Report #6 India/Africa Nov/Dec 2009

I wish I could report how the big key caper ended, but two things prevent me. First, it is not yet over; the keys are still lost. Second, it involves personal information about others I cannot disclose. Suffice it to say that spiritual warfare is at hand.

May I take a moment to preach to my friends? DO NOT ALLOW ANY UNRESOLVED JUDGMENT OF OTHERS TO TAINT YOUR SOUL. It invites demons and decimates our faith. We must examine our hearts and if there are people or groups that cause us pain, we must repent of our attitude towards them.

Sorry for the sermon, but I love my friends and cannot bear to think that bitterness is eroding grace out of their lives. I will now step off my soapbox and let Jesus have the final word on the subject:

Mt 18:32 –Mt 18:35 NIV

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.

Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

Moving on… Since the last report I gave on the ills of Dave’s Land Rover, the power steering and clutch have now also gone out. We finally jimmy-rigged the ignition to bypass the lost keys; however, the beast sits incapacitated with no money to resurrect it.

Life in Zimbabwe continues to challenge in many ways. Only ten percent of the farmland is in use, hostility between groups rages on, and electric power has been out in Doma for ten days and counting.

Last week our group of friends was sitting outside listening to the night sounds and watching fireflies when Dawn Aylward retired to the house next door for the night. A man sneaked behind her and into the doorway with a long iron bar raised.

In a burst of courage, Dawn grabbed the bar and prevented the intruder from striking. Then she screamed like the Israelites when they brought down the walls of Jericho.

We heard the yell and ran to the house to find the criminal gone and Dawn understandably shaken, but unharmed. We praised Jesus that he had given Dawn the wherewithal to yell the criminal right out of the house.

In a multiplicity of ways, I see this world without Jesus is a horrible scary place.

On to happier subjects, I am glad to say the 18 hours I spent with Dave’s staff in training seems to have been productive. When tested, most were able to repeat the major themes of the lessons and with evidence of personal integration.

Friends in ministry who struggle in the physical aspects of daily life, as well as facing spiritual battles, need others to come along and strengthen them once in a while. Months ago I asked Father if I should accept the invitation to return to Zimbabwe. I felt he said yes; but was not 100 percent sure. Now I am sure. I see clearly why he asked me to come.

What a joy to be in the service of Jesus Christ who directs our steps, empowers ministry, and delivers results. To him belongs all the glory. Paul said it much better:

1Co 3:7 –1Co 3:8 NIV

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

Among the pictures I am posting with this entry, are some animal shots. As Dave and I traveled about visiting the black Africans he works with, we were privileged to see duiker, springbuck, a nine-foot black mamba, a troupe of baboons, a lake otter, a rare sighting of a bush baby, a stick bug, and a monitor that Dave nearly sat on (a funny moment).

This will be the last entry for this trip, so let me thank you again for your love and prayers. I do not take either for granted, but am deeply grateful for them both.

Hugs and prayers,

JDC--

Report #5 India/Africa Nov/Dec 2009

Dave’s Land Rover has a long history of breakdowns. As I arrived in Zimbabwe he got it back with a rebuilt engine. Then the battery and charging system went out and we had to borrow a battery and limp back to Chinhoyi for repairs.

Next, while we were out visiting rural villages, the front shock broke and we had a man temporarily weld it together. Then Cynthia was driving the Rover and the drive shaft U-joint broke. Rory and Gordon towed it back to Mhangura but in the confusion, the keys were misplaced. We searched high and low for three days—no keys.

Transportation problems are only a small part of the challenges these good people face daily. Everything is a challenge. The sarcastic phrase TIF (This is Africa) looses its humor from overuse.

I feel for Dave and so began to pray for direction. I sought God several times about the keys and had only the slightest feeling that the keys were tucked under something dark, perhaps something round. So launching on faith I told Dave yesterday that I would catch a ride from Doma to Mhangura and pray to find the keys or hotwire the Land Rover and drive it with the front driveshaft disconnected.

“We are cooking a chicken and will expect you for dinner,” were the last words Dave said to me.

In Mhangura the African workers helped me roll the vehicle a foot or two so I could look for the keys underneath. Nothing.

Next, I unbolted the steering lock then ran a hotwire to the glow plugs. The fuel pump proved to be mechanical, not electrical, so that was not a problem. However, when we jumped the Rover by towing it for about one kilometer, nothing happened except the towline broke four times.

I know very little about diesel engines so it remains a mystery why the Rover would not start. But my real question is why God did not reveal the location of the keys. For two weeks I have been teaching the staff lessons about listening to the Lord in ministry rather than using our own wisdom. Now I question my own teaching.

In fact, I question many things about my ministry, including why I am trying to start an orphanage in India. All this is making me step back and re-evaluate.

After much prayer and reading my Bible I conclude that God is much bigger than my concept of how he should help us. It is a fine thing to be bold and ask him for lost keys or to supernaturally cause orphanages to develop. However, life is in his hands, not mine and I simply need to humble myself and let his answer be his answer.

I often teach that there is no such thing as a great man of God; there are only humble men that God chooses to use greatly. Now I am learning to heed my own teaching and give God the room to use me or not as he chooses. My assignment is only to wait humbly.

I am now in Mhangura with no way to Doma where I am supposed to be helping Dave build on his house. So be it. I do not know what I will do with this day except I will wait on the Lord to see how all this comes out.

Trusting and Learning,

JDC