Saturday, November 29, 2008

Zimbabwe


Joyce and I just returned from Zimbabwe. It was an incredible 6 days of watching, listening, and especially relating to those who have now become a part of our eternal family. We have loved and prayed for Zimbabwe for many years, and have fallen even more in love with the land and it's people. The suffering they have endured is unprecedented in so many ways. Inflation rates in the trillions, and most public systems have collapsed or are collapsing, including water, power, food supply, fuel...etc.

In the midst of all this, we found many of God's people with nothing but Him to hope for. They know that there is no hope from government, no hope from the outside, and it is up to God and His people who are willing to be obedient to His Kingdom ways and plans. We met with many leaders in business, church, and community. We know that Zimbabwe will be a continuous part of our future, along with South Africa. There are other African nations the Lord will be sending us to as well, but for now, most of our work will be in the south of Africa.

The new friends we have made have become family. Their resilience, faith, and courage, against incredible odds, can only be God. We were blessed to feel so welcomed, as well as received as partners for the future. God was recognized as the only source for them. They also realized how important it is to build relationally, and in the Spirit of unity, engage in the Fathers strategic plans daily. They were not to wait for the resources and stuff, but they were going to commit their lives and their every resource to begin to heal, restore, and build wherever they are led. Every one just doing what they are called to do while encouraging others to get in plans of God.

We are already planning to go back as early as January for training, implementing, and coordinating efforts as the Lord leads. Please pray for them, and for all those who God may call into His plan for this nation. One of the things we were able to do is bring some text books into one of the schools. We realized that even though we brought books in, they were just enough for one school. The Headmaster was so thankful, and the high school youth began to rush to look at the materials. It broke our hearts to see such eager learners and yet with no one to teach them. This school usually has 57 teachers and now only 4. So these children are left on their own. They dress every day in their uniforms and go to school knowing that there will be likely no one to teach them.

Joyce and I prayed for a small group of the High School age youth, and declared their future, their hope, and their destinies as they look to the Father. After praying there was not a dry eye as we cried out to the Father for only what He can and will do on behalf of the children, which are the future of the nation. For those of you who may be called to go, or send resource's as the Lord leads, we will gladly coordinate this for you and also provide a family for you to stay with when you go. It is such a beautiful place and it is sad how greedy and murderous hearts have been exploiting the land and it's people.

We also are preparing to go and train business leaders into the practicals of Kingdom life and business. God will not be mocked and those who have sowed the evil in that place will have a day of reckoning, and it is coming soon. We pray that they will repent, for the judgment will be swift and severe. We pray for Zimbabweans will not trust in horses, chariots, or even wall building foreigners. We pray that they will trust only God, and in hearing His voice only on what they must do. HE will send His horses, HE will send His chariots, HE will send the wall builders from foreign lands, and HE will retain all the glory as the world looks on in awe. Here are the natural realities of what is happening in Zimbabwe. The Lord is working in the midst. Please pray with us and partner with us as we engage in Father's miracle for Zimbabwe.

CRISIS POINTS
  • Financial sector instability

  • Critical food shortages

  • Inadequate treated water supply for urban areas

  • Crippled health delivery

  • Education Collapse

  • Forced business closures

  • Failed agricultural seasons

  • Collapsing infrastructure (roads, rail, water, telecommunications, etc.)

  • People unable to access their cash from banks

  • Unable to conduct business due to Infrastructure collapse

IMPACT OF CRISIS


  • Unprecedented collapse of the financial sector, with imminent closure of all businesses.
  • Businesses and private sector cannot transact through the banks and therefore cannot pay wages and salaries. We witnessed queues or lines that extended around the block. Individuals can only take 50 cents out of the bank daily. This is enough for one banana, and they have to go there and spend all day in line for 3 days to afford a loaf of bread.

  • Soldiers ranked below captain are in the same situation and are becoming angry and taking it out on bankers, and civilians. Mugabe is now arresting his own troops in fear of rebellion to what is happening.

  • Hunger and starvation countrywide leading to disease, low productivity, and threat to lives. CNN reports up to 5 million dead in 6 months if something does not change. Anthrax is now showing up in the cattle.

  • Nationwide cholera outbreaks with over 500 dead already. This has been found in the public water system.

  • Hospitals have closed down completely. Some aids patients have taken over a section of hospital for their treatment's.

  • Closure of most public schools and colleges and now even the private schools are being impacted. Teachers cannot get paid, nor afford to even get to the schools to help.

  • Accelerated flight of qualified and skilled staff. Massive exodus of doctors nurses and other professionals out of the country.

WAY FORWARD

  • Only God! There simply is not other solution or back up plan than Him and His providence, wisdom, and direction for His people.

  • For smaller communities, they must pool their resources and talents and possibly go to a bartering system or God created new currency.

  • Start now. We told those who are able to begin now. Start to ask the father what they must to help others and prepare the way for the future.
  • Pray for God to sort out and deliver the people from the current government and begin to build the government that honors Him and His principles of leading a nation.
  • Pray for God's people to rise up and not move in fear, but supernatural faith, and His supernatural ways.
  • Pray for Isaiah 60 rebuilders of the walls from foreign lands that will come with no agenda other than to serve. That the doors will open only for God's people and provision and that all roads in for those who are not coming to serve to be closed off.

Joyce and I welcome any and all partners in this. We have no idea how the Lord will provide for our way back, but we have no doubt He will do this. We believe God will get all the glory for what He is doing there, and what He is about to do. Please pray and also go, send, provide as the Lord leads, in Jesus name.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Loving Beyond Religion

Joyce and I are on our way to South Africa. We are blessed to stay with some friends in the UK that are Muslims. Christina and I knew each other in High School and have not seen each other in 30 years, and then she married a Saudi Arabian Sheik 8 years ago. They have a daughter named Sirina who is 6 and is adorable. Divine providence allowed us to connect this year, and to be here for a few days to love and be loved. There simply was no other agenda but to build relationally and love one another. In the brief time we have had together, we have been able to share many things. We have talked about Jesus, (Isa), and God, (Allah), and the common ground we have.

Their Holy Book the Q'uran mentions Jesus as a prophet 110 times. Though they do not acknowledge Him as the Son of God, they do acknowledge that we must follow His ways, so we talked much about following His ways. I was so amazed at how much we can grow together this way, and that Muslims are not our enemy like the media sadly portrays, but truly can be our friends towards doing good to those around us, and around them. It is from this premise that we can believe the power of God to get all of us on the journey towards living as Christ to the world and agents of God for doing good to others.

I have watched in recent years how much religion really kills. We talked about Jihad and the Crusaders who allowed religion to turn to hatred. Religious Christians can be brutal towards one another and to others. When you see the tears and compassion of my Muslim friends for the injustices in the world, it is touching and we actually found more in common with them then we do the religious right, and the religious self righteousness that is a stench to the throne of grace. James 1:27 says that pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. From this premise, we can work with all of God's creation who desire to pursue God's view of religion together by doing good to those who need it the most.

I look at our self serving western Christian practices that have been infiltrated with mammon, ego, and glory stealers, and I realize that I have much more in common with those that may not share my faith, but share my desire to be set apart to touch the poor and bring glory to God. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life to our heavenly Father. Can we get others on the journey and trust the Holy Spirit to transform lives as we work together for the good of mankind? I think we can, and I am so thankful that religious agendas, and mindsets, continue to diminish while His love increases in our hearts. In freedom we can bring His light and His truth to those who will receive the Jesus in us.

My friends embraced us and the Jesus in us, and we have found a language called love that will continue to bring us closer to one another, and closer to God. We appreciate your prayers as we leave today for South Africa, and also Zimbabwe for the next 3 weeks. We love all of you and thank God for your lives, and your friendship... Go and find those who you can touch today in the midst of your differences and watch the miracle living God in each of you to impact others forever, and for His glory alone.....