Africa Archives - Blessings and Raindrops

January 12, 2020

Tuesday!

This Tuesday is a big day for our family! At 9|8c, the final episode of our first season of Fixer to Fabulous will air on HGTV. I can’t believe how fast these few months have flown by and how amazingly supportive and encouraging everyone has been about the show. Our lives are definitely a little wild right now (I should start brushing my hair and putting on make-up when I go to Wal-mart since I never know when a selfie opportunity will present itself – ha!) but it’s been such a fun ride and we are so very grateful.

In honor of the big night, our dear friends and partners with the work of The Berry Farm and Help One Now, Pastor John and Orpah, are here from Zimbabwe to help us celebrate.

It’s always such a gift to be around John and Orpah. They both exude joy and love and I just want to sit and listen to their wisdom for hours on end. We had a beautiful evening together last night, sharing dinner and laughs here at home, and then this morning, Pastor John spoke to our little barn church gathering about love and exuding the fruit of the Spirit. It has been such a sweet couple of days with them so far.

We are so excited about Tuesday night! I’m going to be over at the barn setting up for the rest of the day but I wanted to jump on to quickly say THANK YOU to everyone who purchased tickets! We sold out fast and cannot wait to welcome you all to the farm and introduce you to our dear friends. And, y’all, this is amazing — we raised $10,000 for Help One Now Zimbabwe through ticket sales!

But, that’s not all! On Tuesday, our friends at Beautiful Lives Bentonville will be donating 25% of sales to Help One Now Zimbabwe! AND, Orpah will be at the store before it opens on Tuesday morning at 9:30 am for a conversation on the importance of education in women and girls. Orpah is a second grade school teacher in Zimbabwe so this conversation will be powerful and is a big passion of hers. If you are local in NW Arkansas, you will not want to miss this special time with her! I promise you won’t regret spending your morning with Orpah (and shopping for beautiful clothes!).

I went shopping for an outfit to wear on Tuesday (it’ll be a casual night but who doesn’t love an excuse to shop?) at Beautiful Lives and let me tell y’all – this place is amazing. The clothes are gorgeous and their mission is so dear to my heart — > Beautiful Lives Thrift Boutique exists to serve and transform communities by uniting, mobilizing, resourcing, and empowering women.

Okay, I’m off to make the barn pretty for all of you coming Tuesday night! I can’t wait to hug your necks!!

Don’t forget to go shopping on Tuesday at Beautiful Lives Bentonville!

And, (I can’t help myself with the exclamation marks), if you aren’t local, don’t forget to watch the show that night! I wish you could all be here to watch with us. It’s truly an honor to be welcomed into your living rooms each week. We don’t take that lightly. Know I’m sending you a virtual hug and big thank you!

I also need to say a huge thank you to Fiamma 1873 for donating all of the food and beverages for our celebration on Tuesday! And, to Downtown Bentonville Inc., Grand Savings Bank, Homestead Homeware, and Samantha Kindred….y’all are AMAZING and thank you for donating your time and resources for this event!

September 26, 2017

a gathering place.

We’ve been busy preparing for an event we are hosting a month from today in the barn at The Berry Farm. The evening will benefit the work of Help One Now and there will be another event the next day specifically benefitting our partnership in Zimbabwe and the agricultural training program for the boys at Musha WeVana. The program is about to get underway there and we are SO excited to see years of hard work start to come to fruition. We are planning another trip this spring to visit Pastor John and the kiddos at Musha WeVana Village and can’t wait to see the new training program and farm up and running in Marondera!

We are expecting 300 guests next month at the farm and we have been having so much fun renovating our run-down, working barn to host this special evening. I’ve wanted to renovate the barn since day one so I couldn’t be more excited to get this underway.

When we first started the berry farm planting three years ago, we had no idea how God would use that little slice of land. We simply knew this was a part of His plan for our family and we kept our heads down and got to work. We trusted Him with the details and have been honestly been BLOWN AWAY by His good plans.

I never would have imagined we would be working in Zimbabwe or that our little farm would help pave a pathway to a better future for teenage boys there. Older, orphaned and at-risk boys are big on our hearts and we have always had a desire to give these boys a chance – to learn a skill, to build confidence, to lead, to restore communities – we know of (and ADORE) many programs for young girls or mommas looking to care for their babies (LOVE SO MUCH) but there are very few programs that come alongside young boys who are at risk. These boys will grow to be daddies and leaders of their families and in their communities and we want to empower them to lead well. What a joy it has been to watch this program’s idea form and begin to be realized. I am truly in awe of God’s goodness and the fact that He lets me and Dave and our family be a part of this work.

To be honest, this little berry farm felt like a bit of a failure during our first harvest. We were taken completely off guard when we lost a good portion of our blueberries to birds and storms. I couldn’t understand why God would have us commit to starting the agriculture program in Zimbabwe THIS year when He knew we wouldn’t even come close to our fundraising goal (let’s just say we were about 80% short). Why? Why would our crop be destroyed this first year when the kids needed this money right now? It made no sense to any of us.

I’ve been studying the sixth chapter of John this week, the story of the five loaves and the two fish. I loved how Jesus tested Philip by asking him where they would buy bread for the large crowd to eat. Philip solemnly responded with the fact that a years wages wouldn’t be enough to buy bread to feed everyone. I can only imagine Philip felt pretty defeated in that moment. {John 6:5-7}

I love what Jennie Allen says about this story in her Proven study:

“In these verses we see Jesus state the impossible task before Philip, testing him. It seems Jesus went out of his way to show Philip and the rest of the disciples it could not be done in their power… Jesus fully trusted in the exceeding abundance of His Father, God {and modeled this for the disciples}.”

SO good. So good.

Jesus certainly modeled this for our family with this farm of ours.

No way could we do this in our power. We couldn’t get the program off the ground in Zimbabwe this year with the small crop during our harvest. It seemed impossible. Until this event came along. And, we remembered, He doesn’t need us for this work. Yet, He graciously gives us a chance to come along for the ride. We simply need to trust in the exceeding abundance of our Father.

Just a little glimpse of the work being done. I cannot wait to show you guys the final renovated barn!!

The other really fun part of the farm that I’m loving see come together is the fact that God had whispered a phrase to me early on, before the fields were even planted:

A gathering place.

I knew this farm of ours (did I mention we have ZERO farming experience? This whole thing felt a little bit out of left field at first) was meant to be a gathering place of some sort but I didn’t fully understand what that would look like.

My human vision is so finite and short-sighted. I assumed this meant we would gather families to harvest berries. That only made sense and seemed reasonable. I tucked the phrase in the back of my mind and forgot all about it.

Until very recently. As we started the initial planning for this upcoming fundraiser, the phrase came to mind again.

A gathering place.

God made the farm a gathering place like I never would have anticipated. We have found ourselves gathering here on Sunday mornings. With a growing number of likeminded families. Families looking for a place where everything else is stripped away but the goodness of our Savior. We meet in a barn, kids often run amuck outside – slipping in for a song or to listen to the sermon and then running back out until we share communion together – dogs and lambs stop in for a visit, we have a little speaker for songs to be played off a phone – no worship team, no AC. Yet, God’s presence is so palpable and we have the most raw, authentic community of broken people who admittedly have zero answers and are learning to simply lean on the One who does. It’s beautiful and precious. And completely and wholly unexpected.

And, soon, we will gather in that same barn to celebrate good work being done around the globe and to raise money for continued community empowerment and family preservation and education and food and clean water.

While this world feels like it’s spinning faster and the chasm of division and hatred grows wider, what a joy it is to have this gathering place where we can step away from the chaos and rest in His mercy and graciousness and compassion. A place where we can collectively lift our eyes and see light still shining brightly into the darkness.

July 6, 2017

the berry farm.

I’ve written before about simply focusing on the one thing before you. And, how the next thing is often a small, seemingly insignificant, step of obedience.

Till the soil.

Install irrigation lines.

Build a barn.

Plant the berries.

When your head is down, and you are focused intently on the task at hand, you aren’t yet able to see the full picture. You can’t yet connect the dots to realize how this small step will carry you to the next step and then the next and then the next.

When we planted these fields, we knew God had something planned for this soil. We thought we knew what would unfold in the years to come, but, of course, we had no idea.

Planting day, April 2015

Originally, we assumed the proceeds from the farm would benefit our feeding program in Congo. As the season approached for the farm to open, we learned the Hope Center work we hoped to initiate had halted due to instability in the country. Last summer, we spent much time in prayer. We were at a crossroads and, if I’m honest, I was feeling untethered and confused. I couldn’t understand why God had brought us this far, why He had allowed the partnership with Help One Now and sent Dave and a team back to Congo to plan for the next phase of development work only to have it all stop in an instant.

God was silent. And, I was angry. We had poured so much into this work. Last year, I wrote about my confusion and frustration and my hazy glimpse of new plans being forged:

“I didn’t realize that somewhere along the way, my identity had become tied to what I did, rather than who I am. I didn’t know then that God would need pry my fingers from the white-knuckled grasp I had on this work. I had no clue that the ground beneath me would go from solid and strong to unstable and disorienting or that everything needed to be stripped away in order to be built again.

I’m learning that it’s okay to not have all of the answers. {Hallelujah! Since I very rarely ever have any of the answers}. Instead, I need to simply do the one thing right in front of me.”

This past week, while studying the book of Ruth, I was struck by the truth tucked into the fourth chapter. I love the commentary of Nicki Koziarz:

“Our physical sight has limitations. We can only see so far and so wide. And often our physical sight transfers to our spiritual sight.

But God is full of mystery with a perspective beyond anything we can comprehend. So when we allow Him to write the endings to our stories they often end up being something more than we could ever ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)”

I now know that, in partnership with Help One Now and their local leaders in Marondera, Zimbabwe, our farm will provide resources to train and empower teenagers and young adults to transition into adulthood with the skills that they need to succeed. I now know that, each year, we will help provide training and mentorship in agriculture & livestock, wood & metal working, business management, textiles, cooking and even technology to over 80 orphaned and vulnerable children at Musha WeVana Village in Zimbabwe. (!!!)

This plan was never on my radar. I only saw the smallest fraction of the big picture. And, I still do. I have no idea how this farm of ours will impact lives across the globe or even families who visit our little stretch of soil and learn about the work being done by Pastor John and his team in Zimbabwe.

Now, as we wrap up our first harvest, I’m realizing that I will always have limitations – I will always only see so far and so wide. Yet, I can trust God to use this work for His purpose and I can fully surrender all control to Him. I simply need to do the work in front of me. Most days, the work is incredibly mundane and the fruit of the labor feels puny and small. But, every so often, I get a little glimpse of the bigger picture and it is absolutely more beautiful than I can comprehend.

You can learn more about the work of The Berry Farm HERE.

February 12, 2017

Do the next thing.

I’ve been reading the story of Gideon this week and, I have to say, I really like the guy.

When first meet Gideon in Judges 6, we find him hiding out, in a wine press, threshing wheat. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he is approached by the angel of the Lord.

{Now, I obviously like the fact that he chose a winepress as a hiding place from the Midianites – well done, Gideon. You see, threshing wheat would normally be done in a large area, often on a hill, where the wind could blow away the useless outer shell of the wheat, called the chaff. Chaff blowing in the wind would have been a beacon leading right to Gideon for the bands of Midianite raiders who would steal crops, thus leaving him no choice but to hide in a pit hidden from view}.

The messenger says to Gideon, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

Now, based on Gideon’s response, and his current circumstance, we can conclude that he sure doesn’t feel like the Lord is with him. He is living in a time of calamity in Israel, long after the Red Sea miracle with Moses and the rest on every side season under the leadership of Joshua. Gideon is living in a time of idol worship and of turning away from the one true God.

Earlier in the book of Judges, we read God’s proclamation to Israel, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. Why, then, have you disobeyed my command? Since you have done this, I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.” {Judges 2:1-3, emphasis mine}

The Israelites had begun a series of cycles of sinning, worshiping idols, being punished, crying out for help, being rescued by a judge sent from God, obeying God for a little while, then falling back into idolatry.

Even in the midst of this destructive cycle, God never abandoned his people. Gideon’s life story is proof.

He was doing the work before him, threshing wheat for food, when God called him out of his ordinary, necessary work and identified him as a mighty hero. I’m fairly certain Gideon felt far from mighty or heroic in that moment, seeing as he was hiding out from his enemy in a pit, doing a mundane work.

Gideon’s response to God’s message that he will rescue Israel from the Midianites? He doubted his ability.

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

cape town1

Oh, Gideon. I hear you, brother. How can God expect anything of me? I am just padding around my kitchen, stirring this bubbling over pot of soup, stuffing never-ending dirty dishes into the dishwasher – is it necessary to use 23 different cups in a single day, my little people? – sorting laundry, moving piles of papers out of sight and then forgetting about them and losing important documents or bills that need to be paid. I’m unorganized, a terrible housekeeper, a mediocre cook, pretty lazy and selfish and I’m always afraid. You know how I worry about everything, Lord. My faith is too small, I think it’s sometimes even smaller than a mustard seed.

I can’t possibly do this massive job you’ve set before me.

I can’t possibly be the one to shepherd the hearts of these little souls under my roof. I am massively unqualified, untrained and ill-equipped. Isn’t there a book I can read to them or a bible teacher I can send them to? Maybe a summer camp? What about a weekly service project? Maybe that will instill in them a fierce love for you, Jesus. Maybe then, someone else can tell them about you and how faithful you are. Maybe someone else can point them to you and show them how desperately you love them. What do you say, Lord? You know me too well to actually think I could possibly handle this responsibility. They are too precious and wonderful and they have so much potential. I do not want to screw them up.

cape town2

The Lord said to Gideon, “I will be with you.”

Even when Gideon doubts God and asks him for more encouragement and to prove himself, God doesn’t get angry with Gideon. He simply responds in love and answers Gideon’s requests.

He then gives Gideon very specific instructions for the next task before him. He doesn’t send him out immediately to conquer an army and save Israel, He simply asks him to destroy his father’s altar to Baal and his Asherah pole – symbols of idols in their land – and then build an altar to the Lord where he will sacrifice an offering to God. Seems simple, yet, it isn’t. Gideon knows he could be killed by his fellow townsmen for this act. God promises Gideon, “Do not be afraid. You will not die.”

Oh, Gideon. I hear you, friend. I am afraid so often. God is constantly telling me, “Jenny, do not be afraid. Do not fear, I am with you. Do not be afraid.”

Eventually, Gideon does go on to defeat the Midianite army. He becomes Israel’s fifth judge and he lands himself a spot in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith. Despite all of his fear, all of his insecurity, and all of his doubts.

What strikes me most about the life of Gideon is that, despite his limitations and doubts, God worked through him because he was obedient to the task at hand. He didn’t worry about the next task or allow himself to be overwhelmed by the enormity of his assignment, he simply focused on the one thing before him and did that one thing well. Then, he trusted God to prepare him for what would come tomorrow.

cape town3

I see this work itself out in my own life time and time again. Most recently, I can point to the one small task I had put off for months and months: booking our flights to South Africa.

I had booked hotel rooms, guest houses, rental cars. I had scheduled a game drive and printed driving directions. Yet, one month before we were scheduled to leave, I had still not booked our flights. If you had asked, I would have told you that I was waiting for more miles to come through so we could book with the reward points, as planned. Yet, deep down, I knew I was avoiding the one seemingly simple task before me: committing to the trip by booking our flights.

The idea of flying in a metal tube above an ocean to an unknown land with my entire family terrified me. I was excited, yes. I was expectant, yes. I was confident God was calling us to this adventure, yes. But, I was petrified. And, booking the flights was the one thing that would ensure we would actually do this. If we didn’t have plane tickets, the trip was just an idea, a fun concept. With plane tickets in hand, we really had to pack our things and board a plane over the sea. We had to be obedient.

The next thing usually is pretty small and simple.

There were no grand gestures or instagram-worthy photos when I sat my butt down in a chair and chose seat assignments. It was a rather ordinary moment. Yet, God knew my heart. He knew my fears and my doubts and He knew that moment was an act of obedient faith.

And, you guys. The blessings that followed were extravagant {long after we took the next step and the next and the next of planning and preparing and actually boarding the plane and flying over the ocean for 16 straight hours with four little people under the age of six}.

We met and held and loved on little ones who taught us new truths about our Abba Father. We marveled at the creativity of our God, the majestic beauty of this earth He created is almost too much to comprehend. We found healing and rest for our weary, overworked selves. We slowed down and found God. We witnessed beauty and pain and redemption’s work. We felt his overwhelming peace. We felt contentment and joy and saw God’s promises in plain sight.

We could have missed all of it. We could have ignored the gentle whisper calling us to adventure. We could have kept on with our busy days and overcommitted calendars. We could have avoided fear and worry and extra vaccines and the unknown. We could have stayed home, in our comfortable, beautiful, messy life. We could have avoided the risk and listened to the voiced fears of others for our safety. We could have missed it all.

Oh, I don’t want to miss the life God has for me. I want to do the one thing before me and trust God for what will come tomorrow. And, then, I want to do that thing and trust God for the next one. And again, and again, and again.

February 7, 2017

our time away.

Truthfully, I hadn’t realized how deeply I had buried the trauma of leaving my daughter (in a place that absolutely terrified me) to fly home without her in my arms over three years ago. I hadn’t realized how scarred I was from the exhausting and defeating-at-times battles to get her home. I hadn’t realized how weary I had become from the ministry work we started several years ago, the work that has ebbed and flowed and changed and grown in miraculous ways, the work that has opened our eyes and our hearts and expanded our lives so incredulously. I hadn’t realized how this same work began to creep in and shape my identity. I didn’t see how I began to place value in the work, in the doing and the striving.

I hadn’t realized any of these things until God asked me to step onto an airplane with my husband and my four small children and fly over the sea.

I hadn’t realized the strength and magnitude of fear until I had to relinquish my comfort and my control and go where He led. Until I could step away from the distractions of life, I couldn’t really see how bound I was by my fears. I didn’t see the direct connection to one place – the country of my daughter’s birth. When God asked us to go and spend time in other African nations, I couldn’t quite understand. I couldn’t see it. I couldn’t see the way He was redeeming and healing and providing renewed hope and a refreshed spirit. I couldn’t see the starting place, the place where new work would begin for our family. Even now, as we settle in back home, I know more is to come. I know the nations of South Africa and Zimbabwe are forever tethered to our family.

The time away was full. Healing began, connections deepened, quiet moments ushered in a new pace: a slower, less frantic and frazzled pace.

When I think back on our time away, I think of a few really beautiful words: Intentionality. Laughter. Calm. Contentment. & Joy.

As I continue to settle back in and start sleeping at normal times again, I imagine my brain will start functioning again:). So I promise to share some more lessons learned from our time in Africa, as well as specifics about the cities we visited and the places we stayed. Stay tuned and happy Tuesday, friends!

January 24, 2017

lessons from the past year.

cape town

I’m spending my birthday in Cape Town, South Africa. If you would have told me six months ago that my 38th birthday would begin with breakfast on the patio of our vacation rental, overlooking the ocean lapping against boulders on the shoreline below, I don’t know that I would’ve believed you. It still doesn’t even feel real to me. This last leg of our trip is one of extreme beauty and rest and abundance. Traveling with four young kids hasn’t been easy, there have been challenges, yet the good, sweet, want-to-freeze-time moments have most assuredly outweighed any hard ones.

I have much to catch up on from our time here, I’m still processing most of what we have seen and experienced and have been too busy living in the moment, forcing myself to be present, to recap and record our days. I tell myself there will be plenty of time to look back on these moments and record them once we are back home and back to our normal routine.

Yet, as I was working through my powersheets this morning, looking back on lessons I’ve learned this past year, I realized I should take a few moments to record these lessons here, mostly as a reminder to myself.

Lessons from the last year…

~ Trust. God’s sovereignty is worthy of trust. I haven’t shared all of the messy details around plans morphing and changing and paths being rerouted this past year in regards to ministry, but I can now look back on the twists and turns and clearly see God’s hand. His hand of protection, of guidance, of mercy and of grace. As we stand on the cusp on a new path, I am confident He has this. Only through our obedience, not our own power, will we succeed. My role, my identity, my calling are all securely placed in the palm of my Abba Father. I can release the need for control and the exhaustion of striving. I can walk in freedom.

~ Small. Quiet. Still. <<– Infinitely more powerful than loud, flashy and overstretched.

~ Small increments lead to progress. When I can’t see the full picture and I don’t know my place in the larger story, I simply need to start. I need to do the one thing before me, then do the next thing before me, and the next and the next. It sounds too simple, as though I need a complicated instruction manual for a fulfilling life. I don’t. It is simple. Just take the first step and trust God for the rest.

~ God plants us in communities and places for a season. Sometimes, He calls us to new places – scary, uncomfortable, unknown places. Yet, His promise to Moses remains true even today, even to me: “Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” {Numbers 1:5}

~ Obedience brings blessing and life. This trip was against every natural pull toward comfort and safety, God knew how hard I would have to battle the enemy in order to step on that plane, in order to fight through the dark of night, in order to step into His blessing. He knew I would have to release every ounce of control and walk in absolute trust. He knew I would need prayer warriors holding our family through the long nights. He knew I would resist the blessing, the rest. He knew. Yet, here I am. I’ve walked through refining fire this month. I’ve battled long-ago buried demons. I’ve trusted God to show up. And, He has. Abundantly, faithfully, overwhelmingly. This time away, on the continent of our daughter’s birth country, holds so much pain and so much promise. I am slowly learning how pain and promise often intermingle and, only through obediently stepping into the pain, can we walk in the beauty of the promise.

January 17, 2017

The kids of Musha Wevana

I’m typing these words from the front patio of our “family cottage” here at Mongena Game Lodge near Pretoria, South Africa. The thatch roof effectively shielding me from the blazing African sun, the gentle breeze keeping me cool. Charlotte is inside napping while the big kids watch a movie, all four snuggled together on our fluffy king-sized bed. Dave is beside me, quietly reading. Every so often, I glance up from the screen to watch a momma and baby zebra slowly trot past or a herd of Nyala leap through the brush. If I close my eyes, I can hear only the rhythm of my own breath, coupled with the whistles and peaceful melodies of dozens of bird species nestled in the trees surrounding our cottage.

The contrast of this moment with the ones I have experienced over the past week is not lost on me. This serene, surreal setting feels other-worldly, not unlike a Hollywood movie set. All the while, the hardships, suffering, and extreme poverty I’ve witnessed still loom closely at the forefront of my consciousness.

I’ve yet to fully process my time in Zimbabwe and even our visit to the poverty-stricken townships here in South Africa.

For whatever reason, my brain is wired to process through the written word. So, I apologize in advance for the lack of tidiness and eloquence in this post. I’m just writing and processing as I go. I feel such an urge to get these moments, these memories, these stories, recorded. I know the stories will continue to roll around in my mind and heart in the days and months and years to come. For now, I thought I would simply share a few of the moments that struck me most profoundly while in Zimbabwe…

Pastor John and his wife, Orpah, exude love. I can’t recall ever meeting a more God-fearing, joyful-despite-circumstance, and humble husband and wife team. They are truly living in the center of God’s will and call on their lives. Their smiles, warm embraces and genuine compassion are contagious. Staying in their home and feeling like a part of their extended family was an honor and a privilege.

The children living at Musha WeVana Children’s Home, served by Pastor John and his church, Family Life Fellowship, are absolutely, positively precious. The needs there are great, yet the community of people caring for these 80 orphaned children make up for lack of resources in selfless and generous love. I was so impressed by the way the kids are so beautifully integrated into the community there in Marondera. What stood out to me most were the bright eyes of the children. Eyes holding life and hope and laughter.

I was able to meet, laugh with and be throughly entertained by our family’s sponsored child at Musha, a little boy named Blessing. His name could not be more appropriate for the impact he has had on my own life. He is hilarious and ornery and made all of us girls laugh so hard! I know my boys would get a kick out of his hysterical personality.

I spent the better part of a day listening to each child share his or her dreams with me as I recorded video footage to be shown to new sponsors and at our City Sessions shows. DREAMS! Big, beautiful dreams! I heard from future pilots and teachers and doctors and nurses and a lawyer and a judge and a psychologist and, a boy who absolutely captured my heart, a future pastor. These children are not without hope, they have bright goals for their futures – this is such a huge testament to the good work being done in this place.

We visited the children on the afternoon before the start of a new year of school and were able to help distribute new school uniforms, shoes and backpacks (all covered by child sponsorship fees)! I was on backpack distribution duty and I LOVED watching the children beam as they received their brand-new backpack. One little boy hugged and kissed it all over. 🙂 We listened as the caregivers explained the impact of these school uniforms – not only are they required for school attendance, but they allow the children of Musha to fit in with the other kids at school, rather than standing out as an “orphan.” *I know how hard we have worked with our own daughter to overcome her previous identity of orphan – the stigma, shame and lies of the enemy are deeply rooted in these children. Fitting in with “regular” kids from the community is HUGE and so, so beautiful.

We had the awesome privilege of attending church at Family Praise Fellowship on Sunday. I can say without reservation that it was the most powerful, pure and holy worship I have ever experienced. Members of the congregation prayed and sang as the Spirit led. At one point, Dr. Ferrerai (I’m 99% sure I’m spelling that incorrectly, so sorry, Dr. Ferrerai) recounted hardships they have endured as a community and as a nation, then he turned it all into praise. The community praised God for their blessings despite their hardships and sufferings, singing “Blessed be the Name of the Lord” in harmonious response.

We had the opportunity to meet for a long lunch, hosted by Pastor John and Orpah in their home, with the members of the Musha WeVana leadership committee. Each person in that room exudes love and kindness toward the children at Musha. They sincerely spend their days pouring themselves out on behalf of these kids.

I left with such a strong sense of hope and purpose and determination. I know God brought Dave to this place over a year ago for a purpose. And, I know He did the same for me. We also have big dreams for these children. We have renewed enthusiasm to go home and work hard, advocating for these precious ones. I honestly don’t know all that God has in store for our family in connection with this beautiful land and these beautiful, warm-hearted people, yet I know there is something in the works. He went before us many years ago preparing us for this work. Our connection to this country and these children runs deep… starting originally with our first child sponsored at Musha through Help One Now about 7 years ago. Seeds have been planted in our hearts along the way, tethering us to this continent in profound and deep ways.

*If you would like to join the tribe supporting this incredible work in Zimbabwe, you can become a child sponsor for one of the 80 children living at Musha WeVana Children’s home. Help One Now’s model for child sponsorship is innovative, in that every child is sponsored 5 times in order to ensure their life-changing, 24/7 care, education, food, clothing and medical needs are consistently met, and to support their local leaders and allow them to improve the living situations for all of the children in their care. Learn more about child sponsorship HERE.

Currently, there are 302 open sponsorships in this community. You guys, if we could even cover a third of these sponsorships, we could fund so many immediate needs at the home!! Needs including vocational training for the older children, a social worker to be hired, after-school tutoring to help the children who are struggling in the large government operated schools, a vehicle to be used for reunification (#1 goal for any abandoned child!) and family visits with reunified children. The vehicle could also be used to drive the children to and from school – as they currently walk. We saw the need firsthand when the children attended church on Sunday during a rainstorm. They were soaking wet, yet continued to worship alongside us.

I’ve seen the impact of our donations here and I’ve also seen the potential. The leaders of this community are good stewards of the funds given and the money directly impacts these children. Please, please pray about joining Help One Now and Pastor John in this work. I can assure you, although it feels as though our meager offering of $40/month feels insignificant, it is NOT. It is powerful and life-changing for these children!

Dave and I are fully committed to the work Help One Now is doing around the globe. We originally decided to partner with this team because of the integrity of the leaders here. As we’ve learned more and more about the organization, visited communities around the world, and seen the impact of their work, we are absolutely confident we made the right decision. God began a work in us through Feed Their Tummies and He has expanded our heart and our vision through the partnership with Help One Now. While the feeding program in Congo continues, we know God is asking us to come alongside Pastor John in Zimbabwe and resource him and his team to be able to do the life-changing work of empowerment for these children. We would love for you to join us!

***Please let me know if you choose a Musha WeVana child to sponsor, I have videos and photos and a little surprise I would like to send your way!!!

Read more from my friends Vicki and Jenny – they each shared their unique perspectives from the trip. I know you will be blessed by their words! Check out Vicki’s post HERE, and Jenny’s post HERE.

January 7, 2017

Walking in Faith {first days as a family in Africa}

If you’ve seen my photos on instagram (sporadicly shared photos – internet connection hasn’t been reliable so far), you know our family has arrived in Africa! The LONG flight (15 hours from Atlanta to Johannesburg) went really well. I can’t help myself, I have to brag for a moment – our kids were rockstars throughout the two long days of travel. They all slept great on the plane and loved the unlimited access to movies and iPad game time.

Our first couple of days here were slow and full of resting and downtime. We grocery shopped, swam and spent a day with friends in the area – our kids immediately hit it off and played as though they’ve known one another for years. The adaptability of kiddos and their innate curiosity makes them naturals for traveling to new places.

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We decided to travel as a family to South Africa after I committed to a trip with Help One Now to Zimbabwe. Dave and I both strongly feel God calling us to this place. We don’t know what our role will be here but we know Pastor John, his wife Orpah, their local church and Help One Now are doing incredible, Kingdom-building work here and we want to come alongside them in some way. I knew God was asking me to come meet the leaders and the children and to learn about the work being done.

This trip was also about being obedient when God calls. As much as I wanted to ignore the call, as much as I wanted to stay home where it is safe and comfortable, I knew I had to go. Dave and I figured we might as well make the trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our whole family. They have stayed behind in South Africa, while I’m here in Zim for the week. After I arrive back in Johannesburg, we will go on together to serve with our friends who run a ministry just outside of Pretoria, spend a few days on a game reserve, travel to the eastern coast and then to Cape Town in order relax and unwind before going back home to the freezing temperatures and demands of regular life.

As we prepared for this trip, God gave me a couple of visions. The first: a starting line, with our family standing at the start of a freshly paved path.

“You’ve been wandering around this hill country long enough; turn northward.” Deuteronomy 2:3

In the other, I could see our family standing together with heavy bags on our backs and shoulders. Slowly, we each heaved the bags to the floor. While doing so, we exhaled deeply and audibly.

I think God is inviting us into a season of restoration, asking us to lay down the burdens and pain of the past few years. I have seen this trip as a very specific opportunity for healing. A time to redeem what the locusts have stolen from my daughter and our family. My hope is that seeing some place new, on the same continent as Sylvie’s birth country, will add to her (and my own) memories of Africa with ones of wholeness. Memories that include our entire family together, witnessing beauty and experiencing peacefulness.

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I won’t pretend I was brave boarding that flight to Zimbabwe, leaving Dave and my babies behind in a foreign country. I woke up at midnight the night before I left, gripped with fear. I couldn’t shake my worries and found myself texting a few close friends who are praying for our family. I re-listened to a voicemail another friend left before we traveled, reminding me that fear is a spirit from the enemy. I have the power and authority through Christ to capture and bind fear. For God does not give us a spirit of fear – He casts out all fear with His perfect love. As I prayed and friends on the other side of the ocean prayed with me, I felt peace descend.

The next morning, before leaving for the airport, I opened my Bible and was led to Deuteronomy 4:40:

“If you obey all the laws and commands that I will give you today, all will be well with you and your children. Then you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

It wasn’t until I read the note I had written in the margins that I realized what God was showing me. I had written, “Obedience brings blessing and life.”

God knows me. He knows the last place I want to be is in a metal tube in the sky away from my family. So, with five words, He reminded me that my going to this unknown place for an unknown purpose is an act of obedience. I’m walking not of my own power but through faith alone.

***

When Dave and the kids dropped me off at the airport, I was a blubbering mess. My sweet Ben looked at me and said, “Momma, I’m proud of you.” That did it. I was undone and filled up in the same moment.

Teary goodbyes were said, multiple hugs were given, and then I slowly made my way into the airport. I checked in and found myself standing at the entrance to the security line for what seemed like hours, paralyzed in fear. I wanted to turn around and run back to my family. I didn’t want to face unknowns. I didn’t want to step into any more pain. Images from my time in Congo replayed in my mind again and again. Other than the couple of days I had just spent in South Africa, Congo was my only reference point for what life is like in Africa. As much as I love the country and the people there, my experiences there were painful and really hard.

Then, we landed here in Zimbabwe and walked into an airport not unlike millions of others around the globe. There were no machine guns or shouting. No chaos. Instead, orderly, calm lines waiting to receive entrance visas. The customs officer joked with me as he stamped my passport. Armed guards didn’t stand at the exit, searching through my bag only to take whatever items suited them. We simply exited the airport peacefully. God whispered to my heart, See. It is going to be different this time.

Greeting us, Pastor John Chinyowa.

Dave met Pastor John when he traveled here a little over a year ago and has been telling me ever since that I had to come and meet him for myself. Now, I see why. This is a man of God. He absolutely exudes joy.

As we drove to lunch and then on to Pastor John’s warm and welcoming home, I was struck by the beauty of this place. The lushness of the land, the vivid green grass and trees, the bright blue of the clear sky. After arriving to his home, we walked to the end of the road in order to see the sunset. By this time, dark clouds had rolled in, covering the glow of the setting sun. Regardless, the dark clouds could not conceal the awe-inspiring beauty before us.

I think that is the lesson for my first day here in Zimbabwe: No matter how dark the clouds, beauty remains.

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The heavens tell of the glory of God.

The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.

Psalm 19:1