We drove all around this village today. You can see that it was a jewel 30 to 60 years ago. The structures are still solid, but need repair and cosmetic touches. Well, cosmetic surgery. I have decided that I will spend time and money to make our house here a home, not because I am spoiled, but because I believe a home has to be created; the house is merely the shell. I am excited about that project as well, since I enjoy taking a blank canvas and creating a work of art. Thankfully, my husband and children appreciate that side of my personality. It benefits them as well, sort of like my love of cooking!
We drove to the “Chinda house” and got out to walk around. There is a run down theatre, club house, pool, and dorm rooms. I could feel the excitement of the potential as I caught the vision. Gary and I walked all through the soon to be “dorm” rooms of the interns coming here to be trained and sent out. I grasped his arm and looked him right in the eyes, “Gary , do realize we have been touring potential training centres and talking about this since before we were married, and now it is happening? This is it. This is the dream!” He smiled down at me, and said, “Yes this is the dream, and it is happening, and it is happening in Africa!’
Everything we have talked about, every dream we have had separately and together, was here. All of our striving, grieving, feeling forgotten by God, at times wondering if we were cursed, if our time of ministry was over was worth it. Standing there today amongst the rubble and broken windows, we realized this is the beginning! We were not forgotten; we were simply being broken, molded and prepared for what was coming. I know it will have challenges we cannot predict, but I also know it will have miracles and blessings we could not create on our own. I wonder if I should be scared, but I am just too excited and focused. I really believe God is going to use this centre to shoot arrows out all over the nations. How could you not be excited about that?!
To see Gary so calm, so humble and trusting of the Lord and to know that he is going to continue to use his gifting and anointing in any even greater way, that alone is an answer to prayer. We have both been changed, it was not an easy process, and we were not always willing participants to the crushing. Now I am so thankful for all of it, all the pain and persecution…..it all makes sense today. My children have hurt in ways I would have never chosen for them, but they have their own journeys and they are broken because of it. They are very pliable clay for the potter to use. I am glad He rendered me powerless to save them from their journeys, I would have messed it all up.
Yesterday we stopped by a care-point on our way up to Bulembu….there were 2 vans full of first-year missionaries leaving as we pulled up. Gary had just trained them in Georgia a few weeks ago….they were very happy to see him, and love me for simply being his wife. They were jumping out of moving vehicles to get to him, it was so fun. They are so full of life and adventure you can’t help but get caught up in it. The energy coming from them is contagious… one little girl, an African saw Gary and fell in his arms, laughing and crying. She looked at me and said, “This man is very funny, he is very special”. Gary asked her why she was crying. she said” because it is YOU, you are here!” Gary explained to me that they ended up sitting next to each other in the van for hours, on his last visit, and he kept messing with her, and making her laugh. It was just Gary being Gary , but for that little girl it was a man being a father. Paying attention to her, loving her, making her laugh, not abusing her, or hurting her, for her it was life changing. 
I came here wondering if my little life could possibly make a difference to a continent literally dying faster than it can reproduce itself. The truth is, it is all about the “one” person you can be Jesus to. To pray for them, to feed them, to hold them and yes…to make them laugh…
