JOY

The theme for our VBS week in Mosojane was JOY.  How do you describe Joy to someone?  Joy is not something you can give to someone else, it is not something you can make someone feel in the same exact way that you do, it is not happiness.  It is a feeling that most of us understand but still have a hard time describing. It is that deep-seated contentment, peace, and excitement that wells up inside us.

These past few weeks I have been filled with Joy.  Makenzie was able to join us in Botswana for Christmas.  She arrived last Sunday night.  We were all overfilled with Joy to see her, to hug her, to share some time with her.  She was overwhelmed with all of us the first night.  She said, “slow down guys I can’t hear everyone saying Makenzie, Makenzie, Makenzie all at one time.”  We all wanted to tell her something or show her something.  Makenzie commented how impressed she was that everyone already knew so much about Gaborone and Botswana in such a short time.  I thought about what she said and in my heart really agreed.  It is pretty impressive at how much our boys have experienced, learned, and understand already.  I am very proud of all of them for the way they have adjusted.

My “Moma” Joy was on overload on Tuesday night.  It is one of times that I will always remember.  I think Mary in the Bible described it as pondering these things and storing them in her heart.  We were all together listening to music, basking in the Glow of the Christmas tree, and working on getting supplies ready to head to Mosojane to do VBS.  It was a wonderful thing to experience all together.  I have done plenty of VBS prep in my life but never have I done it with just Scott and all of my kids.  To see all of them involved and really enjoying being together and serving our Lord at the same time was an incredible experience.  It truly was one of those “priceless” moments.

On Wednesday morning we packed (or maybe I should say “loaded down”) the Suburban and made our 7-hour trek north to the small town of Tshesebe where we would be staying in the Stop Over Motel for 4 nights.  After unloading we headed to Mosojane – about a 20K trip down a long and winding “washboard” dirt road.  Moruti Andrew, his wife Elizabeth and some very joyful and excited children greeted us. We got things ready and set to begin on Thursday morning.  The festivities were supposed to begin at 9:30am.  When we arrived in Mosojane at 8:15am there were already over 70 kids anxiously waiting for us to arrive and get things started.  At 9:30 we had our first Opening Celebration.  Over 100 kids joined us and rotated through 4 stations.  Music – led by Makenzie and Parker; Recreation – led by Chandler and Hunter; Bible – led by Moruti Scott Shipes; and Crafts – led by me.  Josh and Joe were participants at the VBS and enjoyed moving around in their group and getting to know some of the kids.  It is an indescribable Joy to be a part of hosting a VBS for kids that have never had anything like that before. We were privileged to teach them where real Joy comes from - A God that keeps His promises and sent His one only Son Jesus to this world to save us from our sins. We taught them that Joy comes from putting Jesus first in your life, putting others second, and yourself last.  We were so blessed to watch them praising the Lord through songs such as "Joy to the World", "Give me joy in my heart keep me praising",  "I've got Joy down in my heart, deep deep down in my heart"...to name a few. The kids at VBS ranged in age from less than 1 to 15.  All ages seemed to loved it.  New kids joined us everyday and we really liked getting to know those who returned each day.  We learned names and faces and even little personalities.  We returned in the afternoons to play soccer and field games.  The girls played “Duck, Duck, Goose” while the boys joined in the friendly competition on the soccer field.  I think the pictures do a better job of showing the Joy than my feeble words do at describing it. 

At the end of VBS each day we served lunch to everyone.  Pastor Andrew was very grateful.  He thanked us for not only meeting spiritual needs of the kids but also their physical needs. He told us for most of them that would be their only food for the day. Really puts into perspective how blessed we are!! 

Sunday morning we held a Celebration Service during church.  The kids enjoyed getting a certificate, a candy cane, and a “silly band” thanks to Mrs. Karla and Mrs. Lisa who gathered supplies in the states and sent them for us to do VBS.  

Four days went by in a blur and we got attached to some sweet little kiddos. After lots of hugs and "high fives" we said our goodbyes and left with the promise to return in the Summer (Winter for them).

We thank God for all He accomplished this week in Mosojane.  We thank Him for the Joy He fills each of us with through His Son, Jesus.  We thank Him for allowing us to be a part of spreading His Joy with the Children of Mosojane.  We especially thank Him for you - For your prayers, your financial support, your words of encouragement - it was not only us sharing Jesus in Mosojane - it was all of you!!!

"What has 4 months in Africa done to your marriage?" - Clay Smith

Scott and I have a weekly Skype session with our pastor Clay Smith from Alice Drive Baptist in Sumter, SC.  Clay is who Scott and I report to and he is not only a friend, a great boss and leader, but he is also an incredible spiritual advisor.  I am so grateful we have Clay as a sounding board and guide.  This past week Clay ended our Skype session with an assignment.  He asked both of us to think about what 4 months in Africa has done to our marriage.  Wow - Thanks Clay!!! He always challenges us to learn, to grow, and to lead.  He also challenges us personally to care for ourselves, our marriage, and our family.  When Clay asked us to think about the effect on our marriage I immediately responded with, "well I haven't killed him yet."

My good friend Becky had recently asked me how it was to always be together?  You know, Scott not having a 7:00 -5:30 job to go to everyday.  I told Becky and shared with Clay that being in a foreign country and basically only having each other, I was actually enjoying having Scott around.  I know people who really struggle with all of a sudden having their husband at home.  I think if we still lived in SC my story might be different.  I might see him as "cramping my style".  In SC I would have to share my friend time, my phone time and my running around time and I'm not so sure I would have liked that too much.  But because we are in Botswana and we only have each other I like having Scott to spend my days with.  We spend time reading, planning, praying, and preparing. We usually go to meetings together.  We lead training sessions together. We even run errands together. Now I'm not the only one who goes to the grocery store or picks up the kids. We work together to make things happen.  It's kind of a nice balance in the family.  I think it has been harder on Scott.  Going from a "same time everyday" kind of routine to one that is more flexible is strange for him.  I sense his need to be doing something or going somewhere.  It is hard for him to sit, prepare and plan for later.

Four months in Africa has brought new meaning to the "leave and cleave" verses in the Bible.  Looking back over the almost 21years of our marriage I realize I didn't embrace the "leave and cleave".  I wanted to have it all. I never planned on leaving anything I loved and I wanted to be cleaving to my moma and daddy, my sisters, my friends and to Scott (sometimes in that order too).  I wanted to be married but I wanted to have life as I had always known it.   I remember those early years of marriage.  As soon as Scott headed out of town on business I headed out of town to stay with my family. We lived in Johnsonville, SC the first year of our marriage.  I clearly remember telling him that I was moving home.  I told him that He could either find a job in or near Aiken and move with me or we could have a long distance relationship.  I certainly didn't put him first.  I put my desires ahead of his.  I had no idea how to follow and therefore never let him lead our family or our decisions.  I'm so grateful for the tender way God worked in my life to change me.  By His grace, He didn't just call me from Aiken (my hometown) to Botswana.  I love how He moved us first to Sumter and let me come to realize that I could live away from my family and friends. I love how He showed me through the lives of our friends that life in a foreign country is "doable".  I love how He gave me time to change and grow.  I have never felt "snatched" around by God.

So now it's very different, very different in a right way.  This didn't just happen because of 4 months in Africa.  This has been a journey.  But I can say today that By the Grace of God, I am letting Scott lead. I am following his decisions.  I am waiting on him to choose and decide.  I can certainly see how God is using this call to Botswana and these 4 months to make many changes in us.  By leaving everything and everybody we knew and loved we are now cleaving.  It's not all "bliss".  There are those days when I look at him and think "What in the world have I done following you all the way around the world?"  But I have complete peace knowing that this right where God wants us to be.  And I am happy to be married to a man that loves Jesus with all of Heart and is willing to sacrifice everything for HIM!!

These 4 months have also revealed a lot about our personalities and I see so much of how we complement each other. God said in His Word that our spouse is our "helpmate".  I see us living this out  more than ever before.  Scott is very much the relational, talking, people person in our family.  I am the planner, organizer, and preparer.  Seeing these gifts working together through our ministry is really neat.  I see how God made us a team to accomplish His plan and purpose in Children's ministry in Botswana.

So Clay my answer to your assignment would be that 4 months in Africa has had a "God" (aka. good) impact on our marriage. (Now ask me in 6 months and my answer might be different). But our God is ever changing us into His likeness.  He is grooming us with His grace.  I am very grateful to be sharing this journey with my helpmate, friend, and man!!!   I love you Scott!!!   ~ Tonya

A Time to Give Thanks

I am taking this from my daughter's facebook status but I thought it was perfect and appropriate for our Thanksgiving.  "All I have needed thy hands hath provided, Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me."

I want to start this post by saying how Thankful I am to have had 3 wonderful months of sharing life with 2 incredible young men from the states.  Matt and Seth were short term missionaries with Campus Crusade  that arrived in Botswana just a few weeks after we did.  They were staying in one of our guest cottages and were a big part of our family here.  We started our Thanksgiving on a sad note when we took the guys to the airport to say goodbye.  I told them when they left to never doubt why God brought them to Botswana...He brought them to minister to us and our boys - if nothing else.  They made our adjustment to this country so much easier.  We will miss them so much - but are praying that God will make their next steps in ministry very clear to them.

Although this holiday in Botswana away from all of our friends and family has been "different" to say the least we have had a Happy Thanksgiving. We hosted a "feast" at our house on Thursday evening and were joined by Gabi and Norman Schaeffer (Pastor and Wife at Open Baptist) along with their "Botswana" daughter, KG.  We dined on roasted chicken, homemade stuffing - made from dried bread (nothing in a bag here ), green beans, Waldorf salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, and what was suppose to be sweet potato casserole but had to improvise with Butternut Squash casserole.  (We couldn't tell the difference)  Everything was delicious and the fellowship was sweet.  We are thankful for friends in Botswana that have adopted us as part of their family.

Today we traveled 70K to a smaller town called Lobatse.  We were invited by the Walkers (a missionary family from Atlanta area) to join them and several other missionary families (67 people in all) for a Thanksgiving celebration.  Seems so weird when a Thanksgiving celebration involves bringing swimsuits and towels on a day that the temperature is close to 100 degrees. We spent the day by the pool and enjoyed all of the "traditional" Thanksgiving favorites - 8 Turkeys and all the trimmings.  Everything was delicious and we enjoyed getting to know so many other families that are serving our Lord here in Botswana.  We are thankful to be included in a group that are here with the same mission - to see people come to know Jesus as Lord.

We truly are grateful this Thanksgiving but the holidays make us miss some things too: missed cooking and eating with my family this year.  Missed going through the sales ads and planning out our "Black Friday" shopping madness.  Missed the "hustle and bustle" of the holiday hubbub - It was just another day in Botswana.  This was the first year that Makenzie wasn't at the Thanksgiving table with us...really missed her.  Holidays have always been "family times" so we missed just being together with the ones we love.

When I think about the song "Great is thy faithfulness" I can't help but think how gracious our God has been to us. How He sent His son to save us.  How He has redeemed us and sent His Holy Spirit to live in us. I am so thankful for his daily provision. For the way He worked everything out for us to be here, I am grateful.  I am thankful that He works in the hearts of His people to accomplish His glorious purpose.  I am thankful that He allows us to be part of what He is doing.  I am grateful that my boys didn't seem to mind that this Thanksgiving was different.  I am grateful that even though circumstances, places, and people change - our God never changes.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He is the same in SC as He is in Botswana and He deserves our gratitude and praise not only on Thanksgiving but everyday.

This day of giving thanks makes me thank the Lord for all of you.  I am so thankful that He has allowed our paths to cross. I am thankful that you are part of our lives, and that you care, love and pray for us. I am thankful for all of you who have sacrificially supported our family and the ministry that God has called us to in Botswana. I am thankful that you take the time to read our blogs and send words of affirmation and encouragement.  We love you all and pray God's richest blessings for you and yours!! ~ Tonya

3 Months

Sometimes in my head I think "It's only been 3 months?? You have got to be kidding me." Then other times I think "Three months - already?" That is how it is with me in a foreign country - just kind of an up and down, up and down.  One day I feel peaceful and completely content in my new life and the next day I have longing to return to what I know.  The ups and downs don't bother me, I accept them as part of normal and still have complete Trust and assurance that this is exactly where God wants us to be.  

The pace has really picked up this past month as far as our ministry.  That is really good for a girl like me that likes to be "doing" something (and has an urgency score of 99).  As Scott says I like to have a list and be checking things off. We have completed our first lesson of Children's leadership training at Old Naledi and have 3 more sessions together before we help them launch a new children's program on Sunday mornings. We are happy to be accomplishing the mission God called us to:  To help as many churches as possible take their next step by establishing sustainable Children's Ministry.  The first session went great.  There were 12 in attendance and they were all very eager to learn and grow in their capacity to lead.

 We started with some "requirements" of being a leader in ministry.  The first requirement being: You must be a born again believer in Jesus Christ.  We went around the room shared our salvation stories.  It was so neat to hear people testify to God's grace and redemptive work in their lives.  I noticed while we were sharing that everyone's story had a repetitive theme.... Someone (a person) invited them or invested in them and that led to them coming to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.  I was reminded of how important it is to invest in the lives of people.  EVERYONE matters to GOD.  The session had to be translated into Setswana  and the testimonies had to translated into English for us to understand ~ I was in awe once again at how GOD works.  I sat there thinking to myself about so many people that are so much more qualified to do this training-People with years of experience and that have written books on leadership and training manuals.  In my heart I asked God, as I have many many times this past year, "Why us God?  Why would you choose us?" I'd say to Him, "I feel so inadequate God and have so much to learn  myself."  "I am not a teacher.  I don't have much experience.  I can't do this."  My list goes on and on in my head. The things we are using at our training sessions we have taken from other books and training we received.  There is nothing new that we have or are experts on.  I am sharing all of this with you so that you will know that anything that comes from any of what Scott and I are doing in Botswana is all GOD!!!  We are completely trusting Him to accomplish His will and complete what He wills and purposes to do through us.  I am clinging to the promise that he uses the weak things (us) of this world to accomplish His plans so that HE will receive all of the Glory.  I am still doing the "Experiencing God" Bible study with a ladies group at Open Baptist.  The study this week reminded me of this promise.  I looked at Moses, Abraham and Sarah, David and Goliath, Rahab and many others that didn't think they could do it or were able and GOD shined and worked through them.  The study reminded me that when we are weak - then it is HIM that is strong.  So my friends, as we go forward with training leaders and starting children's ministry please continue to pray that we would just be the weak, willing vessels to be used by HIM and that He would accomplish great things for the children of Botswana.

We are making plans for a VBS in December in Mosojane.  Pastor Andrew and his wife Elizabeth are very excited about us coming. Andrew shared that this will be the first time they have had a VBS.  They want us to do some type of event in the evenings in some other villages in the northern area while we are there.  WE are hoping to do puppets as part of the VBS and be able to take those on the road in the evenings to share.  The resources in the area are VERY limited so we will have to prepare and take everything with us - including our own meals for the week. This task alone is more than I can handle but I move forward knowing and trusting in the One who is more than able. I am so happy that Makenzie will be here and will be joining us on this trip.  Please pray as we prepare and plan that the many children who will attend will come to see themselves as valuable to God (precious in His sight)  and that many would take their next step toward Jesus. Once again we are trusting Him to accomplish what He wants in Mosojane.

We are meeting this week with Flying Mission - a ministry in Botswana - about how we might be a part of the "Botswana School Outreach" program.  We are praying and believe that our best help will come in training the current leaders of the program.  Please pray with us.

We were asked today by the principal at the boy's school to host and lead a one day children's event on the school campus. This is a great opportunity - the campus is one of the nicest in Gaborone and can hold many kids.  She is asking us to pray and prepare to host the event on the Saturday before the new school year starts in January.  That is a very exciting possibility and will bring many, many, many children.  Please be in prayer about this.  This would require lots of volunteers and planning but we know God is able to provide.  He has proven himself faithful to us over and over again.

There are many more opportunities for us to be involved with Children's Ministry in Botswana.  Please continue to pray for us to have HIS wisdom and discernment as we move forward.

I want to end today's blog by sharing some answered prayers over the last 3 months.  First I have asked everyone to pray for the boys as they settle into their new culture and life. School started off very difficult because of all the changes.  The principal shared with me this morning how great she thought they are doing.  I know this is because of prayer!!  She said they all have friends, she has had no discipline problems out of any of them, they seem perfectly content when she observes them.  She even told me how happy she was that Hunter and Chandler have befriended a boy named Asante. I have to say that made this moma proud.  She said Asante needed some good friends and notices a difference in him.  She is praying for Asante's salvation. These are some answers I am praising God for:  God has opened many doors of opportunity for us to minister.  God has shown us when to say no to some things.  God has provided for our every need and even some of our wants.  God has made us comfortable in our home and is bringing new people into our life on an almost daily basis.  God has blessed us with a new love for each other - It is so neat to watch Hunter and Chandler become friends.  God has blessed Makenzie with the man of her dreams and we are preparing for a wedding.  God is still working on us and transforming us into His likeness.... as my friend Karla would say "GO GOD"!!! Thanks prayer warriors for standing in the gap for us.

We love you all very much.  We thank God for you and for you love, support, prayers and encouragement.  We wouldn't be here without you!!!    ~ Tonya

What Do You See?

Dumela to all our friends and family.  Tonya and I apologize for not updating recently.  I want to start the blog asking for prayer and praises for my friend,  Moruti James Mpopang, Pastor of Naledi Baptist Fellowship, was in "T-Boned" in a car accident yesterday in the van he was driving.  The passenger van that hit him was driving too fast when James pulled out into the road and made contact at full speed.  If the contact was 2 feet closer to the driver door, he would have perished.  He was being watched over from heaven.  There was no injury other being very sore.  Pray for his back pain and removal of the flash backs he keeps having of the impact.  Just recently, James has been elected President of the Botswana Baptist Convention.  Pray for wisdom and good leadership as he carries a vision of spreading the Church to the northern areas of Botswana.  This is where the HIV/AIDS percentage is very high and where tribal worship has blocked the truth of the Word from the people.

We had a great conference at our house this week and learned some very helpful insights to working effectively for the kingdom of God.  All of us see things through lenses our world forms for us to see through.  Westerners tend to see things from the perspective we need to fix something because there is something broken.  We have a something we can give a needy consumer who needs us.  Tribal cultures see the world as spiritual that is filled with good and evil spirits who have to be pleased to survive in it.  They will take what is given to them but know the spirits have the final say.  To move up in this world, the spirits have to be bribed.  So how do these two different looking worlds work together?  The love of God and looking the world from a biblical world view there is only one world, the one He made.

Living in Botswana for almost 3 months, I am starting to see the world through different glasses.  I have learned I need Botswana more than Botswana needs me.  Working with the people here, there is such a richness in blessings of human opportunity that you cannot see from a world view perspective that only reveals there are givers and takers.  I learned that a blessing is not a gift but the opportunity to prosper, abundantly.  God's Word demonstrates this definition over and over again form Genesis to Revelation.  I am learning how to love more and more as we live here.  I feel Botswana has given me more capacity to love and see the blessings of God's creation.  The biblical view is showing me the love of God for this world is found in His Word not in what I see.   What do you see in your world?

In His Love,

Scott

Our God Reigns

I had the opportunity to preach at Open Baptist Church today.  Words can not describe how much of a struggle that was for me.  I have such high respect for the elders here and how strong in the Word of God they are.  What could I teach and share with them? I spent a lot of time in prayer as I struggled over this and decided to shared my personel testimony of how God used my life to put me in Botswana.  During the first service, after 4 microphones and computer shutting on and off, I was asked by a man from China who was in Botswana and questioned what he could do.  He was there because of his wife's job.  He prayed how God could use him, a computer programmer and video graphics.  After he saw a video I played, he said, "I can do that".  He thanked me for sharing and is going to see how he can be part of OBC's ministry.  So many people were encouraging and appreciated the work we are doing here.
While I was preaching, college students were presenting the Gospel to the children.  100 children made a decision for Christ today.  There will be a lot of follow-up with them and their families.  Pray for them as the decision made.  Pray as they are discipled to better prepare them for their next steps with Jesus.  ~ Scott
Please pray as we have many opportunities this week.  Scott is going with Moruti James the pastor at Old Naledi to meet with the city council about getting the permits needed to finish the building of the orphan feeding station. Please pray that this would be resolved.  The building has been at a stand still since the teams left because paperwork wasn't handled properly.  Scott and Moruti need to make some amends to smooth things over in order to progress.  Please pray that God would go before them and grant them favor with the councilmen.  We have meetings with a couple of other ministries in Gaborone about working together to go into schools to reach Children with the Gospel. Please pray that we would know if, with whom, when and where to partner. We will be holding our first children's volunteer training session at Old Naledi next Sunday. Please pray that our time would be effective and encouraging to the volunteers.  This will be the first of many.  We are having Kaz (the young lady that is feeling called to the mission field from OBC) over for dinner on Wednesday night - we are looking forward to spending time with her and hearing her heart for ministry.  Please continue to pray for Yuko (the Japanese exchange student I met at the immigration office when we first arrived).  We finally connected and she came and spent the day with us on Saturday.  She loved being with our family, hanging out, swimming and just getting away from dorm life. She and I got to go to lunch at a little deli. We shared a lot of good conversation and had some interesting spiritual conversations too.  She says that she doesn't believe in God at all because she never grew up knowing anything about God. She said a lot of people have approached her at UB asking her if she was a Christian.  She told me that one girl told her to pray with her and just repeat after her.  She said she had no idea what the girl was doing.  It is so hard for me to comprehend never knowing anything about God.  Makes me really grateful for the Christian heritage I have.  She is willing to go to church and has actually gone with some girls from school - because she wants to see all of the African clothing.  She is going to go with us some Sunday soon.  I am really praying for her and for my witness to her.  Please join me in praying for her salvation.
Such exciting times seeing God at work in Botswana.  Thanks for reading and praying!!
 ~ Tonya

Where do I begin?

Sometimes there is so much to share I ask myself where should I start?  Today I am starting where I left you on the last post.  I asked for you to pray for several things that we were facing and am happy to report that God has answered your prayers in mighty ways.
We had the wonderful privilege to host a team from Highland Baptist Church in Florence, AL that were here to survey what God is doing and see where God would have them partner.  Scott spent most of his days with the team and enjoyed getting to know them and see their hearts desire for ministry in Botswana.  We loved worshipping with them at GWest Baptist Church last Sunday and fellowshipping over lunch.  Scott and I had been praying about the place to launch our ministry and were really feeling led to GWest.  We were invited to dinner with the Alabama team and the GWest pastor and elders on Tuesday evening.  It was incredible to see how God is putting all of these people together.  Highland Baptist had a very clear understanding that GWest was the partnership for them to pursue.  Pastor Modise (from GWest) and the elders gave us a very clear vision and mission of the church.  Scott and I were both affirmed that GWest was a great launching place for our ministry.  We are very excited about the possibilities that God is orchestrating with us, GWest and Highlands Baptist.  Please continue to pray for this partnership. 
I have to share my funny story (funny now that it's over) that happened with the Highlands team.  On Thursday night we were having the Highlands team and another team over to our house for a cookout.  I had worked all day getting things ready and preparing side dishes.  There was a scheduled time before the cookout for the teams to go the Game Reserve but someone had to be here doing the grilling and someone had to be the driver.  So I decided it would be best if Scott grilled (since he is the grill master) and I drove the team through the reserve.  Bless their hearts!  We got there before 5:00 and knew that the reserve closed at 6:30 not to mention we planned for everyone to be at the house to eat at 6:30.  To make a long story short I got us very lost in the reserve and we could not find our way out.  I had been told on other trips that I had taken in the reserve that if you don't get out by 6:30 they lock you in for the night.  As the time got closer and closer to 6:30 I began to get very nervous.  I told the guys in the car that we would be locked in - I think I put a little panic in them too.  I just kept going in circles - or least that is how is seemed.  6:30 came and we still hadn't found the gate.  I was going very fast through the reserve and the animals were scurrying every which a way.  We were running down ostriches and telling Kudoo to move so we could go.  We finally found our way out at 6:40 and were so grateful that the guard was there to let us out. Thanks Chris and Keith for being so patient with me – enjoy telling your stories!! We finally made it home to house full of hungry people waiting on us to eat! 
On Saturday we traveled with Donna Chisam and Ruth Minetree north to a border town called Mosojane which is about 7 hours from Botswana.  We were greeted at our little roadside motel by pastor Andrew.  He had hitch-hiked from the village to the motel.  He rode with us the 20+ kilometers to the village.  He told us as we approached the village that children had gathered to greet us.  He said that some of them had been there since 9:00 that morning so excited that visitors were coming.  It was close to 5:00 by time we arrived and were totally overwhelmed at the warm greeting we received. There were more than 50 children of all ages standing there clapping and jumping and singing.  It was very emotional and very humbling.  We got out of the car and they all surrounded us - everyone wanting to shake our hands to greet us.  Scott and I were able to share a few songs with them and Scott told them the reason we came was because Jesus loves them.  We just couldn't get over how happy they were to have visitors.  We felt so undeserving of their attention.  We felt like we could never live up to that kind of hunger for attention.  We invited them all back to church the next morning and told them all goodbye.  They departed at sunset scattering in all different directions across the village.  We spent the evening driving through the village with Pastor.  We were able to see the second day care center and spent some time in prayer with them.  The second day care is not open at this time because it didn’t have enough bathrooms.   They are in the process of putting in an outside bath with 4 toilets.  Please join us in praying that this project is completed quickly.  There are many, many vulnerable and orphaned children that need that daycare center as a safe place to be while their siblings that take care of them are at school.  Even with 70 kids and only 2 workers it is better than being on the street at 2, 3, or 4 years of age.  This is so hard for us to comprehend...How in the world do you do anything with 70 kids and 2 workers in 2 small classrooms?  We didn’t get to see the daycare in action because it was the weekend.  We are hoping to go back during the week at some point to see the day care center and see how we might be able to help them.  Sunday morning we went to the church.  The church is held in one of the classrooms at the primary school.  All of the children (75) sat on one side of the room and the adults (40) sat on the other.  We were once again given such a warm welcome.  Scott and I had the privilege of taking the children out after the music where we taught them from Psalm 139 – How fearfully and wonderfully made they are.  How they are unique and created for a purpose.  We split them into 2 groups and I did a craft with them while Scott did some games.  I asked some of the kids if they had ever been taught this lesson.  They all said No they had never learned that they were fearfully and wonderfully made.  After we finished with our lesson, craft, and games we joined the adults where we got to witness the Pastor handing out New Testaments to some of the adults. 


The New Testament has only been in translated into their native language, Khulunga, for the past 2 years and this was the first time many of them had held it in their hands.  Tears rolled down my cheeks as these people took their Bible and clutched it to their chests.  They got back to their seats and opened them and began to read the Word of God for the very first time.  I cannot even describe the emotions.  I was just thinking how many complete Bibles I have at my house and I take that for granted.  Never even thinking about all of the people in this world that don’t even own a Bible or have it translated in their language.  After church we shared juice and cookies with them and said our goodbyes.  We then headed to visit with the Chief of the village.  She was very gracious to us and welcomed us to her village.  She shared with us the many concerns she has for the people of Mosojane. She invited Donna to help her with a strategy for the whole village.  Incredible to watch since that is exactly where God has gifted Donna.  We had a time of prayer and asked her if we could come back in December to run a VBS with kids.  She was delighted and said we are most welcome.   Please pray for us as we prepare to return in December with all of our children to run a 5 day VBS.  This will be challenging because of the accommodations in the area.  There is only the one small motel (which makes the red roof inn look like the Hilton) and no grocery stores.  We are up for the challenge but know that it will take a lot of prayers and creativity to pull it off. 

We stopped by the Khama Rhino Reserve on our way home and enjoyed getting to see some of the animals of Botswana. The highlight was sitting at dinner and seeing a huge Black Rhino come to the swimming pool for a drink.   He was within 50 feet from where were sitting.  The people working there called him Naughty - because he comes to drink from the pool. 

Last night Scott and I were invited to Old Naledi Baptist Fellowship for their prayer meeting.  How incredible to walk in to the room filled with voices singing praises to our LORD in perfect harmony.  I just bowed my head and took in the beautiful sound.  After the prayer service we had a chance to talk with Moruti James and Julian (elder/deacon).  They asked us to come to Old Naledi and help train their Sunday School leaders.  We are very excited about the opportunity to help them take their next step in establishing a sustainable children’s ministry.  Please be in prayer about this.  The pastor and elder are supposed to select their potential leaders and we will schedule some training times.

All of a sudden it feels like we have so many places that need and want our help.  Please join us in praying for God’s guidance as we prepare for VBS in Mosojane, training at Old Naledi, training and possible VBS at GWest.  This is a big task that will only be possible with our Big GOD!!

We love you all and thank you for your prayers, your love, your encouragement, and your financial support.  Thanks for being a part of what God is doing in this corner of the world we call Botswana.

Home!

Home?  What is home? Or should I say where is home?  Is it a feeling or a physical reality?  What comes to your mind when you think of home? Is it your house – the bricks and mortar?  Is it the people in your house – your family?  Is it the place you currently live?  Or the town you grew up in? Or your Momma and Daddy’s house?  Is it the place you are most comfortable? Or just the place you lay your head at night?   I’ve been thinking about home a lot these past few days.  Not in a homesick – missing home kind of way – just pondering Home.  There are so many things that come to my mind when I hear or say the word home.  I asked myself recently where is my home?  After spending several months without a “bricks and mortar” house and no official place to call home, I’ve wrestled with the answer to that question.  I’ve heard it said, “home if where your heart is” and “there’s no place like home” but even those sayings didn’t answer my question of home.  I have thought about Sumter and the previous house we lived in – while we were there it was home.  I have thought about Aiken and my parent’s house - it was home while I lived there.  I have thought about Aiken and my sister’s house (which used to be our house) it was home when we lived there.  When I think of all of these places now – I say to myself – No that’s not my home, no that’s not my home, and no that’s not my home.  I have been thinking about home so much because I have a new place to call home in Botswana. I have thought about Abraham in the Bible – when called to a new land, how he obeyed and went even though he did not know where he was going.  I have wondered what Abraham thought about leaving his home? I wondered if He questioned whether he would ever get to go home again or did he assume he was going to make a new home?


When we boarded that plane 2 months ago to follow God to Botswana (an unknown for me) I wondered how long it would take for this to “feel” like home? I really wondered if it ever would feel that way.  I wondered if we would ever feel settled here or if we would always feel like temporary residents… strangers in a foreign land on a temporary assignment?  Today as we mark our 2 month anniversary of living in our new home, I have concluded that home is a choice. A heart choice! 


Through all of this thinking about home God has reminded me that our real home is not anywhere on this earth.  We are all only temporary sojourners traveling through until God calls us to our real HOME in heaven.  Even our heavenly home is a choice – we can choose to accept the free gift of God’s grace through Jesus Christ and receive our eternal mansion that He is preparing for us – or we can choose not to accept it.  That is what home comes down to – a choice.  When God sends us somewhere we can choose to accept the place he has us as our home or we can pine and ponder and never settle in our new home.  I could choose to “wander in the desert for years” or I can choose to say this is my home – Botswana, Africa.  I am content with where I am and grateful for the home He has given me. So for today and until He calls me to my forever home, I have settled the question in my own heart and mind and I am happy to say “THIS IS HOME"!  15602 Broadhurst ext. 44, Gaborone, Botswana.   You are welcome in our home anytime!! 

I am so grateful for all of you that read our blog and pray for us.  Please continue to pray for our ministry here.  We have just starting meeting with the leaders of G-West Baptist Church where we will be launching a new Children’s program. Our goal in coming to Botswana was to help as many churches as possible take their next step in establishing a sustainable Children’s Ministry.  This is our first step in accomplishing our mission.  Please pray for G-West, for the pastor, Modise (Mo-dee-say), for the elder’s and the current Children’s leaders.  Please pray that everything we do they would grasp as their own and would lead the children straight to JESUS!! To Him be all the Glory!!  Please pray for the team we are hosting this week from Alabama.  They are here to survey what is happening in Botswana and are praying about a partnership possibility. 
Scott and I are also traveling this weekend to Mosojane (mo-so-john-ee) – a small village in Northern Botswana.  We are going to meet with a pastor and his wife that run 2 “daycare” centers.  They have asked us to come and see how we might assist them.  From what we hear Mosojane is one the most impoverished areas and these are probably more like orphanages than daycares.  Please pray that we would have God’s wisdom and discernment while we are there.  Pray that we would see very clearly how we might further help or assist them in their ministry. 


Thanks again for praying!  Tonya

Tsolamosese – (so-la-mo-see-see)

I visited a village of about 1,500 people who live on the city limits of Gaborone.  Its name is Tsoloamosese.  The reason for my visit was to see first hand what an article in the local paper had described as residents facing hardships because they had no running water provided by the city to their homes.  When I got there I saw the villagers toting water 2-4 kilometers round trip.  In this culture, men do not carry water, only women and children do. The ladies I met along the road said they do this twice a day to have water in their homes for cooking, cleaning and drinking.  The water is carried in 5 gallons buckets or containers on wheelbarrows, on heads or in hand.  What makes this task difficult is not the 40 plus pounds of water in each container but the paths they walk are not straight or even.  They look like old goat paths moving from side to side in every direction.  The land is typical Botswana terrain going from sand to rutted clay to small rocks back to sand within 100 meters.  Handling wheelbarrows in this terrain is hard work for any person.

I was blessed to have met Rhumoyame and her family.  She was quick to tell me her name means, “richness”.  She has a 1 year old daughter whose name is “Lily” like the flower.  Lily is barely over a year old and after looking at her I knew something was not normal with Lily.  Rhumoyame said she had a difficult birth and Lily was born still.  She has what we would diagnose as cerebral palsy.  She is motionless and non-responsive to anything going on around her other than eating.  Rhumoyame will not take her to a doctor because she does not trust them.  They take babies away and experiment on them is what she told me.  She does not want to happen to her Lily plus she does not have money to travel to a doctor or pay for it.  We prayed over Lily and asked God’s healing hands to be on her so she could be reacting to her mother like babies should with smiles and laughter. 

This was a hard prayer for me because the moment made think back to the time when Chandler, my third child, was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and we were faced with the unknown.  A new believer relying on God to show us what He was doing and trusting others to help us through it.  We received a miracle healing with Chandler that I honestly never expected one to happen.  As I was praying on this day, I thought God you can heal her right now. But first, we need to know what are doing and she needs a church to surround her.  I also remembered something else, Chandler’s illness and healing 13 years ago was my first step in walking with the Lord that has led me to Botswana as a missionary in 2010.  I remember someone teaching God uses people and circumstances to get us involved in what He is doing.  Thank you God for the people you have put in my life to guide me through my circumstances.

After riding around the area on all the winding roads, I discovered why they did not have running water in their homes.  All of the people there are squatters.  They settled there over 30 years ago and built rude housing which later eventually became more stable and solid buildings.  The problem is because they did not purchase a plot from the government so they legally do not exist there.  If they do not legally exist they do not need water since no one is supposed to be living there.  Rhumoyame worked to get a deed and plot organized for her house and was successful this past June in doing so.  The government now wants 10,000 BWP for the taxes and rights to the land.  She has no income and her husband runs a Tuck Shop that is like a Quick Shop the size of large dining room table that sells various items to people.  They make about 1500 BWP a year ($250 USD).  She is heartbroken to know that after all the work she went through to get the paper work done because she does not have the money someone can purchase the deed from under her if she does not pay it by the end of the year.  Her family could loose everything and have nothing after 37 years.  We prayed for God to secure her land and give her peace about where she was going to live.

Here is the amazing part of her story.  We discussed the reason for my visit, not having running water, and her answer surprised me.  She said her family has been toting water for 37 years from the borehole.  The village, in English, means “take off your dress”.  It was so named because for over the past 50 years it was the only borehole for many kilometers.  When the women arrived to get their water, they were tired and a bit intolerant to bad behaviors like cutting in line or taking more than could be carried.  A fight would usually break out among the women.  In order to keep from damaging or soiling their dresses, they would take off their dresses and fight.  Struggling and fighting through hardships and for water was nothing new to her or this village. I was also that take off your dress did not mean something else!

Then she took me over to a fenced in area not far from the borehole that is used for a Shebeen, an illegal bar.  There were nearly 30 men of all ages drinking beer and homemade brew (for my Southern friends, Moon Shine) in the middle of the afternoon.  They were sitting around drinking and playing cards in the shade doing nothing.  Rhumoyame started to get irate and explained this was the biggest problem in her village.  When she was a little girl, men worked to provide for the family.  They did not do odd jobs to get pocket money so they can have drinking money and gamble.  She said they need a church that teaches Jesus.  It is the only hope for them.  The only church there is Zionist Christ Church which is characterized by an emphasis on divine and faith healing, purification rites, dancing, night communion, river baptism, the holy spirit, prophesying, and so on.  A lot of mixed up stuff based on deeds and going back to tribal roots to get to heaven.  Churches have come to Tsolamosese but only for a few weeks for what we call revival then tell the people to ride the bus into town and attend their church in Gaborone.  A bus ride is $0.50 per person one way.  In US terms, it would be like the Shipes family spending $80 round trip a week to go to church.  They do not have the money so they go unchurched every week. 

Dr. Clay Smith, my pastor in Sumter, SC always asks “what did you learn?” and “how do you feel?”  I learned there is always a story if you take time to hush and hear it.  I found a place that is not looking for what the public thinks but a desire to hear the gospel where they live.  I went because someone wrote a story about people without running water.  I learned about a people without living water.  I feel encouraged to know God is control and inspired me to share this long story to express how grateful I am to be part of His work.

Please pray for Tsolamosese and the unchurched people there.

So much to be excited about!!

The excitement began this week with the country of Botswana celebrating it's 44th year of independence.  Since it was independence day the kids had a 4 day weekend which was very exciting for all of them - no waking up at 5:30 am.  Woo Hoo!!  


Another very exciting thing this week was being a part of the first Missions Conference ever to be held at Open Baptist Church here in Gaborone.  Open Baptist is the church that issued us the invitation to come to Botswana to serve with Children. OBC had the privilege to have the Senior Pastor from Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA, Bryant Wright as guest speaker.  Bryant is also the current President of the Southern Baptist Convention in the US.  It was an honor to have him and his wife in Botswana to represent Johnson Ferry Baptist who has been on mission here for 5 years at Open Baptist Church through Face the Nation http://facethenation.org/blog/about-ftn/.

Bryant spoke to all of us during the conference about how God's Word calls us to be ministers and how we are all called to go tell.  Everyone has a place to serve and share the message of Jesus Christ.  After hearing him speak and preach all week, I am glad he is the President for the convention.  He believes churches should be sending missionaries and not just giving to one organization and depending on them to do all of the work.

The most exciting part of the missions conference was the 5 year celebration of Face the Nation.  Bryant also spoke at this event and we had another guest of honor, Sir Quett Ketumile Joni Masire and his wife.  Sir Masire was the second President of Botswana and the Patron Supporter for Face the Nation.  He was instrumental in Botswana gaining their independence and was a key figure in setting up Botswana as a Christian nation.  In Botswana, the gospel can be shared anytime and anywhere without fear.

Bryant shared from Acts 5:15 how our shadow leaves an impression on others and how our shadow can be for good or our shadow can be for evil.  He asked us to consider how long our shadow will be based on the people it has touched.  Just thought of this, the closer you get to the light the bigger your shadow grows.  Being obedient by being a minister by going where God is at work helps make our shadow expand and move to touch others for the Glory of God.  Sir Masire inspired us with his wit and charm, reminding us that various bodies of Christ need to work along side one another to save this continent from HIV-AIDS.  He also reminded us that by changing  the character of the lost people around us, we can change this country. Sir Masire recognizes that the only hope of that character change is through Jesus Christ.  Sir Masire is the man who inspired me about reaching the children of Botswana when he said, "the security of the future of Botswana is in its children". Sir Masire is part of my testimony of how God called me to Botswana.  He is the man who sat beside me on the airplane home after I had been invited to come to Botswana to help in Children's Ministry.  He believes like me, we must reach and teach children that they are valuable and their character could save a continent.

The excitement doesn't end there.  On Saturday around noon our time we received a phone call from a very excited daughter in SC!! She was engaged!! We were thrilled to be able to share in her excitement.   Tyler her fiance had come to Charleston and taken her to the beach to see the sun rise.  He gave her  a Bible and had highlighted in Ephesians 5 how a man should love his wife as Christ loves the church.  Tied to the ribbon marker in the Bible was her ring.  He asked her to marry him and she, of course, said Yes! So sweet and so exciting.  As many of you know one of our prayer requests when preparing to come to Botswana was that God would send Makenzie a friend that would be there to encourage, support and love her.  We knew before we left that God had answered our prayers through Tyler.  We have prayed for Makenzie and her future mate for many years and have total peace and assurance that this is God's will for her life.  Makenzie has very strong convictions and seeks to honor God with her life.  She knows that Tyler is the man God has ordained for her and is excited about their future together.  They both love Jesus and seek to make Him first in their lives!  They both have a hearts desire to serve Him where ever He leads.  What more could a parent ask for?  Thank you Lord for answering our prayers.

I remain in awe of how God orchestrates such powerful things around me to show me again and again, everything rests on His shoulders.  How wide, glorious and strong are His shoulders.  This is why He is Jehovah Jireh, He provides and continues to provide so many needs we can not comprehend them all.  As we start to spread our hands out into where He is at work, we pray not to mess it up by thinking we are supposed to make a difference.  He is making a difference in us and He makes the difference in our world.


Thanks for sharing in our excitement. Thanks for continuing to pray for us and for the children of Botswana.

What a Weekend

Friday night Hunter and Chandler went to the youth group at Open Baptist for the first time - they had a good time and will go again.  Friday evening Peter and Tirello came over for a visit.  Peter is the tech ministry intern at OBC.  They are expecting their first child in December and are looking for a place to live.  It was nice to visit and share "baby" stories.  They will be doing the course "BabyWise" so we shared some of what we had learned through our experience.  Saturday we invited the Blankenships over for a cookout.  The Blankenships are IMB missionaries in Botswana serving all of the IMB missionaries as business and logistics managers.  We have really enjoyed getting to know them and their family.  They had 3 extra boys with them (MK's from Lobatse) so my boys loved having a large group of guys to hang out with. Scott and I enjoyed the fellowship and advice. They have been in Botswana for 6 years and have so much wisdom.  We learn a lot about the country and culture when we talk with the Blankenships.  On Sunday we enjoyed worshipping at Open Baptist Church - Gaborone.  This Sunday was not much different from the last except that the "aircon" (as it is called in Botswana) was on and there was one empty seat beside me.  Therefore I was praising God for my comfort!!

Pastor Norman is doing a sermon series titled "Something happens when churches pray".  Yesterday was on the church praying for a lost world.  He was really challenging his church members from Acts        to be more mission minded.  He talked about how the church met together and prayed and God told them to set apart Barnabus and Paul and send them as missionaries.  He challenged them to be a missions sending church.  He shared that OBC is some 30+ years old and has never sent a missionary from their congregation.  He challenged the church to pray and to be willing to send their best to the lost world.  The challenge made me think about ADBC sending us to Botswana.  I remembered Clay sharing that in the 50 years of the churches history Scott and I were the first to be sent. There are days when It still seems surreal and I have those "why me? and why us? moments.  But hearing this sermon I was reminded of how God works and calls and sends people - ordinary people just like me.   During the service Pastor Norman asked for anyone who was at the service who was in Botswana as a missionary - whether short term or long term - to stand.  I was amazed at the number of people... there were probably 20 who stood including us. He thanked us and thanked God for sending us to serve in Botswana.  He reminded his church that God doesn't just send people to help and serve them - He calls them to go too.  Pastor ended the service by sharing news that the Lord is working in the heart of one of their young women and is calling her to serve.  He asked that everyone return that evening for a special prayer service for missionaries - the ones that are here serving and the ones that God would call out of their midst.
Scott and I along with Jeff and April Sukup (the couple we lived with when we arrived) were asked to be a part of the evening service by sharing how and what God had called us to do in Botswana.  We were also asked to share some specific prayer requests.  After we both shared the pastor introduced the young woman who is sensing God's call on her life.  Her name is Kaz.  She is a precious girl (21) that is still in University at UB (University of Botswana).  She shared how God is working in her life and how he had been working throughout her life to lead her to this point.  She shared how God had impressed upon her at a early age to study French.  She had never had any exposure to French but knew that was what she was suppose to study at University.  She shared how hard that is to go to University and make French your major when you haven't had introduction to the language in High School.  She will graduate this coming May top of her class.  Praise the LORD!!  This is just a tidbit of the testimony of GOD working in her life.  She feels called to go to northern Africa which are French speaking countries to be a career missionary.
After the three of us shared the church broke up into 6 small groups where we spent time together in prayer. We prayed for Kaz, for the church to be ready to send a missionary, for the mission stations (small churches and groups) that the church already support, and we prayed for the Sukups and Shipes as we serve in Botswana.  It was such a blessing to be in a small group to be prayer over and to be able to pray for Kaz and the church.
Please join us in praying for: 1. Kaz - that she would continue to seek God and where He has for her to go.  2. Open Baptist Church - that they would be ready and willing to send one of their own to the mission field.   3. The missions conference that OBC is hosting this weekend - for encouragement for all of the mission pastors in attendance and for awareness for the congregation of mission possibilities for themselves.  4. Scott and myself - that we would be good representatives of our own mission and what God has called us to do at this mission conference.  5. That we would be good hosts For the 2 pastors and one of their wives that will be staying in our guest cottage during the conference.  6. Hunter, Chandler, Parker, Josh and Joe - that they would continue to settle well and would begin to feel that Botswana is home.  7.  Makenzie - that she would be encouraged and stay strong in her faith as she is missing her family and we are missing her. 8.  Peter and Tirello - that God would provide a home for this couple and new baby.
We love you all and appreciate all of your prayers!
Tonya

Experiencing God

What a day! It is so hard to even put into words but here is my feeble human attempt to describe my "experiencing God" Day.

Yesterday ( Tuesday) began as any other "normal" day.  Getting the kids up and ready and delivered to school, spending some time in prayer and planning with Scott, having lunch, etc.  Yesterday afternoon was different.  I told Scott that morning that I was going to try a Woman's Bible Study at Open Baptist Church. That would mean he would have to take care of the kids that afternoon and greet our visitors from Campus Crusade.  He agreed and encouraged me to go.  The study begins at 2:30 and I arrived very close to that time.  I had visited this same group when Scott and I were here in October of last year so I knew where to go.  When I entered the room there were about 5 other women there and I wasn't sure I was in the right place.  I introduced myself to everyone and they assured me that I was in the right place.  I had no idea what they were studying - I just knew I needed to get plugged into a small group with other women.  After my introduction to the few that were there, I noticed on the TV screen that they were studying "Experiencing God"!  I was excited.  I had done "Experiencing God" many years ago at MBC.  The even more interesting part of this TV screen (that was paused -waiting for the leader to hit play) was a small picture of a man.  I looked even closer and realized I knew the person in the picture.  Here on the screen in Botswana was a picture of Lonnie Riley from Merrizdo Ministries - Lynch, KY.  Lonnie and His wife had been at the  Global Impact missions conference at Millbrook Baptist Church that Scott and I attended in March of this year.  Millbrook has worked and partnered with Lonnie for many years.  They have sent teams on several mission trips to Lynch that my parents have been on and most recently my sister Felicia and my niece Makela went.  I was kind of taken back to see his picture here on the TV screen.  Several more ladies came into the study and the leaders of the study came in - (they had been next door praying before we got started).  The leader - Gabi - the pastor's wife at OBC started the video and we proceded to watch Henry Blackaby teach lesson 4 of "Experiencing God".  As he spoke from Mark 1:17 - "come follow me and I will make you to become" and then from John 14:15, 21, 23&24 - "If you love me, you will obey (keep) what I ask" "Whoever has my commands and obeys theme is the one who loves me." "He who loves me will obey my teaching."  I was reassured and reaffirmed from God that He has called us here to Botswana to accomplish His purposes.  It was as if a fresh breath of life had been breathed into my spirit.  I just sat there and prayed and thanked Him. Thanking Him that He knows what He is going to do through Scott and Me (even when I feel like I have no clue).  "He will make us to become"!!  At the end of Dr. Blackaby's lesson Lonnie Riley came back on the screen to give testimony about how God was at work in his ministry.  Lonnie shared about God laying on his heart the need for a teen center in Lynch and how he and his wife began to pray.  They had no idea how it would happen but they would be obedient if that is what GOD was asking them to do.  He continued to share how things began to happen and how God provided different people and resources to make the teen center become a reality.  Part of that provision about getting a call from a church in SC that wanted to help him and his ministry.  I knew that Lonnie was talking about Millbrook -my home church, the church I was born in, baptized in, married by, where Scott has surrendered his life to God and had accepted the call into ministry.  So here I am sitting in a church in Gaborone, Botswana (8,000+ miles away from home) with about 20 other women who have no idea that I even know anything about this man much less this church he is speaking of and He is testifying of God's provision through them!! I was pretty much blown away with my "God Experience."  So I'm thinking Wow that is so cool God!! Thanks!!! When the video ended Gabi got up to testify to a similar experience where God had told her and her husband to find a plot of land to build a church in Johannesburg, SA.  They prayed and searched and God led them to a plot.  They were pastoring a church of about 40 people and had very little resources but she continued to share how GOD had asked them to find the plot and they were obedient.  He didn't tell them how or where the money to buy it would come from.  Soon after they found the plot they were called to another church and never knew the outcome of the plot. This past Sunday they went for a visit in South Africa and rode past the plot and they were very happy to see that the church was being built there!! GOD knows the plans He has - He is at work and is asking us to be obedient to what He asks of us.  We might not understand how or why or even when, we just have to obey because we love Him.
I never shared with the group about that little moment of WOW over Lonnie Riley being in that video and him sharing about Millbrook Church being a part of God's provision.  We broke up into small groups and I recognized one sweet woman from the small group I had been in in October.  She recognized me too and invited to rejoin their small group.  It was awesome.  There were 5 of us total.  We discussed days 1 and 2 of session 4.  Day 1's lesson was about Abraham's faith when he went to sacrifice Isaac.  We talked about faith. I was able to share with them about God calling Scott and our family to Botswana and how we had NO IDEA how God would work it out but we just said yes, stepped out in faith and HE did work out all of the details to get us here to serve.  Day 2's lesson we all shared from this large list of ways we had experienced God.  It was such an incredible "God Experience" to me just to hear these women share.  One lady was from Zimbabwe and she shared how she had experienced "GOD of all peace".  She and her husband were fairly wealthy business people but had lost everything due to the government and failed currency.  But they had complete peace in God through the whole devastation.  People could not understand how they had this kind of peace.  Another lady from Zambia shared how she had experienced "GOD of all comfort" just recently when she had buried her brother.  Another lady from Botswana shared her experience with "GOD of hope" as she deals daily with her 3 year old son who has sickle cell anemia. I didn't have a workbook but I shared about my experience with "GOD of all comfort" during the loss of my nephew Wills.   I just sat there with tears rolling amazed at ALMIGHTY, EVER-PRESENT, OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT GOD.  Here we were all sisters in Christ, from all different countries, all testifying to how we had individually had very real and personal experiences with HIM!!  I was talking to God as I was leaving just thanking Him for that sweet time - a time to fellowship and sharing intimately with my sisters in Christ and a special, refreshing time of experiencing HIM!! 

I returned home on a "high"!! You know that feeling when you have had such a personal experience with GOD.  When I got home there was a team of 5 at the house from Campus Crusade for Christ (2 of them were Seth and Matt the interns from the states that are going to rent our guest cottage).  The others were Hasee the interim National director of CCC, Sylvia a volunteer from Zimbabwe, and Paul a pastor that serves on the CCC staff part time and does "Jesus Film"part-time.  We had a nice visit and all talked about ways we could work together to reach Botswana.  Scott and I are excited with possibility.  Scott and Paul talked about the 4 guys doing a small group together for accountability and maybe reading "Radical" together and discussing it.  Please be prayer about this possibility.  Before they left Hassee approached me and asked if Scott and I would do some marriage counseling.  I just laughed.  I told her we are not counselors.  She was basically looking for Christian mentors - she is a newly wed and they are suppose to meet with other Christian couples for some marriage guidance.  I still laughed but told her I would love to have her and her new husband over for dinner and we would be willing to share life and life experiences with them.  She was very gracious and happy about that possibility.  Please be in prayer about that too.

As I close I am reminded once again that God is at work in the hearts of His people to accomplish His purposes!! Will you Obey when He speaks?

We love you all - thanks for reading - for praying - for sending your words of encouragement!!
Tonya

Things I took for granted!

This weekend has brought many things to my mind that I used to take for granted.  So I have spent much time in prayer asking God to forgive me for not being more grateful for the things I had.  After having 8 months of what I called "striping away" - letting go of stuff I had accumulated through the years - selling a house and making no money - not to mention the spiritual stripping of my pride, I thought I was ready to leave the "comforts" of home and move to a foreign country. I'm not saying that I wasn't ready - I knew I could trust God and could follow Him where ever He asked me to go and stay. I am just realizing how good and comfortable I had it!!! Some things in my "new" life are the same and overall we do have it very comfortable but most things here are different.  So this weekend every time I realized some of the major differences I spent time confessing my ungratefulness and then being grateful for what I do have.

One of the major differences today was at church.  Sitting in service with every seat taken (and I mean every seat!!!) Keep in mind this is one of the largest Baptist churches in the country and by their standards one of the wealthiest churches. These seats I talk of are small plastic seats like you might see at an ice cream parlor at the beach.  Every seat was touching the seat in front of you when you sat and the seat behind you was touching your back and the seats on both sides of you sitting right up against you so that you had to hold your arms in so everyone would fit on the row, not to mention there was no air-conditioning therefore very uncomfortable!!! This made me realize how good I had it in the churches I had always been in.  I never sat in church on a Sunday morning and thanked God for my comfortable place to worship.  I might have said a prayer of thanks for my freedom to worship but it never crossed my mind to be thankful for comfort.  Other than an occasional Christmas eve service did I ever have to cram into a pew or seat with any discomfort.  The temperature in the churches I attended was climate controlled and the seats were padded and there were usually available seats between my family and others - you know an empty one to put your Bible on.  Today I told God how sorry I was that I never thanked Him for my comfortable places of worship!!  I thanked Him today that I had a place to worship and asked Him to help me to remain grateful and I thanked Him that He is still stripping away the parts of me that He sees the need to.

Another major difference I really noticed this weekend for our family is no TV.  I used to say "I don't really watch TV" and really I didn't very much but it was always there when I did decide to "veg" in front of it.  My kids, Scott and even I am really missing just having TV in our life.  We kind of thought we would be able to find some of our shows on the internet and watch them after the fact but even that isn't possible here.  For some reason the country blocks American TV - no Hulu - no ABC.com - no NBC.com - no CBS.com.  Again I was saying to God how sorry I was for the things I took for granted.  Small things - petty things - unnecessary things - but things we enjoyed none the less.  I could go on and on about the differences - the grocery stores - the convenience foods - bread with a shelf life - a clothes dryer - a dishwasher - etc. etc. etc.  But instead I am going to tell you some of things I am very grateful for!!

Yesterday I spent the morning sewing a ruffle on a pair of curtains that someone had given me.  I was very grateful that I had brought my sewing machine from home and that we had a transformer to plug it into.  But I was most grateful yesterday that I had a Mom that could sew!!  I was thanking God over and over that my  Mom had sent me to the 4H sewing class and that she had trained me over the years how to run the machine and just do some basic sewing.  When I bought my sewing machine several years ago on clearance at Target, it was a big joke among my family.  We would all tease about me making Scott some tennis shorts.  I never really used my machine that often but it was there when I needed it for something simple. This weekend I was thanking God for my machine and for knowing how to use it!! (and Thanking you Moma!)

Two weeks after we arrived in Botswana two young guys came here from the US.  They are here for a year with Campus Crusade for Christ.  We have had the privilege to meet them and spend some time together.  We have had them over for meals, games and just fellowship.  My boys love having them here and ask me everyday if we are going to invite them over.  I am thanking God this weekend that He placed Seth and Matt in our lives so that my boys would have some comfort and connection to home.

I am also very grateful to God for a comfortable home to live in, a safe place in a safe neighborhood.  I am grateful for transportation, for food on the table, for safe water to drink, and for electricity.  I am thanking Him again and again for technology.  I am grateful to be able to Skype with my sister and parents, to Facebook with all of my friends and to be able to share what He is doing in our lives with all of you!!

As I close this post I want to encourage all of you to take some time today and THANK GOD for everything He has blessed you with.  Think of your day and tell Him how grateful you are for every little detail of your life!! Thank Him that He has blessed you with comfort and never take that for granted!!!

I love you all and thank you for reading and praying and encouraging us!! Please keep us in your prayers as we make Botswana our new home!!   Tonya