The fun and games started when the five Global Challenge X teams were sent up from Pretoria to Zambia in a challenge. It was a tough one to start with and I must admit that I was a little concerned about this but luckily I had great co-workers to make sure I don’t feel too sorry for the team and do send them off.
In this challenge, the teams had to find their own way from Alabanza, Pretoria, to the Masaiti Farming Institute in Zambia which is FCE’s training centre where we are following a disciple equipping course. They had only R700 per person. The tasks were that they had to post their first blog as a team; were asked to raise R2000 per team before coming to FCE; had to make sure they receive passport stamps from four different countries on their way up; take a picture at the Victoria Falls and photograph any of the Big Five animals.
You wouldn’t believe the amazing stories and testimonies each team had about God’s provision and protection! Unfortunately only the Orange team managed to enter the Vic Falls so we are going to try to go there on our way back to SA before we fly to Hong Kong. Wow! They travelled with the most interesting taxis, buses, trucks, “bakkies”, trains, and just about anything you can think of when hitch hiking and trying to save every last penny. Every team has stories about the people they have met on the road and how they had wonderful opportunities to testify through words and actions. They handed out bibles, laughed, prayed, encouraged and blessed. And every single one of the team members couldn’t stop talking about what a blessing this whole experience was for them and how much their faith grew during these few days. We could experience God answering our prayers moment by moment.
I am kind of jealous about their experiences, seeing that I flew up to Zambia with Agnes (one of FCE’s staff members) and we were picked up at the airport. But God used this time to teach me to let go and to trust Him with the team. He showed me that when things look completely impossible or unimaginable, He is in control and will keep everyone safe. It is at times like these that we are completely dependent on God and it is only then that we are exactly where He wants us to be… when we don’t have control ourselves anymore…
After the challenge I told the team that one of the greatest lessons we all might have learnt from this, was to take on every day of our lives in this manner! This is the God-seeking lifestyle we so often talk about in GC. In challenges like these you are dependent on God all the time; you notice Him in everything – from the smallest to biggest things; you act in a much more open, loving and accepting manner towards all who crosses your path; you grab the slightest opportunities to testify or sow a seed or simply give a smile; you trust on God alone when you start losing hope and everything just seems too big or impossible or you become hungry and frustrated… There is so many things in challenges that should be carried over to normal day to day living – no matter what the context of that living is. It will make an enormous difference in our quality of life and our relationship with God. What a pity that when everything is well planned and set out before us, we tend to shift God to the background?
Besides the feeling that I have missed out on a lot, it was great to be sitting on the other side of a challenge and to hear the stories and see how everyone reacted and how the teams functioned and what God did in and through them.
And when I reflected upon all of it afterwards, I realised that God had already started teaching me about this on the Sunday before the teams departed. I was already assured in my mind and my heart that I would be okay during this year, because God would be next to me all the time and whenever I wouldn’t feel capable anymore, He would be there to take over. But now it struck me that my mindset was not quite right about this. I should give EVERYTHING to Him right from the start and He is IN me at all times and therefore He will be part of everything – every decision, every step – not only when it becomes difficult and I can’t do it out of my own strength anymore. It’s always in His power and always by His Spirit leading me! It is God who is ALWAYS in control of the steering wheel and not when I might decide to give Him a chance to TAKE OVER…
Shucks, it’s a big lesson I’ve learnt – may the Lord bring me back here often to remind me.
SULENE