Desperate, Breathless, Dependent parenting

I follow John Piper's Desiring God blog.  Today's post really struck home for me.  I didn't write it, but I feel like this woman is me.  I thought I'd explain a little more about my dependency on the Lord through her words.  (btw...I'm not done with the Gusu weekend yet....more to come).

below is a blog entry written by Rachel Pieh Jones:

Some people tell me it is brave to raise my kids in Africa. They could get malaria or be bitten by a poisonous snake. They don’t have a Sunday School class. They can’t eat gluten-free foods. Their friends are Muslims. They live far away from cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.

My initial reaction is to be tempted to say, “Well, I think it is brave to raise kids in America.” I know my heart, my soul-shriveling tendency to love the world. I know my kids, how quickly they could be sucked into the idolatry of a nation whose church is the shopping mall and whose God is the latest iPhone.

But this kneejerk reaction is wrong because it assumes brave is the right word to use to describe parenting, whether in Africa or in the United States.

Brave is the wrong word.

Life As Fasting

Living overseas is a form of fasting. Fasting from the comforts of a would-be heaven on earth where there are hot showers, dishwashers and clothes dryers, fully-stocked grocery stores and someone else to teach piano lessons. Living overseas is fasting that says, “this much, O God, this much, I want to know you.” And, “this much, O God, this much, I want you to be known” (Michael Oh).

I want to know God deeply and I want him to be known so much that I will risk scary diseases, fast from my beloved family and worldly comforts, and teach my children to engage with neighbors of differing faiths. But to live and fast like that, to raise my children like that, isn’t brave.

When I think about mothering my three children who love this steamy, desert nation, I don’t feel brave. I feel dependent. Helplessly, desperately, breathlessly, clingingly dependent.

Dependent

Any mother, anywhere in the world, could receive a phone call in the next five minutes about a car accident. A child could decide Jesus is an imaginary friend and reject truth. Another could fall into immoral living.

There is nothing brave about loving little people who will grow up and could choose to abandon the things of God. But for dependency on the promises and character of God, there is terror and anxiety.

Being dependent isn’t just for mothers living in Africa. The only way to parent is with faith that God is able to keep and hold our children. The only way to parent is to be dependent on his sovereign plan and tender care for them. Dependent on the strength of the everlasting arms to hold us, to hold our children, and to keep us in perfect peace with our minds stayed on Him.

No, brave is not the right word for parents.

Dependent is.

Easter Weekend at Gusu- Sports Evangelism

Another very important (and hugely popular) event that occurred at E3's Easter Weekend at Gusu/Jidi was a soccer tournament.  It was a 7-a-side tournament with 7 village teams and one ministry team from Lilongwe.  Between the games the Gospel was shared as the crowd waited for the next game.  

There were thousands of people on hand to watch the "football" tournament and hear the Word preached.  It is estimated that 4000 people were at the final game alone.  

The Gospel was also shared before the awards ceremony. Each player received a Chichewa Bible to take home.  Medals and trophies were handed out to the top three teams.  As the missionaries were heading back home on Sunday afternoon some of the players were seen sitting on their porch wearing their medals around their necks.  

Praise God that HE provided for over 4000 people to hear the Word proclaimed!  

Easter Weekend at Gusu- Mobile Medical Clinic

The purpose of the E3 event at Gusu/Jidi villages on Easter weekend was to minister to both the physical and spiritual needs of the Lord's people: to express the full Gospel of our Lord addressing both the temporal and eternal needs. 

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:35-40)

One of the ways E3 went about meeting physical needs was through the mobile medical clinic.  3 doctors, 2 nurses, 2 pharmacists, a phlebotomists, and dozens of volunteers all provided medical care to the people of Gusu/Jidi and the surrounding areas.  Approximately 400 people were seen on Friday and nearly 800 were seen on Saturday.  That is a total of nearly 1200 men, women, and children who received medical care over the Easter weekend.  

Nurse Becky and her sons Ryan and Chisomo were very busy at the medical clinics.

Sofiya did hundreds of malaria tests.

Dr. Sonia 

Dr. Mark

Grace has a cleft lip.  She is one of the children who will be helped through the ConnectMed medical missions trip in February of 2013.  This medical team will also help our son, J, to receive the surgery he needs to repair his cleft palate.  Praise God for HIS provisions as this team is seeking to raise the funds necessary to make this trip possible.  We already know that HE will provide through HIS people.  If you feel led to help with this medical mission trip please see the above link for how you can help (or ask me).  

The team worked late into the night making sure everyone who needed medical care received it.

This is what it's all about!  The Gospel is being shared with the people as they wait in line for the medical clinic.  That means nearly 1200 people heard the Word through the medical clinics alone.  And between 4-5 thousand people heard the Gospel over the entire weekend.  

AJ, Nurse Becky, Danie, and Lusungu helping in the pharmacy

Ryan, Dan, Becky, and Danie 

A woman walked over 5 miles from a nearby village when she heard about the medical clinic.  She came hoping that medical volunteers could come back to her village to treat her mother who had been battling an illness for the last 4-5 years.  A team consisting of Jeremy, David, Becky (nurse), Dr. Mark, Danie (pharmacists),  and Jay (translator) went with this woman back to her village to treat her ailing mother.  

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

(1 John 3:17-18)

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

(Matthew 5:13-16)

Easter Weekend at Gusu- Getting started

The Easter weekend at Gusu was an amazing success and all of the glory goes to our Heavenly Father!  Praise God for HIS provisions and HIS work that was accomplished.  My next few posts will showcase different events that went on this past weekend.  Jeremy was the official photographer for the weekend and he took nearly 1700 photos.  Don't worry, you won't see them all here.  But I will take a few photos from each event to show you how busy the hands and feet of the Lord were.  "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Above is a picture of the crew getting ready to head out.

"'Have faith in God,' Jesus answered. 'I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins'" (Mark 11:22-25).

Here is a picture of Gusu village (also known as Jidi village) as the team arrived.  There was already a line formed for the medical clinic.  

AJ and Kimmy setting up the pharmacy and getting ready to work!  

The line grows!  The first night (Friday night) was a mobile clinic for children.  

Here is water that women from the village brought from the well for the team.  

CJ showing off the restroom facilities.  It is literally a hole in the ground...otherwise known as a "squatty potty".  

These women wanted their pictures taken.  Jeremy was happy to comply.

CJ, Chisomo (Becky's son) and Cookie (Dr. Sonia's daughter)

Sweet friends working hard for the Lord!

CJ exploring the area.  Gusu/Jiti is absolutely beautiful!

This is how the team slept.  Nearly 30 people shared this small space!  Needless to say, they got to know each other a little too well!  

More lines for the medical clinic.  The next post will showcase the medical clinic and the work that was done there.  

President Joyce Banda

Malawi has a new president and the people seem happy.  Last night as I was closing the curtains I heard cheering and pops from fireworks and rifles in the streets of Lilongwe.  At first I wasn't sure if they were good cheers or rioting like those that we heard just last July (when 19 people were killed).  However a quick call to mom (who has been following the story more closely than even I have been) revealed that Malawi had just sworn in a new president, Joyce Banda.  Joyce Banda was the vice-president of Malawi but had recently been at odds with President Bingu and she was kicked out of the party that they represented.  However she was never relieved from her position as VP.  There was a period of time after the former President Bingu died where there was concern as to whether the transition of power was going to follow the constitution (which would put Banda in charge) or whether some would seek to put someone from the President's own party in charge.  Here is more detailed info at this link.  With the swearing in of President Banda the people of Malawi seem relieved and happy.  There is much to accomplish and fix in Malawi.  The country is hurting and has a long road to travel.  But we continue to pray the Lord's blessing upon Malawi and her beautiful people.

Prayers for Malawi

The president of Malawi has had a heart attack and is reported dead among all international news affiliates. However, the country of Malawi has yet to admit that the President has passed away or make a statement on his health.  The vice-president has been at odds with President Bingu for some time now. So the transition could be tricky or even violent. You can see the BBC's news article here.  Please pray for a peaceful transition of power.  Pray also for the people of Malawi as they have seen many hardships and trials over the past few years (especially the past year).

Zikomo kwambili,
Jill

Dependence

Dependence- Websters defines it this way: 1) the quality or state of being dependent; especially: the quality or state of being influenced or determined by or subject to another 2) reliance; trust

I love that definition.  This is lesson number one that the Lord has taught me over the past year.  Dependence.  I thought I was dependent upon the Lord before moving here.  I thought I trusted HIM for everything and turned to HIM for what I needed.  I did not.  I lived in a society that had more than enough of EVERYTHING.  If I needed fuel, I went and got it (and I complained if I had to wait 10 minutes for the two cars in front of me to fill up first).  If I needed food then I went to one store and was assured that it would be there.  If it wasn't there it was surely at another store and all I had to do was let the store manager know what was missing and it would be there next time.  If my power went out then I knew that I could call Entergy and let them know (although hundreds of other people had already beat me to it I'm sure) and that teams from hundreds of miles away would be hauling tail to get to our area if we needed more help to get that power on quickly.  And if water went out, well....our water never went out.  That was unheard of.

But I didn't consider these luxuries as hampering my dependency upon the Lord.  I mean, when we think of dependency on HIM we think of good health, safety, and well-being.  Right? We think of the big things that the Lord can provide for us like a home, a job, a husband, or a child.  Well, Philippians 4:19 says that, "my God will supply all your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ."  Notice that word: ALL.  He will supply everything that we need.  He has proven this time and time again in our lives but many times we credit our own resourcefulness with HIS provisions.  Honestly, I'd just never HAD to depend on God for a lot.  I lived in one of the richest societies ever known to man.

Then the Lord changed all that.  We were called to Malawi and our world literally got turned upside down.  Summer is now winter.  Winter is now summer.  Left is now right.  And right is now wrong.  We have gone without (yet we still live like kings compared to the vast majority of the country).  We have searched for things in vein. We have rejoiced over sugar being on the shelves.  We have cried when those around us have taken our trash home to their family for supper. We've learned so much. We've changed so much.  But the most important lesson is that we have learned that we truly are dependent on HIM to supply all of our needs.  All things come from Christ.  Our daily bread, our needed water, our comfort and peace...it all comes from HIM.  And the miracle that we see daily is that HE indeed supplies it!!!

Acts 2:22 says, "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God performed through him in your midst, as you yourself know...".  When Jesus was on the Earth he performed many miracles, signs, and wonders.  The fact is, He still performs these miracles, signs, and wonders but we are sometimes blind to see them.

Our fuel tank is currently below empty and there is no sign of petrol anywhere in the country.  But I know that the Lord will provide for us when it is time.  How do I know this?  Because He has proven himself time and time again.  Sometimes he provides before the needle hits "E" and sometimes he provides after.  Sometime I'm sure he will let us walk or ride our bikes and this is a provision in itself.  The fact is, HE WILL PROVIDE even if it's not when and how we want.  He is faithful and true.  He is always there and He knows what we need without our asking.

Our fuel tanks are low quite often here (literally and spiritually) yet it is in these times of need that we have become dependent upon HIM.  Praise God for our need!  Praise God for HIS provisions.  Praise God for our dependence!

Jill