The food vendors in the marketplace each rented their own space in a huge enclosed building. There are 2 chairs for customers at each booth. Teboho wasn’t sure if the ladies would want us to take pictures…just take a look at the eagerness!
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Meeting Needs
Our visit to Mafeteng went great. We estimated that over 300 people gathered to meet and greet us.
The children preformed traditional songs and dances. Renee even tried to keep up with the girls in some dance on their knees.
The matriarchs of the village organized the distribution of shoes and clothing beginning first with the orphans, then proceeding to the children of single parents who are not working.
We gave the matriarchs Sesotho Bibles and asked them to promise us that they would read to the children. The highlight for me was when 3 teenagers asked for Bibles so that they could grow in their faith.
Bucket Balance
Ok. I’m a rookie with this. Maybe my head isn’t flat enough. But, I’m going to practice and conquer it. By the way…the bucket is filled to the top with water!
This is the way it’s supposed to be done…
A Special Heart for Those in Need
We met Me’ Rose during our first visit to Lesotho in February 2007. We became fast friends and she became instrumental in our Lesotho ministry. Me’ Rose has such a big heart. She’s always watching for how she can help others.
Somehow she seems to know about the most urgent needs in communities, schools and churches…and she gets things done. God has equipped her with an invaluable gift of administration. Without fail, when we arrive, she has color coded lists of children’s needs, has arranged for the purchases of clothing, food and supplies, and coordinates our visits. Most importantly she shares with the children and adults why we’re helping. She boldly tells them of the love of Christ and the hope of eternal life through Him. Me’ Rose does not want to miss the opportunity to reflect God’s love to them. She understands that just as the moon refects the sun’s light, she is to be reflector of Son’s light.
We always spend a lot of time with Me’ Rose. During this trip we’ll be visiting her home and village again. I’ll be eager to see how the children have grown in stature…and spiritually over the past 9 months. We’ll laugh. We’ll share. We’ll listen and we’ll learn.
Me’ Rose is a great encouragement as I watch her live for Christ. Her sacrificial service challenges me to give more. Her love for God spurs me on to go deeper in my relationship with Him. And her smile brings me joy! I’m seeking to refect Him. How about you?
A Special Friend!
Only God! Only God can direct a woman living in Ethiopia to visit one website in particular, one out of billions of websites on the Internet. Only God can then develop a deep friendship between two women on separate continents as they correspond via email, sharing their common commitments to Christ and their visions for doing God’s work in the world.
Only God can prompt a church in a small African country to invite a team of women from the US to come and teach God’s Word and encourage their people. Only God! And when our one and only God provides such extraordinary opportunities, I want to immediately follow!
I have known Dr. Angela Benson (Director of the World Health Organization in Lesotho), now from Lesotho, since 1998 when she first visited the Anchor Your Life website and we began to correspond via email. Over the ensuing years, Angela and I have shared God’s Word and prayed for one another many times. I had the privilege of meeting Angela and her family while they were in Philadelphia a few years ago. God knit our hearts together in Him immediately. Then, I had the joy of hosting Angela in Sarasota two years in a row.
For years Angela has used content from the Anchor Your Life website in Bible studies and small groups in her local church. Consequently, many of the people in her church are familiar with Anchor Your Life.
God is continuing His incredible work in our lives and in the ministry of Anchor Your Life!
Hang in There!
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (NIV) Galatians 6:9
Reaping a good harvest took hard work and patience. Four months would elapse between a farmer planting and the time of his harvest. But, if the necessary preparation had been done, the harvest was certain. Paul (the author of Galatians) knew our nature. . .our tired nature and he encouraged us to not give up. . . To “keep on keepin on!”
What are you tired of? Are you looking to the harvest or just maintaining what is going on today? Have you given up already? Are you weary of the day to day work of keeping up your home? Of paying the bills to reduce your debt? Of serving others? Of waiting for your prodigal child to return? Of being the only Christian at your workplace or in your school? Of waiting on God to answer a prayer? Of poor health? Of a unfulfilling marriage?
As we grow weary, often it results in discouragement and many of us eventually just give up. The best reason for resisting weariness and giving up, is that Jesus never gave up! He is our greatest example. As He was hanging on the cross, being ridiculed and abused, paying the price for our sins, not His. . . He endured. He fixed His eyes on the “joy set before him” and “endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). The next time you get weary, fix your eyes on Jesus. . . “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:3) And remember, KEEP ON KEEPIN ON!
Where Do You Go To Get Advice?
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. (NIV) Isaiah 40:8
God’s Word truly does stand forever. Personally, I don’t want to depend on anything or anyone else, but God and His Word! Not other men or even men’s opinions about God’s Word! Who are you listening to? Are you digging into God’s Word and finding Truth for yourself? Or are you depending upon what others to give you? depending upon others to explain God’s Word? Are you depending upon a pastor to show you God through His Word? or a teacher? or a radio personality? your spouse? a friend? Those who teach us from the Bible are important, but God also wants you to get into His Word for yourself. . . spend time in the Bible. . . wrestle with what He is saying to you through His Word. . . and I promise you, you’ll never be the same!
Do you need strength today? or wisdom? Do you need God’s Spirit to be your counselor today? Your Spirit to comfort me. . .Your Spirit to be my advocate. . .Your Spirit to be my peace. . .Your Spirit to be my confidence. . .Your Spirit to give me courage. . .
Resting in the Potter's Hands
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (NIV) Isaiah 64:8- You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pot say of the potter, “He knows nothing”? (NIV) Isaiah 29:16
- This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. (NIV) Jeremiah 18:1
- How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter’s hands! (NIV) Lamentations 4:2
- But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?'” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? (NIV) Romans 9:20
- But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (NIV) 2 Corinthians 4:7
- In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (NIV) 2 Timothy 2:20
A Prayer to Pray:
Forgive me for when I get things mixed up. I know that You are the potter…I am but clay in my Master’s loving hands…molding me…making me into whatever vessel You desire. Lord, I want to stay on Your wheel so that You can craft me into Your vessel used for Your purposes, made holy, useful in Your Hands, and prepared for Your good works.
I know that I do not need to strive, but rather that I need to rest in Your hands as You delight in Me. If I am a noble vessel from Your hands, I want to be the best noble vessel I can be. If I am a common vessel, I want to be the best common vessel I can be. When I am molded by You, the beauty of Your vessel will be evident to all.