We spent the last month sweating and swatting mozzies in Mochudi, Bostwana. It’s a village outside of the capital city (Gabarone) which bears host to taxis crawling around like swarms of ants, children running around in the heat of the day wearing school uniform sweaters, vendors set up under tarpulin tents, and men who like to ask if we are married, and if not, if they could marry us
Most things seemed accosting and overwhelming here, but I did learn a few things in moments of calm respite.
A man, who also worked for out hosts, lived on our compound to provide security and company. His name is Maruping. He is here on a long term visa from South Africa, has a young daughter but has been unfortunately estranged from his Motswana (a citizen of Botswana, singular) wife. As I have some experience with separated parents, we were able to share some of our pain, give encouragement and advice to each other, and just talk about what happened to us. I found these discourses both healing and stretching for me, and I hope that he was benefited by them also.
I was also given a name in the Batswana (citizens of Botswana, plural) native language called Setswana. My name is Nnete [knee-te], which means Truth. I have always considered honesty and truthfulness to be important, and value when people are genuine and trustworthy because of the truth they speak. This name was given to me less than an hour after I had met the woman who gave it to me, which encourages me that truth-speaking and truth-honoring are evident in my person.
More truth that has been made clear to me is God’s role as comforter to me. This month alone, I struggled through a car accident, not being able to talk to family, spending my favorite holiday away from home, finding out about team changes, being slapped in the face at the bus stop, a lack of ministry work, illness, and especially strong depression. Through it all, I didn’t have much to turn to, except God. I asked Him why I experience what seems like an above-average amount of pain and difficulty. He promises that He has good things in store for me around the corner, coming when I don’t expect it to. I trust that He is telling me the truth and so I will wait and stand firm in Him.
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
John 14:12?-?14 NIV
