Time to fly......

What is happening:

 So I’m going to Zambia TODAY………what CRAZINESS is this? I always knew the actual getting on the plane part would come I didn't realize it would happen so quickly! In preparation I have just been getting everything together and sorting out the less exciting parts like cancelling bills, budgets, returning borrowed items, banking, packing suitcases. In this process of doing a budget I now know that with my current level of sponsorship I can live for only 6months which is a start, but as you know a little way off 1/2yearsish. Please think about whether you would like to be involved in monthly sponsorship. Let me know any questions you have. (gogogoyi@hotmail.com) You could look at it like this:

£50 pounds a month means I can live in a house,

£30 a month means I can see when it's dark and cook food when it's cold (electricity),

£20 a month means I can eat fruit and vegetables (keep mum happy),    

£ 15 a month will buy me enough internet airtime to keep in contact (to say hello), 

£10 a month means I can travel to town, to go the supermarket

£5 a month means I can top up my phone (to text people),   

£1.50 a month means I can brush my teeth with toothpaste,
£1 a month means I can wash my hair with shampoo,

As you can see even the smallest amount will make a big difference. Let me know if you would like to get involved (see email address above)!  

Things I have been thinking about: 

What is our focus?

 

Recently I had a dream with Heidi Baker (she works with many orphans in Mozambique)  in it we were just discussing how to show God’s love to children. We simply talked about giving the children things that were colorful rather than plain things. I woke up and wondered about why I had had this dream. Ever since I heard of Heidi Baker and Iris Ministries I have been interested in what they have been doing. I have listened to Heidi talking about her ministry many times and one thing that always strikes me is her unrelenting focus on intimacy with God being the center of everything and her complete reliance and surrender to God. It is very challenging to listen to and inspiring.

 

George Muller is another inspiration, I remembered a story that Simon (our pastor) often tells of how George  fed hundreds of orphans when they had no breakfast, by simply asking the children pray, at which point a milk cart broke down outside and the milkman gave them the milk. A little while later the baker arrived with some bread, as God had woken him as 2am and told him to bake bread for the orphans. The thing that this story demonstrates is George's first response not being panic, but instead being lets see what God will do. I find that often this is  not my response. When I find myself in difficulty it often seems easier and safer to  pull on my own resources rather than pull on heavens resources and trust that God will be faithful to His promises. The question is, when the pressure goes on what comes out, is it lets see what He will do?

                                                            

The strangeness of self-reliance:

When I decided to go to Zambia I knew the process would be one of learning to rely on God I have also come to realise that I sometimes find it hard to ask and accept help from others.   

The truth is God puts people in our lives to love us and support us, we find more fulfilling friendships when we let people in and offer our struggles as an opportunity for people to share in life with us. Trust in others is the key, if we lack it we will struggle to let people in as we aren’t sure of their response. One thing that holds us back from asking for help is not recognising our value, when we step out often we find people want to hear what’s going on. Our worry can be that people won’t love us if they see the real us, however the truth is they can’t love us until they know the real us.

A final thought during these last few weeks of preparing for Zambia in amongst the stresses of moving country. I have been hit by the truth that is God is forever faithful. I have woken up singing the song 'forever' by Chris Tomlin the other day it is such an encouragement to remember, if when we don’t get how everything fits together we can rely on this truth that He is faithful to His promises.

I am excited about the next part of the journey, actually arriving in Zambia, settling in and starting teaching! I will keep you updated on developments!