World Race, January 2009 - Cathy Zelvis

So where's my direction going to come from now?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have always needed direction. I've been accustumed to someone saying, "Go this way" or "Go that way". The same applies to ministry. With each month on the World Race, our ministries were assigned to us. There was some flexibility, but there were at least parameters on what we could do.
As we spend our last week of ministry in Florence, Italy, I'm hit with a challenge - not having someone telling me what I should be doing. It's not that I can't think for myself - actually, I probably think a little too much. It's just that I've come to rely on a superior to give me direction when it comes to ministry. So, I have been faced with the challenge this week to sit, pray, and wait on the Lord to give me that direction that I need. I never imagined it to be so hard. It's been a few days since we first arrived in this beautiful city. I've seen some incredible art, churches, and various other buildings that most people only to get to see in pictures. I've tasted the real Italian gelato, and, boy, is it amazing.
But, sight-seeing and tasting the local foods is not why I'm here. And I keep asking myself, "Why am I here?" To be honest, I have no clue at this point. We've only a few days left. I'd love to finish this Race strong and with an awesome story to share. Maybe that awesome story will come to pass, but maybe it won't. It's not to say that God isn't working, because this year has shown me that He definitely is whether I recognize it or not. Even if this year doesn't end in fireworks exploding to the tune of the 1812 Overture, I've got a ton to share with people of what the Lord can and does do with normal, average people like me. But, getting back to my dilema... Where's my direction?
Maybe this week is readying me for home. When I return to the familiarity of home, who's going to place in front of me an agenda for the ministries that I need to get involved in? Who's going to show me where the needs are in my community? The answer: no one. I've really got to seek out the Lord. He's got things lined up for me already. He's got people that He's going to bring into my path that need to hear my testimony, or simply need to know that they're loved and prayed for. The Lord has a plan for my life. I just need to ask. The asking is then followed by the harder part - waiting to hear from Him. He's speaking, but am I listening? The Bible says that He has a "still, small voice". Often times, I think I allow the noises of this world to drown out His sweet voice. It's not about finding a sound-proof chamber so that there is absolutely no other peep to distract me. It's about intentionally seeking Him and expecting a response. He's not a genie either who speaks upon command. The Master and Creator of this world seems to work from a different time frame than what I'm familiar with.
So, that's my lesson for the week...

Indelible Gone till November

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My teammate Ashli Hanna put together this cute little video of our team over from the past 11 months together...

we're so close

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Noah and I still need your help!! We are still in need of $1162 before we are completely, entirely, fully, to the max, funded for the World Race. With only 20-something days remaining on the Race, time is running short.

How can you help? Of course, we wouldn't be against you giving to support what we're doing here on the World Race, but there are a couple other ways that you can help us reach that goal of $1162...

First, you can join us in lifting up this need to the Lord.

Second, you can talk to some of your friends or contacts about supporting this ministry.

Will you join us? If you need more information from us, feel free to contact me through this website.

Thanks so much!

Cathy

where to next? part 2

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ok, so we arrived in Prague, Czech Republic last night. We're here only for a day in the city. We fly out early tomorrow morning, as in a 6AM flight for Milan, Italy.

Warsaw, Poland proved to be an awesome experience for our team. We worked with a married couple that are pastoring a church in the capitol city. We shared our testimonies of what the Lord has been doing in our lives over the past year. It was amazing to me just how hard it is to choose just one thing to talk about and just how easy it is to speak about the work that the Lord has done in my life over the course of the past several months on the Race. It's awesome to look back and see the Lord's hand moving through us. It gives me a lot of hope and excitement about the future. God really is so good!!

Well, I will check in with you all again!

Thanks for all your love and prayers!!

Odessa and Kiev in Pictures

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Meet Ksusha and Ksusha, friends from Odessa. They are 2 of the sweetest girls that you'll ever meet.

Our team went to an Italian opera in Odessa. It was everyone's first real opera - there were mixed reviews. But the opera house, both inside and out was gourgeous.

Much like the Statue of Liberty in New York, Kiev has a statue that we came to know as "Big Momma".

In the city of Kiev, Ukraine, they have help couples tell the world how serious they are about their relationships. They have a "lock bridge". People write / engrave their initials or full names on a lock and then latch it anywhere on this bridge. The key is then tossed away, never to be found again, because their love is never meant to be broken. We thought it was pretty cool, but didn't have a lock with us at the time. So, we posed for a picture on it instead...

My friend Natalka, whom I will always treasure and hope to see again one day.

The main religion in the Ukraine is orthodox. There are many, many beautiful orthodox churches.

Odessa is a port city on the Black Sea. Naturally, we had to check it out (and pose for a picture).

Tragedy struck when we all realized that the summer weather that we had experienced throughout most of the year was coming to an end. After 3 years of faithful service, Noah bid farewell to his 2 pairs of cargo shorts. These shorts had been resurrected from the dead so many times this year. There's a mended tear at every square inch. And the mends were of different colored threads, so you can imagine the uniqueness of these 2 sacred pairs of shorts.

Of course, it was also time to say goodbye to the walking sandals. They also did their job very well. They may have stuck around a little bit longer had it not been for the aroma that caused some to fall ill.

I say all this jokingly, but it really was hard for Noah to let go and say goodbye. One last hug...

where to next?

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As we leave the city of Odessa today, we're a bit saddened. We have had a great time with the university students here and other people that we've met and befriended along the way. This city will always have a special place in my heart.

We are leaving today, boarding an all-night train ride to Kiev for debrief.

After debrief, we will be going to Warsaw, Poland for about a week. I'm pretty excited about going to Poland and being apart of some ministry there. After Poland, we plan to head to Prague in the Czech Republic. We could be going to another country as part of our final month of ministry here on the Race.

After our ministry time has come to an end on the Race, our entire squad will be getting together one last time for our final debrief in Vienna, Austria. (I can't believe that we've almost come to the end.)

So, we have a bit of travel ahead of us this next month. Could you please keep us in your prayers for this last leg of our journey? Could also pray for our final weeks of ministry, that the Lord would be glorified in all that we do? Thanks so much!

I Looove Borscht!!

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am not a fan of beets. I don't know if it's how they've been prepared for me in the States, but they have never tasted good to me.

I am a huge fan of borscht, at least the Ukranian version of the soup. Guess what the key ingredient is in borscht? Yeah, beets. I liked borscht so much that I asked a couple of the friends we've made here in Odessa if they would be willing to teach some of us Americans how to prepare it. Natalka, who loves to cook, was only too excited by our proposal. Anna, Kim, and I got to learn the secrets of the making of the Ukranian favorite. It starts with a meat. We chose chicken - a whole, raw chicken. For whatever reason, I volunteered to tackle the whole, raw chicken. As I crunched the knife down on the rib cage, I couldn't help but cringe and think back to my high school biology class. Dissecting wasn't fun then and I found out a few days ago that it still isn't. (As a forewarning, the next little bit may be too much for those having weak stomachs.) As I got to the part where the legs had to be separated from the body, I just couldn't get the knife to slice through. I tried to twist and pull the leg off, but God made a pretty robust design when he made the chicken. So, Natalka, having done this so many times before, gave the bird leg a good twist and off it came. The other ingredients were easier to handle, and were chopped and diced, with Natalka directing her sous chefs at each step. The entire process from start to finish took about 2 1/2 hours. I had never made soup from scratch before, so I was really excited for the final product. When everything was the right consistency, the fragrant borscht was dished out. It was soooooo good. I can't wait to try to duplicate it at home.

Natalka and I are getting the raw chicken ready for cooking.

Anna, being a good sport, smiles just before slicing into some potent onions.

Kim's preparing the beloved beets for the soup.

Here's our good friend and head chef Natalka.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the actual borscht when it was done, because we kinda just ate it and it was gone. But, trust me when I say that Ukranian borscht is excellent!!

just a little bit more

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Noah and I need your help!! We are still in need of $2077 before we are completely, entirely, fully, to the max, funded for the World Race.

First, you can join us in lifting up this need to the Lord.

Second, you can talk to some of your friends or contacts about supporting this ministry.

Will you join us? If you need more information, feel free to contact me through this website.

Thanks so much!

Cathy

taking it to the streets

Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

wednesday nights, some Christians get together to go out into the streets to share the gospel. for our team, this past wednesday was our first night out. we were to act like we were taking a survey, having a list of questions. the suvery questions, however, aren't your typical questions. we asked about their church background, whether or not they believed they would go to heaven, and if they believed that there was life in the hereafter. my group consisting of a ukranian, a pole, and myself, faced a lot of rejection. many said that they didn't have the time to talk with us. one lady vented out her anger on us over a past hurt before we really said anything. some didn't say anything, but gave us the "talk to the hand" gesture. a few people did stop to "take the survey". one man seemed to become nervous when the focus of our questions were realized, and even more nervous when my ukranian friend began to actually spell out the gospel to him. although everything about his body language said that he was uncomfortable, he listened. max, about 20 years of age, stopped to talk. he seemed genuinely interested in what we were saying and after receiving an invitation to attend church service this sunday, said that he had time to come. that made us all feel pretty good.

some of the responses that we received just blew me away. when asked what "happiness" meant to them, we heard things like "children", "love", and "health". most either didn't claim to attend a church or were attending an orthodox church. when asked if they thought they would go to heaven if they were to die today, we heard "i'm thinking about it", "i don't believe there is a heaven or a hell, it's something hollywood created", and "i don't know". one man said that he doesn't have any thoughts whatsoever about the future, he only cared about the past. he didn't want to have to worry about what was to come. i was so puzzled by that answer. when we asked why they thought that God would allow them into heaven, we generally heard that it was because they were a good person. i was later told that these were the common responses from talking to random people walking down the street. there is so much deception here and also a lack of concern about God, having a relationship with Him, and our final destination once we leave this earth. the apathy is overwhelming. we tried our best to share the truth of Jesus Christ and God's desire for His people. seeds have been planted. much like the rest of our experiences while on the race, the rest is up to God. i really believe, though, that there is huge potential for a transformation here in odessa. i think the ukranians need to hear the truth, because they're not hearing it in their homes and, in some cases, they're not hearing it in their churches.

as i write this, i can't help but think about the passage in the Bible from romans 10:14-15...
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!""

and then also in romans 10:17...
"...faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

we've got to tell them. there's not much time left. none of us are guaranteed another breath.

First Impressions of Odessa

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Before I really get started with this blog, I want to say thanks to everyone that prayed for us as our team journeyed from Brasov, Romania to Odessa, Ukraine! Nothing but smoothness in our travels and crossing of the Ukranian border. God has been so good!

Ok, now for the blog...

Since the moment we were dropped off at a bus station in Odessa, Ukraine, our team has been treated amazingly. We had plopped ourselves and our gear on the ground to wait for someone to take us to a place where we could rest for a little bit. Then the Lord sent an angel our way. Her name was Ann. She even looked like an angel with natural blond hair, blue eyes, and a face of innocence. She was waiting herself for a bus to take her to another location for a friend's wedding. Ann greeted us so warmly and in English. (By this point we hadn't fully come to the realization just what a blessing it was for a Ukranian to want to speak to Americans in English.) She was very kind and we chatted about various things. This woman whom we had just only met, gave us her cell number in case we should ever need help getting around the city or for help in translation. Before we parted ways, she even bought us all a box of chocolate as a gift because she said that she liked us so much.

As we were saying our goodbye's to Ann, we were saying hello to Natasha and Kasusha. These two fantastic young women have been taking such great care of us ever since. After a long night and day of travel from Romania, they took us to a nice little restaurant for our first real meal of the day. We then all crashed at Kasusha's flat (or apartment) for the night. The next day, Kasusha and her mom began making calls to help us find our own flat to live in for the duration that we are in Odessa. With an appointment setup with a landlord, we grabbed all our gear once again and headed out. Needless to say, we tried a few different flats in the city center, but none seemed to work out for one reason or another. Then Natasha called and said that she had received word on an available flat that would meet our needs and our budget. I need to mention here, that while Natasha was helping us locate a place to dwell, she was also moving from one flat to another that same day. This girl is amazing and selfless. She found the jackpot and within a matter of hours we were resting comfortably in our new space.

We have met a few more people that are much the same in how they just go out of their way to show us where the cheap places to eat are located or where to get our groceries. With only being here a couple days, God has shown us tremendous favor in every area. I know that I haven't really said much about the city of Odessa itself... Although the city seems incredible and has a lot of things that we hope to check out, it's the people that we've met thus far that have made this city so great. Unexpectedly, this could very well be one of my favorite places that we've been to while on the Race.

Oh yeah we're going to the Ukraine!!

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's true, our squad is making their way to the country of Ukraine. Not really sure of our ministry yet, but that will come in due time, right? Anyway, I'm excited but not sure why. Honestly, I know very little about the country. That's probably why it's exciting - the unknown always seems to be.

Anyway, could you please keep our squad in your prayers as we're traveling these next couple days?

Thanks for keeping up with my blogs. You'll never really know just how much it means to know that people are reading up on what's going on in our lives from so many miles away. I love you guys! God bless!

Romania Picture Blog

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from one of the high hills surrounding our little village.

Caught this just in driving by...

Also caught this driving by...

Our first Sunday in Viile Tecii, all of the World Racers from 3 different squads paraded down the street,

singing worship songs and inviting people to come to the evening service.

Team Indelible enjoying another amazing sunset on the World Race.

During our Romanian debrief, our squad went up against another squad in a dance-off.

Here, are peeps are practicing for the ultimate challenge.

The Romanian city, Hollywood-style...

One day of our ministry in Viile Tecii, about 40 of us went to a nearby apple orchard to pick

apples to earn money to buy food for the poorer people in the community.

Living not too far from our city of tents was a pig pen that finished up all our food leftovers.

I've never lived with pigs before... Boy, are they filthy and smelly!

I don't know if this is true, but it seemed like more people had horse and buggies than they did motorized vehicles.

The 10 Romanian Should's and Should Not's

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With each country that we have visited on the World Race, there have been certain cultural customs and traditions that we needed to abide by to have an effective ministry. Romania is no exception. Here in the small village of Viile Tecii, the people are very conservative and orthodox in their religious beliefs as well. Here's a taste of the should's and should not's in their everyday living in Romania:

1. Christians should not dance - there shouldn't be even the slightest swaying to the music
2. Christians should not eat sugar. I have no idea why this is a rule, but, thankfully, our ministry contact likes sweetened things.
3. Christian women should wear skirts to all church services, and they must fall below the knee. This rule isn't unique to Romania. We've been told this around the world.
4. A woman and a man should not be seen walking alone together unless they are married. Scandalous!
5. A married Christian woman must wear some sort of head covering when in church or visiting homes. When I first heard this, I was mortified as I pictured myself wearing a babushka throughout the month here. To my relief, a thick headband is an acceptable form of head coverage and can actually look quite cute.
6. The bowls used for eating and dish-washing should not be used for any bathing activities. You might think that should not is reasonable, but please remember that we are still on the World Race and what we would have considered unacceptable before the Race may not be so now. Sometimes, showers and clean clothes are a rarity.
7. There are gender-specific roles here and should not be challenged. For example, men should not wash the dishes because that is the woman's job. Conversely, women should not be helping in any construction work because that is the man's responsibility.
8. Only men are allowed to preach in the church. The women can sing, give testimonies, and even teach other women, but they cannot preach from the pulpit.
9. You cannot have your hands in your pockets when in church. I'm not sure of the logic behind this rule, but it's proven a challenge for our pocket-lounging hands.
10. Women should greet one another with a kiss on either cheek. This is not a must, but I think it's a nice way of saying hello and goodbye.

Romanian Ministries

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our entire squad and a chunk of another squad have invaded the small town of Viile Tecii, Romania this month for ministry. It seems that we've about doubled the population here. Some of the locals seem to enjoy our presence, like the owners of the mini-markets that sell pop, ice cream, and candy. But there is also a small number that don't appreciate our being here. Fortunately, this group has only protested in small ways like blasting American musical favorites like Hotel California one evening so that we were unable to have a night of worship around a bonfire. Yet there are still many people that seem to genuinely enjoy our company. Here's just a brief rundown of what all the Racers have been doing this far:

*Home visits - help clean, prepare meals, watch the children, or just sit and talk with them
*Running church services
*Construction jobs around the village - building walls, concrete steps, pig pens, etc.
*Collecting and organizing firewood
*Having women's nights where we have the opportunity to just pour into them
*Pick apples in a nearby orchard to raise money to help the poorer families in the community
*Visiting and playing with children in a gypsy village, where they are considered second class citizens even to the actual second class Romanian citizens
*Some Gardening
*Running a kids' club

hello romania!!

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

hey everyone!

i just wanted to send a quick note out to let you know that our squad is in romania!! it is incredibly beautiful here. i can't wait to post some pictures of the amazing scenary.

our team has been given a rough idea on the ministry, but i'll let you know exactly what that is at another time in the near future.

thanks to everyone that prayed for our travels in getting here from south africa.

take care,

cathy

we need your help!!

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Noah and I need your help!! We are still in need of $3937 before we are completely, entirely, fully, to the max, funded for the World Race.

First, you can join us in lifting up this need to the Lord.

Second, you can talk to some of your friends or contacts about supporting this ministry.

Will you join us? If you need more information from us, feel free to contact me through this website.

Thanks so much!

Cathy

where is the hope??

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Some statistics have shown that Swaziland will cease to exist within the next few decades due to the AIDS / HIV epidemic. Approximately one out of every two Siswati people that you meet are HIV+. Back home, I remember hearing about the situation with AIDS in Africa, but it never really hit home with me. Africa was so far away and I didn't know anyone personally infected with HIV. That's all changed now.

Maswane, a 19-year old girl, was raped at the age of 14 by her uncle and possibly her brother as well. Now, five years later, she is unable to leave her "bed" because of pain that has overtaken her body thanks to the HIV that was passed on to Maswane. This is how she will live her final months, weeks, or days. True, people are becoming infected with HIV because of their promiscuity. But there are also innocent victims, like Maswane, that didn't do anything wrong and yet are dying at such a young age because of the disease. Speaking of age... The expected lifespan for a male in Swaziland is 29 years old. For a female, the expected lifespan is 30. Our ministry contact, Pastor Gift, is 35 and considered a senior citizen.

Depressing isn't it? This is the reality that they face here. Death is waiting outside their doors. It's no wonder that there is a sense of hopelessness that hangs so heavy here. I had the opportunity to visit with Mantombi for a few days. Both she and her husband are HIV+. Amazingly, she is in her 40s. She's very frail and sickly. Even the wind hurts her throat if she opens her mouth on a breezy day. Unfortunately, her husband, who works on the nearby farm, invests his wages in the bottle so that there's none left for food. She is currently taking care of her grandson because both of his parents are working. She can hardly take care of herself. When asked if she had anything to share with us about her life, she could only share sad and painful memories. I think I've seen her smile once.

Part of our ministry here is to offer people hope. I feel so limited in what I can do for Mantombi and Manswane. Their needs are greater than anything I can satisfy. But it's not me that they should be looking to for help. Without a doubt, they need the Lord and the hope that He offers to all that turn to Him. And the Lord has not forgotten Swaziland. Scriptures such as Psalm 71, 130, and 1 Peter 1:3-9 apply to them as much as they do to me. We've shared some of these passages with them and we've prayed over them. We trust and believe that Manswane and Mantombi and their situations are in the Lord's hands. I continue to pray for them and for this country, that the tide would change, where the people would turn and follow after the Lord with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength. Instead of their population decreasing rapidly, I want to see them begin to multiply in this land. I want to see the AIDS epidemic become a thing of the past. I want to see real and lasting hope restored in this place. I believe it can happen. I'm praying that it does.

Leaving a Legacy

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When Swazi adults are asked to recall some childhood memory or something about their parents, most times, they are unable. This trend will continue as long as HIV/AIDS has some control in Swaziland. People are dying at such a young age, often times, leaving behind small children. It's no wonder that people can't remember a thing about their mom or dad.

We have been helping create what are called 'legacy books' for people that are infected with HIV/AIDS. The mom and/or dad will come in for an interview where they can leave any words or memories that they want to pass on to their children. In the interview, they provide as much of their family tree as they are able to recall. They are also asked of things like their hobbies, their favorite Bible passage, and their favorite food. With a couple snapshots that we take, we then contruct the book. Some of our artsier people prepare almost like a scrapbook of the information and the pictures taken. Once complete, the book is then returned to the parent. The idea is that the parent will then hand the legacy book to their children as something to treasure after their parents have passed on.

A number of parents have come to have a book made. They want to be remembered by their children long after they've died. I believe that the children will appreciate the legacy book, be it now or in the future. Being able to see a photo of their mom or dad and reading what their parent had to say will help keep the parent's legacy going. The children will never have to wonder if their mom or dad loved them because of the words in the book. It really has been an honor to be apart of something so special between a dying parent and their children.

Mantombi's Gone

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I had mentioned a little bit about Mantombi in a previous blog entitled "where is the hope??". Noah and I were able to see her once more before our time had come to an end in Nsoko. She looked even more sickly this time. When we arrived, we found her asleep on her porch step, lying in the sun's warmth. Her head, which was normally wrapped, was left uncovered. Her eyes were more sunken in, and it seemed like it was difficult for her to keep them open as if her eyelids were too heavy. She was covered in flies. It was a depressing sight. she told us that her leg was hurting again and she couldn't walk without help. She had made a recent visit to the hospital to restock her HIV medication. Unfortunately, the hospital had given her the wrong meds which made her very sick to the point that she couldn't eat and she couldn't sleep at night. To hear that she wasn't able to eat worried me because she didn't eat much in the first place. Her body seemed thinner and more frail than our previous visit as well. We had brought her a PB&J sandwich and an orange. She set the sandwich aside, but devoured the orange, which made me feel a little better. She was in and out of consiousness during our time with her. We prayed over her a couple different times. As Noah and I prayed over Mantombi, I lightly placed my hand on her back. There was no meat at all between the skin and the bones. It was really hard for me to leave her that day, knowing that this was probably the last time I would ever see Mantombi again. And to leave her in such a state just tore at my heart.

That day really was the last time that I will ever see Mantombi. Pastor Gift, our ministry partner, shared with our team on our last night in Nsoko, that Mantombi had passed away. It felt like someone had stabbed me. I just couldn't believe the news. I figured that she didn't have a whole lot more life to live on this earth, but I didn't expect her passing to come so soon. I couldn't hold back the tears. I had met with this woman a handful of times and had yet developed a love for her. I wanted to "adopt" her and take care of her. It was hard to watch her live in such poor conditions and with a husband that could care less about her. I wanted to rescue her. But, I couldn't. I cried and then I left her to Jesus. She had told us that she was right with the Lord, and I hope that is the case.

Mantombi really did want to take a picture with us. For some reason,

the people here do not like to smile for the camera.

I just never thought I'd have an experience like this. I never thought that I'd come to know someone personally who is HIV+. I never thought that I would grow to love someone in such a short time. I never thought that I would lose a person I had known for such a short time.

Goodbye Africa, Hello Europe!

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's that sad time again, where we say "so-long" to a continent. The past three months in Africa have been amazing. I pray that God would continue the work that has been started in Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Looking ahead, we're flying on September 3rd to Romania for our first month of ministry in Europe. At this time, it's not clear what ministries we will be partnering with. Please keep us in your prayers for safe travel and also for the whatever ministry God has for us.

Thanks so much!!
Cathy

Swaziland Picture Blog

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Swaziland!

The kids seemed to enjoy learning new games.

We split up our teams to serve the 8 different care points in the Nsoko area. The care points offer a meal to children during the week and also some education. We shared stories from the Bible with the kids, played games and sang songs. At the end of our time with the kids, they are fed what could be their only meal for the day. Here, they are eating what is like sweetened grits.

Pictured is one of our translators, Majabane, eating a huge piece of sugar cane.

The area of Nsoko is covered with sugar cane farms.

Thandi (left) and Nellie (right) were also two of our fantastic and friendly translators.

Rachel and I are working on some of the legacy books that parents that

have HIV/AIDS will give to their children so that they will be remembered after their passing.

This is Noah and myself pictured with Mantombi, whom I had also written about in other blogs. I know that she doesn't look too happy here, but she really did want to pose for a picture with us. Not lying. When we gave her a printout of the picture, she stared at it for some time and then safely placed it in her coat pocket.

I had written a blog previously about my friend Noxie. She really is a special girl.

Did Jesus ever get lice?

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Have you wondered if Jesus ever had lice? He obviously loved children, what with all the Scripture about the Kingdom of Heaven belonging to them (Matthew 19:14). In Jesus' time, I don't know how clean the kids were when they were seated on the lap of the Son of God and Son of Man but I can't help but wonder if He ever got head-lice from being so close to the children.

You're probably thinking, "where is she going with this?" Perhaps it is a strange thought to have, but I couldn't help but wonder since we are surrounded by kids that are less than squeaky clean. I have a heart for children no matter who they are or what they look like. I have great compassion for those kids that are caught in poor conditions where they are unloved and/or neglected. But, here's my confession... I have loved children from a distance. Even back in the States, I would "ooo" and "aaah" at a newborn, but would never volunteer to give the mother a break and hold the baby for a bit. Or, when I saw a child with snot running down their face, I would tell someone else that the child had a messy face and that's about it. It's shameful to admit, but that was me.

Here, where we are staying in Swaziland, there are children everywhere you turn. They are definitely not clean-faced or even wearing diapers when they're obviously not potty-trained. You have no idea where their hands have been or the last time they had seen soap. So, what is someone who has almost like a phobia against being too close to children supposed to do in a month filled with ministry for kids?

Well, a little girl got to make that call for me. During our first week here, our ministry contact took us around to the various care points in Nsoko. (A care point is a place where children can get food and some education and also some health care is given to anyone in need.) Our van pulled into one such care point, and a school of small kids swarmed on us. Every child wanted someone from the van. As I reached for the exit, I looked around for a free place to step where I wouldn't trample the kids. Before both my feet touched down, however, she grabbed my arm. A girl that came up to my waist wanted me to pick her up. I bet I can't even count on one of my hands how many children I've held. I saw other Racers carrying their new friends and decided that that was what I was supposed to do as well. When I lifted her up, it didn't seem so bad. In fact, I thought I could do better than just simply hold her. I began to swing her around and dip her. She laughed and smiled. She then wanted to ride my back. By this point, I didn't give it a second thought. I ran around with her holding onto me so tightly. We had a great time together. We were both laughing. When it was time for the kids to go into their classroom, she continued to hold onto me and lead me inside. In the classroom, the kids sang some songs for us, one about peeling and smashing a banana. We learned the words and the motions and I just had the best time being with all of the kids, singing with them and laughing at our silliness. When it was time to go, I was a little saddened, but I waved goodbye to my new friend.

Since then, I have had such a great time with kids. How dirty they are doesn't bother me nearly as much. They love being held, walking together holding hands, kicking a ball back and forth, and being pushed on a swing. What used to make me shrink back now brings me such happiness. They are so precious. I don't know if Jesus ever had lice because He hung around children, but I know that if He was surrounded by kids, He experienced great joy. I'm predicting many smiles and much laughter... Oh, for the kids too!

Noxie's Proposal

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Noxie asked me to adopt her. She's 14 years old and is currently living with her grandmother here, in Nsoko. She was recently either kicked out or willingly left her father's house because of Noxie's stepmother who actually kicked her. Noxie has completed seventh grade and desires to finish her education. However, because attending school means tuition and her grandmother cannot afford it, she is unable to go. Thus, Noxie's proposal...

I first saw Noxie sitting outside our house absent-mindedly playing with some rocks. I began talking to her. She seemed a little upset by something. It didn't take her long to confess that she wanted to be adopted by wealthy people so that she can leave her grandmother's and also continue her schooling. She noticed that I had a band on my ring finger and asked if I was married or engaged. I said I was married. Then she asked if I had any children and I told no. She asked what kind of work I did back home and I said that I didn't have a job. Then she asked what my husband did, and I had to tell her that he also is unemployed. She said that I could still adopt her anyway. "You don't need any money to adopt children here," she told me. Although I don't think that's entirely true, especially since I am not a resident of this country, my heart broke for her. I've had thoughts of adopting children from foreign countries for a number of years now, and here was this young girl nearly begging me to take her back with me to the States. How do you respond to a proposal like that? From a child that is not living in the greatest of conditions? I'm not sure what I said to her. My mind keeps going back to that conversation. The truth is that I want to adopt / rescue as many children as I can from harsh conditions. A child deserves to know and believe that they are loved and cared for.

In the little time that I've had with Noxie since we arrived, I can tell that she craves attention. She's very bright and knows how to speak English. I was able to witness Noxie with other girls that are the same age. She became a different person around them; she put up a front and acted like nothing bothered her. But I saw what I believe was the real Noxie when she "proposed to me". She is a child that wants to have a chance and wants people to love her and not mistreat or abuse her or cast her off as nothing. Being here in Africa, I've heard more stories than I care to count of kids being either neglected or being abused. The Bible says that children are a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3), but they're sometimes treated as mere trash.

There are many Noxie's in the world and I can't adopt them all. I can't help but be overwhelmed. The Lord is taking me through these experiences, but at this point in time I'm not sure what to do with them. For the moment, I'll share them with you. I'm not going to "propose" that you begin the adoption process right now for a dozen children, although, if you feel God leading you to do so, then by all means. I do, however, ask you to pray. Pray for these precious ones. Pray for the Lord's protection and provision for them. There's no telling what the power of your prayer can do on their behalf. The Lord listens to prayers like those. After all, "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world..."

Victoria Falls Picture Blog

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Noah and I were able to go on holiday to Victoria Falls for a few days. Here are some pictures of one of the greatest natural wonders of the world...

Before I begin, I just wanted to mention that Victoria Falls makes up some of the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Here we are on the Zimbabwe side.

Just a portion of the Falls from the Zimbabwe side.

Still in Zimbabwe.

Still Zimbabwe... (They had the best views between the two countries.)

This is also on the Zimbabwe side and believe it or not, there are falls behind this thick wall of mist created by the water.

Getting ready to enjoy a cruise along the Zambezi river and watch the sunset in the African sky.

Another incredible sunset. Thank you Lord!

On the Zambian side... God's promise to Noah (that's Noah from the Bible) still holds true. God even blessed us with a double rainbow. It was amazing to see in person.

Still on the Zambian side. I had never seen a rainbow so large before. I was speechless at this point.

Future African Travel Plans

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's what's ahead in the coming weeks for team Indelible:

Noah and I are traveling up to Zambia to check out Victoria Falls later this week. Sort of a second honeymoon. Exciting!!

At the same time that Noah and I will be heading north, the rest of team Indelible will be heading south, leaving Malawi, to meet us later in South Africa.

Next week our team, collectively, will be heading to Swaziland to work at an orphanage for AIDS/HIV children for our ATL (Ask the Lord) month of ministry.

Please remember us in your prayers as traveling in Africa is not always the easiest. Please also join us in praying into our ministry in August. Pray that the Lord would reveal what He has for us while at the orphanage. Thanks so much!

It can seem overwhelming...

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ministries abound in South Africa...

In the township of Sualala, Janette has started a sewing ministry where women can learn how to make items such as clothing and handbags which are then sold in an effort to support their families. While they are learning the tricks of the sewing trade, Janette is also discipling these ladies through Bible studies.

In the Badplaas township, a dedicated group has been constructing a nursery school that is to open in about a week. The head teacher, Elisabeth, walked through the work in progress with a smile and a twinkle in her eye that looked as if she was envisioning what the classrooms would look like filled with young children.

The construction of the nursery school should be ready within the next week or so for the kids to take over!

Our sweet neighbors Scott and Becky have been working with a small group of missionaries, starting a discipleship Bible study that can be facilitated by anyone (literally anyone) that is willing. The idea is that the people involved in the study will want to begin one themselves, inviting new people to join in. Once people learn the truth of God's character and also the significance of the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ, then the invitation to salvation is presented. In this way, once people are saved, the practice of reading and studying the Bible will not be foreign to them and they do not need to have a missionary always there to guide them. The Spirit gets to do the leading and teaching. Awesome stuff.

Kathy, originally from California, has been working on translating Bible school materials into Portuguese so that pastors in Mozambique can start small schools in their communities so that people can better understand the truths of the Word. She is also helping the pastors here in South Africa start-up Bible schools.

These ministries make up just a very small chunk of all that has been started by people from both South Africa and from around the world, by people that the Lord planted "for such a time as this". God placed a need on their hearts. Then He gave them a vision that they are being obedient to. The Lord continues to meet all their daily needs as they serve Him without so much as a paycheck.

The needs here in South Africa are great, just as in just about every part of this world. And, I know for me, the needs can seem overwhelming. Where can you even start to make a difference? The neat thing is that it's not really up to us where we are to go and serve. God reveals that. In His own perfect timing, He takes you one step at a time down the path known as "His Will". The other neat thing is that your path and my path are likely not the same. Since there are so many needs in this world and because He's created each of us uniquely, we are planted in different locations and in different areas of service. But, we all work together with one goal in mind: to serve God and God alone. You're not in this thing by yourself. You've got sisters and brothers all over the world that are in this thing with you. I don't know about you, but that gets me really excited to serve Him with everything I've got! You???!

Romans 12:4-8
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."

A Vision for Me

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm not the one to usually receive a vision from God or hear His voice on a regular voice, but this past Thursday, God both gave a visual and spoke directly to me. I began by asking the Lord to reveal to me anything that He wanted. I invited the Holy Spirit to come. There was a song that began to play in my mind from the Christian artist Bob Carlisle called "Living Water". The lyrics of "Come, living water, flow through me like a river. My heart's been thirsty so long..." would not leave my mind and so I began to get a little frustrated that I was already being distracted and I wouldn't receive anything from the Lord then. Then something did happen. I saw a waterfall before me. The sight was beautiful as the running water glistened in the bright sunshine. It was a clear day. I then saw a person, not myself, twirling in the fall, with arms raised, splashing in the water, having a great time. As I watched them from a distance I heard the Lord say the words "freedom" and "acceptance". The Lord then said that the person enjoying the waterfall was who He wanted me to be. Ugh, that hit me dead center. You see, lately, I've been struggling with issues of freedom, acceptance, and genuine joy. It was then that I knew that this scene playing before me was not created in my mind. The person standing in the water then became me, but I had my back to the downpour now. The Lord showed me nature at its finest, stretching as far as the eye could see. There was a river in the center and dense forests on either side. It was then that I heard "the world". Nothing more. The scene then changed to me traveling along that river in a canoe. I had no paddle, but was being propelled by the current of the river. The river was not wide at all. In fact, there was little water on both sides of the moving canoe. I was checking out the dense forests along the riverbank when to my left I saw a group of people. The people were dressed in attire of what I imagine the native Americans wore when the English first came over to America. Both adults and children were going about what appeared as their normal routine, not paying me any attention. They were a primitive people group that had been untouched by anything modern. I also sensed that they had never heard the Gospel or anything about who Jesus Christ is. As I sat in the canoe, I did not feel any fear and, instead, felt the weight of a responsibility for these people. I then realized that during this part of the vision, I was 12 or 13 years old. It then hit me of a memory from a summer youth camp, when I was about that age. I had felt the Lord call me to be a missionary in foreign countries. Since that time, I had forgotten or ignored about the calling. Ugh, I felt like my memory had just received a thorough dusting. If I wasn't completely convinced that these images were from God, I definitely was at this point. The Lord told me that "the dream was still alive". Wow. I was then an older version of myself and was on dry ground, encircled by trees. The Lord was then in the form of a shimmering cloud just about the treetops. The shadow above didn't cast any shadow or darkness. With my hand on my head, I was pacing back and forth saying "But, what about this.." and "I can't do that." Then I heard a voice say, "Don't you trust me?" Ugh. I fell to my knees with my head bowed down. After what seemed like too long, I replied, "I trust you". Then the Lord said simply, "Alright". With my head then raised, I watched as the shimmering cloud began to ascend. I felt the warmth of light on my face and I was smiling. As the cloud pulled away, a voice said, "Be happy" and "Smile". Then vision ended there, but the effects of what I had just seen and heard are still ongoing. The Lord revealed to me what He still wants me to do, even after 16 years or so when He first told me of His desire for me. While watching the vision, I asked the Lord to show me where Jesus was in it. He revealed that Jesus was the river that had led me to where the people were. It was so awesome. Not "awesome" like a blond-headed California surfer boy might say in reference to a nice wave, but "awesome" as in GOD-awesome! God shared with me that He desires me to be free, that I do belong and have His acceptance, and that He wants me to be happy and joyful as well. I now know that the Lord does desire to speak to me and to show me things, but I have to be willing to still myself and remove all distractions. For those of you that aren't used to this either, I want to encourage you that it is SO worth it and so God-awesome!

Support Update 7-20-09

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ok, for everyone that is just dying to know where Noah and I stand on our financial support, here's the latest:
of the $27,600 total that is needed, we have $21,882 in our account.

So, we still require a sum of $5,718 to become fully funded for the Race.

Thanks to some fantastic people, we raised $2915 over the past two weeks! You guys are awesome!! We can't thank you enough. Thank you , Lord, for providing as you said you would!

Talk to you soon!

Cathy

Lions, Rhinos, and Monkees, Oh My!

Thu, 9 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

During our last squad debrief, we got the chance to spend a day on a safari at Kruger National Park, located in South Africa. From 5AM until about 5PM, we were able to see some amazing creatures in their natural habitats. Here are some photos of a portion of what we were able to see...

A female elephant with her baby after a bath.

Early into our adventure, we met up with a male lion who, fortunately for our vehicle, got pretty close to us.

This is kinda funny... At the start of the day, the group in my vehicle were so excited and alert to spot anything that moved that when we came across an impala, which is like the African deer, we screamed for the driver to stop the vehicle so that we could capture every hair on its body and every chew that it made for the rest of time. Our driver, who obediently halted the truck, casually and patiently said that we would see many more impalas throughout the day. Well, about 3 or 4 hours into our trek, we had long realized that the driver was correct and we began to get a little annoyed with them. Why? Every time we would hear that there was a lion pride sighting or a leopard sighting, what seemed like the annual impala convention would decide to cross the road at that very moment, reducing our chances of seeing something rare in Kruger. Not that this was any kind of revenge against the animal, but we did have impala meat burgers for dinner later that day, and I have to say that they were pretty good.

Our driver has quick to spot the smallest of critters like this cute mongoose.

We came across a group of both giraffes and zebras that were hanging out together.

And this is the rarest of finds in the game park. It's called 'the Noah'. We spotted him cleaning his teeth after, what we're assuming, was a huge feast. I don't know, he doesn't look all that ferocious to me.

I had been to another game park in Africa and wasn't able to find any rhino's. So, I was geeked when we spotted one right next to the road.

And the monkee. They always seem to be up to some mischief. When we stopped for lunch, one ran up right next to me at the table and snatched an apple before I knew what was happening and could stop him.

What an awesome day just enjoying God's creations!

Ministry in the Mozambican Bush

Sun, 5 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

During our time spend in the bush of the Chinuque Village in Mozambique, we were able to serve in a number of areas:

Teaching - Explaining to the local church certain basics of Christianity as described in God's Word.

Racer Nate Chaplin sharing a message from the Word to the congregation. (Nate is joined with two translators.)

Drama - Performing skits for the children at the nearby school as well as the local church as a way to present the Gospel to the people.

Music - Praising the Lord through song and dance both at the school for the kids and then in the church as well.

Hospital Outreach - Singing worship songs for the patients. There was also the opportunity to share the Gospel with the patients, to which several accepted Christ even as they were quickly approaching the end of their lives. Finally, there were opportunities to lay hands and pray over the patients and the hospital staff.

Bible Stories - The teams re-enacted Bible stories such as David and Goliath and the story of Jonah to the school children. It's a fun way to make the Bible come alive to the youth.

The story of David and Goliath performed World Race style.

Evangelizing in the Community - A neighbor lady had just passed away. Some of our Racers were able to pray with the people gathered for her funeral and also help with the burial. One of the Racers gave the Gospel message to the people as well.

Intercession - Having everyone pray in set time intervals so that the entire day is covered in prayer. Taking prayer walks around the church property, the neighborhood, and at the children's school.

Children from the Community - Having fun just playing silly games with the many kids in the neighborhood, holding them, holding their hands, sharing smiles and laughter, and playing songs for them on the guitar.

The kids from the Chinuque Village love having fun just like any other kids.

With every ministry opportunity, there is a chance to not only bless, but to be blessed as well. God's work may be challenging at times, but it's incredibly rewarding when you invest your all in what He calls you to do.