Driving and Discipleship: A (belated) week in review 3/30

My first week in Botswana when I was promised a car to use in the near future, I was less than enthusiastic. Drive a manual? On the left side of the road? In Botswana where I don't know directions, stop signs are optional, and cows are likely to meander across the road at any time? No thanks.

However, six weeks of public transportation works wonders to inspire courage in even the most reluctant of drivers. To illustrate: Sunday morning I was going with two friends to church. We set out to catch a combi at 8:45, which should have given us plenty of time to arrive for service at 10. To make a long story short, our combi driver was in no hurry and we arrived at 10:45, although the church is only 20 minutes away from my apartment...at most.

So Monday I was thrilled that my car was finally ready and I had my first driving lesson. Thanks to a few friends who let me practice on their manual cars back at home, the first lesson was great! I dodged cattle, conquered speed bumps, and avoided driver's ed students practicing on the same street. It went so well that my friend Torie was going to let me drive home. Everything was wonderful until…

    

I hit a rough edge on the pavement and got a flat tire.  The good news is, I should be good to go as soon as they can send a new tire from a town up north, which will take another week or so. Often life here is one step forward and two steps back!

But I am finding that God usually has a purpose in my misfortunes. I pulled the car over into the yard of a few ladies who were having their morning tea. By the time the tire was changed I had a new friend who is attending UB in the fall. I have a feeling the flat tire was no accident after all :)

In other news, I had my first African camping experience this weekend! 

This was the Easter Rally, which is basically a weekend-long retreat where all the Baptist churches in Botswana gather together for worship, preaching, and fellowship. The best part was seeing people I have met from different parts of Botswana. I got to see Mr. Fox, who hosted us when we were in Letlhakane. It was so exciting to hear updates on those who gave their lives to Christ during our trip. Park and his friends have been attending the new believers class and meeting one-on-one with some of the men in the church for discipleship. It is so encouraging to hear how the church embraces that responsibility and how these new believers are growing. Continue to be in prayer for them as well as churches around Botswana who strive to make disciples as Christ commanded us!

A Man Named Park: part 2

If you received my most recent newsletter, you were introduced to a man named Park who I met during our mission trip. If not, here is the short version: the Lord impressed upon me to stop at this roadside barber shop to share with the owner. As it turned out, this man had never heard the story of Christ (or any Bible story for that matter), and I was able to share the gospel with him, along with my teammates Bobo and Madeleine. After taking in everything we had said, he had many questions and asked us to return the following day. We promised we would. 

The next afternoon he welcomed us once again into his little shop and we pulled out our Bibles. One of the most encouraging things about this man was his sincerity. He came up with question after question, genuinely seeking truth. Why did Adam and Eve have to leave the garden? Why did Jesus go back to heaven… is it because he was angry with us? Why is God white? (Don't worry, we were quick to straighten that one out!)

As we spent the better part of our afternoon there, several of his friends gathered and asked to hear the story as well. Once again we shared Creation to Christ, this time with Park helping explain the story to his friends! When we shared the two paths (Matthew 7), and explained how few people are on the narrow path that leads to life, they all listened intently. Finally Park broke the silence. "What you are saying is that Jesus is the gate, and he is the only way onto that path." 

YES. He was understanding it. And so were his friends. 

"So which path do you believe you are on?"

He stared at my drawing. "I am on the path of sin. WE are on that path. But all of us, we want to be on the path of life. It is the hard path but that is where we want to be." His friends nodded in agreement.

So right there in the barber shop shack, Park and three of his friends committed their lives to Christ. "One more thing. I am afraid to go to church; everyone will wonder what I am doing there because they know who I am. But I want to learn more from the Bible." We explained to him how the church is like a body and the parts need each other. He nodded and said, "I will go. But today I am happy to read my new Bible."

You may think that's a great ending to the story. I did too.

But the Lord knew better. Because that's not the end…

The next day we took the same dirt road back to the barber shop and decided to stop one last time. I was a little nervous about what we would find; what if their decisions had been insincere? Sometimes my faith is so small and my mind so limited that I forget what an awesome God I serve. Today, however, I was reminded in a way I will not soon forget. 

Park greeted us as we approached. "Hello! You must come in and share! My friends-- they have all come to here the good news you shared with me!" Three men were sitting there with him, looking at us expectantly. One of them held a small children's Bible, presumably the only one he owned. "I told them what peace I have now," Park continued enthusiastically, "how last night I slept with such peace like I have never had! I feel like a new man!" 

It was absolutely amazing to see this man sharing his faith with his friends, even though his knowledge was so limited. How many of us have used that as an excuse? It didn't stop him. As a result, these three men also received Christ as Savior.
Funny enough, one of these men also asked if it was necessary for him to begin attending church. Before I could open my mouth, Park enthusiastically said, "You must! It is like a body, and if you are not there, the other parts will need you! We all need to go to church together!" He had not forgotten what we shared.
 

That night, our last one in the village, we held a church service outside as the sun was setting. Park and his friends proudly joined the believers there for the first time. One of the leaders in the church agreed to disciple them and teach them how to begin studying the Bible. Words cannot express the joy in my heart to see what the Lord did that week from start to finish. 

On our drive home from Letlhakane, these questions I could not get out of my mind: What if I had ignored the voice of the Holy Spirit? What if we had not stopped? How many times have I chosen NOT to listen and missed such a huge blessing?

Nothing about this story has anything to do with my strengths, gifts, personality, or persuasiveness. In fact, I pray that it has nothing to do with me except my obedience. The  Spirit who prompted me to speak is the same one who also convicted these men of truth.  Pray that I would be faithful to listen and obey his voice every day!

A week in review: March 16

Letlhakane and Spiritual Climate

Village of Letlhakane

This past week I joined with five US volunteers, six Batswana university students, and two other American missionaries like myself for a mission trip to a village called Letlhakane. The team from the US was such a blessing, and the partnership with them was very sweet… your prayers for our unity were definitely answered! For me it was interesting to be doing a "mission trip inside of a mission trip," but God worked in a powerful way, not only in the village but in our lives as well!

To give you a better picture of Botswana, it is a country roughly the size of Texas (or France), but with a population of only 2 million. In other words, it is very sparsely populated. Of that, half the population lives in the capital, Gaborone. Urbanization is increasingly common as people move from the villages into the city to find work. Even though so many people now live in the city, they still carry with them the worldviews of their home village. Up until this week, I had not yet observed village life, so it was helpful to me in gaining a better understanding of the culture. 

Historically, there have been many missionaries who have taken the gospel to Africa, but went "wide and not deep" as my supervisor sometimes says. People in Botswana will commonly say, "Oh yes, I know the gospel; I believe in Jesus," but the sad truth is that when you engage them in conversation, they don't understand what Christ did for them. False teachings abound, including the prosperity gospel, witch doctors, ancestor worship, self-proclaimed prophets, and many others.

While in the village of Letlhakane, we did house-to-house evangelism. The people were very welcoming and often invited us into their yard as soon as they saw us coming. Some even said before we introduced ourselves, "Ah! You have come to share the gospel!" Maybe the Chacos give us away. But I'd like to think they say that because the Lord was preparing their hearts… and it was evident that He did.

At the first house we went to, a group of 7 or 8 people gathered outside under a tree as I shared Creation to Christ, a presentation of the gospel that gives an overview of God's plan for salvation beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation. When I had finished, a man spoke up and said, "Many people come through here and tell us things from the Bible. They promise us wealth or healing but those things never come to pass. Today I know you have shared the truth, and I finally know. Thank you for that."

Two days later that man followed us to another house where we were sharing. He had many questions and finally said, "This is what I have been waiting to hear. I want to follow Jesus." That day, along with three of his friends, he surrendered his life to Christ. 

Before we left, he had one final concern. "I cannot read or write," he said humbly. "In two weeks I am moving to another town, and I want to find a church that teaches the truth. How will I know since I cannot read the Bible for myself?" A wise man from the church in Letlhakane answered, "The same way you knew you were hearing the truth this week. The Holy Spirit convicted your heart of truth as you listened. He will continue to do so." And he promised this new believer he would bring an audio recording of the Bible in Setswana. 

This week I have been so in awe of the Lord's power and how the Spirit works on even the hardest heart, and humbled by how small my role is in sharing the good news. All the Lord requires is my obedience; HE is the one who changes hearts. And he is so faithful! As Paul says, "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life… Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold."  2 Corinthians 3:5-6, 12

Continue to pray for the new believers of Letlhakane, that they would be discipled and grow strong spiritually, and not led astray by false teachings. 

One last fun note about this week… we went to a game park, so I got my first look at some African animals! Look for safari pictures coming soon!

Widen Your Heart

"This isn't the Africa I pictured."

I confess I have made this statement countless times in the two weeks I have been here. 

Where are the red dirt roads and babies tied on backs and ugali at every meal and the barefoot children with sparkling eyes? Instead I'm surrounded by roundabouts and American fashions and iPads in church. Why does that disappoint me? I didn't come here to alleviate poverty; I came here to share the hope of Christ. But I admit that in my mind, that looked more like cradling orphans and less like trying to build relationships with skeptical university students. More like sitting on the dirt floor of a hut sharing the gospel as it fell on ears who were hearing it for the first time, and less like dripping with sweat while prayer-walking the campus. But God is not surprised by my surroundings or my naiveté. And despite the differences between my expectations and reality, I have an undeniable peace that I am supposed to be here!

A week or so before I left home, I had a thought-provoking conversation with a very dear friend. She remarked that everyone equates orphans with the "least of these" that Jesus refers to in Matthew 25. "Why do they get to be the 'least of these?' " she asked. She was right. They are all His. The hungry orphan and the emaciated woman with AIDS and the polished university student and the rough combi driver. They all have the same need for a Savior. 

And as Paul instructed the Corinthian church, I heard the Father saying to me, "widen your heart."

An interesting thing happened this week. I visited some of the more poverty-stricken areas outside my city. It "looked like" Africa. Seeing those living conditions made me sad, but it didn't break my heart quite like I thought it would. Perhaps because I have learned that poverty is not simply a physical problem; it is a loss of hope. And hope comes through Christ alone. 

So I was not jealous of the orphan ministry in Lobatse or the traditional African feel of Old Naledi (although I am encouraged to hear how the Lord is working in those places!). I am jealous for the hearts of the UB students, that their desire and delight would be in the Lord.

It is not easy. University students are not like the children who clamor to hold my hands, each one grabbing a finger. But their need is the same. 

Oh Father. Widen my heart. 

University of Botswana Campus

Sweet kiddos!

The Vineyard Workers

2.2.13 

Have you heard about the vineyard workers? It's a story I have skipped over many times, but this week it finally clicked for me. So here is a paraphrase: 

Early in the morning, a man goes to town to hire some people to work his vineyard. After negotiating their pay, several agree to come and work for the day. A few hours later he makes another trip into town and hires some more. He does this several more times throughout the day, up until sunset when he recruits a few more men who are just hanging around town.

When the work day is over, he calls in all the men and begins handing out paychecks. But here's the thing: they were all paid the same-- the guys who started at sunrise and the guys who started at sunset. Understandably, the ones who worked all day were upset, even though they were paid what they had agreed upon with the vineyard owner that morning. 

"But it's not fair," they grumbled. 

The owner responded, "I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?"

So why did Jesus tell this story? It is actually a response to the disciples' entitlement-loaded question, "We left everything to follow you! What will there be for us?" And there I see myself.

God calls us to be his, not because he needs us, but because he wants to show his grace to us. Do you think by the 11th hour the vineyard owner really needed more workers? (That's 5 pm.) Probably not. But he called them because he wanted to be generous, give them meaningful work, and bless them beyond what they deserved. That is so incredibly humbling.

We often identify with the wrong party here, resonating with how the early workers were "cheated." But I am not the one who worked all day and got paid what I agreed upon; I am the one who showed up at sunset and got paid a whole day's wages. Not because he needed my help, but because he saw me standing there alone, directionless.

Grace.

It has nothing to do with what I've done for him, and everything to do with what he's done for me. Sometimes I get mixed up and think that I am going to Africa to serve God and accomplish something great in his name. Then I remember, he is already there, he has many people serving him, and he definitely doesn't need my help. But he invites me to come, to be a part of what he is doing, and receive a gift I don't deserve, because that is his character. Amazing.

***

The day I journaled about this truth from Matthew 20 was also the day I found out I would be going to Botswana. I had no idea what that meant at the time, but I have constantly been reminded that I am here only because of his grace! The last one of my orientation group to hit the field, joining an awesome team in a country I knew nothing about until a week before I landed. Sometimes I wonder why the Lord has me here, when the national believers know how to reach fellow students in this culture much better than I do and will be here longer than I will. Then I am reminded: His grace. My faithfulness to obey. That's all he asks. 

Here I am, Lord!

Gladly Would I Leave Behind Me

With a tear-stained face and a hopeful heart I stepped onto a plane that will take me to Africa for the next two years. A dream I have had for at least twice as long. One that only God could fulfill in his perfect way, in his perfect timing, all for his glory.

While I was counting the days until I see my family before my plane had even crossed ocean, the Lord grabbed my attention with a song I had never heard before…

Gladly would I leave behind me

All the pleasures I have known

To pursue surpassing treasures

At the throne of God the Son.

Then the Lord spoke to me from Jeremiah 29. Everyone loves the promise of prosperity and His hand on our future in verse 11, but backing up a bit gives some context. This letter was written to the Israelites while they were in exile. I can only imagine the temptation for them to shut down, to hide away, to try to block out the present and wait for the Lord to rescue them. But that's not what he tells them to do.

"Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters…" (v 5-6a)

Basically, live your life here. This is your home now. And I am reminded that this journey is so much more than a two year assignment. God is working in my heart, so that I may be ready to love the people of Botswana so much that I delight not only to share the gospel with them, but my life as well (1 Thess. 2:8).

To love without reserve. 

Bless the Lord

Bless the Lord, O my soul... worship His holy name.

For months I sang the words of that song in church, but I didn't quite grasp the full weight of their meaning. It wasn't until orientation this fall, when a wise woman taught about the power of emotions that it finally clicked for me. The following are some of the verses she shared:

Psalm 42:11, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

Psalm 103:1 "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name."

The psalmist is speaking to his soul, the center of his emotions, the core of his being. Not from his emotions. To his emotions.

It's kind of like this... The middle school girls I teach in Sunday School know how much I dislike the phrase "follow your heart." Because not only is it a cheesy line tossed into every Hallmark or Disney channel movie, it is also contrary to God's word (Jeremiah 17:9). But here in the Psalms, the alternative is illustrated: lead your heart.

Most people recognize that worship is not merely an emotion or good feeling; it is a lifestyle, a day-to-day choice. But here I noticed for the first time the actual command to corral those emotions, to conform them to truth.

Questions to ask myself: Are my emotions reflecting a complete trust in God's sovereignty in every situation? Am I choosing to have a posture of gratitude, of love, of service, of blessing the Lord? Or am I choosing to complain, to doubt, to be discouraged? What thoughts or emotions do I need to take captive and exchange for TRUTH in my life?

Some days it is easier than others. Sometimes I don't feel very joyful. This week is one of those weeks; with the news that my departure for Zimbabwe will be delayed likely until late February, it would be easy to become discouraged. That's where I am learning to put this discipline into practice.

What do I know to be true? He will fulfill his purpose for me. In all things he works for my good. He who calls me is faithful.

So I will bless the Lord.