The fires around the hill we live on
Mom and
Dad are still very much occupied with the here and now. There are so many
little bits of detail to round off well. Carl has been busy at the church for a
few weeks, tiling. Out of this came a life lesson. In our church family we have
some boys that come in from the street on Sundays to attend the service. A boy
that started to attend almost four years ago, was in church the week before
Carl started the tiling. Carl asked him to join him, thinking he could train
him. He helped out, and Carl showed him all kinds of parts to the job. In
Carl’s heart was the wish to give the boy a leg up. And then, after some days
into the job, they were finishing the day off and Carl picked up the boys backpack,
and it was heavy. Not to make it too dramatic, he stole a lot of bottles of
drinks out of the cupboards (it is a public building, where the church meets).
Afterwards, other lies that the boy told, came out as well. Carl dismissed him.
But his heart was heavy, disappointed. What do we do with this?
We
remember how much mercy we have received. We pray that he will yet come to a
true realisation of the mercy he needs; and find God as his Saviour. But there
will be consequences, which is the reality, for all of us.
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After
starting on that rather dark moment, we also have good news. Yesterday, Carl met
the man that Hope Builders Ministries are suggesting to take over from us. Carl
was impressed with the way the man spoke, his heart. The plan is that in two weeks’
time they will start together, to see if this can work out. One of our trusted
men at the project is planning to leave us in August to study further. This
means we will have to see how to rearrange things to get the necessary done.
So, things might change over the next weeks, making sure that the new family,
if these are the people, has a comfortable place to live and whatever else is
needed.
It will
be like handing over a little baby for adoption: I mean giving the project
away. But will you please keep praying with us, that the new parents will be
good for this child, and that the child will grow into all the potential that
is there.
On the
home front, I’m just amazed daily by how much we have to be thankful for. We
are so very happy here, surrounded by good friends, living so comfortably (I
mean with someone else worrying about electricity and water), surrounded by the
beauty of nature, the children growing well and healthy, schooling going well.
So, really not a single thing I can think to complain about.
I took
the children to play in a cricket tournament (cricket is the one part of
English/south African culture Carl still can’t get his head around). They
prepared as well as possible, not knowing any of their team mates. They were
out in the field for many hours that day, and very tired by the end. But I was
so proud of their good attitude- trying their best till the end.
To me
there is a life lesson in this too. It’s not about being the best, it is about doing
your best till the end.
Hebrews
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let
us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And
let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on
Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Help us,
O Lord, to run this way!
Plans
for August:
·
Carl
will be doing lots at the project- starting to train his possible replacement.
·
19-25
August I will be in Uganda with my mom, hopefully having something of use to
say…
·
After
that Carl hopes to visit the States, curtesy of my sister’s family, for a few
weeks.
·
Continue
packing and getting rid of things we don’t need to take with us- the things
that “hinder”.
·
Continue
therapy with Isabel hoping she will surprise us by just start speaking one day.
Will you
pray with us for these plans- and that in everything we will be obedient to the
leading of the Spirit.
Extra pictures:
Church in Gombe, Uganda, praying about our coming
So many little things we will miss about Zambia: ever single Sunday as we drive to church, this man jogs next to the road in this very track suit.
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