Change of Plans

Wednesday came and plans had changed a little. Two from our group had become ill and had to stay at the hotel, so we were needed to help run the small groups with the women. Feeling completely unprepared and unqualified I unknowingly stepped into the group with the “pastor’s wives”. WHAT? Oh dear, does someone want to trade? No? awesome.


One of the women from our group had taught on the “woman at the well”…so I asked the women if they had ever experienced a one on one intimate moment with Jesus. Every woman had a story! They have all met with their Lord in a personal way…He spoke over them as they were cooking, He healed their children from several diseases, He has kept their family free of sickness from the AIDS they carry. These women have experienced life! Life with hardships, trials, death, illness, some of these pastors wives are now widows carrying for their 10 children all on their own, without a home …and yet PRAISING THEIR FATHER IN HEAVEN! And I thought taking a trip to Africa was FAITH. They are grateful for a God who listens, for a God who answers their prayers, A God who speaks to them, a God who provides! As they spoke all I could do was ask God to give me the right words to encourage and to pray over them. Knowing all along that they were teaching me far more then I could ever try to teach them. I was the student at the feet some of the most beautiful teachers I had ever laid eyes on!





As I listened to one who is an outcast due to epilepsy , (she is shunned and rejected even at her church where she is the pastors wife, because it is seen as a curse) all I could tell her was that her Father in heaven does not waste anything. That she has been given an opportunity to be the change in her culture. To be the ambassador for those with this illness, to be a voice to those who have been shunned, to show compassion because she first was shown compassion. I did my best to encourage the pastors wives that they have all been given a difficult road to travel, but they have been given an opportunity to live life in such a way that when others look at their circumstances but then see their faith withstand, that those who are watching will be able to do nothing but PRAISE THEIR GOD! That when we are in a ministry position many eyes are on us. Many are watching our every move, both believers and unbelievers and the enemy wants nothing more then to watch us fall but if we choose to have Faith we cannot be shaken. Oh the message of the week for me….FAITH!