Tuesday: Our Last Post, but Full of Blessings as We Depart
District commissioner 2014
It's Tuesday afternoon here and we are anticipating our departure from Malawi tomorrow. We should be in the USA after about 24 hours in transit... lots of time to reflect on the past week here in Africa. We had a good day yesterday visiting the District Commissioner for the Zobue district. He is so appreciative of the work being done by The Outreach Foundation. Among other things, he told us the government has a revolving fund for micro financing. That's very much needed here where the poverty level is so high.
Afterwards we visited with two elders who had received training in carpentry through the Leadership Training Program. With their new skills, they have been able to help their families, their church and the community. The leadership training may be the most important aspect of the Holistic Evangelism Project. It prepares the elders and leaders to be able to lead the church in the absence of the pastor (only two pastors for 60+ churches!) and gives them the skills needed to support their families and help their neighbors.
Our experience here in Tete Province is a reminder that commitment in mission should not only be holistic but also long-term. Some things, such as the new schools going up right now, happen quickly. But others, such as the wells at Chazia, happen only after much prayer, persistence and patience.
Their joy is in the Lord.
We wonder: why are we so blessed here in the US? Then we remember we are thinking of financial blessings. The people in Mozambique are so much richer than we are spiritually. They are joyful and have such a deep trust, as they rely on God each day. But still, why are we Americans so blessed financially? It must be that like Abram in Genesis 12, we are blessed to be a blessing to those in need.
As we prepare to return to our lives of plenty, we pray that we will not forget these brothers and sisters in Christ that we have grown to love. Our lives are all so busy, it's easy to fall back into our same patterns. But each of us will be coming home with our own personal thoughts about how to be a blessing to these folks and to those at home.
Lord Jesus, please guide our thoughts and help us feel and do what you would have us do. May we find more ways to be a blessing to those here and at home. Amen.
Tete team 2014