So, I go to school in Africa...

So, I go to school in Africa.

My teacher says I have to master only one concept in this school.  Are you ready?  Here it is.

This world is my playground, created by God himself.

That's it.  

 

My teacher says that some things are best learned like this:

That's only part of school, though.  She says that mastering this concept means we have to explore, taste, touch, feel, climb, listen, and see what exactly this playground is made of.

Some things are best learned like this:

We learn about our African playground:

And our American one too:

Sometimes we drag along people who are crazy about God's playground too.

Our classmates are citizens from all over this playground world.  Sometimes they talk and act like me.

Sometimes I have no idea what they're saying.  But on a playground, who cares?

This world is my playground, created by God himself.  

I hope I never master this concept.  I think I could learn like this forever.

Behind Walls...

"Can you come along to the prison tomorrow to teach about purity and self-control?" asked Dutch friend and medical missionary, JakobJan.

I'd seen the prison before.  It is more of juvenile training center.  Our soccer boys have played a match against them and all I remember was that they looked like men, not boys.  They lined up behind the fence, it looked like waiting their release back to the world they were birthed in.

"Absolutely", Sam replied.

"Can you give a testimony about self-control?"

"Uhhhh, yep."


When we got there, my Hollywood education on prison-life began playing in the back of my mind as I watched the boys/men finish up their chores.  Some of them looked as old as Sam.  Others, not much older than Sawyer.  I wondered what life was like for those younger ones.

We met a YWAM couple who had a heart for exactly this and their comfort level immediately put me at ease.  JakobJan told me that the girl's prison would be joining us also.

Clad in blue and white striped shirts, the girls began to filter in.  Part of me was intimidated, the other part intrigued by how much I missed working with high school students.  A couple were almost too cool to shake hands, but most giggled.  One grabbed my hand and began comparing our skin color.  They all laughed.  I took her hand and showed her that our palms looked almost exactly the same.  By now even the too-cool ones had formed a bubble of curiosity.  I looked into their beautiful eyes and wondered what in the world had led up to these daughters of humanity to end up behind bars.  What injustices had they done?  What injustices had they been victims of?  Right now, they didn't seem to care much, they were too busy butting into each other's sentences to ask me questions.  A girl we'll call "Z" translated for the girls who didn't understand.  "We want to learn French.  We used to have it at our school, but they don't offer it anymore.  Do you know any French?  We can say bonjour."  Yep, yes, I know how to say bonjour :)  "Facilitators" a.k.a. prison guards, filtered in and out past us.

JakobJan pulled everybody inside and started off with an ice-breaker game.  They hooted and hollered at some new version of Simon Says that I had never seen before.  One of the men helping us gave a personal testimony and then JakobJan called Sam up to share the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife.  Sam read from Genesis and a friend translated into Sesotho.  The kids all stood quietly and respectfully.  Sam went on to share about our 5 year dating relationship and what it meant for him to have Christ in his life to help him carry out purity in our relationship.  He challenged them to know their identity in Christ and to KNOW what they want to be about before heading into a relationship.

It ended with a meal and some music and dancing. Toward the end, JakobJan pointed over to a blackboard on a wall and said, "That tells you what crimes people are in here for."  Out of curiosity, we were compelled to check it out.  45 boys.  2 murder cases.  30 "other" cases.  1 protective services case.  I don't remember the others.

At 1 p.m., a facilitator told the girls to count off, "1, 2, 3,......17".  I greeted them as they walked off and found myself wanting to come back someday.  It was all kind of a surreal way to spend a Saturday morning and I'm grateful for those crazy opportunities God throws in our laps.

70 cents...

3 p.m. Anna leaves quilting class with Elaina to get post office box key from the MAF hangar to pick up packages from friends in the U.S.  

3:20 p.m.  Arrive at the hangar and get key.

3:45 p.m.  Head to the Posong (Post Office).

4:00  Stand in lines to retrieve their packages. 

4:20 Get packages and pay VAT (taxes).

4:23 Put packages in car.

4:24 Parking Marshall demands 70 cents for the privilege of parking.

4:25  Digging through the purse turns up no money, it was all used to pay VAT.  Parking Marshall waits for 70 cents.

4:30  Try calling husband to bring 70 cents.  No connection.  Parking Marshall waits.

4:35  Phone a friend to bring 70 cents.

4:45 Friend pulls up in a van and hands you 70 cents a.k.a. he hands you "Freedom to leave the post office".

4:46  Pay Parking Marshall.

5:00 Arrive home and tear open packages from home.  

70 cents and the cultural experience were WELL worth the energy!

Thank you to our friends who send love from home!!!!!!!!!

Village Visit....

Sam, Sawyer, and visiting friend Joe, flew out to the mountain village of Mokhotlong to install solar panels, fix a fence, and help plant a garden for AIM missionary, Jayne Wilkins.  "Anna, THIS is what MAF is about!"  Sam said excitedly over the phone.  This is what we grew up seeing missionary pilots do and this is what we believe in.  Spending the night in an isolated village to help a church planter set up house and home, dropping in to check on a Bible translating family, dropping off mail to a medical missionary family, and in general using the plane to offer support and resources to aid the efforts of others who are making the gospel message known.  Sam and I desire to use the little plane to not only deliver medical care to the isolated Basotho but also expand the current and varied ministries happening through other mission organizations as we strive together toward eternal spiritual transformation in Lesotho.  Christ's hope IS being spread in these mountains and we are excited by what our mountain missionaries are doing to achieve that end.

We are grateful for the opportunity the boys had to express support to Jayne by meeting her immediate needs and we hope to see more creative frameworks like this in the future with MAF.  

Getting ready to head out at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Prepping the plane with MAF pilot Rich Harrell.

Rich, Joe, and Sam

Leaving the capital city of Maseru.

We are transitioning from winter to spring and you can see evidence as
shades of green fight for life across the mountains.

Rich delivered a safe and speedy flight.

Unloading in Mokhotlong.  The boys were able to bring a plane full of tools,
power tools, and some materials to set up Jayne's solar panels.

As soon as Rich landed, he was called with a Code 1 medical emergency.  Joe hopped back in the plane with him and they made a quick trip to bring a suffering woman back to the clinic in Mokhotlong.

Jayne Wilkins is an AIM missionary who lives alone in a village near Mokhotlong.  She disciples and trains up a pocketful of Basotho who have given their lives to Christ.  She travels by foot, horse, and sometimes vehicle through the mountains.  

Sawyer worked all day Tuesday with two of Jayne's Basotho friends to plant her garden.

Joe, who comes from a cattle farming background, jumped at the opportunity to milk Jayne's cow :)

Sam preps the solar panels to be mounted.

Joe repaired Jayne's fence.

Sam installed two additional batteries to give Jayne more power in her house.

By Wednesday morning, the boys had mounted the panels, fixed the fence,
planted the garden, and fixed Jayne's internet.  Previously, she had not been able to send emails.

Jayne wrote us the next day, " I wanted to send an SMS (text) to say I was at 27.0 on my batteries last night and feeling pretty great to have all that power going into the night.  I thank you both again for a great visit and all the work you did."

Taste from the Psalmist...

...My heart and flesh cry out for the living God...

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage...

Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; 

Listen to me, O God of Jacob...

O Lord Almighty, 

blessed is the man who trusts in you.

...Love and faithfulness meet together;

righteousness and peace kiss each other...

The Lord will indeed give what is good,

and 

Our 

Land 

Will 

Yield 

Its 

Harvest.

...You are forgiving and good, O Lord,

abounding in love to all who call to you.

...I will sing of the Lord's great love forever;

with my mouth will I make your faithfulness known though all generations.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever...

Righteousness and justice are the

Foundation

                 For

                     Your

                            Throne;

love and faithfulness go before you.

...It is good to praise the Lord

and make music to your name,

           O Most High,

to proclaim your love in the morning

and your faithfulness at night...

One Foot...

One foot in front of the other.  You've seen them...the clips of marathon runners and Olympians wobbling up to the finish line.  Left foot forward, shaky knee, gasp, collapse, pull with all their force to extract the right foot up from where it is cemented and place it forward.  Step by step, foot by foot, dignity lost, yet pressing on.

You've had those days.  One foot forward.  You've sat there barely able to breathe.  Other foot forward.  Your mind spinning from the chaos.  C'mon just one more step.  Knowing that what propels you is Divine, so. You. Step. On.

We have those days too, us on the field.  Pulling that foot up out of it's cemented spot, grunting and gasping, yearning for what is ahead, not thinking you can do it, but then you see those left toes sneaking out past your eyes and planting themselves in front of you.  Gasp.  Collapse.  Stand up.  One more step.

Straining to yank the foot out of the tar with a most minute measure of energy reserves, your mind collapses also.  Back to the Basics.  Back to "Why am I doing this?"

"Ama tell the world, tell the world that I'm brand new, I don't deserve you, but I'm a witness that you did this.  A slave to myself, but you let me go, cleaned up my soul, gave me new life.  Christ came and he rescued me."

My mind collapses on this, these words from Lecrae, these words from a sinner like me.  Step forward.  Ama tell the world.  Step forward.  I'm brand new.  Step forward.  I'm a witness that you did this.  Press on.  Step forward.  Christ's transforming power propels me.

DIY in the Body of Christ...

Check out some Do It Yourself aspects of our life in Lesotho.  Practical ways the body of believers pulls together to live in community and love: 

 MAF wife, Megan Harrell, started our home school Friday co-op.
We do science experiments and art projects together once a week.

 Jacobjan is from Holland and his family serves in the medical field here in Lesotho.   He is a God-send to some of our MAF families when we don't know who to call or what to do.  Today, he examined Elaina and gave her some medicine for ear pain she has been having.

  Leaky walls?  No worries.  Round up a handy husband and a handy MAF friend, Ron Grant, to get the job done.

We are grateful for the people God has placed in our lives here who
 pull together as the Body of Christ to serve one another in love.