Another excerpt from Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper:
"Sometimes I use the phrase"wartime lifestyle" or "wartime mind-set". . . It tells me that there is a war going on in the world between Christ and Satan, truth and falsehood, belief and unbelief. It tells me that there are weapons to be funded and used, but that these weapons are not swords or guns or bombs but the Gospel and prayer and self-sacrificing love (2 Cor 10:3-5). And it tells me that the stakes of this conflict are higher than any other in history; they are eternal and infinite. . . I need to hear this message again and again, because I drift into a peacetime mind-set as certainly as rain falls down and flames go up. I am wired by nature to love the same toys that the world loves. I start to fit in. I start to love what others love. I start to call earth "home". Before I know it, I'm calling luxuries "needs" and using my money just the way unbelievers do. I begin to forget the war. I don't think much about people perishing. Missions and unreached peoples drop out of my mind. I stop dreaming about the triumphs of grace. I sink into a secular mindset that looks first to what man can achieve, not to what God can do. It is a terrible sickness. And I thank God for those who have forced me again and again into a wartime mind-set." [Emphasis added]
It's amazing how easily, even here in Africa, I can slip back into a peacetime mind-set. How quickly my mind will turn back to the temporal. I'm desperate to get better at finding my greatest joy in the Glory of God rather than in fun "stuff". God help me.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Rwanda - Day 2 (Africa - Day 118)
I've been helping proof read case files for AEE. It's great getting to read each family's little story and have a giggle at the redundancies in the locals' writing. I'm really looking forward to getting out into the villages some.
From first impressions Kigali is a much more beautified city than anywhere I've been yet. Perhaps that is due to all the westerners coming here.
I've been enjoying walking down the streets to get random things, talking to kids and getting a better look around.
The nights have been warm which has meant a few restless nights, but I'm getting used to it.
The biggest difference I've noticed so far between the Rwandese and the Mozambicans/South Africans is that they're very touchy feely. Everyone give you hugs and holds your hand for ages and the kids in the street touch you as you walk past. You wouldn't want to have issues concerning personal space.
I've just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Good book.
Now I'm reading Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. It's been the most challenging book I've read so far. Here's a bit of what he says: "I want to be free from self and full of joy in God; I want to enjoy making much of God, not me. And I want the fullness of my joy to last forever."
From first impressions Kigali is a much more beautified city than anywhere I've been yet. Perhaps that is due to all the westerners coming here.
I've been enjoying walking down the streets to get random things, talking to kids and getting a better look around.
The nights have been warm which has meant a few restless nights, but I'm getting used to it.
The biggest difference I've noticed so far between the Rwandese and the Mozambicans/South Africans is that they're very touchy feely. Everyone give you hugs and holds your hand for ages and the kids in the street touch you as you walk past. You wouldn't want to have issues concerning personal space.
I've just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Good book.
Now I'm reading Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. It's been the most challenging book I've read so far. Here's a bit of what he says: "I want to be free from self and full of joy in God; I want to enjoy making much of God, not me. And I want the fullness of my joy to last forever."
Monday, June 22, 2009
I'm excited!
I'm flying to Rwanda tomorrow!
It will be really interesting to see the differences and similarities it has with Southern Africa.
Tonight I'm playing at a church meeting for drug addicts in Joburg. Should be very interesting.
It will be really interesting to see the differences and similarities it has with Southern Africa.
Tonight I'm playing at a church meeting for drug addicts in Joburg. Should be very interesting.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Back to the Cold
I'm back in South Africa for a few days. Flying to Rwanda on Tuesday. I'm getting quite excited!
Mozambique was really wonderful. I spent most of my time organising Trish's office, cooking and hanging out with the teenage girls at the orphanage.
Most of the challenge came on a spiritual level. I really had to trust God to protect me from the dangers of Mozambique. In some ways it's a lot safer than South Africa, but the threat of malaria and various other parisites and knowing there are bandits in the surrounding area (and me with a completely open window) certainly had me packing myself a few times. The spiritual atmosphere in some places was very dark. The night of the full moon was by far the worst. Lester had given me a letter and told me to remember Psalm 121. Perfect scripture for my time in Mozambique.
Overall the experience was very rewarding. I had an absolute ball spending time with the kids and getting to know them.
There are some new pictures up here.
Bring on Rwanda!
Mozambique was really wonderful. I spent most of my time organising Trish's office, cooking and hanging out with the teenage girls at the orphanage.
Most of the challenge came on a spiritual level. I really had to trust God to protect me from the dangers of Mozambique. In some ways it's a lot safer than South Africa, but the threat of malaria and various other parisites and knowing there are bandits in the surrounding area (and me with a completely open window) certainly had me packing myself a few times. The spiritual atmosphere in some places was very dark. The night of the full moon was by far the worst. Lester had given me a letter and told me to remember Psalm 121. Perfect scripture for my time in Mozambique.
Overall the experience was very rewarding. I had an absolute ball spending time with the kids and getting to know them.
There are some new pictures up here.
Bring on Rwanda!
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
Maforga
Well the drive through Zim certainly was interesting! We took longer getting supplies in SA than we expected and were running a bit behind schedule. Roy and Trish (who run Maforga Mission) know a bunch of people in Zim so we spent a fair bit of our day visiting their friends. We stopped and had coffee with one of the few white farmers left in Zim. His name was Keith Campbell. He was a very interesting man, hardened by the land. He knows Kevin Rudd...haha. KRudd was at his place a few years ago to write a report on the situation there.
Driving in Zim at night is quite dangerous so after a quick stop to visit one of the members of the opposition party (MP's there are just as poor as everyone else, she had no electricity so we stood there talking in front of the car's headlights) we decided to see if we could stay with one of Roy and Trish's friends for the night. Those friends just happened to be in SA at the time and thier driver offered for us to stay with him. The closest motel was another hour away and even then we weren't sure if it would still be in business (as so many businesses have had to close down). So we decided to stay with the driver, before we'd been in his house. So there was five of us saying in a one bedroom house. The walls were full of dead antelope of various types (taxidermied) and kids toys (probably from the guy's childhood) along with grade 9 merit certificates. after a quick look around I started to get a little concerned. This guy was either going to be really nice or a serial killer. It was a very interesting experience to say the least, but after a lot of prayer I dealt with my apprehension and slept. I wasn't dead in the morning so that was great.
We arrived safely in Mozambique on Thursday. It's quite beautiful.
There have been some good rains and the crops have done well so the famine is over. You wouldn't even know now that less than six months ago there were people camping out at Maforga for food, and people in villages starving to death.
Trish is writing a book about her experiences in Moz and it's being released next month, so for the time being I am acting as her PA. I'll get in with the babies later.
The 450 babies they look after are actually orphans who live with extended family. Maforga provides food and health care for them.
Driving in Zim at night is quite dangerous so after a quick stop to visit one of the members of the opposition party (MP's there are just as poor as everyone else, she had no electricity so we stood there talking in front of the car's headlights) we decided to see if we could stay with one of Roy and Trish's friends for the night. Those friends just happened to be in SA at the time and thier driver offered for us to stay with him. The closest motel was another hour away and even then we weren't sure if it would still be in business (as so many businesses have had to close down). So we decided to stay with the driver, before we'd been in his house. So there was five of us saying in a one bedroom house. The walls were full of dead antelope of various types (taxidermied) and kids toys (probably from the guy's childhood) along with grade 9 merit certificates. after a quick look around I started to get a little concerned. This guy was either going to be really nice or a serial killer. It was a very interesting experience to say the least, but after a lot of prayer I dealt with my apprehension and slept. I wasn't dead in the morning so that was great.
We arrived safely in Mozambique on Thursday. It's quite beautiful.
There have been some good rains and the crops have done well so the famine is over. You wouldn't even know now that less than six months ago there were people camping out at Maforga for food, and people in villages starving to death.
Trish is writing a book about her experiences in Moz and it's being released next month, so for the time being I am acting as her PA. I'll get in with the babies later.
The 450 babies they look after are actually orphans who live with extended family. Maforga provides food and health care for them.
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