use his great gifts for the glory of God and the winning of souls”).
I had that feeling of, ‘Who is this? Who will he grow up to be?’ Last week I shared in a prayer meeting how we never know if the kids we are working with will end up being the next Billy Graham or Ravi Zacharias (Ravi is an internationally-known Christian speaker/author who was the lone youth who responded to give his life to Christ at a huge Youth for Christ rally in India decades ago). Funny how the Lord just led me to a book by Billy Graham that confirmed what I had JUST been thinking—that we just need to disciple him and clear up his misconceptions and he could be such a vital part of the kingdom of God. Obviously, we want to pour into every kid who desires to grow in Christ, regardless of whether they end up being famous or shining Christ just in their village. Either way, they have such great potential, and the Lord has plans for each of them to promote the kingdom of God in the twenty-first century. I feel so blessed to be able to help youth reach their potential and discover and live out the calling God has for them, the unique role in His kingdom that only they can play.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Growing ministry!
Ministry Growing in Gaborone and Mochudi!
Dumelang!
I’ll pick up with where I left off…last Thursday (March 11), I rode the bus into the capital Gaborone (Gabs) to observe George (from Namibia) lead the second meeting of a peer-counseling club called P.A.C.T. at a school there. We’ve decided that I will help George co-lead that club…I’ll share more about that further down. My last post mentioned my quest for chicken in Gabs (since I hadn’t had it yet in Botswana), and… I did indeed partake of the blessed fowl...Kentucky Fried Chicken to be exact! I wanted to try Chicken Licken but they wouldn't take VISA and I needed my cash for the bus fare. So KFC it was. Beautiful. It's the only American restaurant in Botswana. No Mickey D's, no Burger King, no Taco Bell, no Wendy's or Arby's, no Pizza Hut or Dominoes...just KFC. They know what's important here...chicken. haha. I am extremely thankful for that. A little of the Colonel's secret recipe here and again is a true treat.
Let’s see… the day after that I led the hour-long weekly staff prayer meeting…and then the next interesting thing was going to the Mochudi School of the Blind on Monday, March 16 with Koekoes (South African) and Potlako (Motswana—from Botswana). They led games, singing, bible study/verse memorization with them. The kids ranged from really little (4 or 5 years) to maybe 16. YFC leads a program there every Monday afternoon with the kids, and it's evident they really enjoy it. Many of the kids have some vision so they can walk around and play. It was beautiful to hear them sing a song for us. I saw two Americans volunteering for a few weeks at that school. I realized I had not seen (to my knowledge) another American for exactly one month, since I got off the plane in Johannesburg! That is the longest stretch in my life...even on mission trips or the trip to Bangladesh, I was on the trip with other Americans.
The following day (Tuesday, March 16), I went to the Scripture Union club that Sara (German) and Clive (English) run at a junior secondary school here in Mochudi. They are going through the follow-up bible study curriculum that YFC created as a means of discipleship (so each club meeting they cover one of the bible studies that the kids are doing on their own as well). Tuesday’s topic was the purity lesson, sharing God’s plan for sex in marriage and encouraging abstinence before marriage as a means of AIDS prevention. In our daily staff prayer meeting that morning, we prayed for more students than usual to come to hear the important message that is key in the fight against AIDS here. When we arrived, there were already more students than normal waiting for us, and then the number swelled to almost twice what is normal – the biggest amount ever! I sat in the back just smiling, thinking, “Wow...God is answering our prayer before our eyes—He’s bringing the kids here!” Sara said she really felt the Lord guiding her words as she presented, and we all left in awe of God’s work among and through us. I now regularly help Sara and Clive lead the Scripture Union club on Mondays here in Mochudi.
A couple days later (Thurs March 18), I rode the bus again to Gabs early in the morning to plan the P.A.C.T. club lesson with George. P.A.C.T. stands for Peer Approach to the Counseling of Teens. So it is a club that meets weekly on Thursdays at a school in Gaborone. Basically, we train and pour into teens who want to counsel their peers through life issues and encourage them peers to make good choices. We are currently developing the curriculum, incorporating the topics/issues the members suggested (i.e. teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, abstinence, peer-pressure, decision-making, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, etc). I am thankful for this opportunity to develop long-term relationships with these youth and, from a biblical perspective, to help them through their own issues so they can then help their peers. Studies have shown the effectiveness of peer counseling in causing positive behavior change and reducing the spread of HIV, so I am stoked to be a part of this. I co-led the lesson with George that day on their worth/value in God’s eyes—and the love and affirmation that they have from God. That is foundational for so much of what we will be covering because if they can truly grasp and internalize who God says they are (their true identity in Christ), then they can better withstand peer pressure to engage in risky behavior (i.e. sex, drugs, alcohol, etc)— they won’t need to be affirmed by their peers as much if they grasp the love and affirmation of God.
The plan is that I will work Tuesdays and Thursdays in Gaborone. We are also currently trying to get permission to go into schools there during the break time in the mornings to build relationships with teens. At a private, non-religious school, there is a thrilling prospect—a teacher has expressed interest in YFC coming to minister there, and has offered to be the advisor. A few of the teens who attend that school also play in the worship band at the church in Gaborone that many of the YFC staff attend. It sounds like it may work out for me to form a band with them so we’d lead praise and worship during the break time! That would be amazing! Another stellar opportunity is that I’ve been invited to help lead three one-day camps for teens that will be put on at an international school in Gaborone by Christians visiting from an Asia. Finally, there is a Motswana (from Botswana) man who is interested in helping YFC in Gaborone if he can raise enough funds, and just yesterday we got an email from a Motswana 22-year old woman who would also like to help YFC in Gaborone! Right now is the most international volunteers that YFC Botswana has ever had as well. God is raising up His servants to impact the youth of Botswana!
Dumelang!
I’ll pick up with where I left off…last Thursday (March 11), I rode the bus into the capital Gaborone (Gabs) to observe George (from Namibia) lead the second meeting of a peer-counseling club called P.A.C.T. at a school there. We’ve decided that I will help George co-lead that club…I’ll share more about that further down. My last post mentioned my quest for chicken in Gabs (since I hadn’t had it yet in Botswana), and… I did indeed partake of the blessed fowl...Kentucky Fried Chicken to be exact! I wanted to try Chicken Licken but they wouldn't take VISA and I needed my cash for the bus fare. So KFC it was. Beautiful. It's the only American restaurant in Botswana. No Mickey D's, no Burger King, no Taco Bell, no Wendy's or Arby's, no Pizza Hut or Dominoes...just KFC. They know what's important here...chicken. haha. I am extremely thankful for that. A little of the Colonel's secret recipe here and again is a true treat.
Let’s see… the day after that I led the hour-long weekly staff prayer meeting…and then the next interesting thing was going to the Mochudi School of the Blind on Monday, March 16 with Koekoes (South African) and Potlako (Motswana—from Botswana). They led games, singing, bible study/verse memorization with them. The kids ranged from really little (4 or 5 years) to maybe 16. YFC leads a program there every Monday afternoon with the kids, and it's evident they really enjoy it. Many of the kids have some vision so they can walk around and play. It was beautiful to hear them sing a song for us. I saw two Americans volunteering for a few weeks at that school. I realized I had not seen (to my knowledge) another American for exactly one month, since I got off the plane in Johannesburg! That is the longest stretch in my life...even on mission trips or the trip to Bangladesh, I was on the trip with other Americans.
The following day (Tuesday, March 16), I went to the Scripture Union club that Sara (German) and Clive (English) run at a junior secondary school here in Mochudi. They are going through the follow-up bible study curriculum that YFC created as a means of discipleship (so each club meeting they cover one of the bible studies that the kids are doing on their own as well). Tuesday’s topic was the purity lesson, sharing God’s plan for sex in marriage and encouraging abstinence before marriage as a means of AIDS prevention. In our daily staff prayer meeting that morning, we prayed for more students than usual to come to hear the important message that is key in the fight against AIDS here. When we arrived, there were already more students than normal waiting for us, and then the number swelled to almost twice what is normal – the biggest amount ever! I sat in the back just smiling, thinking, “Wow...God is answering our prayer before our eyes—He’s bringing the kids here!” Sara said she really felt the Lord guiding her words as she presented, and we all left in awe of God’s work among and through us. I now regularly help Sara and Clive lead the Scripture Union club on Mondays here in Mochudi.
A couple days later (Thurs March 18), I rode the bus again to Gabs early in the morning to plan the P.A.C.T. club lesson with George. P.A.C.T. stands for Peer Approach to the Counseling of Teens. So it is a club that meets weekly on Thursdays at a school in Gaborone. Basically, we train and pour into teens who want to counsel their peers through life issues and encourage them peers to make good choices. We are currently developing the curriculum, incorporating the topics/issues the members suggested (i.e. teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, abstinence, peer-pressure, decision-making, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, etc). I am thankful for this opportunity to develop long-term relationships with these youth and, from a biblical perspective, to help them through their own issues so they can then help their peers. Studies have shown the effectiveness of peer counseling in causing positive behavior change and reducing the spread of HIV, so I am stoked to be a part of this. I co-led the lesson with George that day on their worth/value in God’s eyes—and the love and affirmation that they have from God. That is foundational for so much of what we will be covering because if they can truly grasp and internalize who God says they are (their true identity in Christ), then they can better withstand peer pressure to engage in risky behavior (i.e. sex, drugs, alcohol, etc)— they won’t need to be affirmed by their peers as much if they grasp the love and affirmation of God.
The plan is that I will work Tuesdays and Thursdays in Gaborone. We are also currently trying to get permission to go into schools there during the break time in the mornings to build relationships with teens. At a private, non-religious school, there is a thrilling prospect—a teacher has expressed interest in YFC coming to minister there, and has offered to be the advisor. A few of the teens who attend that school also play in the worship band at the church in Gaborone that many of the YFC staff attend. It sounds like it may work out for me to form a band with them so we’d lead praise and worship during the break time! That would be amazing! Another stellar opportunity is that I’ve been invited to help lead three one-day camps for teens that will be put on at an international school in Gaborone by Christians visiting from an Asia. Finally, there is a Motswana (from Botswana) man who is interested in helping YFC in Gaborone if he can raise enough funds, and just yesterday we got an email from a Motswana 22-year old woman who would also like to help YFC in Gaborone! Right now is the most international volunteers that YFC Botswana has ever had as well. God is raising up His servants to impact the youth of Botswana!
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