I guess when God gives you a vision for something.. It’s because HE wants to do something... Even though it sound absurd, obeying might just blow your mind..
So middle 2012 I had to raise money for my journey in 2013 from SCRATCH..
God gave me an idea to make about 1000 matchboxes with my details and the following slogan.. “Take a matchbox and help me lighten a dark world with God’s light..”
I didn’t think that God was literal about it..
So I handed out these boxes, spreading it all around and trusting that God would open people’s hearts to support me in whichever way they could. A week before training started the reality was that only R9 000 was transferred into my account.. For a while I started doubting God and the plan He has for me, weather He wanted me to go to the nations, weather He called me to this specific journey, or simply weather He was ABLE..
4 Days before my training started ( which I was going to do in Faith because I didn’t have the finances ), I had an opportunity to thank my church and say goodbye.. As I stood in front I saw a new face in our little congregation of about 50 people.. He seemed familiar, but I was going to make a fool out of myself, because I had no idea where I had known him from.
As the service ended this guy walked straight up to me asking if I remember him (.. AKWARD). Well it came out that he pitched at my birthday party 3 months before.. Hahaha And he eagerly shared with me that he also wants do do a journey.. I laughed a little inside of myself because I knew that I took about 4 months to prepare for the journey.. I still didn’t raise enough finances and hypocritically, him being a missionary did not make a lot of sense in my head.
( keeping in mind- that was the Sunday before I was getting on the bus that Thursday )
The next morning I received a message that he applied, got accepted and got a bus ticket to travel with me.. I have no idea how he even got hold of my number. It was quite exciting and weird at the same time.. But who knew what God was up to...
So on a long bus ride down to JBAY we got to know each other. And there I found that he actually found out about the journey by seeing the Matchboxes in his moms car, he already filled out the forms, was not sure about it, but that God was calling him in his matric holidays already.. When I had testified in church again he received confirmation.. 4 days before the journey!
Hahah ja sometimes I forget that God’s timing is perfect, that He is never in a hurry but also never LATE..
So 2months of training went by where God came to meet each of us where we were at, preparing us for a journey that started, not necessarily to the nations, but a new journey in relationship with Him, a journey in truth, security of identity and of fellowship.
We went on 2 different journeys, and coming back to JBAY after 8 months of travelling I was astonished by what God had done in his life.. Meeting a boy and a year later seeing a man, who knows God’s heart, who walks by faith, who trusts and who desires intimacy with his FATHER and who knows who he is..
When I came home and saw one of my matchboxes at home I realised what God has done. That He used something so simple to change the life of someone willing..
Vilandre’ is now not only a brother who is helping to light a dark world, but a best friend..
(BTW- God provided for every bit of my finances in many other ways... )