Hello from South Africa! After some rest and reflection God has put very heavily on my heart something from an experience in Botswana and I would love to share.
During my time with Love Botswana, I was able to work in a children’s home called the Lorato House (lorato meaning love). The Lorato House is for kids ages 0-5 whose parents are not in a position to give them the best care. They also are home to several kids with disabilities and special needs. One sweet girl I got the opportunity to work with was named Manana. Manana and I had an interesting relationship. Each day we would come to the home she would run up to me with a huge smile of excitement. She’d give me a big hug and just when I thought things were going well she would pull her arm back and slap me square across the face. A real strong palm to the cheek. Manana would run away and without fail each and every day twenty minutes later come running back for another hug or to be held. She was notorious for slapping, biting, and serious hair pulling. Blood was shed and hair was lost. But all in the name of Jesus so… amen to that.
I struggled the first few times we were at the Lorato House with how to love Manana. Loving her physically hurt me. Being slapped across the face is not something that I particularly enjoy and would willingly endure. Yet, God kept drawing me to Manana. Manana, who was searching for attention. Manana who was searching for attention because deep down she was searching for love. While loving Manana hurt me, it was one of the biggest examples of unconditional love. God loves me therefore I love Manana. Despite the fact that she slaps me across the face and hurts me. You slapped me. I still love you. You ran away from me. I still welcome you with open arms. Manana needed the love and affection just as much as I needed the lesson God would teach me through being slapped in the face over and over again by an eight year old. She is an orphan who has illustrated most clearly what it looks like to be a daughter of Christ.
The relationship Manana and I had illustrates perfectly to me the relationship God and I have. Each day I get so excited to be with him, come running into His arms, and then slap Him in the face. I can make this decision on my own. I am strong enough alone. I don’t need Him right now. And I turn and run away. Yet, twenty minutes later I come running right back into His arms, seeking His help and love. And every time He is waiting, arms wide open, ready to embrace me. It hurts God when I turn away from Him. Slap Him in the face. And nothing delights Him more than when I come running back to Him. Wow. What a loving God we have to pour out that much patience and grace into our lives.
We are entering our first full week here in Johannesburg, South Africa! My team is paired up with Abundance (give their blogs a read for more stories from the field) with a ministry called Impact Africa. We are doing some intense evangelism in squatter camps surrounding the city. These camps are filled with thousands of people from all across Africa searching for work. Most live on about $1 a day. We will be spreading the Gospel, healing hearts and lives, getting into the low places for Him. To say I am excited is an understatement. Please be praying for my team as we go forth. Evangelizing all day everyday in some of the most broken places is taxing and if we are not constantly filling up in Him we will run dry. Pray we are in the Word. Pray we are in tune with the Holy Spirit. We have also hit the halfway point of the Race. This is a time for us to really dig deep and get the most out of this experience we can. God has spoken refinement and revival over the next two months. A new fervor for a form of ministry that has previously brought discomfort. Big things are going to happen here! Sending all the love from South Africa.
With love,
Emma
