The nice thing about Swaziland is that the "holidays" really is a holiday from work. December ends the calendar year and the school year. The government and all but retail pretty much shuts down for the end of December and beginning of January. It is a three week period to totally get away from the 24/7 job of being a missionary. Some go back to the states to see family, some travel and this year, due to circumstances I believe God orchestrated, just stay put. What you do when you have no agenda and no opportunities to escape staying put?
I am a "to do" person but God showed me how to really rest. I like check lists and He taught me these last couple of weeks to just be content to do nothing. I love the beach and I would have loved to spend this holiday at the ocean somewhere but that is not where God had me! And that is okay!! I am shocked but I am really content with having nothing significant that happened during my down time. Had unlimited quiet time with God, read some, walked some, visited with friends, slept a lot, realized how exhausted I had been and just enjoyed knowing I have a place to rest in His arms where ever I am.
So, this last day of holiday, before I go back to the Cup office tomorrow, I am taking time to reflect on 2011. And what I see is God's hand!!! One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Ephesians 3:20 "Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope." He has touched the lives of so many!!! He has brought hope to those who had no hope! He has brought understanding that He is with each of us, all of us, even when we are hungery and suffer. He has shown me that I don't have to trust lists, I just have to trust Him! If I look at the facts I would have spent the year worrying!
Jan: Started new year with new staff unfamiliar with Mission of Mercy and how it works.
Feb: Had to find a new home
Mar/Apr: Overwhelming task of Biannual Progress Reports for ALL MoM registered children across Swaziland
May: My mom traveling by herself to visit me and using her passport for the first time!!!
June/July: Planning new CarePoint registrations
August: Friends in serious accident followed by me hitting a cow and doing lots of damage to my truck
Sept: Traveling to Zimbabwe with just one other person to help teach MoM staff as they launch program and find out majority of my personal funding will be cut next year.
Oct: Host a team from the states and take on new roll doing payroll.
Nov: Plan how to get back to the states to fund raise and preschool graduations with grim news of government not being able to help elementary schools next year.
Dec: Christmas parties!!!! (exhausting schedule)
Many areas to give in to worry. Where will I go? How can we do this? What can we do to strengthen the ministry? Am I really making a difference? Who am I to be here? When I gave each one to God, they all turned out to be wonderful blessings and/or opportunities for growth in my faith!!!!
I live in an adorable little place! Most all the facilitators from last year will continue this year!! Mission of Mercy has grown stronger and bigger in Swaziland and has started in Zimbabwe!!! My mom's visit was the highlight of my year and such a blessing to have her see where I live and work and just to go have some fun together!!!! A donation to fix my truck came through! I bonded with the team that I hosted and have been so encouraged by them that we will have a reunion when I am in the states in June!!!! Christmas parties were tough but more of a blessing than a burden on so many levels!!!! 2011 was a wonderful year of learning more about God, leaning more on Him and loving seeing Him in action !!!!
What will 2012 hold? Not sure? Government is struggling, school system might crumble and I am just as uncertain about my funding. But this I do know, I don't need to look at the facts!!! I need to trust and pray and obey!!! That is my goal for 2012!!! Trust . . . Pray . . . Obey!
Hopefully in all that I will get in better shape, be a better listener, be more culturally sensitive and be more generous!! But I am excited about the new year, the new challenges and the new opportunities to grow closer to Him!!! I am truly blessed to be here; to have two sons who are growing in their walk with God and to be loved by family, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ that encourage me, love me and pray for me!! I pray 2012 will hold just as much for each of you!!!
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:23-24
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