Imagine a land so beautiful and wild, with mammoth waterfalls, mountain ranges, and rivers from serene to raging. Lush bush country with animals - elephants, rhinos, lions, and waterbuck, just to name a few.
Imagine a country with the lowest life expectancy in the world. The highest rate of inflation. Shortages of food, medicines, and supplies of everyday life for people in all walks of life. Poverty. And a government who does what they want and takes what they want.
This is Zimbabwe. And my heart longs for her - for a place I've never been - for a people I've never met.
My heart has longed for Africa for decades. I don't know why or when it started. I have a heart for the mission field - to touch people around the globe with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our church sends out groups into the mission fields, both short- and long-term, frequently. I pray for them all - and I would go anywhere. But I especially want to go to Africa. Swaziland. Mozambique. And Zimbabwe.
I have a friend in Zimibabwe whom I've never met in person. She is a member of my online homeschool group. She and her husband farm. And may be victims of the government's compulsory land redistribution - which means they leave their home, their land, all they've ever known - and receive nothing, a pittance perhaps if they are lucky, in return.
My heart breaks for my friend. I pray for her family daily and I have tried in small, concrete ways to help. But I cannot do much in the worldly realm. God can do so much more. I pray that He will touch my friend - and will heal the country she and her family love so much. And I pray that one day, I can visit this Africa - her Africa - the Africa that I long for, yet have never seen.
Please pray with me. For Africa. For Zimbabwe. And for Fi and her family.
Matthew 25:34-40 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
"Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'"
7 comments:
I have just adopted a girl from Uganda through World Vision. She is seven years old and I hope she starts to school soon now that she has a sponsor. She has four sisters and one brother. I sent her familly some money too. I hope they will be able to buy some oxen to help them farm. My daughter and her boyfriend have adopted a girl from Gulu. My daughter's heart in in Africa too. She wishes to visit as a missionary some day. She is graduating from college this spring as a nurse with her BSN. She wants to go intern for Invisible Children for a year before starting a nursing job.
Our church has a medical team that does short-term medical mission trips. Something like that would be great for your daughter.
A couple of years ago I toyed with the idea of going to medical school just so I could overseas and help out, but realized I was too old to be able to pay off my student loans. :^)
Just wanted to say that I feel really moved and will be praying.
I have visited Zimbabwe twice, and it's an amazingly beautiful country, and home to such beautiful people. If you think your heart is touched now ... wait till you set foot on her soil, and meet her people. It's wonderful that people from all over the world are praying!
F and family are in our prayers as well.
Wonderful post, Ginger. I have a photo of her Fiona & her family on my bulletin board to remind me to pray frequently. :-)
Great post and beautiful pictures!
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