Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Prayers for Lesotho

If you all remember last August, there was an attempted coup in Lesotho. Since then the SADC has been in Lesotho making sure things are peaceful while the government works things out. The decision was made to host elections this year to elect a new government that would hopefully bring peace and hope to this country.

Elections are Saturday. Please join us in praying all will go smoothly. Things is Lesotho are okay, but you can feel a some tension in the air. There was shooting 2 weeks ago in town that left a bullet hole in the window of my church. Since then things have been okay. there have been many political rallies that have brought many people into town causing traffic issues, but there has not been any reports of violence from these rallies. Today when I went into to town there was a heavier SADC presence in the area. They are here to ensure people stay civil through the voting process.

Please join me in praying for...
1. a peaceful election.
2. the new government to act in the best interest of the whole country.
3. the Basotho people to use their heads as the results come in and not react poorly.
4. Safety for our staff, children and the whole country.

I will be out of Lesotho from Friday to Wednesday. When I get back to BG I will update you all on how things went. Results could take a few days to be announced, but when they are, we are praying for peace!!


Monday, February 23, 2015

What people think I do at work...

We have all seen the pictures people post of what people think they do at their job. I laugh sometimes when I think about what photos would represent my job. State side there would be ones of me speaking, some of me in meetings and corresponding with people to set up appointments.


Then there would be photos of my job in Lesotho...

Playing with the kids...


My record for the "Ausi Christina" pile up is 5 children and 2 staff members. I am hoping to get this number to 10 before I leave in July. 



Joking with the staff


Spraying the kids with a hose 


The funny thing this is where you find me most days. Corresponding with donors and churches, planning out mission teams and staying connected to those around the world that love BG. 


I love what the Lord has me doing. Each day is different. Each day has joys and challenges. My hope is that at the end of the day I go to bed exhausted from the work I was able to do for the Lord that day. Through every photo and at the end of everyday, may His name be praised through what He used me for. 

Monday, February 9, 2015

Sovereign

This past week was...

That is really all I have to say. There were moments of deep sorrow and moments of joy. There were moments of weeping and moments of laughter. At the end of the week I was tired, but there was hope.

When you face a tragedy, you have a choice. Stay in it, or praise God through it. That is a hard choice to make when a life was taken so young and there are so many questions as to "why." The heartache for my friends in Michigan is deep. I want to wrap my arms around them. I want to cry with them. But more than anything, I want to praise God with them. I want to show the world that Zach's precious life had so much value and weight because of the cross. I want the world to know that Zach is much more alive than any of us here on earth and for that I praise God.

The scripture that Lori, Zach's mom shared at his service was Habakkuk 3:17-19 "Though the fig tree should not blossom nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herds in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places."

Even though we have sorrow, we praise God. We praise HIM for He is our strength and He is sovereign.

A friend of mine posted a song on her Facebook page and I feel in love with the richness of the lyrics.

"Even what the enemy means for evil, You turn it for our good.
You turn it for our good and Your glory.
Even in the valley you are faithful, You're working for our good.
You're working for our good and Your glory.

Your plans are still to prosper.
You have not forgotten us.
You are with us in the fire and the flood
Faithful forever and perfect in love
You are sovereign over us." (Aaron Keyes)

Today at Beautiful Gate we rejoice in God's sovereignty. One of our children that has been on a feeding tube for quite some time, has had the tube removed. We praise God for His faithfulness and the growth in this child.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Prayers

Sunday afternoon, my friend's lost a son. The staff of Beautiful Gate and I lost a friend. There are no words to what we are feeling. Even though we are an ocean away, we grieve and weep for and with our friends. 

Zach was at Beautiful Gate last March. What a joy it was to see him serving here and at Beautiful Gardens. He laid the foundation for some of the houses there. His service will bless people who never knew him, because they have a house to live in. The Beautiful Gate campus contains fingerprints of Zach and his family members that will never be erased. Their faithfulness to God and to the work here is indescribable. 

Please pray for the Kroll family. Keith, Lori, Tyler, Morgan and their extended families are on a painful journey and they need the body to surround them now. Pray for the Zeeland community and the staff at Haven Church as they serve this family. 

Ever since I heard the news, John 16:33 came in my heart. "I have told you these things, so that in my you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Come Lord Jesus and overtake any feelings and emotions that take us away from you.