Shining Brightly Through Us

Calling for .75….calling for .25….calling for .5….calling for 1.25…

 

From the early morning to as the evening dusk was falling into night, a group of us ladies spent the day splitting millet, corn and peanuts. We scooped, held bags, tied bags, dragged bags to their respective drop off and greeted the people that came to our designated area for splitting bags. By the end of the third day our ears were ringing with the fractions of bags we needed to have available for the people to pick up.

It was a hard three days of work in the unrelenting heat; however, the heat or the work did not suppress the joy or the strength inside of us to give to these people every single seed, kernel or peanut that was theirs. 

Our hearts were filled with Romans 12:12:

“…work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope…”

Our hearts were filled with 1 Corinthians 15:58:

"...be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the L0rd, for you know that nothing you do for the L0rd is ever useless." 

We worked hard to serve the Lord; Father lead us to this village of hunger people so H1s gl0ry could be seen! Our pr@yers throughout the week was that J.s.s was shining brightly through us each and every day. It wasn’t the white person giving the gain or working hard to get the job of distribution finished. This was a time…Father’s timing for H1s gl0ry to shine brightly through us. Our focus each and every day was to be relational, not efficient…to boldly declare that it is in J.s.s’s name that this grain was given! 

By the end of the third day, all the people received their portion of food; the chief of the village looked at our team and said “It is by the courage and the strength of J.s.s working through you that made you work so hard for us.” 

At the end of the distribution we pr@ised Father because we knew that from the village chief’s comment that H1s gl0ry, honor and majesty was seen by the people. Pr@ise be to the Father who filled us with H1s strength, H1s boldness, H1s courage, H1s patience and H1s unfailing love to declare H1s gl0ry among H1s people!  

"...We preach that J.s.s Ch.1.st is L0rd, and we ourselves are your servants for J.s.s' sake. For G0d, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the gl0ry of G0d that is seen in the face of J.s.s Ch.1.st. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from G0d, not from ourselves."

Famine in Real Life

"G0d blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied."

 Luke 6:21a

This has become my prayer...that G0d would bless those who are hungry now...that they would be satisfied both physically and spiritually. 

I've read about famines, I seen pictures on television of famines, I been touched by the pleas of many to help provide food for hungry, starving children. In G0d's Word, many times you read of G0d withholding rain, bringing famine, and even telling the people ahead of time..."It will not rain until I give the word."

For the first time I experienced a famine personally! No...I was not the one who was hungry, I was not the one desperate for food, I was not the one unable to sleep because I had not eaten in a week, I was not the one fearful for the lives of my children because I could not feed them, I was not the shepherd who was watching my sheep, goats, cattle, and horses dwindle to skin wrap around bones, I was not the child who wondered why my mom or dad did not feed me today. No my experience was nothing like that! My personal experience came as I met those who were hungry and desperate and unable to sleep. I talked with those parents and saw those children and watched those shepherds with their animals. Everywhere I looked I saw famine and its effects on all of creation.  My heart broke! My life changed forever! My perspective altered--I will never be the same!

Clothe Yourself

"...Clothe yourselves with the presence of the L0rd J.s.s Chr!st."                  Romans 13:14

"Since G0d chose you to be the h0ly people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony."      Col. 3:12-14

While I was so very excited to be wearing my orange and purple "shwarma" (not really it's name, just what we called it) and trying to "fit in", it did not take long for me to know that I was truly not one of them. I could not keep my head covered. I could not work without getting tangled up in my dress. I could not walk without tripping or stepping on my dress. I just seemed to have trouble with every aspect of it.




As I adjusted to my shwarma and desperately wanted to make a difference among this people, I was reminded that the shwarma was a great expression of love for this people, but it was not the expression that would truly impact them. It would be my ability to die to self (even when it is 127 degrees every day) and allow J.s.s to live through me. It would be the realness of His Presence alive and expressing His nature, His compassion, His gentleness, His Sp!r!t, His love for them through me. It would be the heart of Chr!st being expressed through my actions, my joining in with them in life and work, my hands helping them in real and personal ways, and my understanding of their real needs.

It was then that I realized I must clothe myself with something totally different from a shwarma...I must clothe myself with Him-- His tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love. His Sp!r!t and the fruit of it displayed in my life would be the only clothing that could truly impact those with whom we were serving. Making Him known among the nations means truly clothing yourself with the Presence of the L0rd J.s.s. Chr!st above all things. There is no way that I in my own strengths, abilities, and thoughts can enter a new culture and make a difference for Chr!st among them. There is no way that changing my clothes, my shoes, my eating habits, or my language can reveal truth to them. Only His Presence has power to reveal truth and to love. Only His Presence has power to save!

Singing Pr@ises

Night had set, our pajamas were on, our beds were fixed, our heads down on our pillows, as the sound of many voices singing, “who brought millet, who brought corn, who brought peanuts….J.S.S. DID, came to our ears by the women of the village dancing into our compound!!!

Three days had passed, as we worked from early morning to night giving out the millet, the corn and the peanuts. Each day our team woke up refreshed with renewed strength, boldness and joy that could only come from our Father filling us up. Throughout the day we distributed whole bags as well as divided bags into halves, quarters and three-fourths so each person received the same amount of each commodity.  We did not have the opportunity to meet everybody in the village; however, every person that we did meet was greeted knowing that this grain did not come from the white people, but from J.s.s. We blessed them saying “May Father multiple this grain every day; may this grain never run out!” As the men and women waited for their name to be called to collect their grain, conversations were started and stories from Father’s Word were told.

By the end of the third day, our team is exhausted not only from the hard work of dividing up bags and bags of grain, but from the heat of this hot season. However, the village was bursting with joy as each family had finally received all of the grain that Father had provided for them. Joy was seen in the faces of men with families to feed, women screamed with joy for food to feed their children and children felt the excitement of their families acting as mischievous as ever! 

Sitting in the compound we called home, woman after woman walked in telling us “I’m full…thank you for the food.” We always responded by thanking J.s.s and reminding them that this millet, corn and peanuts came in the name of J.s.s…not in the name of our team leader, not in the name of the white people, but in the name of J.s.s.! 

 This night the village came together to celebrate the provision that Father had given them….food, a rare sight for many of the men, women and children who call this village home. It was late at night, but that did not matter for this was a night to celebrate! To pr@ise our Father for declaring H1s gl0ry in a famine struck area! For Father’s faithful promise that He will always finish what He starts. It was a reminder of H1s faithful promises in Isaiah 41:17:

“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them."

Drums were beating, women were screaming, singing and dancing while the men stood back smiling, knowing that tomorrow they will have food to eat, that they now have food for their families! Gathered in the public area, we watched as the women danced to the sound of drums, with their hand opened wide reaching towards the sky. As the celebration was ending, we returned to our compound getting ready for bed as…well we heard the most beautiful sound of all! 

“Who brought millet, who brought corn, who brought peanuts….J.S.S DID!” 

As my head finally hit the pillow, a smile crossed my face for as it says in Psalm 115:1: 

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.”

Food for the Hungry

A team of 10 headed to the d3sert v!llage of Motown to distribute food to a people where no rain and the lack of harvest have created a famine. They are a people different from any I have ever visited and spent time with here in our country. They are a people I have heard about but know very little about culturally. I love to learn about new cultures, experience them, and seek to understand them better. With great joy I chose my traditional dress and prepared it for our arrival. I was extra excited that it was orange and purple...two of my favorite colors. With great anticipation and excitement both over the incredible opportunity to demonstrate the GREAT love and compassion of our G0d and to get to know these people in a more real and personal way, we began our journey.

The plan was to arrive with 2 truckloads of corn, millet, and peanuts and distribute them the next day. As God would have it, His plan is different from ours! You just have to smile when you even begin the journey of serving Him...knowing you must be prepared to EXPECT the UNEXPECTED!! This opportunity was no different. The unexpected happened... One truck arrived ahead of our team even after getting stuck in the sand. The other was delayed for various reasons, and then when it got to the turn off for the village, the driver decided he was not driving his 18 wheeler loaded with grain from the paved road through the desert road to the village. We spent a day waiting on another truck--a dump truck-- to come transfer the grain and carry it the rest of the way. The food arrived in the dark and we unloaded it...In the meantime, a list of families and the number of people in each one was compiled. We were ready to distribute grain the next morning!!

The people welcomed us with a GREAT celebration!! ALL of the village came out to meet us, to escort us into the v!llage, and to share a traditional dance with us!! The men walked in front of our trucks as we drove into the v!llage while the women walked beside us and greeted us!!

During our time of refuge in S3neg@l, everyday we were crying out to our Father on behalf of the people in M@li who were struggling to survive without food. Before we had to leave, this food distribution project as well as the Gift of Grain Project were all in the planning stages. We knew that our G0d had provided and had begun an important work among these people groups to demonstrate Himself, His love, and His provision. We asked Him to finish what He started. Today we celebrate His Faithfulness!! 

"The L0rd always keeps His promises; He is gracious in all He does. The L0rd helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The L0rd is righteous in everything He does, He is filled with kindness."

 Psalm 145:13-17

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G0d's Timing

What was supposed to be a 5 day trip turned into a 12 day journey?  Our white person’s efficient, timely village trip turned into an African’s relational, no need to rush journey! Trucks broke down; drivers refused to travel in the bush, a normal 10 hour drive to a village took 2 days….minds were spinning with logistical nightmares as our white persons’ deadline could not be reached! When we told other colleagues that we would be returning to B@mako on Friday, we forgot to mention which Friday we would arrive on! One week later from our proposed time of arrival in B@mako, we made it back to our homes. 

 While some people say “It’s Africa”, our eyes turned to our Father who orchestrates all details. The one who allows trucks to be broken down, the one who allows blimps in our plans, the one who gives us 7 more days to declare H1s glory among the people of M@li, the one who knows all things at all times! 

After sitting for a month in S3n3gal with our minds filled with some many uncertainties…such as “will we ever get the chance to go back”, “how long do we wait in S3n3gal”, “will we have the opportunity to be servants for Father in M@li again”, and “will we ever see our friends again.”   Father answered our pr@yers and gave us an opportunity to work in a different area, among different people, with different friends to spread H1s light among this nation. 

L0ri and I travelled with friends to work in two different villages and help in their food distributions. We pr@ised Father for giving us this time to be a light in a dark place; to declare H1s glory by telling H1s stories with the people and to be H1s hands and feet to give out food to the hungry in H1s glorious name!

Our trip was exciting from the beginning to the end! Filled with H1s joy and strength to be H1s servants!  However there was one lesson that was loud and clear from our Father…..EVERYTHING IS ON MY TIME!

Is@iah 46:9-10 says:

“For I alone am G0d! I am G0d and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” 

From the very beginning, Father showed us that it is in H1s timing that we would pass out the food to H1s people. Instead of running into and out of the village, Father slowed our time to be with the people. And Father did slow our time down in undoubting ways. In a quick glance I will summarize the ways Father demonstrated that everything is on H1s time!

Round 1 (Village 1)

• ·         The 2^nd truck that needed to arrive in our first village broke down, not once, not twice, but yes three times on good roads.

• ·         2 days later the truck finally arrived to the place where you get off the good road and onto the donkey paths, at this point the driver refused to take his truck off the good road.

• ·         Now, we had to find yet another truck…. waiting a whole day for this other truck to come and transfer the grain to another truck, the grain finally arrived that night. 

 After being in the village for 2 more days than expected, Father showed us H1s timing on passing out the food to H1s people. The next morning we had the joy of watching the men of the village show up and wait their turn (some for hours) to get their bags of grain. With smiles on their faces…they went home to their families. 

After accomplishing giving out the grain in the first village, as white people thinking in being efficient…we felt that we could still possible make our deadline to make it back to B@m@ko! And may I say that Father politely said NO!

                         Round 2 (Village 2)

• ·         2 trucks went Missing in Action without us knowing there true whereabouts for 2 days

• ·         Few people came to help carry the bags on grain (weighing 220 lbs/bag) each day

• ·         3 different foods to hand out, divide and deliver

With triple the people in this village, we had more food to hand out, more people to visit with which equals into spending 3 more days than expected!  

Even though our trip was longer than expected…it was a great pleasure to be among the people again, to hand out food to families that had nothing, to share stories of J.s.s and spread the truth of our Father. At the end of our time, I know I was pr@ising Father for as Is@i@h 26:8 says: “Our heart’s desire is to glorify your name” 

My heart’s desire is to glorify H!s name among these people in M@li!

A Surprise Return

Due to s3cur!ty, we left our place of refuge in S3neg@l to return to the land and the people to whom our Father called us without letting any of them know we were on our way home. We knew nothing about what the journey would be like, how long it would take us, or exactly when we would arrive at out homes. Only our Father truly knew what the journey held for us...it was an adventure. We did end up spending a couple of extra days at our second destination.
After arriving at our home, we called our friend O to talk with her and see what she was doing. She was doing her normal things--selling peanuts in the market. She told us she would be working peanuts in the late afternoon and that she would not be going to the market the next morning. She would be working peanuts at home. OUr conversation ended with me saying. "K'an ben, sooooni." That means "See you soon!!" At first my heart was anxious to go see her and work peanuts with her that afternoon. I knew that it was not a possibility. I asked Father to give me patience and wait on His timing to see her and let her know we had arrived at home.
The next morning I called and still did not reveal that we were home. Just called to make sure she was home and working peanuts like she said she would be. She was, so again I ended the conversation with "K'an ben soooooni!!" This time I knew it would be much sooner than she was expecting..actually she wasn't expecting it at all!! That was the fun part.
C@therine and I got ready and headed to our friends house to surprise her and work peanuts. It was fun as we took a taxi, walked up her street and quietly entered her compound. As is custom, we walked in and greeted saying, "I ni sogoma!" ("Good morning!") After a moment of shock and uncertainty about what was happening, our friend stood up, greeted us, and welcomed us home. Truly it was later in the day that she really realized we were home and we were at her house. I'm not certain what she had been thinking or if she thought we would ever be back. For weeks we had been ending our conversations with  "K'an ben sooooni!" But this time it was real and our Father had kept His promise:

"What's more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go.

 One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you." 

Genesis 28:15