This last week has worn me out. Literally. I feel like I got
hit by a bus sometime around Sunday or Monday, and I never recovered. By
Thursday, I was grumpy and annoyed by every little thing. I think because I was
so tired I was a little more emotional than usual. It was also our first
holiday in Mozambique since moving here. I was thinking about my family being
together, doing all the holiday traditions we’ve done for so long.
As the day of thanks went on, it felt nothing like the
Thanksgiving’s I remembered. I was frustrated by a challenge we’ve been facing
regarding the vehicle’s we purchased for the orphanage, the custom’s office was
asking for an outrageous amount of money for a small package my family had sent
us, and our project file was still in the same office, without a building
permit or document for legalization of the land. I prayed over my frustration
and asked God to help me get it together.
I was also HOT. I was so hot. It was over 100 degrees that
day and the sun was so bright, and the humidity was out of control. We tried to
minimize our walking that day to only what was necessary, but we had a lot to
do, and we are both healthy so walking was definitely an option. We walked a
lot, stopped when we needed a break, drank a lot of cold water, and tried to
relax our minds over the challenges we were facing. We prayed together that God
would help us let everything go and let Him handle it for us.
Understanding why things are so difficult here has been a
real challenge to me. However, we’ve learned a lot in the 3 short months we
have been here. The problem is simple to identify: OPPRESSION.
The impoverished people of this nation have been taken
advantage of by outsiders for hundreds of years. Oppression leads to poverty,
and poverty leads to corruption, and corruption leads to a culture shift.
Corruption becomes abundant in the culture, though it is not inherent. It
becomes a way of life for everyone in the system. There is little anyone can do
to escape the systematic cycle and navigating the system is like swimming in a
stormy sea without a life vest. At times, we have thought we were going to
drown because we refused to "tip" (bribe) someone. However, God has always put someone in
our path to help us, and for that, I am forever grateful.
Despite my annoyance, God worked a miracle and we were able
to take our package home. We also had positive movement in our challenge with
our vehicles, and we were told to expect a result early this week. We have been
battling this issue for nearly 3 months, since we first arrived. But God is
faithful, and He has everything in His hands.
Here is what I personally learned from this Thanksgiving:
Relax, and give thanks even in the midst of frustration. And, honestly, what is
3 months?! We’ve only been here a VERY short time, and already God has moved
mountains on our behalf. Who else gets FREE land from the government for a
project like this, or concession on paying several thousand dollars for
building and legalization, or personal assistance from the governor?! We are so
blessed, friends. We are beyond blessed. How could I possibly have been so
annoyed?! How could I have let little mole hills grow into mountains?!
We serve a mighty God who loves the fatherless, the helpless
and the voiceless. We serve a God who promises to never leave any one of us. We
serve a God who promises to be a father to the fatherless, to defend the poor
and helpless, to fight for the oppressed and voiceless. He promises that when
we tell Him of our plans & commit them to Him, we will be successful.
We NEVER have to worry. We will be successful, in Jesus’
name! We give God all the praise for what He has already done, and what He will
do on behalf of the children in this community. We have nothing to complain
about, nothing to worry about and nothing to stress about. We have everything
we need to be successful – our success is not because of our own ability, but
because of the way God has worked on our behalf, in the years before we came. God
knows what He is doing, and we will continue to walk the path He guides us down,
in obedience to whatever God asks of us.
Pray for us as we continue on this journey and put a home on this land that will care for the most vulnerable of children, the most oppressed & burdened little people of this land. Pray that the
financial needs of the orphanage are met, pray for our building permit to come
out this week, and pray for our courage & strength to continue to be
abundant.
Phil, Laura & Jadon, too
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