Friends in Zimbabwe have forwarded this video to us. PLEASE VIEW! Really, we have no words that can describe the devastation that is occurring in Zimbabwe, but we know that the visuals will give you just a glimpse as to why the people of Zimbabwe so desperately need our help!
Our time in Zimbabwe has been incredible! There are so many stories to tell – but unfortunately no internet capabilities while there prevented us from posting. We are now in South Africa preparing to come home. We want to share a small story with you that will set the stage for all we have to share in the days ahead. We will post our stories from home!
While in South Africa, we went on safari. Camella had an intense desire to see a leopard – this would be a completion of her seeing the Big Five! To say that leopards are hard to see is an understatement – they are reclusive always but especially during the day…and when sighted it is often from a distance. Camella’s faith was high – she just KNEW she was going to see a leopard! Our second morning on safari, our guide took off at high speed to take us to view a pack of wild dog attacking a hyena. As we rounded a bend in the road, our guide shouted “leopard.” There, in the middle of the day, was a male leopard walking across the road! The next few minutes were awe-inspiring as our group took in the views of this leopard circling our truck, marking trees, and to say the least – showing off in all his splendor! OUR GOD didn’t just give us a distant sighting of a leopard in a tree – HE gave us a leopard in the middle of the road in full daylight regaling in all his beauty! My wife had tears of appreciation and awe in her eyes as we followed “her” leopard. God provided that leopard – all we had to do was get in the jeep and be looking for the desire of our heart!
We now have a saying – “Leopard Faith” – expressing the desire of your heart, knowing you have no way to make it happen and then expecting to see what you desire with no striving because of the utter trust that you have in God. We have many opportunities to apply “Leopard Faith” in the days ahead. God has shown us so many needs in Zimbabwe and we are ready to meet them. We are going to step out in “Leopard Faith” as we totally trust God to provide for these needs. It is a desire of our heart, we have NO way to make it happen, but we do trust in God to meet the needs of His people. One project we will be telling you about is “Operation Cover-Up” – 10,000 blankets for children who have none in Zimbabwe! We know God is not only going to provide but He will do it in abundance!
Our time in Rwanda filled us with hope. What we saw was a “new” nation committed to recover from the Genocide in 1994 through forgiveness and building together. We had opportunity to meet people who were on both sides of the Genocide (those who committed crimes and those who were victims) that are committed to the recovery of their nation. It was amazing! Below is a picture of a mass grave from the Genocide Memorial. Although it would have been more insightful if we had been able to take pictures from inside the memorial, it was not permitted. The Rwandese are proud of their country and it shows. They have a governmental sponsored program “food for work”, cottage industries abound, and churches are taking responsibility for programs that help HIV patients, orphans & widows. We have identified areas that NNMSII can be most effective there and will be sharing that in the near future. Of course, as you can see, the children grab our hearts. Today we leave for Zimbabwe with knowing that there truly is hope for a nation plagued by manmade devastation. Our prayers are for Zimbabwe – please be praying with us as we travel to a nation that is experiencing its own “genocide” at the present moment.
