Jesus Wins: Week in review 4/13

"Africa wins." 

It's an expression my friends and I use when struggling through the ridiculous or frustrating situations of day to day life here that no one can possibly prepare you for. Like when a lizard falls in my hair as I'm focused on killing a deadly spider. 

Africa wins when our waitress refuses to put ice in my friend's chai latte, because that's not on the menu.

 

Africa wins when my electric bill is haphazardly folded and stuck in my gate and no one knows where I should go to pay it. (Logically, the office happens to be inside the Nissan dealership, which only took an hour of asking locals to discover). 

Africa wins when you order corn on the cob and get this:

Africa wins when my trusty GPS tells me to turn from "Road" onto "Off Road" during a 45 minute tour of Gaborone in search of a destination that is only 5 minutes from my house.

Africa wins when the waitress intentionally cuts off the wifi because I have finished my coffee and exceeded my complimentary 30 minutes of internet access in an empty cafe.  

Now to tell you the truth, most of these adventures were far more comical than frustrating. But, on rare occasion, there are times when I do feel defeated. Not because of large insects or driving in unfamiliar territory, but because of vast spiritual darkness and indifference to the gospel. I know that Christ has victory in the end, but sometimes it feels like the enemy is gloating today.

This week, however, was not one of those times. I SAW his victory this week.

Jesus wins when national believers are convicted they need to be sharing the gospel with their friends.

Jesus wins when five university students stay to listen to three crazy missionary girls sharing the gospel although their friends laugh and try to talk them into leaving. 

Jesus wins when a nonbeliever rearranges her schedule to come and study the Bible with us because she is missing something in her life. 

Jesus wins when power cuts don't stop fellow believers from squeezing together in a small dorm room for a time of fellowship and fervent prayer that, in my mind, must strongly resemble the Acts 2 church. 

Praying that the Lord opens my eyes to be able to recognize his victory every single day.