Tuesday, 07 April 2009
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Please Join Us in Prayer for Upcoming Bomake Camp
(this pic is from last year, but it's a good one of some of the cooks & kids from Mangwaneni Mbabane Care Point)Ok, this is a long one, but it's been a while... and I want you to know how to be praying with us!
It's been a while cause honestly, internet has been a thorn in my flesh, one of my biggest challenges. Either it's too slow or out (when I'm at the office) or my computer has been broken & one's not available for use... but enough about my communication woes for now!While I do need prayer for that, I want to ask you to specifically pray with me for a Bomake (siSwatti for women's) Camp/Retreat for the women that I, Karabo & Nelly minister to here in Swaziland. These women are the volunteer cooks at our Care Points that cook for hundreds, if not thousands of orphan & vulnerable children each day.
I along with Nelly & Karabo have such a burden for these women! We desire to see them blessed, refreshed, renewed, healed & set free from pain & strongholds.
Since last year, the Lord has laid on my heart that one way this could happen is thru a women's retreat, a special time apart where they can be ministered to.
At the beginning of this year, we as a ministry team believed the Lord wanted us to move forward with this in faith. We didn't have the money, but knew that was a small matter in God's sight. Since the beginning of this journey, the Lord has indicated in my spirit that it was going to be one of faith, and that there would be opposition (in the spiritual realm) that would manifest in the physical (as it often does).
Well, in Feb, a little over half of the money was pledged! We began moving forward, believing that the Lord would provide everything else that we needed. We set the date, picked the venue, made plans and continued praying.
As of last week - 5 weeks out from our target retreat/camp date (April 28-30th), the money was still not in & the venue still not confirmed, but we felt in our spirits that we must press on.
The venue, a high school that is centrally located & has all the facilities we need doubled their prices from last year, so we've been in negotiations with them to see if they'd take what we were offering to pay them (we're wiling to pay a 45% increase from last year & still be within our budget).
Well, just last Wed, they denied it.
I'm not surprised by this obstacle. While I feel the threat of being discouraged, I do not want to despair. The Holy Spirit has been reminding me that faith pleases God (Heb 11:6) and I know He is asking me/us to press on & stay the course of faith.This morning in my Bible study, the author of the guide I'm using wrote this: " In order to run well, we must listen to God. He has great plans for us and knows the best way to succeed."
Now, you may be thinking, why not a back up plan, why not just get another venue? Well, the plan all along was to listen, obey, take one step at a time as the Lord directed. And while we are checking for other venues, its a small country and there aren't many places available with the space we need (110 + staff) & that's in a good location to keep transport costs down. - And it's during school break here, so that limits us even more.
So, dear friends, I'm asking you to PLEASE PRAY WITH ME/US! I believe strongly that this is the Lord's retreat, that it is His heart for the women, and that all will come to fruition exactly as He has planned!
* Please pray with me that we would listen, obey and that He would show me/us (our Cooks Discipleship team) how to proceed.
* Pray that I/we wouldn't get discouraged or despair, but that we would remain strong & steadfast in faith, in what we believe the Lord has called us to do.
* Pray that His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven, as it pertains specifically for this retreat
* Pray that soon we would see in the physical what He has already ordained in the spiritual... that the rest of the money would come in & that the venue would be secured (specifically this high school, St. Michael's!)UPDATE on this FAITH JOURNEY towards the camp/retreat:
* On Friday, my director told me that we have the rest of the money for the camp budget approved from Cup!
* We still need to pray, however, because the money that was 1st pledged to us (from another source than Cup) has not all come yet.
* We’re still looking around for other venues, but nothing has worked out as a possible 2nd option.
* I have still not been able to get a hold of the speaker we are hoping for - my African mama (I used to minister with her when I lived in Pretoria.)
* I went to St. Michael’s (the venue that we had originally planned to have it at that’s way over budget for us) on Monday to again meet with the head teacher. I was reminded of the story of the persistent widow who kept going to the judge to plead her case (Luke 18:1-8 - a parable on prayer & faith!). It really does seem that the reason they’re charging so much is because they’re water bills are exorbitant, not just because they’re trying to make extra money. BUT, he did say that he would meet again with the committee on Tuesday (today) to resubmit our request for the amount we offered to pay.
SO PLEASE KEEP PRAYING!!I just keep thinking that God is setting the stage so He can get the MOST GLORY!!
And we will rejoice together when we see what He will do for His women here in Swaziland! AMEN!!
Thank you for being on this journey with me! Blessings to you in our precious Lord!
Much love, Jacci
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