The truck we took on our road trip was a very OLD Toyota
Hilux called Donkey. It reminded me of Mater in the movie Cars. It was an old
bucket, but it had some personality. When driving around Malawi Donkey usually
broke down. Our team was a little worried about the idea of traveling over
4,000 kilometers with Donkey, we were unsure as to whether he would make it.
Our contact response to the hesitation, “Donkey will work according to how you
pray, if you don’t want him to break down then you must pray”. Any question of
doubt that we asked our contact was answered with the response of PRAYER.
God confirmed in me that he was going to grow our team in a
way that we didn’t understand, but it would be in a loving protective way. He
would grow our Faith! Sometimes I pick up on what the Lord is saying to me, and it usually puts me at ease, because I would understand His will. Whether it would be a hardship or a
time of rejoicing, whatever it is if it’s His will then I shouldn’t be worried. Now I’m going to go
off in a tangent, but it’s a good tangent.
Our team (in South Africa) was recently asked to go to the hospital to pray
for a young man who had suffered brain damage in a car accident that took place
a month ago. It had been exactly two months to the day since our accident, and
his took place one month ago. We gathered around in a circle to pray for him,
and at first I was afraid to touch him. Eventually I got the courage and placed
my hand on his arm. Warmth filled me and a picture of the seasons popped into
my head. I began to pray for healing, but the idea of this is the Lord’s will,
and the season that he has this man in was on my mind. This young man was in an
accident like ours, and suffered greatly. The idea that it could have been any
one of us on the team really touched everyone, and they quietly shed their
tears. I should have felt sympathy and remorse, but instead I worshipped. My
insides were telling me to sing, so I did. I sang to my Father, I sang for
healing, I sang praise, and I sang a song of thankfulness. Everyone experiences
emotions differently, some need healing and cry, others may need an outlet and
angrily beat something, and for a few worship through song. I don’t want to seem
heartless like I didn’t have sympathy for the situation, oh I was empathetic
that this young man had to endure this, but he was God’s chosen, and he still
is. And when the Lord heals him, his love, faith, dependence will be an
unforgettable testimony. So upon leaving the hospital I was singing and
worshipping the Lord, because that was what He wanted.
Now back to our road trip. We left at 10 am on the 2nd of January in the new
year of 2011. Our first destination was Chipata the first city in Zambia upon
crossing the border. The idea behind the road trip is that we would have faith
in the Lord. Meaning faith in knowing that we would get to Cape Town in donkey,
faith in knowing we would be protected and safe, faith in knowing that the Lord
would place certain people in our path that we needed to have a conversation
with. He would grow our faith! Each day we traveled on further, and each night
we rested our heads at someone’s house, or a lodge, or a church, or in the back
of donkey. The Lord is good, and he always provides when you believe in
Him.
