“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
“I’m empty handed but ALIVE in Your Hands.”
Majesty
This morning we were discussing various definitions of “revivial.” One in particular won me over:
“To come alive again.” I love this definition because I can tell you that we have been living in revival for the past two weeks in Mozambique, and we have seen hundreds become spiritually alive. I also believe the Spirit has been cultivating a revivial of sorts in me, for I have never felt more alive!
We came into Mozambique hungry. I was fasting so I was physically hungry, but more than that, I was hungry for the things of God. This desperation for more of God rose up throughout our entire community of racers. We wanted the Presence of God like air. Our Iris Ministries contact and brother for the Journey, Herb, worked alongside Chad to lead us further into the depths of God. Herb shared with us a simple truth, proven by our journey’s with God the last two weeks. Hunger is fed.
We were chasing after the living God, and we found Him! We found a “new” way to grow closer to Jesus – through ministry. I learned that it’s okay for “ministry” to be about me too. Of course, it is for the people we are loving, but it is also a way for me to
experience Jesus. Holding orphans is not just something to do
for Jesus, it is communing
with Jesus. It is an experience with the Living God!
Our Mozambiquan home was next to an Iris church/orphanage where fifty some children live. Most of their parents died of disease, and they were left without any family that could care for them. The home is run by a few dedicated, passionate women who daily give up their lives for these children. We spent most of our mornings at the orphanage and one team each day would spend the entire day. Sometimes we would organize games, but mostly we just hung out with them and loved them. We learned multiple hand games to play with the girls, and there were always children wanting so badly to just be held.
This is Eva. Eva is one of the older girls at the orphanage, and she carries the responsibilities therein. I have
seen Eva boil, pluck, and prepare chickens for dinner, lead the children’s choir in songs of
praise, and constantly put the needs of the younger children before her own. As much as Iris and the orphanage has done to help her, I feel like she has lost her childhood. At the orphanage, the kids made games from pieces of trash and wore mostly rags. They ate cornmeal to sustain them, occasionally with chicken. African children are considered bearers of responsiblity beginning when they can walk. In Africa, you see four-year-olds carrying one-year-olds on their backs. It is a way of life here, but I still look at Eva and see too many years on her face. I was blessed our last day at the orphanage to see Shawna holding Eva until she fell asleep. I just knew in my heart that there was nothing more needed in Eva’s heart that to rest in arms of love.
When we weren’t at the orphanage, we would be on “outreaches” to various villages in the bush. These
communities are in desperate need of food, as they lost everything in the recent flooding. Many of the people we saw on these outreaches, including children, had not eaten in three weeks. We would load up the flatbed truck with many bags of cornmeal. Some of us were “blessed” enough to ride in the land rover (pictured here). While the guys unloaded the food from the truck, we would get to know the people. We were always well received and welcomed. A worship dance team would accompany us from the Iris church, and we would blare loud music to let anyone withing twenty miles know we were there. And we would dance. This may have been my favorite part. I danced with little girls and old ladies. I danced in front of the crowd (true entertainment) and on top of the truck. I danced with the hungry and the hurting, and I danced with Jesus.
We would always share the message of Jesus Christ. After a few outreaches, I noticed my journal reading much like the book of Acts in the Bible. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact… Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 1:8, 2:32, 4:12). The physical need is so demanding, and God sent us there to meet that need for them, but we believe that their spiritual need is of much more urgency and importance. So we would always share how Jesus is the Savior of all. “And the Lord added to thier number daily those who were being saved.” (2:47) “More and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” (5:14) “The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.” (11:21). Every day, we witnessed hundreds of men, women, and children return to their God and come alive in Christ Jesus! “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (13:52).
We would also pray for the sick, blind, deaf, lame… at each outreach. This has been a huge step of faith (and growth of faith) for many of us racers, as these have been the first healings we have witnessed firsthand. “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk…” (3:6) I am a personal witness that the Spirit of Jesus Christ that is among us and in us heals. I personally prayed for several headaches, stomach pains, back pains, and a boy with severe pain in his neck. After praying for the Holy Spirit of God to heal, I would ask the person how they’re feeling. Many times, it was visible on their faces. Joy, bewilderment, awe. Something changed, and the pain was gone! I don’t know much portugese or sena, but I could always rejoice with them with “Allelujah! Amen!” One healing in particular stays with me. Chad, Chris, and Eric prayed for a young man who was blind in one eye. After prayer, I looked over and saw the young man looking around like he had never seen the world before! He had a huge grin on his face and was awestruck. “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whome you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that come through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.” (Acts 3:16).
We are preparing to leave Mozambique, and I would be devastated if I thought this was the end of something. I know in my spirit that this is just the beginning. It is just the beginning of a new level of intimacy in my relationship with Jesus, growing through living life with Him. It is the beginning of God using our team of World Racers to bring His Kingdom on earth in powerful ways. It is the beginning of our broken hearts, as we experience His heart more and more. It is the beginning of coming alive again! Because the Spirit of God lives in us… Revivial lives in us!
