Day 30: Just the Cross

Last week was mostly filled with manual labor at the Youth Centre, painting and cleaning out a flat fro some hands on guys from IMB that'll be here mid-August. Other than that, we got to rest a good bit, saw Harry Potter, and have some good community time with the Becomers and such. I played paintball sunday afternoon. That was awesome. Did quite well, too.

Monday was more manual labor out at the Murchison Community Centre with our brothers Kurt and Kevin from Auburn, AL. We went back out to Rehoboth one last time, too, and that was a very bitter-sweet time. I don't know if I'll ever get to see those children again, but I leave knowing that they are cared for and loved, and forever etched into my heart. That night we had dinner at the Flippo's and sent the Auburn guys off. We'll miss those sweethearts. Consider this a shout out from your "South African" sister, guys. Yesterday we took the morning off and slept in, then went and helped out another US mission team from Washington at the Youth Centre, then went adn watched a Rugby match, which I absolutely LOVED. You think football is a contact sport... All these guys do is smash into each other. It was glorious. Then went and had a fun evening at a pizza joint with the Becomers. A good day.

Today, we went out into a village near the church with a name I can not pronounce or spell. Village meaning mud huts and shanties with tin roofs and 7 people living in a room the size of my bedroom at home. A non profit called Positive Ray has a program that sends community workers into villages all over Kwazulu-Natal to knock on doors and educate people about HIV/AIDS. If they encounter a person already infected, they continue to visit that person to build a relationship, and make sure they get ARV medication. It's really great, apart from the fact that since they have a grant from PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief) from the US, they can't preach the name of Jesus. But we sure could! So we went along side the community workey and as they checked on the patients status, we prayed over them and just loved on them, then the workers sang in Zulu and that always blesses me greatly. One house we got to give this man living alone a zulu Bible and it just lit up his life. he said he was saving up money to get one, and he was just overjoyed. It was pretty heartbreaking though, just the status of the homes and the patients, and although most of the patients knew Jesus, it was just a dark area. I was just saying the name of Jesus and praying for whatever I saw as we walked through the rubbish and whatever else was on these paths. The last hut we went to was home to a woman who said she was 20 yrs old, but also said she had a 7 yr old grandchild, so we don't know where the miscommunication there was, but she did not look like a Granny. But when we asked her if she knew Jesus she said no. She didn't speak English, so we were telling her about Jesus and God throught he translator and she said she wanted to ask Jesus to come into her life, so Ami prayed, the translator translated, and the woman, Togo, repeated. The Positive Ray worker explained some more htings about God more clearly to her and we prayed over her and walked back up the hill. Lots of cute little half naked babies, chickens, and mangy dogs. All in all, it was a really great experience, but it was hard to see and be part of.

I really just feel God beating into my heart and soul that I cannot return and live idly and withdraw, even partially, from the work here. Even if I never get to physically come back here, I can't settle for sending a check or cash sometimes. I really have no idea what God has next for me, in terms of future mission's experiences, or things to do in the states, and that kind of makes me anxious to be honest. Last year, I left with a very strong feeling I'd be returning, and knowing I have 8 days left here, and no clue as to whether or not I'll be holding these kids in my arms a year from now, has forced me trust God all the more. I prayed for motivation and for a holy kick in the rear to quit being lazy at home, and I feel like God has slowly been answering that prayer through breaking my heart and hsowing me injustices that I can not tolerate.

Another lesson I've actually enjoyed re-learning very much, is how my only boast, my only claim to joy, is found through the cross, and Jesus' bloody sacrifice for me, so that I can find joy through making Him famous. I can boast in my weaknesses, because God makes me strong, I can boast in the joy of Christ in others, but it all leads back to the cross. It all MUST lead back to the cross. I refuse to let the Gospel become something I just tell to others, and have to continue drilling it's miserable wonder into my heart and soul. I think Satan can soemtimes cheesify the gospel for Christians, and make us forget how much we still need to revel in the power and perfection that was God's sacrifice on our behalf for His glory. I've come to a place where I can honestly say, I find no other joy greater than simply ENjoying the Father and basking in the glorious riches of His fame and holiness, and all that entails, but that joy is dissipated when I neglect to bring it back to the Son.

SO that's my encouragment to you. I found it in 2 Corinthians 1-9. Go back to the cross today, to where the Joy of your salvation originated and put yourself at the foot of it all. Then, when you get off teh floor, look to His holiness and to his powerful, perfect love for you, and how that love is there not to simply BE, but to empower you to present everyone perfect in Christ (Colossians 1).

My time here is almost finished, but it is not. Thank you for your continued prayers and support, and for your obedience to Father, on my behalf.

It's not for us.