My own words will not do Johannes justice, so instead I am going to show you the letter Johannes wrote me today. For Christmas, I had given all my kids new journals to write in, so he wrote this in that journal to thank me and then continued with one of the most moving letters I’ve ever recieved:
In the first page alone I was moved. Not only does this young boy appreciate me but he understands that it took sacrifice coming here, which is something that I RARELY encounter in the Swazis. Most people see me and see two things: 1) money or 2) meat. There is never a day when I can walk through town and not be asked for money or marriage. Literally. And it gets exhausting. And when you do give to people, you rarely get a thank you, instead you get asked for more. So this message from Johannes was like an encouragement from God himself saying, “Do not weary in doing good, my child.” The other notable part of this first page is that he talks about my family. Recently, I have really battling with being away from my family and friends and specifically wrestling with God over not wanting to leave my family again…basically not wanting to come back to Swazi to build a girls’ home or a school because I hate being away from my family for so long. But I haven’t told a single person that I am having a hard time with this, so…again…incredible.
I’m getting to that age in life where being a mother is actually quite attractive. It may not have been on my forethoughts a year or two ago but it is quickly becoming a pressing desire of mine, and I’d be lying if I told you that I haven’t wondered, “Okay, God…so where’s the guy? Kinda want a husband before I have kids, so let’s speed that up a bit, eh?” So, once again, it was like Johannes knew what was going on inside me. Though he didn’t actually know it, God was using him to speak again directly to me as He were saying, “You don’t need your own kids to be a mother. There are plenty of my children that need mothering.”
The last part of the page shocked me. It is quite the turnaround from before when Johannes didn’t want anything to do with Tenele. And now here he is telling me that he is going to team up with me in helping Tenele, which is also something I specifically prayed for! 🙂
Although Johannes acknowledges what everyone else has told me about helping Tenele (“It’s too late”), he also knows that nothing is too late for God. And while I am getting antsy with wanting things to change right now, Johannes is well beyond me is saying that “He is the God who works with time.”
Clearly, this boy has wisdom beyond himself. It’s incredible how God uses the very people I think I am here to help to encourage and help me. God has used this simple letter–the Lord knows how much I cherish letters–to touch my heart, encourage and inspire me.
