Africa Update 4

Update 4!!
Friends and Family,
Hello to all! Since I last wrote you nothing too much has changed. Working with the kids gets better and better everyday. We finally made it half-way through the alphabet..a minor accomplishment. I have taken on a new project of mending clothes for the women of the village. I look around at all of the kids and their clothes are torn and tattered, so twice a week I get a bag of clothes that need basic mending..holes from the armpit to the bottom seam. These are the times when eighth grade home-ec finally pays off! I find that it is a good way to serve the women of the village.

I have an experience I’d like to share. On our way to evangelism the other day, we walked by two “gule wamkulu’s”. These are men who are part of a village who dress in this tribal wear. They paint their faces white, wear sunglasses and dress up in straw. Something you would imagine seeing in a national geographic. What happens is when these men are in costume they are participating in tribal traditions, often drunk or heavily drugged out. When they get to a point a spirit comes over them and they become that spirit; usually something that has been passed down from generation to generation. They act as this spirit, may be an animal or something else, who knows. When we walked by them, I actually got a bit scared for my life; about the same amount as being on a rollercoaster. I can just imagine so many of you reading this and beginning to worry, but rest assured that rules the chief of the villages set forth are the highest priority; thus we were safe. I learned so much from this experience. I learned that as far as ministry goes, we are up against something that is bigger than what I thought. The spirits that these men are attached to are so heavily rooted in some tribes, yet are based completely out of fear and sin. Through this I have been discovering and have been redeeming my faith that God can change lives in a big way. One of my favorites songs is “Mighty to Save,” and in this song I find encouragement in a line that says; “…forever, author of salvation, He rose and conquered the grave- SHINE YOUR LIGHT and let the whole world see, He’s risen for the glory of the risen King…” I have been a light since I have been here, and I plan to finish strong, showing my light even when it is hard.

With this said, I am entering a hard time and I need prayer. This next week is our final week of ministry before we go on safari in Zambia and then debriefing. The goodbyes that I tear up thinking about everyday will be a reality come Friday. I’m not ready to go home, but when the time comes I hope I will be. If you could pray for this time and the upcoming week that the stresses of goodbye will reside for a bit, until Friday when it is time, I want my light to shine through to the end.

I thank you all for your support and prayers, and I look forward to my final update once I arrive back in Washington August 20th. Until then, Tienna!
Blessings,
Mindy