Rachel's Reflections

"My future and all to which I relate hangs in the balance, and You tell me wait?!?" This has honestly felt like my life this week. Waiting on the Lord, waiting for other people, waiting for decisions to be made. I am still waiting for the biggest decision to be made, but at least the smaller one was finalized yesterday. Early Thursday morning I will be taking a bus from Maputo to the border of South Africa (SA), crossing the border, and then re-entering Mozambique within two hours with the Word of Life team from SA coming into Mozambique for the English Camp (see below). I have to exit Mozambique because my first 30 days expires during the camp.  Last Sunday I was able to attend church with my friends from December camp, Catarina and Elina. To step into their lives in their home and community environment apart from camp was an honour. I wish I could describe it for you. A small black church nestled in the heart of their community but with hymns from the Western culture t...

Mais Descobertas aos pes da Cruz  (More Discoveries at the foot of the Cross)   " If anyone would come after Me [Jesus], let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? "  Mark 8:38-36 The above title and verses are from my Portuguese Quiet Time (QT) this past week. They sum up a little of what I have learned this past week.  What discoveries lay at the foot of the Cross? I have discovered the depth and reality of surrender and what peace in the presence of my Lord means. In the course of the week, and in different ways, God has asked me to surrender to Him every single   area of my life. I have been stretched and challenged more than I thought possible in one week and have only bourne it in the strength of the Savior. I cannot share everything with...

Alexandra and I sat on two couch cushions and talked in the seminary/office/church building on Wednesday. I was sharing with her, “After the camp in April last year where we met I struggled spiritually and did not read my Bible as often as I knew I should…” she interrupted,” how often do you try to read your Bible?” “Every day,” I responded, “but I am not perfect.” Her eyes widened in shock, “EVERY DAY?!?” I tried to explain that this is a habit every Christian must learn, but it comes in levels. To illustrate my point I used the couch cushions we were sitting on. “This cushion has a crowd of people who either do not believe in God or know about Him but have not believed in Him to save them from their sins. This valley in between cushions is the point where a person decides to make that decision.” Alexandra interrupted again, “I’m on that side of the cushion.” For her to say this openly and honestly is huge! Last year in April at the English Camp, when she was in my cabin, she kne...