I've posted a lot of pictures recently but now I turn back to my ramblings and personal wrestling in my faith walk. The question to be addressed: How do you ask for help?
Or do you?
Let me backtrack; the budget for a single missionary is supposed to be $2,000 month. My church, the Oasis church, with the assistance of a few small outside donations has supported me in Swaziland for the 2 1/2 years I have been here. 18 months ago, because the exchange rate was 10 rand to 1 dollar (high) and I had a house full of roommates to share in my rent and my church was trying to fully support the financial need for not 1 but 2 CarePoints, I voluntarily took a 25% pay cut. Last year, the exchange rate dropped and now is only 7.5 rand (25% less) to 1 dollar, I have only 1 roommate (with small periods of none) and will be alone again July 15th with no one scheduled to move in. Gas has increased over a rand a liter in the last 18 months and my (the Oasis Church's) 2002 truck is in need of some minor repairs. Due to events in my church, going back to my original monthly status is just not doable at this time and so they have given me permission to fund raise outside of the umbrella of Oasis Church.
That being said, let me stop and say that if you are currently giving through the Oasis Church or you are attending the Oasis Church, any money you feel led to donate, should continue to go under their umbrella. They are still supporting the bulk of my ministry funding and need you to help them continue this.
Now lets get back to my wrestling with my faith. If God has "called" me to Swaziland, and I know He has. He is still using me to direct the Swaziland Children's Cup office staff, scheduling teams who visit, administrating our partnership with Mission of Mercy, overseeing the running of the 2 Mbabane CarePoints and as much as I stumble and fall, growing me in my relationship with Him. I also do not feel like He is saying my time is up here.
Then why do I need to ask?
Won't He supply my needs? Absolutely!!
This is why I have wrestled with this question for the last 9 months or more. He can and will supply my needs but I feel He has moved me, at this point in time, to ask for assistance. A humbling act in itself.
Now most missionaries go visit churches, speak, show pictures and video and ask for support. God has not opened that door for me at this time, just my blog and FaceBook. So why? What does He have planned? I have faith that if He wishes He could stir the hearts of those who keep up with my blog (not a huge number but some) to give one time or monthly gifts
through the umbrella of Children's Cup.
Or He could be stretching me in admitting being here is not something I can do on my own (duh!). To listen to Him more and not try to figure it all out. To not try to say it has to be done a certain way. That might mean I move into a smaller place and not host single missionaries or simplify my life in other ways I haven't thought to cut back or that He has planned something totally out of my methodical thinking to make it work. I must trust Him daily to make sacrifices and choices that glorify Him and watch it all work out and be amazed.
"So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. "
2 Corinthians 4:18
Or maybe it's not about me at all!!! (BIG truth I have been trying to put into practice and failing often lately!) Maybe for God's glory my blog is the spark for one of you readers to obey God in giving to someone or something that has nothing to do with me. It doesn't make sense to you but you keep getting this nudge in your spirit to give something to someone and you keep rationalizing it away. My advice, obey and enjoy the peace and blessing that comes with opening your hand, time, pocketbook, home, closet, whatever it is. It is all God's anyway!
"And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to (or read). If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself." James 1:22
Thank you for reading (and commenting). Your comments on my blog and FaceBook bless me immensely!!! If you do feel moved to help me raise an extra $500/month, please email me at sandra@childrenscup.org and I can send you information on sending a check, credit card authorization or bank draft and the address to Children's Cup stateside office.
Again, if you attend the Oasis Church, please give under "Oasis @ Swaziland" or under "Missionary Sandra" and help the church continue to be able to continue to support me and hopefully the CarePoints again soon.
Please continue your prayers and do not be anxious for me! If He uses you to give me more freedom in my finances,
FANTASTIC!!!
If He just makes ends meet for the necessities each month!
PRAISE HIS NAME!!!
If He moves me to a smaller place or does something even more outside the box than me appealing on FB and my blog!!!
TO HIM BE THE GLORY!!!
God is good and He has never forsaken me and has blessed beyond measure the 2 1/2 years I have been here!!! Thank you for the opportunity to share my life and my struggles and His love!!
