HIGH and THE LOWS

of this expereince and God being in all of it. Cant believe that today is our last day in Masi. time flew by. The guys put the shack up for the single mom. Brad, michelle and Jeremiah were the heros - they tore the old shack down and the stench, cockroaches, black mold, and other creepy things were all in the rotten wood. It was so eye opening to see the reality of what people live in. Kevin, danmike, and our boys brought the new shack down to Masi in pieces. They had lots of help putting it together, watching the new house go up was so great. A new home for this single mom. May Jesus be glorified!!

WE met with Christina and Vovo on Friday. Vovo lives in the Wetlands, and we would go to simple church at her house twice a week. We never got real one on one time - our time with her was studying Gods word. Last Friday we met - just us girls, chelsea, julie, me, christina and vovo - and we got to know each other. vovo shared her story - she was married and her husband cheated on her and then came back HIV positive - giving it to her. So vovo is HIV positive now. she is no longer with her husband and she is caring for her four year old little boy. she is a wonderful mom - her reality is she lives in a tiny shack (8x8) she has no job to support herself and her son, and she is HIV positive. the tears ran hard on friday between all of us girls. what can we say - nothing - we sat with her, cryed with her, hugged her, and called out to Jesus on her behalf.

Vovo is a strong woman in the LORD - she told us that this life is a fight - and she knows it better than any of us. But since she has come to know Jesus (this past April) she is fighting for the Kingdom of God to continue to grow among the woman in Masi. When the guys were building the new shack for this mom - it was vovo out there helping and being an encourager to her. Vovo was so happy for her - and vovo like so many others could use a new shack also. You see i love what Missy Weisman just blogged - it is so true - sometimes we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to the poor and the oppressed - but they are always the face of Jesus to us.

I gained two new sisters in Christ over the last couple of weeks. Christina and Vovo. I have learned so much about Jesus. How can we spend only two short weeks together and have a heart full of love. It is only Jesus. You see - these are two woman that I would want to be like. They know real Joy and they know real Hope. I have a long way to go on both. Yes Vovo - this life is a fight - and you are doing it where it is so hard. YOu shine so bright.

Walking into Masi on the first day - i was naive and probably a little prideful - coming in to save the day - walking out of Masi on the last day - very humbled to have walked alongside these amazing people. I cant pretend to know what life is like for them, not even a little. I could walk down from my beautiful team house into MAsi, stay for a few hours and leave. I type with tears streaming down my face. I have learned so much from them.

So much to process and pray through. I know that God is breaking our hearts over what breaks His. And i want him to continue to work on my heart. our hearts desire is grow in the knowledge and love and power of our SAviour Jesus and continue to see more and more what the kingdom of God is suppose to look like in our lives.

There is so much more to share and I will use this space to process and tell more stories and testify to the goodness of God. This has been a life changing experience. Words cant describe all that we saw, felt,and witnessed. Surely the LORD had His hand on this trip. TRuly amazing to walk with HIm.

SNAPSHOT

into the lives of the people that God has put into the lives of our team.

Porsha - single mom from Zimbabwae - new believer - celebrated her sons 1st birthday yesterday, praying for the lump on her breast which is now shinking (keep praying) she her give her life to the LORD and seeing God building her up into a strong leader for the women in Masi. Helped her started a knitting business and she her pour herself into this and seeing her reap the benefits of her hard work. Also watching her be a blessing and offering hope and help to the women in her community. Only Jesus.

Stella - a young girl from Zimbabwae - just had a baby two weeks ago - so scared and no place to live b eing a new mom is scary in and of itself but under her conditions of literally being in a foreign land and homeless with no one. She left her newborn son in a field and God miracously rescued this baby and has since reunited Tommy with his mom Stella. Watching Porsha give what little she has to Stella, and seeing All Nations come around Stella and teach her the basics about being a mother (to burp your baby) when to feed - Pray that through all this she meet Jesus. Her real hope.

Tasaborse - The young mom who has aids and lives in a mud hole practically with her two small children. God is using us/you to give her a whole new shack (thank you friends and family)

Elios - Zim man who Kevin has been meeting with - he is seperated from his wife and two kids - they re still in Zimbabwae. not $ to get them here. his heart aches to be reunited with them. He loves the LORD though and finds His hope and strength in him. He has been a blessing to get to know.

Godknows - 17yr old orphan who is looking for a way out of Masi - Has been hanging with our group and we are praying that he would find work and that God would continue to build him up into a leader of Africa.

Henry - A man that Jeremaih and Brad are meeting with - he is from Zimbabwae also, he is a believer - he is seperated from his family also and he just got word a couple of weeeks ago that his two year son died in Zim. He longs to go back but cant.


Pacoma - an abused teenage girl who left her home and is living with another family. Looking for love and guidance.

There are many more people that we have met. and they all have a story along these lines.

I was feeling a bit overwhelmed yesterday with all of it and then we came together as a group and sang and laughed. The kids are a greace to us because they love to have fun and they help us not take ourselves to serious. God didnt ask us to save the world - Jesus did that - we just need to be faithful to bring the joy and love of Jesus to the lost and then lay it at the cross. Such a rich time. Makes me so grateful for home and what God has belssed our family with. Family and friend who love us and who are journeying with us, our home and our community, our schools - education is such a gift, jobs - health - but the most important is JESUS - just give me JESUS. We are experinceing His love, grace, strength and miracoulous powers each day. It is a rich time - hard at times yes - but so rich. We love you - Marcy

POVERTY

What do we do with it? It has been something we have been trying to wrap our minds around. The more you get involved the more complex it becomes. It can be so overwhelming that it is easy to say - forget it. But Jesus didnt say forget it. In fact over in the Bible God speaks about being the father to the widow and the orphan, and HE is the Defender of the weak andthe oppressed.

I meet with Christina - she is a new believer - a single mom and hungray to study God's Word. She is reading James so as a family we are reading it. The words that pop off the page " Pure and faultless that is pleasing to God is looking after the widow and the orphan and not being corupt by the world". Go down to chapter 2 and he says the "poor in the eyes of the world are rich in faith and His kingdom belongs to them." we are so seeing this truth. I usedto think that these verses were for the sake of the widow and the orphan but I think it is Gods grace to us - becxause spending time and sharing our lives with the poor we are finding is Gods grace to us. It is seeing God's Kingdom on earth in its purest form.

WE went whale watching the other day - that was a grand day - The weather was perfect and God made the whales dance for us. It was soo incredible - but driving there we passed another township (i dont know the name, I will find out) where 1.1 million people live - just for perspective Masi has 30,000 people. SA is truly a unique place where 1st world and 3rd world are right across the street.

What I am also learing is that we just need to be faithful to what God is calling us to do each day. " Who despises the day of small things" If we each do our small part somehow God works through it and wilkl make all things beautiful. Gods gloryu is everywhere in the mountians, in the ocean, in the sunsets, in the whales, in the faces of our african friends. in the laughter of the children. Just taking time to see this has been huge to me.

Today we will start gathering materials and building a new shack for a single Zim mother who has two small children and she has AIDS. she live in an 8x8 shack with no floor and no roof. when it rains she has puddles and it is always damp. Praying that she shes the love of Jesus in this act of love. This is what you are all a part of. Meeting the needs of the distress widow and orphan. So humbling to be part of God's family, you are all part of this mission, praying for Gods blessing on each of you. Gotta go - Marcy

SIMPLE CHURCH

Today is Sunday, we are taking in all the beauty if this day. The weather here has been to good to be true. Everyday b/t 60-70 degrees and sunny - partly cloudy. The beauty is breath taking. Ouyr group is going to Cape Point today - it is one of the most Southern points in Africa. It is where the Indian Ocean and the Alantic Ocean meet. God's greatness is reaveal alot through the waters. The water is uncontrolable, powerful and beautiful. We will be worshiping on the beach tonight - Godknows wants to tell us about what God is teaching him - what powerful testimony to God when Godknows says over and over God is good. He tells everyone God is good. Godknows has nothing. Yet he pocesses so much - The knowledge of the love of Jesus Christ. Godknows has never been to Cape point so we count it an honor that he would go with us today. I was reading in Proverbs today 22:2 the rich and the poor have this in common - The Lord God is the Maker of us all. Such profound truth. TRying to figure out what to do with all we are seeing and seeking God on His direction. This is hard stuff to process. IT seems like there is always tension with being thankful for what God has blessed us with and not feeling guilty. I think that God like us living in that tension it makes us constantly seek after His will and His way for us. He has a specific calling on everyone. And it is up to each of us to listen to the call He has on our lives. I do know that God's heart is for the poor and the oppressed. We are seeing Jesus through the eyes of the children.

I apologize for no pictures my laptop doesnt work, so i buy minutes at a Cafe. So bear with my typing I feel like I am always typing against the clock. Praying your Sunday is blessed with rest and time with Jesus. WE love you all - keep praying. Thanks mom and dad and Curt Kim taylor sam and david for taking care of my dogs. I know it seems silly - but it really does mean a lot. There my boys. Again we love you.

Knitting

Today we went to the wetlands to play soccer with the kids. Brayden was all smiles - there were so many kids and we had a great soccer match in the field. The little kids are so hungray for attention and love, and touch. they are beautiful kids. Godknows has been with almost all the time. He is a Mighty Man of God - He spoke about Jesus to the kids in the language. We will go back on tuesday to play again.

In the morning I had my quiet time and our house is up the mountian, and from the deck we can see the township of Masi. I was reading about the prodical son and how the Father ran to his son. The tears came then as I know that is my story - that God ran to me and how he desperatly wants the people of Masi to run to Him. He has his arms wide open. My heart breaks for them. The needs are huge - everywhere you look there are desperate people in desperate situation. And the people that let the Word of God enter and they believe in Jesus it is so powerful to me to see what Jesus means to them. He is there only hope. Even the name Jesus - saying it brings so much power. WE are praying for Porsha, she found a lump on her breast and the doctors are telling her that it is cancer. This is nursing her 10 month old son and the doctors told her to stop. Nursing is his main food. So it has been so difficult, we are praying and believing that the lump would be gone. Please stand in that prayer also. She is alone and she is scared.

It is awesome to see everyone in the group using their different giftings. Sheraya just happen to bring her knitting to use during her down time - but God had different plans - she is teaching Porsha how to knit slippers, so then Porsha can start a small business and make a little $ to support herself. Shereaya has spent hours already knitting and talking with Porsha. It is beautiful. Everyone is doing so well and we are seeking hard after God each day together. We are truly nothing without Him. The harvest is ripe.

A typical night for us is, a dinner is made by Syvia, so deilcious, after a long day in Masi to come home to a great meal has beeen a huge blessing, then we play games, sing, worship, talk, laugh, watch little house on the praiire. And go to bed.

The next couple of days we will be sight seeing in the afternoon. Taking in the beatuy of South Africa. We will meet with people in the morning and then go sight seeing in the after noon. We love all of you - please join us in prayer AWAKE AWAKE OH MASI - AWAKE from your slumber and set your eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfector of our Faith. Sign off - Marcy

AWESOME GOD

We are seeing so many answered prayers already. As a group before coming we prayed for specific people tyo pour Christ love into and He has placed some a mazing people into our lives. DAnmike and Kevin mety this boy (17yrs) named Godknows (dont you love that name) he is an orphan from zimbabwae. He has nobody here and has been spending all his days with the guys of the team. Asking lots of questions about Jesus and really taking in all that He is learning. He is also a b-ball player. He has a lot of potential so we pray that the words of Christ take deep root into his life. That little boy that I was telling you about named backie - he is an amazing boy. he plays with logan everyday asfter school and he can speak english which is rare for little boys to speak. he has a lot of charisma so our prayer is that we would be able to meet his family. Christina is a single mom that I have been getting to know. she was just baptized a month ago and is so eager to learn about Jesus. Many of us went to different house churches last night. So powerful to seek after God with our African brothers and sisters. A lot of the girls in the group went with Missy yesterday to meet some children that are orphaned or that will be soon. Their parents have died of AIDS or are dying. It was an emotional day and a lot to process. One of our prayters is that we could use the extra money that God has blessed us with and use it for these children. My time is running out on the internet (everything is timed) so i need to sign out. Blessings - Marcy

Basketball Shoes

Yesterday afternoon Sawyer, Kevin, Brayden, Logan, DanMike and Jeremiah went and played B-ball with some guys from Masi. Tim (a local missionary) has organized this b-ball time with some guys. Last year Sawyer and Kevin played only a couple of times. But one of the times SAwyer went without Kevin and saw that a teenager didnt have any shoes and was playing in flip flops - so after playing Sawyer gave his shoes to this kid. Yesterday the first person to show up at the b-ball courts was this kid (i am sooo bad with names) - he took a look at Sawyer and then pointed to his shoes. The sme shoes that Sawyer gave to him last year.and began to thank him profusely. He remembered Sawyer from last year, only after seeing him twice. God didnt have to give sawyer the opportunity to meet this boy again but in His huge grace did (1st day in Masi) it was profound to Sawyer. This boy gave his life to Jesus this year and I have a feeling that we will be hanging out with him and his friends hopefully a doorway into the lives of the lost. Logan also met a little friend last night (Becky) a little boy) while everyone else was playing b-ball Logan was climbing trees with Beckie. Brayden and Ally are coming into their own also. At worship this morning Brayden asked if wecould organize a play day with the kids who live in the wet lands, Masi is so poverished - the smells and the trash and the hungry kids and families, but the wetlands is behind Masi with no roads and is more poverished. Brayden has a real desire to help these little kids out. His big smile and his love for kids is a gifting he picks them up and loves on them. Pray for opportunity for Braydens desire to come to pass. Our time as a team coming before the LORD is WOW!! WE are seeing answered prayer, which we are so grateful for. but coming into the presence of God - really there is nothing like it - In His great love continues to transform us.

This morning during prayer time it hit me - after I still struggle with short term missions - the need is so great and sometime I wrestle with how does our time here really make a difference.

God is showing me that if we just came here in on our own to do good then it would be here today and gone tommorrow. But partnering up with our Almighty God and letting Him work through us - then it is not us at all doing anything and God's work is everlasting - He can grow any seed that is planted - We can encourage people and be the voice of Jesus. God's Word does not return void - Yes - Gods Way is not our way - and we dont understand sometimes but His way is so much bigger. So we go and walk by faith that through us He does work. Isnt our God amazing!! Our team is doing great together - we spurr each other on and let everyone use their own giftings. It has been amazing to be in community with Julie, Sheraya. Chelsea, DanMike, Michelle, Brad, Jeremiah and Missy. Please pray for each of us. God is opening many doors for each indiviual. Julie has made relationship with a young mom, whose mother is a witch doctor in Masi, she is very receptive to Julie and wants Julie to keep coming back. Its only our 2nd day in Masi but it feels like we have been here for a long time. The guys will be playing b-ball again tonight and we (girls) will be going to our 1st simple church meeting tonight with teenage girls. Missy meets with these girls weekly. Looking forward to this. Learing alot about simple church. I will blog about that later, Anyway praying all is well at home. WE miss everyone but we are taking in all our time here and holding out our hands to serve but also to receive from God all that He pours out. And praise God it has been 70 degrees and sunny since we have been here. Signing off- Blessings in Christ

MASI

Today was our first day in Masi. The long anticipation of meeting the people that our hearts already loved. We prayer walked this morning in the village. They live in little shacks with 4 walls and a tin ceiling. The ladies keep their place so clean and are so praoud of what they have. The Kids are doing well. we would walk up and down the streets and the little kids would chase us down, touch our hair and our faces. We had a chance to pray with several people. One story that that was profound was Brad Klaver, Sawyer and Tim (al local) went up to some woman and asked if they could pray for them Brad prayed that they would know their worth in Christ and called them beloved. The woman couldnt hold back the tears. The thing that hits me more and more is that we are all created in the image of God. and our hearts all yearn for the same thing - LOVE - The Love of Jesus and the Love of others. Kevin as a lot of opportunity to do dome building, we are praying for disernemnt to where the biggest needs are, Sawyer and Kevin and the rest of the guys will be playing B-ball tonight. WE will be taking a teenage girl shopping, she is abused and her dad got rid of all her clothes. We are already seeing God Breaking through. please continue to pray. WE love you guys. and we are doing soo good,

GRADITUDE

This will be a quick entry because i am fighting against the clock (time limit on the computer) WE made it. We are in South Africa and it feels so good. Beautiful counrty, great people, it is soo good to be with missy and jeremiah. they are doing well. the kids did great on the plane, the travel was a breeze. we are going to the ocean today and just have a free day of exploring the area. Sunday will be the same - enjoying each other company and maybe mountian climbing and some orentation for the ministry that we will be doing starting Monday. WE got here at 4:50 am got to the team house we crashed and woke up t noon to a beuatiful day. God is so good. WE love you all wish you were here. Ill type more probably on monday - signing off for now - love - marcy

TRUST

Three days and counting... My first entry was about my inward jurney with God over this past year. I pray that my inward journey is only at the beginning stage, because it has been the most life changing time in my life. I didnt have to travel to any foreingn land to find brokeness and poverty. I found it in my own heart. Sitting quiet at the feet of my Saviour - I have met a God who is greater that I could have dared to hope for. Surrender. For me it was a wrestling match with God - I was hanging on to what I beleived God to be and who I thought I was. God was telling me to let go. Let go of how I live, let go of what people think, let go of my kids suceeding in sports, let go of being busy even for "God", let go of my pride, my fear, my unbelief. Let go so I can come in and lead.

This winter and spring i have cryed more tears and have had my fist in the air trying to make sense of what God is calling me to be and about two months ago He woke me up and told me to open my Bible. The words that jumped off the page shot through my heart. It is probably one of the first verses I ever learned and I have recited over and over but on this early morning this verse went from my head to my heart

"Trust in the LORD, do not lean on your own understanding but in all your ways aknowlege Him and He will make staight your paths;" Prov 3:5&6

Trust, Trust, Trust - do you trust? Trust and Obey

Jesus says "take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for i am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. for my yoke is easy and my burden is light: Matt 11:29&30

I am finding Jesus words true - running with the herd - trying to keep up and chasing after things that I can never attain is wearisome - when I sit with Jesus and let Him love me - life gets so simple - Love God and love others. God let me love Kevin the way you do, let me build Him up and help him be all that you created Him to be, let me love my kids the way you do, let me see them each the way you do. Give me grace and wisdom to parent them and help them be all that you intend for them to be. Prince and Princess for you. Let me love the world through your perfect love with expecting anything from people but putting all my hope in you.

I started this entry saying three more days - three more days until my family leaves for South
Africa. This calling is one of the wrestling matches I had to turn over to God, He put this desire on Kevins heart to bring our family to Africa. I had the desire but struggled with "is this my desire or Gods desire," and how would we fly 6 people over there and have Kevin take 3 weeks off from work, and really who are we, and what difference could we really make for Christ Kingdom. God had to break me of huge pride and unbelief and spoke over me "Marcy this is not about you even a little bit, this is about Me and My glory, I chose you and I will work through you if you will let me but you need to let go of control" Getting to this point has been grueling and excilirating. He is teaching me that flowing in the current with Him is so much easier than trying to hold on and flow against Him. As I type I wish that I could pencil the words I feel toward God I will try. He is HUGE, AWESOME, LOVING and KIND I marvel at his GOODNESS. He is FAITHFUL to His promises, His ways are incredible, His timing is precise. He is a miracle worker. I have seen so many. The fact that He would choose us is a miracle, the way He has used so many people in our lives to be the hands, feet and voice of Jesus has been amazing. We are a product of Gods Kingdom breaking in and forth. The way people sacrifically give finacially has brought our family to our knees. The encouraging sometime prophetic words spoken to us were key in preparation for this trip. This has been an unfamiliar journey for us - probably because we are walking by faith and not by sight - the spiritual warfare at times has been intense "batlefield of the mind" The prayer that people have offered to God on our behalf is unbelievable. I'm starting to see and understand God's Way. He wants community and fellowship for us - we get strengthen by each other. As we journey to a far away place we take your words, your prayers and love with us. We are going with 6 other people from our church - they have become dear friends to us - we leave August 7th and return August 28th.

I know that what God is calling us to is more than this trip - it is a calling on our lives to continue to seek after Him - To have the scales fall from our eyes and see - really see and to live life desperate for more of Jesus and His ways and less of me and my ways -This trip is a learning opportunity to expereince the heart of God - For He is the father to the orphan, and His heart breaks over the oppressed.


People have been asking "how are you doing, what are you feeling" I want to express that I have NEVER experinced this kind of peace in all my life. I dont know what the next 3 weeks holds for us but I do know who holds our hand. Experiencing that wherever God is at is where I want to be. To God be the Glory for the Great Things He has Done. We love each of you so much. We are blessed by the greatest faimly and friends. I will try and communicate a lot while we are gone in this space. We may be going to Africa physically - we take you with us in our heart - you are the wind beneath our wings.

Signing off for now - lots to be done. Next time I type in this space God willing we will be in a different country. Walk in the truth that JESUS IS VICTOR!!