“For you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

At the beginning of August, I travelled to Johannesburg where I met up with my family and then we flew up to Zambia. We spent two weeks in Zambia, where we spent the majority of our time in the community of Katetaula, who are currently caring for 50 of the most vulnerable children. I feel immensely blessed and humbled that I was given the freedom to go as it was a deeply enriching and challenging time.

In the months leading up to my time in Zambia, I had prayed that God would break my heart once again for the most vulnerable but at the same time help me to see the hope, life and love that He’s bringing into the lives of the most vulnerable. As I look back over my time in Zambia, I realise that is exactly what God did. There were moments walking through Katetaula that I felt my heart physically hurting. Hurting for the children who I had met and gotten to know. Hurting because I knew I would leave and crying because the stories of the children, in no world are okay. From the beginning of our time in Katetaula, one of the little girls who stood out to me was Remember*. Often, she was withdrawn and whenever I would try to give her a hug, she would pull away and seemed as though she was scared that I would hurt her. On one of our days in community, I had the opportunity to visit her home, where she stays with her mother and three siblings. When we went to visit her home, her mother had locked the door because she is mentally disturbed. So instead of visiting her home, we stood outside praying for freedom and protection for the family. As I looked into Remember’s face, I saw a deep sadness and pain. I wondered if she has been abused or neglected? Is she embarrassed because of her mother? Is she cared for well? As I think about Remember, I’m reminded that her story represents the other 49 children in Katetaula and the thousands of other children across Africa. I'm challenged to become even more intentionally prayerful for our children, committing their lives to our Heavenly Father!  

One of the scriptures that I felt God lay on my heart for my time in Zambia was from Isaiah 43:18 – 19: ‘but forget all that – it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?’  Initially, I thought that maybe this scripture was a covering for our family but the longer that we were in Zambia, particularly in Katetaula, I began to realise that the scripture was a promise for the community. God used the scripture to remind me of the work that He has started, how far He’s brought them and what He has planned for the children and the Care Workers. What an amazing blessing and privilege to see God do incredible things in Katetaula. With every smile, joyful laughter and praise songs sung, the cloak of darkness is being lifted with the Spirit of the Lord replacing it.

Even as I saw the pain, trauma and complete brokenness, I saw God’s transforming work begin to come forth like a fresh rain after many years of drought. I witnessed children like Remember, who, at first, were unable to smile and appeared downcast and fullness of sadness – smile with a joy that can only come from Christ. This is not through anything we could've done but through the love of Christ alone. From a western perspective, it seems impossible to smile and have joy in the face of such brokenness and poverty. We think that we need material things to be happy, but I’ve seen God break these pre-conceived notions as children laugh and smile in the midst of desperation. Of course, their lives continue to be difficult and full of challenges and brokenness but I believe that God has done amazing things and won’t be finished until its brought to completion and every broken heart is repaired and every wound restored. 

After one of the first days in community, I wrote down the scripture from John 8:32 that says “for you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” I see this verse, as a beautiful image and prayer for Katetaula – that as God brings His truth and light to the community, people are set free from the things that have held them captive and controlled by. As the wave of God’s goodness, faithfulness, love and truth flows through the community, the lives of the most vulnerable will be forever changed. My prayer is that the Life Centre in Katetaula will become a place of light and safety; not simply for the most vulnerable children and the Care Workers but for the rest of the community. That it would be seen as a place that radiates the love, hope and healing found only in Christ!

Please pray for:  

-        The Care Workers to know the truth of the gospel and the love of Jesus. Pray that as they come to know this truth, they will be set free from the brokenness and inner wounds that have held them captive.

-        Pray for the most vulnerable children to come to know the love of their Heavenly Father and that they will know Him as the almighty comforter and giver of perfect peace.

-        Pray for the spirit of darkness and chains of oppression to continue to be broken and replaced with a Spirit of hope and love.

Remember at the beginning of the week.

Remember at the end of the week! Look at that cheeky smile!
Not through anything we could do but through Christ alone! 

*If you would like to know more about my time in Zambia and what I have been up to please let me know! I would love to hear from you. I will post another blog shortly with more photos and stories from Zambia and my families time in South Africa!