A PLAN is just a PLAN...

So, the PLAN was to go to Mozambique this past weekend to help plant a church there, but we have learned that a plan is really just a plan, especially in Zimbabwe. We woke up really early and ready to go on Friday morning, well, scratch that, Justin woke up really early and even moved our stuff to out by the door, but I stayed in bed and told him just to tell me when we were 10 minutes from leaving (I’m learning how things work and when it comes to sleep, I don’t mess around). He went out and talked with Lucia and we found out that the trip got canceled for a combination of reasons – we were first told that they didn’t have all the paperwork ready for everyone to cross the border (ok, good reason), and then we also found out that there was a shortage of petrol (gasoline) in the city and Tatenda was worried we might not have enough (ok, great reason). We experienced this petrol shortage ourselves later on in the day when Justin had to go to three different gas stations and came up empty! It’s amazing how easy it is to get things you want when you want them in the States. To be honest, I was both disappointed and relieved that the trip got canceled. I got sick with a fever again (yeah, I know, what the heck?) two days before we were supposed to go last week (I think my body is telling me not to go to the bush :-)) so I was still a little weak and traveling a bunch might have been tough. Our PLAN now is to go this weekend – leave on Thursday and come back on Sunday (we’ll let you know).
So, now with a weekend around Harare, we of course found some other things to do. We went to two areas around Harare: Kuwadzana on Friday and Epworth on Saturday, where Tatenda and Lucia through their non-profit, Voice of Peace, have several hundred orphans in their care. At these places, we got to experience the first of the weekly “feedings,” which was awesome. They are going to do them every week now! So, all the orphans in the community gathered at the central church location (plot of land) and were fed a nice big meal of rice and soya mince. At Kuwadzana, the kids were also given a package of millie meal (which makes sadza), cooking oil, and soap bought with money from a grant Tatenda and Lucia received from Mercy Corps Zimbabwe (only $350, but still really cool). There were about 150 kids at Kuwadzana and over 400 at Epworth! So, we hung out with lots of kids, taught them songs, tried to speak some Shona, and took lots of pictures and videos. I’ll post them for your enjoyment :-). Then we came back to the house and hung out with the orphans here (couldn’t get enough children this weekend). This time, we sang a song in Shona! Oh yeah, I’ll have to get a video of that up here at some point! So instead of Mozambique, we spent a ton of time with kids, which was a super fun surprise.
Then on Sunday Justin and I split up to both preach at separate churches, because “with two great pastors having you in the same location is a waste of time.” Yeah, that is what they told us….we’re “pastors” here and now preach on Sundays….it’s crazy! I didn’t necessarily learn how to preach, let alone to an African culture, in my counseling program even though it was at a Seminary! And I’m sure Justin didn’t learn it in his Organic Chemisty classes ;-). But God is faithful and in our weakness He is made strong! So, Justin went to Epworth all by himself and spoke to about 150-200 people and I went to a small church in the city center and spoke to about 30. It was pretty cool and God is totally growing us, which is inevitable I guess when you have to start knowing His word enough to share it with others.
Oh, and Tatenda went somewhere else and so did Lucia. We even drove separately, which we have been doing a lot of recently which has been really fun (except for the occasional police stop when we have no idea what to do ;-)). Hopefully we’ll have all the correct paperwork for both of their cars soon so that the police don’t give us a hard time anymore. So, even though our PLAN of going to Mozambique didn’t work out, our weekend turned out to be awesome! We are constantly reminded that having plans are good, but we must hold them very loosely because they are just plans and they are really only ours and maybe not God’s – something we will have to take back with us for sure! ~ Proverbs 16:9 – In their hearts human beings plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.