Saturday, December 19, 2009

Wheelchairs..Snakes..and Bold faith!


Wow! I can't believe Christmas is upon us! Life here in Africa has been a time of unexpected adventures and God speaking expressly to us as a church and personally in our lives. What an amazing thing to live with a personal witness of truth from God, and to be afforded the privilege to share that life with others!

So, do I have some stories for this blog! I will try and make them as concise as possible! Let's start with the wheelchair story! So, about a month ago now, I was sitting outside at the internet cafe on a wednesday afternoon waiting for these four girls I had met to meet me for church. As I was sitting at my computer (and keep in mind the cafe was packed with people, every table was taken), so as I was sitting there in the corner of my eye I see a man in a wheelchair approaching me at high speeds. By the time I looked up I found this older, Scottish man in a wheelchair right in my face, asking me, "What's your name? What's your name?". So, this man obviously had some sort of speech difficulty or something, which made the whole encounter that much more disturbing. So, as I refused to respond the angrier he became! By this time he was saying, "I don't bite, just tell me your name!" The waiter became aware of the situation and as he was approaching us, the man in the wheelchair got so fired up, that he fell backwards in his wheelchair!! So, the waiter quickly grabbed him, and wheeled him away. I was like, "feewie!". I continued on at my computer, and after about five minutes I see the man coming back again, but this time he was moving with a fury! He got right up to my table again and started screaming at me, and demanding I tell him my name! As I refused, he began swearing at me and spitting! ahhhh! So, the waiter came over but was trying to be all diplomatic about the situation and wouldn't move him away! So, as I was demanding that the man be moved away, the whole cafe is locked on us! Then all of a sudden these two young British girls came running up to my table and ask me if I'd like to sit with them. Of course I agreed and gathered my things quickly and moved over with them. With me out of sight the wheelchair man gave up the fight!

Wooowee! But this is where it gets good...So after about a couple of minutes, and the girls asking me a couple questions of what I was doing in Zambia, it became apparent that God had orchestrated that whole bizarre situation to give the gospel to these girls. So for about an hour I sat with these girls and answered question after question about Jesus, faith and heaven. At the end of the conversation one of the girls mentioned that her boyfriend is a believer and has been looking for a church for a long time now. So, before I left I gave her my number and the information on the church and made my way to church. As I walked away from these girls I was just in awe of God's ways. That man could have harrassed any girl outside that cafe, but God directed him to me, so that would cause these girls to ask me to sit with them, and God could reach these two girls with the gospel. Amazing. BUT it doesn't end there! So, a week later I get a text from the girl's boyfriend asking where the church was cause he would like to visit! So, the next day was Sunday, and there he was with his brother! Later that night he met with P.Chris and he has been faithfully meeting with us at church! God's ways I tell ya! We can never take our lives at face value, because faith sees through the surface of things and discerns God's all encompassing plan to reach the lives of others with the truth of His Son. P.Renaldo always says that God's plan is for you, but always beyond you! I love that.

So, real quick..I would just have everyone know that a couple days ago I successfully killed (with a stick) the most deadly snake in Africa which was sitting comfortably outside our kitchen door!!
As Carol was opening our back door, she almost stepped on it! So I hear her screaming for me to come and see the snake on our back step! So, we had no other choice but to take matters into our own hands and kill it! I grabbed our stick, put on my boots (meanwhile I was in the middle of blow drying my hair so I had half of my hair dry, half wet and the rest up in a bun!) haha It was quite a sight! So, with fear and trepidation I approached the snake, and after getting enough courage up I start wacking it and screaming! But as I was hitting it, it was getting verrrry angry and hissing at me! I just kept hitting it when finally I got its head and then Carol took the stick and finished him off! Later that day we asked our gardener what type of snake it was and come to find out, it is a Black Mumba, which is one of the most deadly snakes in all of Africa! bahaha!
He said, if it bites you, the venom will go straight to the heart and you can imagine what happens to you then! yikes! I'm tellin ya, our angels have been working overtime!
Anyway, a message P.Renaldo preached this past wednesday really spoke to me, and it was from Proverbs 28:1...that the "righteous are as bold as a lion." He said that we are humble because of who we are and bold because of who he is! God really is challenging me to be bold in my faith...to step out like the children of Israel did with the enemy behind them and the red sea before them, but stepping out in the confidence of a mighty God and a faithful Word. We go forward in faith toward the most trying and difficult situation in our lives, and we find that God splits the waters and we go forward on dry land. Psa 126 says that when God brought the captives out of captivity they were "like those who dream"....and that those who "continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall DOUBTLESS come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him." What a promise! Our tears are seeds sown with the sure expectation of a harvest of joy! Our tears, our faith is never in vain..they are seeds for sowing, and what we sow we shall surely reap!

I love you all and pray for you often...lets believe God for the impossible and watch God move mountains and split seas for us!

Barb

2 comments:

  1. WOW, BARB!!! These stories you tell are amazing!! You are definitely surrounded by many ANGELS!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. OK, I was just reading an older post and correct me if I am wrong, but this is the second mumba snake at your door. Is that right? Wow the debil is mad! and yes I said debil. I do not want even want to spell his name properly. SO THERE!

    ReplyDelete