I spent the last week in the Bush with a group of Jehovah's Witnesses. A
group that hated me, called me a child killer, wicked American and said that I
came to Africa to hurt the African people. I'm sure I don't have any idea of all
the horrible things spoken about me. Why would they say such things?
A member of their family needed medical treatment and I said that God laid it
on my heart to help them...
The child in question was 3 years old when we met. I asked the parents if we
could take the child to the hospital to see if anything could be done. The
answer was yes. After several visits to a local Cameroonian Dr., he decided that
surgery was our only option. The mother and father discussed and a message was
sent back to me that we could move forward with raising money for the surgery.
It was decided that we would wait 6 months for the child's health to improve to
be able to tolerate the operation.
During one of our hospital visits, mom told me that the last time she had
taken her child to the hospital was when she was a year old. At this time, she
was told that her child was being punished for sins the mother had committed and
the punishment for both of them was for the child to live this way. Mom hadn't
taken her child to a hospital since then. She and I had long discussions about
this and how wrong this form of thinking was. I had to tread very lightly
because there are "traditional beliefs" in Africa that I just don't understand
and you don't want to completely offend people's way of life when trying to
introduce Christ to them. The next day I went back to America.
Flash forward 4 months later... I called back to Africa to wish the family a
happy Easter and to check on the birth of the new baby mom should have had a few
weeks earlier. I was informed that the baby was stillborn. I wept, I prayed with
mom and then spent a lot of time with God asking numerous questions...
What I did not know at the time was that when mom informed their family
members (parents, brother's sister's etc) of the pending operation they
essentially ex-communicated them. Apparently there is some "doctrine" that JW
have that prevent them from doing things with blood...African's also
traditionally "ex-communicate" members of their family that bring shame to the
family. I don't understand it all and at the time of meeting I had no idea of
this families "religious beliefs." We discussed salvation and God's plan for
their lives. They gave "all the right answers." This is why relationship is so
important. You can't just run through asking questions and spouting off
"Christian-ese" to people and expect their lives to be truly changed. People
learn to say what you want to hear to "get you off their backs." In this case,
mom was terrified that we would not help her child if they didn't believe the
way I believed. When the new baby was stillborn, their family blamed me and the
parents for agreeing to have the operation. This is where I earned the name
child killer. The family was convinced that not only would this child die, but
the child having the operation would die as well.
Mom and Dad discussed at length whether to go through with the operation or
not. They desperately wanted change for their child but living without family in
Africa is beyond difficult to say the least. When your family disowns you, many
members of the community do as well and it makes an already hard life one
hundred times harder. They ultimately decided to do what was best for their
child and move forward. Mind you, I had no idea all of this was going on behind
the scenes. It was only after the fact that I found all of this out.
So our precious child had an operation and it was completely successful. Mom
actually got pregnant again shortly after the operation and gave birth to a
healthy baby boy. The parents were convinced this was a gift from God and that I
was their angel. Her words to me were, "We will never refuse anything you tell
us because God sent you to us for a reason. All of this pain and suffering could
not be for nothing." While honored with her words, I stressed the importance of
God's words being the authority in our lives and His words are the ones we
follow.
On my next trip to Cameroon, I learned of all the "drama" that had unfolded
the year before. The family had been welcomed back into the lives of their
families and no one had an unkind word to say. Shortly after the extended family
found out I was in the country, they "called for me." Mom and Dad also insisted
that it was important for me to "see their roots" and to know where they were
from. Well, you can imagine, I was not thrilled about going and in all honesty,
I didn't have the time to travel 8-10 hours away at the time.
This year, I was asked again to go to the Bush to visit the family during
their annual family meeting/gathering. I asked why? What is the purpose of me
going? God is the one who deserves the glory for the wonderful outcome of the
operation. The answer, "They want to know why an American who has so much would
leave her country to come and help people she doesn't know?" Well, that changes
things a bit. A friend once told me, you pray for doors to be open to share the
gospel and when they are opened, how can you refuse? This was one of those
times.
So last week, I squished in a truck designed to carry 6 people with 10 people
inside and the back loaded with "stuff." We drove from 10 p.m - 7 a.m. this way.
Physical pain is all I can tell you. It was not comfortable, it didn't smell
good and I'm sure I have a permanent bruise on my shoulder from bouncing up and
hitting the "chicken bar" every time we hit a pothole. If you have ever traveled
in Africa, this is about every 15 minutes...
I wasn't sure what to expect but I was welcomed with open arms and shown love
that I didn't expect or deserve. For days, people walked from all over the
village to be able to meet the "stranger who is not normal." I was able to share
the love of Jesus with them. He is the only reason that I can do anything that I
do. Their answers to that statement, we know God but many people who say they
know God do not do such things. This is where RELATIONSHIP with God makes a
difference and listening to the voice of the Lord comes in to play. I certainly
don't do any of these things on my own. If I had my way, I would be traveling
around the world from beach to beach chilling and planning some serious parties.
That was my plan for my life. God had a different one and I am oh so happy that
He did.
We talked about the Lord, I taught about physical hygiene and the importance
of clean water. They don't have electricity there or any plumbing of any sort.
This opened the door to talk about the Light of the world and the Living Water
in a way that was not threatening or seemed condemning to them. This particular
area of Cameroon is very cold. In the evenings around 10 p.m. someone would
start music and we would dance for hours until people were exhausted and ready
to sleep. This was both to keep warm and to make you tired enough to sleep
through the cold. They had their morning and evening prayers that I did not
participate in for obvious reasons. I wasn't sure how that was going to work but
they were very respectful. We didn't have any converts on this trip but I have
been invited back. I asked if I came back, could I bring others with me to talk
about Jesus with the children in the form of Vacation Bible School. The answer
was yes... My heart is full and I am overwhelmed. Now we just have to find the
right group of people who can withstand the "harsh" conditions and the tough
questions.
One could not have told me a few years ago, I would be living in Africa
sharing life with people who once prayed for my death. I would have been more
surprised to know how much love I would have for them.
People all over the world ask me why I live this type of life. Many times I
don't have a very good answer to give. This is one tiny example of why I live
this life. Jesus died so that we could all have life and life more abundantly
than we could ever ask or think. I'm grateful that He chose me. I'm grateful
that He loves and accepts me with all of my flaws and quirks. How can I be
selfish and keep that just for me? He fills us up with His love, so that we can
share it with others and others will come to know the TRUTH of who He is. What a
joy. What a privilege.
It's not always easy. There are days that I cry and many days that I miss my
friends and family. There are times that people take advantage of me and I am
often misunderstood. There are even days that I want to give up and go home and
have a "normal" life. (whatever that is, I never have, nor will be normal) Every
time I have my times of tears, I am reminded that Christ went through all of
this and so much more. He didn't give up so how can I?
As I reflect back on 2011 with all of it's challenges and happy times, I'm
grateful for my life and grateful that God is using me to hopefully change lives
all over the world to know and love Him.
Thank you for your prayers, your sacrificial giving and your love and
encouragement today and every day. You are a part of all of everything I do. One
plants, one waters and God is the one who gives the increase. Continue to allow
Him to mold and shape you into a vessel for His use! People all over the world
are depending on you! Remember that you don't have to travel to Africa or some
foreign country to make a difference. Your mission field is right where you
are!
When you think about Prison, I'm sure you don't think about FREEDOM. I didn't anyway. However, my mind has shifted a bit...
Last Sunday, I attended service at the central Prison here in Buea. I
had no idea what to expect as every church is different, even within
the penal system. It's interesting here in Cameroon that the prisons
each have their own "Pastor" from within the church who is himself also
an inmate. Their "Elders" and other leaders are also fellow inmates.
There is generally someone "from the outside" who comes and teaches
the inmates about the Word of God and they in turn teach their fellow
prisoners. They also have various people within the system to counsel
and disciple new converts and generally keep each other "sharp." This
encourages me a great deal.
Being in prison in Cameroon means something entirely different than
being in prison in the States. There is no air conditioning, television,
and you aren't guaranteed 3 square meals a day. You may get one meal a
day provided by the prison. If you don't have family/friends to bring
you food and other necessities, you must do without. This includes soap
and toothbrushes and toothpaste.
There is something in this society that values "honor" like no other
place I have been. You honor your elders, honor your parents, honor
church leaders, honor teachers etc... What you do to "honor" these
individuals varies greatly and is sometimes quite disturbing... One way
of honoring your family and friends means staying out of trouble. In
many instances, when a person goes to jail, their family feels that they
have dishonored them and brought shame to their families... What do you
do in this situation?? Usually, you DISOWN the person who has "brought
shame" to your family. If you disown them, there is a perception that
they don't exist. If a Father tells his child that they are no longer a
part of them, then the rest of the family is to follow suit. This
usually means, the person in prison is forgotten about and ignored. This
isn't the case with ALL prisoners but it's certainly the case with most
here.
Just like at home, there are some people who believe that you go to
church on Sunday because, that is just what you do. Your attendance has
nothing to do with loving the Lord and certainly doesn't mean that you
are an actual Christian... You do your duty to be accepted by society
and those around you. There are plenty of people who "follow the rules,"
but they have no RELATIONSHIP with our Lord and Savior.
For prisoners to take the time to go to church and submit themselves to the leadership of other inmates floors me.
They don't have to, their lives are already not their own and yet
they willingly submit to others in the same situation they are in. More
importantly, many of them have submitted themselves to the Lord.
As I sit in service, I marvel at the manners displayed and the
reverence for the Lord that I see. I dare say, it's more peaceful and
respectful than many of the "churches on the outside" I have visited.
It is refreshing to see inmates worship, not just pretend but really
worship. (you can tell when people are pretending if you have any
discernment at all) This isn't to say that some don't but...
So for me to see people who are gathered to worship not just because
it's expected of them but because they WANT to be there and to see the
time they take to invest in each other. It makes my heart glad. In
prison here we are up close and personal with the people. There are no
barriers and if someone wanted to reach out and touch you, they
certainly have the ability to do so. (most do not, just saying)
We are respected and loved and yet I don't feel like I am a fish in a
fishbowl. People here appreciate your presence simply because they know
that you have not forgotten them, they understand that you care about
them and most importantly they understand that Jesus cares for them
because He wouldn't send you if He didn't care right? For me, this is
the highest expression of Christ's love. He loved us enough to leave the
comforts of Heaven and all of His freedom there to be "bound" here on
earth and to walk with us and talk with us on a daily basis. Sometimes
we forget that He is our example and we are to do as He did. (and
greater things!) If He can come to earth with all of our filth and junk
that we have put here, surely we can spend a few hours with those that
seem to be the most "unlovable." Our presence alone and not "presents"
of stuff demonstrates how much God loves them. He has not forgotten them
and they do have a place in our world and our society.
As I stood in worship, singing with the 100 or so others, there was
one prisoner who was in shackles... Literal chains around his ankles...
Someone had taken the care to put pieces of fabric between his skin and
the chains. The only reason I noticed him and his chains was because
while we were singing he began to dance. He moved out from under our
little shelter (in the rain mind you) and danced and sang with all his
might. There were tears in his eyes and his hands were raised to heaven
and he just danced. In that moment I thought, this is what it looks like
to be FREE. He is bound, literally and physically in several ways but
in his heart he is FREE. This is true freedom.
I don't know his name, I have no idea what he is incarcerated for but
I know that no matter what, because of our Savior, he is truly FREE in
all the ways that count.
The movie the guardian has a rescue swimmer's motto - "so others may live." That's what it's all about.
Christ died for us, so that we can live. He doesn't want us to just
exist. He want's us to be free in every since of the word and when we
experience that true freedom, he wants us to share it with others so
they can also LIVE.
Regardless of your circumstances today...Know that Christ gave up everything He had for you, so that you can be FREE.
Galatians 5:1
1IN [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated
us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and
submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].
Amplified Bible
Much has happened since my last post. In a few short months, I have been around the world a few times, what was once a dream for people in Haiti bas become reality in the form of A Place of Hope, and I am no longer on staff with AIM. This is an interesting thought for me. The last few years with AIM has taught me a lot about the Lord, missions, and myself. I will miss my friends at AIM and the community that I was a part of there.
This morning I sit with a million thoughts going through my head and an ever growing to do list. In a moment, I will go through it and decide what the necessities are and what can be taken off. Knowing that I am moving forward with what the Lord has for me keeps me going. Several times, the thought has crossed my mind that perhaps I should delay the trip. Reality then sets in. It doesn't matter how much I delay it won't get any easier. There will always be one more thing to pick up or one more person to see etc. my prayer is that the Lord helps me to decide what needs to be done and what needs to go and what needs to stay.
In a very little while, I will be on a plane headed for a new life. Many of you have asked me what I will be doing for the next year. Here is a brief overview of what I know will be happening.
1. Ministry School - I will attend school a few nights a week and Intercessory Prayer once a week. Since the Lord clearly spoke to me to become a student of His word, this will be my primary focus. There will be some ministry associated with school but I am unsure what it is.
2.Teaching Bible Study and life skills at a local orphanage.
3.Teaching Abstinence and Pro-Life at local schools.
4.Ministry at a juvenile detention center once a month.
5.Preparation for Medical Mission Trips.
In addition to these things, AIM has a few teams scheduled to come over. The first one is scheduled in November! A team of young adults from my church will also be coming next summer and we will facilitate a week long Youth Camp for kids 12-18. I will be working with some local people to get all of the logistical work for this done.
At some point when I am not working on all of this, I plan to have a nice sized garden and raise chickens and goats. The goats will not be for eating, but I want to make cheese, butter and soap from the milk. In the future, I will teach various kids at the orphanage some of these skills. My goal is to live a sustainable life style and hopefully create an entire sustainable community in the future.
While all of this is going on in Cameroon, ministry will also be happening in Haiti. A Place of Hope will be opening in a few weeks. We were fortunate to get a lot of the work done to prepare the building. James will be returning to deliver computers and get all of the final details set up. He will travel to Haiti every few months to continue training staff and make sure that things are working smoothly. It's exciting to see what the Lord is doing through His people all over the world. It's such a blessing to be a small part of it.
Thank you immensely for all of your support the last few years. Your prayers, hosting me in your homes, driving me anywhere and everywhere, financial contributions, donations of supplies, help for orphans around the world and a million other things that I can't name here have meant the world to me. This missionary journey has been a huge walk of faith for me and your partnership has made all the difference.
Please continue to keep me in your prayers. The next year is going to be another leap of faith and I can't do it alone. I still need you. This journey is going to be different. I am not sure of all that the next year holds but I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store. It's sure to be exciting, and painful. One thing I am certain is that the Lord wants to do more work in me. I'm committed to letting Him create the Toya He wants me to be.
Several people have asked for a mailing address. This will come in a month or so. Mail is not delivered to your home in Africa. Shortly after my arrival, I will apply for a Post Office Box. When I have the address, I will be sure to post it. In the meantime, please make sure that I have your email address. My next newsletter will come in a few days and they will only be electronic from now on. My email is the same and you can talk to me on skype (peacefulbutterfly99)
Please email and skype with me frequently! I need/want to know what's going on in your life too!
The new blog for ministry stuff is hisbodymininstries.blogspot.com. The website, behisbody.org is in the works!
Thank you for loving me and pouring into me. I love you! I look forward to sharing this next season of my life with you!
Things in Kenya are moving along well.
The Lord is blowing our minds. The kids have seen much and the Lord has
been speaking to them about their lives and things that need to change.
It's been awesome.
The first night we were here at
our ministry site, we went to church. The Pastor preached on several of
the things Kyle and I had spoken about needing to teach the team on
this trip. He and I kept looking at each other smiling. It's kind of
surreal. We have this crazy "family" that God has given us for the
month. We are so connected to them it's nuts. We LOVE these kids and
it's just like we are their parents but we're not.
Anyway
- I digress. After church Kyle and I just looked at each other. I
finally said, we are exactly where God wants us with who He wants us
with. Agreed was all Kyle said and we walked home with our "kids."
I
expect some wonderful stories to tell you at the end of this trip.
Right now I am overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord and how well
the team is responding to what the Lord is doing.
Please keep praying for us and that we will do exactly what God want's us to do in Kenya.
Other prayers...
I
was recently informed that the container that I shipped my items to
Cameroon on was stolen. The container itself was recovered but we are
unsure of the contents. The gentleman who handles everything is in
Cameroon and will be making his way to the States in the next few weeks
to sort everything out.
Here is the problem. Just
about everything I own was in that container as well as many items
donated for ministry in Cameroon. I will not know what is left (if
there is anything left) until I arrive home at the end of the month.
Another container will be shipped Aug. 15 and I need to replace what I
can to be sent over then. Many items I will take with me when I fly. I will not attempt to replace everything but
some key ministry items, clothes, hygiene items and food that I need
for my diet are essential. My personal laptop was in the shipment as
well so that will need to be replaced.
I am estimating that I need around $3,000 for stuff and shipping costs. Many things I will just take with me when I fly.
I
will need your help to replace these items and getting them shipped
over. I will have a few days to do this before I head off to speak at
churches and go back to Haiti to get A Place of Hope put together.
You
can send item's if you want but I wonder if it will be more expensive.
Things I really need that cost way too much over there are:
Bug Spray - essential
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Deodorant
Soap - Dove or Dial (White tea)
Anti-bacterial hand soap
notebook paper
computer paper
pens
pencils
XL skirts and tops (for everyday and dressy for church)
leggings
Batteries - AA, AAA, D,
wash cloths, towels
Brown Rice, Whole Wheat Flour and Oatmeal
Rubbermaid totes to pack things in and to keep things safe from critters once I am there.
Gift cards to Wal-Mart or Target would work also for some of this.
Checks should be made out to the National Christian Foundation - McLean Missions Fund on Memo Line
If you can donate financially - please send a check to:
Toya Mac
P.O. Box 1735
Gaiensville, Ga 30503
Please be in prayer for the Ministry that ships our items. This is a
tough situation for them and many have lost much more than me. Not
everyone who ships are Christians and this is sure to upset many of
them. Our friends will have a lot of hard work ahead of them and your
prayers for understanding from the clients will be good. Hopefully many
things will be recovered. I can live without the stuff, I still have my
life and God is oh so good!
I walked through a Kenyan slum today. When I woke this
morning it wasn't part of my plan.
When the kids found out we were going to
Kenya, several of them asked if we could visit "the slums." Pastor Joseph thought I should go see it
before the children did to determine if they would actually be able to handle
it. After arriving, I wondered if I
would be able to handle it.
The immediate sights of the slums are similar to things I
have seen in other countries. You know the old saying, "don't judge a book by it's
cover?" This is certainly worth thinking about when visiting a slum in Kenya.
The scenes in front of me grew progressively worse. From the
outskirts you see tin buildings put together with whatever people have found.
Going deeper inside you see trash everywhere, people everywhere and the sewage
ditch full of sewage. Raw, very recognizable, human sewage. The smell alone is
enough to pack a powerful punch. The sight of it makes you want to vomit. Worse than the sight of this is the sight of
the small children playing nearby and the woman who is trying to cook a meager
meal for her family that is even closer.
My heart breaks. I didn't think my heart could be this
broken anymore. In some cases, I feel immune to the desperation around me.
Sometimes, going in, I know that there isn't much I can do and I try to accept
those facts before I ever enter a community. I wasn't prepared and I don't know
that there was anything that could prepare me for what I saw. As we walked
deeper into the slum, the worse it got. We finally got to the end and the
pastor pointed out a small shack. This is the one toilet for everyone that
lives here, he said. What do you mean, ONE toilet? This is the only one he
says. A woman was waiting in the line and she wet herself in front of all the
children. It was very humiliating for her. We are working to save enough money
as a church to build another toilet for the slums. Broken, broken, broken...
Something so simple that we take for granted. Most days I hate having to use the facilities.
It seems to be a giant waste of time and I have better things to do. They are
however usually available to me most places I go. I can't imagine being in line
with hundreds of people daily to share one "toilet."
As I walk, the Pastor tells me that he wants the kids to be
comfortable. We don't want them to be disturbed by what they see. While I am
sure to make sure that they are not put in a situation that will bring them
harm, I am not here to make sure that they are comfortable. Our Christian walk isn't always comfortable.
God is contstantly disturbing our comfort zone and pushing us further into
places we never thought we would be. If these kids feel called to the slums of
Kenya, then we will go to the slums of Kenya. I have to trust that the Lord
will protect their hearts, He will speak to them when they are disturbed and He
will give Kyle and I the way to comfort them when the visit is over.
Since writing this, we have gone to the slums. The kids did
great and they want to go back again. I am so excited. They did a VBS type
program and they even did a drama of the creation and salvation story.
I am one proud Mama and so glad to be a part of what the
Lord is doing in these young people's lives.
If you want to hear more about Kenya we have a team blog at:
I wrote a facebook status recently with my schedule for the next year. At the end of the post I said if it changes I will not be updating people. Well...
My AIM team was supposed to be headed for Cameroon in a few days. We were unable to secure Visa's for the team in a reasonable amount of time so we will be headed for KENYA instead.
For those of you who complain that you can't keep up with me...this is for you. :-)
At this time we are unsure of our travel dates and times. Our staff will be working on the changes today. Please pray that we will find new plane tickets at a reasonable cost and that the details will come together quickly.
The team took it well and we are all excited about what the Lord has for us in Kenya. I am sad about not being able to serve the people we made plans with but I have to trust that the Lord is in the details and He has big plans for them as well.
Please be prayerful for us in this season of change. We shall see what the Lord has in store for us and I am looking forward to bringing you exciting news about what the Lord is doing in Kenya!
Achiever is a child that I met at the Hotpec Orphanage in Cameroon.
He has a severe case of Ricketts and his spine and legs are very twisted. We took him and he was placed on medication and a special diet.
I have been prayerful about his surgery and the funds needed to make it happen. As always, the Lord does things in His own time. We now have 100% of the money needed to help Achiever. Just like with Lydia's surgery, the funds came in just before they were needed. In this case, the money is coming just before I head to Cameroon again! God is so good!!
This is why my life verse is Psalms 62:8, Trust in Him at all times ye people... We can't do anything in or of ourselves. It is only by His grace and mercy that we are able to anything. I am grateful that the Lord has allowed me to be a part of His plan and we are able to help children all over the world.
In just a few weeks I will be leading a team (with my co-leader Kyle) of 15-18 year olds going to Cameroon to minister to orphans and other children throughout the country. Please be in prayer for us that we will do all that God is calling for us to do, that we will have safe travels, many people will come to know the Lord, and our walk with the Lord will deepen and we will grow stronger in Him.
Pray that the Lord will guide the Doctor's working with Achiever and that everything will be as smooth as it can be.
I am so encouraged by what the Lord is doing and so happy to be used by Him.
Greetings from Haiti... Below is a post that I wanted to share before leaving but have not been able to have decent internet access.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of ministering at a Nursing home in Il. My friends Donna and Leo are hospice volunteers and they allowed me to tag along with them on a visit to "happy hour" at one of the places they volunteer.
There is a dear lady there by the name of Grace. Grace was independent until Dec. of 2010. She happened to be at the very same nursing home visiting a friend of hers when she had a stroke. She was fortunate that she fell over on to her friends bed and not the floor or she may have had much more damage to her body than she ended up with. The staff of the nursing home was able to get her to a local hospital quickly and she was treated. She was blind for a while and I believe she was also paralyzed to an extent.
The day that I saw her she was praising God that she was still alive and thankful for her family that supported her no matter what. She told me the story of her husband cheating on her and leaving her a number of years before. She was careful to say that she didn't want to dwell on that, she only wanted me to know how the Good Lord had comforted her and taken care of her before and she knew when she had the stroke that He would do it again.
What a marvelous testimony. I had the joy of praying with her and sharing stories until Leo came and swooped me up.
Grace asked me to pray for her family. She is earnestly hoping for her daughter to accept Christ in her life. While her daughter is supportive of her, she does not know the Lord as her Savior. Will you join me in thanking the Lord for Grace's life, her testimony and her complete and total healing? She wants to be able to go home again, but more than that she wants to know that her child and grandchildren will join her in her heavenly home one day.
It was a great day and this lovely woman was indeed Amazing
Below is a short word written by the brother of a friend who helped us get our passports picked up from the Cameroonian Embassy before my January trip.
What a sweet reminder that I am doing what the Lord has called me to do. Pay attention to the last line of what he wrote. I totally agree!
So grateful the Lord is using me for His will, purpose and glory!
Our God is an awesome God!!!
2 people I will meet in Heaven
actual photo of our passports before he sent them to us! mine is on the left.
"Can I interest you in a favor that might be a hassle but would
ensure that the gospel reaches Cameroon?" - random text from my brother on
Wednesday.
Of course I said ok without knowing what he was talking about...I mean
how often to ensure that the gospel will reach the other side of the
world.
Basically he knows two missionaries from Atlanta who are leaving for
Cameroon today (Friday) and there had been some trouble with their
passports at the Cameroon embassy in DC. So yesterday I drove down to DC
through some snow and ice to the Cameroon embassy (which was actually
closed because of weather) where a lady came in specifically to give me
the two passports. I went to FedEx, overnighted them to Atlanta, where my
two friends picked them up this morning so they could head on their
mission to Cameroon.
So by my calculations, God used me to share the gospel through two
people I'll probably never meet, in a country that I'll probably never
visit, by simply driving to a building I'll probably never even drive past
again.
God must have something planned for
Cameroon to orchestrate this the way He did. Small world. Big
God.
I am in love with the country and people of Cameroon. They
captured my heart a few years ago and I haven't been able to let them go.
Spending the last few months there has been a dream come true but it hasn't all
been happy, happy.
As I began to prepare for this trip, the Lord placed a
burden on my heart for teenage girls. They need to know and understand the
Father's love. So I studied and prepared. After arriving in Cameroon, I was
asked to do some teaching to Ministry leaders on relationships. Wonderful...(insert
sarcasm) I did my best. My final words
to the group was that love should be the motivator for everything we do. It
starts with our love for the Father and moves from there. His love for us is
our example for how we are to treat others.
Flash forward a few weeks to our Medical Outreach. We
traveled to a small village to provide medical care, a Crusade and teaching for
some of the local Pastor's. We all know that I don't deal with chaos and confusion
very well. On the last day of our clinic, we lost several Dr.'s. We knew this
was going to happen and tried to prepare well. We were serving several hundred
people daily. I got up early to hand out numbers to people waiting in line. I
tried to be there by 5 or 5:30. When I arrived this particular morning, there
was already more than 200 people in line. As I walked down the road alone, I
said silent prayers for the Lord to prepare the hearts of the people for disappointment.
I handed out the numbers in less than 15 minutes and during that time at least
100 others arrived and were told that we would likely not be able to see any
others that day. Chaos isn't the word for what happened. There are no personal
space boundaries in Cameroon. There aren't boundaries about most things.
Suddenly I was surrounded by hundreds of people screaming, pushing and pulling
me trying to find where I had hidden the other numbers. People were begging and
pleading with me and showing me their wounds asking for help. With God's grace
I was able to calm them down and get a bit of order to explain what was happening.
My colleague arrived and helped explain
in Pidgeon and French. (I MUST learn French. My understanding of Pidgeon is
pretty good) People were not happy but willing to wait to see if they could be
seen later in the day.
By the afternoon, it was clear that we would not be able to
see the volume of people we had been seeing with only 3 doctors. People by now
recognized me as the woman who had the numbers. In their eyes, I controlled who
was able to see the Dr. and who could not. Trying to explain things wasn't
helping. These people were desperate and they were hurting. The shouting and
pushing and shoving began all over. Suddenly, I had people telling me that I
came to Africa to kill people, I didn't want to help them and I didn't care.
While I know this wasn't true and that they were only trying to manipulate me
into helping them, it still hurt that day. Hearing this and similar things over
and over did something to my spirit. I took my things and left. In order to try
to remain Christ like, I had to excuse myself. I took a walk and hid myself. Walking
with tears in my eyes, I asked the Lord what was going on. Are these really the
kind of people that you want me to help? People who are ungrateful and spew out venom
after we have worked tirelessly to help them? What happened to the people of
Cameroon that I love? This is why I work with kids. Life is much simpler with
them. Ungodly thoughts were going through my head. I was not a happy camper. It
was only later that I remembered how I myself can treat the Lord in similar
ways. He has done so much for me and when it seems that I am not getting my
way, I can begin to act like a spoiled brat.
This happened to be my night to present devotions to the
team. When Dr. Downey approached me, I had to admit that I had completely
forgotten. I told him that I didn't have anything prepared. Immediately, the
Lord brought Philippians 2 to my mind. It asks if you are tender and
compassionate, tells us to love one
another wholeheartedly, to have the
attitude of Christ and to do things without complaining. It also talks about
Jesus giving up all of His Divine privileges to come to earth to minister to
us. Then I began to think about how much he was rejected and mistreated. So the
woman who had been teaching about love for the last month had to have her love
meter checked. Was I asking people to do as I say and not as I do? A very
humble reminder for me but a good one.
I tell participants on my trips all the time, "You come on
mission trips because you want to make change in the world. What you may not
realize is that God wants to make changes in you and He uses to
missions to help facilitate that change." What I just realized, is that I live
my life on the mission field so that must mean that God has a LOT of changes He
wants to make in me! Don't be fooled
into thinking that the mission field is some foreign country. The mission field
is right outside of your door wherever you are. Our lives are constantly
changing and if we allow the Lord to work in us, we will constantly be evolving
into the people that He wants us to be. We must be willing to hear what He is
saying and then do what He says.
During the Medical Outreach and Crusade we were able to see several hundred people daily at the clinics, a few thousand each evening at worship and more than 400 came to Christ!
partial crowd shot during the worship service in the evening.
But anyone who does not love, does not know God for God is
love. I John 4:8
Below is a short word written by the brother of a friend who helped us get our passports picked up from the Cameroonian Embassy before my January trip.
