True Fasting

I have never before thought much of the concept of fasting from a particular item and seen that as a "spiritual fast".  Sure, it may be a great practice to give up TV for a week or Facebook for a month- that may reap great benefits in one's life- but is that the same thing as the spiritual act of fasting that God and the Bible have esteemed for centuries?  The act of complete dependency on God, abstaining from food so that ALL of you is dependent on Him?  Dependent on Him for strength, for nourishment, for guidance- that your ears may be opened and your eyes enlightened and that your *true bread* may be the Bread of Life...?

But as I meditate more and more on Isaiah 58... and as I reflect on the time- the life- the experiences I have had since living in Tanzania.... my perspective on fasting has somewhat changed... and deepened.

Isaiah 58 is like our guidebook for fasting- it is where God tells us what true fasting consists of.  And what the results- what the benefits- what the effects of it should be and are.

Isaiah 58...

What are the purposes of/reasons for fasting as God desires? 

-To loose the chains of injustice
-To untie the cords of the yoke
-To set the oppressed free
-To share your food with the hungry
-To provide the poor wanderer with shelter
-To clothe the naked
-To spend yourself in behalf of the hungry
-To satisfy the needs of the oppressed


And what are the results of fasting?  What are the effects/benefits we can expect?

-Your light will break forth like the dawn
-Your healing will quickly appear
-Your righteousness will go before you
-The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard
-You will call, and the Lord will answer
-You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail
-You will rebuild ancient ruins and raise up age-old foundations
-You will be a repairer and a restorer
-You will find your joy in the Lord


This passage came *alive* to me last spring.  In moving to Tanzania, I left behind all of the comforts of the West and endured through many difficulties in living here [incessant heat and humidity, constant power outages, continually getting sick from the air quality here, leaving behind *all* that was familiar- family, friends, language, job, culture- and having to transition in every.single.area.of.life.- friends, job, language, culture, way of living].  I remember during Lent last year I didn't "give anything up" (which I usually do) because I felt my entire life had already "given up so much" - I just couldn't imagine purposely giving up one thing more - from my favorite foods (spinach salads, frozen yogurt, Mexican food) to all conveniences of the West (having a car, nicely paved roads, Starbucks, air conditioning, temperature-controlled rooms) to the excesses of American life (shopping, pretty things in abundance, entertainment at every corner) to art and culture (museums, good architecture, live music venues).... Yes, I had given up a LOT in coming here.  I had given up the West.  And that was not easy.  Many hardships arose from giving up all such comforts, and I daily felt that I was 'carrying my cross' as I was abundantly aware of all that I was living without.

Yet a strange thing started to happen towards the end of the year.  As I lived with this "less"- as I daily gave up material comforts SO THAT I could live and serve in Tanzania and *spend myself* on behalf of the poor here... as I became more involved in daily life here, in the culture, in ministry.... as I served village children on the weekend through Bible studies, as I developed loving relationships with the Tanzanians who worked in my home, as I spent Sunday afternoons loving on children in a local orphanage, as I strove to be a voice for the poor and oppressed who live here, as I came to know my Tanzanian neighbors and seek out opportunities to serve them... My life became FULL of JOY (v. 14)... Joy as I had never before known.  I felt SO well-watered, that my spring of living water inside would never fail (vs. 11).  My life was JOY- it was radiant- it was blessed- it could be a blessing.  As I gave up the material comforts that we so often cling to in order to find what we think is happiness and strove to pour myself out for those I had come to serve in Tanzania, my life was FULL of the promises of Isaiah 58... My life was FULL.

And I have only since seen this principle continue to work and increase, the longer I have been here.  The more I pour myself out for others, the more I spend myself on behalf of the hungry and needy and oppressed, the more my LIGHT rises in the darkness... the more my life is full of LIGHT and JOY and RADIANCE.... a light and a joy that comes *only* from Him.  That comes as we serve and as we pour ourselves out- that comes as we purposely and intentionally fast from the things of this world- abstaining from worldly comforts that seek to take His place and offer counterfeit sources of fulfillment in our lives.  Counterfeits that can never and will never give us the joy and abundance of life that only He can give.

James 1:27 has long been one of my favorite verses- and one of the clearest directives I believe God gives us in telling us how He desires for us to serve Him:  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" ... I usually end the verse right there, because God is clearly using this passage to emphasize the importance and need for us to take care of orphans and widows.  Yet the verse doesn't end there... the completion of it is:  "to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  Isn't that last segment - "to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" - fulfilled when we intentionally fast from the things of this world?  When we intentionally give up the excesses, the riches, the things that this world offers?  And isn't that the kind of "religion" that God here tells us He desires?

I am still very much a proponent of fasting from food as a spiritual discipline, as has been practiced for centuries, and using that time to call out to God and come nearer to Him... that is a Scriptural and blessed discipline that God clearly honors and uses (and that Jesus practiced).  But as I reflect more on this passage and on my own experiences, I do believe that our fasting can at times (and should) take on other characteristics.  Our excessive, gluttonous Western culture may be wise to take heed that much more in our lives needs to be fasted from. 

Am I purposely spending less money on my own wardrobe so that I can give money to clothe those who cannot clothe themselves?  Am I giving up my own comfort and space so that I can take in a neighbor who needs shelter?  Am I giving up time that I would otherwise devote to empty entertainment (movies, TV, sports games) and using that time to pour myself out and serve others who are in need?  Am I spending less on Starbucks and on meals out so that I can pay to provide meals for those who cannot provide it for themselves or their families?  I think each of these examples is a very Biblical picture of fasting and corresponds directly with what Isaiah 58 tells us. 

**Lord, may I pour myself out- may I give up more and more the things of this world- and may I spend my life on behalf of the hungry and oppressed and needy- that you may pour your *living waters* into me and through me- that my life may be a blessing... a life full of love, light, joy, and radiance.

"You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose *waters never fail*." Isaiah 58:11

"Then you will look and be RADIANT, your heart will *throb and swell* with JOY." Isaiah 60:5

Photography Trip!

For the past week, a friend and Karama Mama extraordinaire, Rachel Moye, has been in town for the purpose of photographing many of our artisans around the country.  She and I have already traveled to Iringa, Arusha, and Zanzibar and are spending the last few days of her trip here in Dar.  She's updated our Karama blog 3 times with *lots* of great pics and stories from our travels... so go check it out! :)

https://www.karamagifts.com/blog/?m=201203

Jesus Thirsts....

I'm reading from Mother Teresa's bio/memoirs, and OH, how I am amazed and inspired by her.

And in reference to my previous post on Jesus's love and longing for orphans- for the least of these- for you and me, I wanted to post some quotes from her that are so very applicable and so very true....

"Jesus wants me to tell you again... how much is the love He has for each one of you- beyond all what you can imagine... Not only He loves you, even more- He longs for you.  He misses you when you don't come close.  He thirsts for you.  He love you always, even when you don't feel worthy...."

She described her mission and the call God put on her life in this way:

"It was on this day in 1946 in the train to Darjeeling that God gave me the "call within a call" to satiate the thirst of Jesus by serving Him in the poorest of the poor."

She talks over and over about the THIRST of Jesus.  How He thirsts for us.  He doesn't only love for us.  It is so much more.  His love is so inexpressible and so unfathomable that it could more easily be described as a *thirst* for us than what we would associate with our limited view of love.  Oh, how he longs for us... How he thirsts for us... How he loves us.

She states:

"'I thirst' is something much deeper than just Jesus saying "I love you."  Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you- you can't begin to know who He wants to be for you.  Or who He wants you to be for Him."

She stated that her mission began "in the depths of God's infinite longing to love and to be loved."

The depths of his infinite longing to love.  He LONGS to love you and me.  He LONGS to love the least of these.  And He longs to use you and me to SHOW His longing and His love to the least of these.

As my hearts longs for this precious little one, Alhamisi, to know how much he is loved.... How my heart is PAINED and grieves to see the gradual effects that life in an orphanage has had on him over the past year that I have known him (from cheerful and innocent when I first met him- when he was very young and new to the orphanage- to saddened and clingy whenever I spend time with him there now).... Oh how my heart yearns, how it thirsts, how it longs for him to KNOW- in the depths of who he is- that he is LOVED.  Because I know that he doesn't.  I cannot begin to fathom how much more God's heart hurts and grieves and longs for this little one....

Alhamisi

One of Jesus's final statements on the cross was "I thirst."
May we know more fully His THIRST.  And may it change us.

Love

GOD IS LOVE. (1 John 4:16)

Love comes from God. (1 John 4:7)

Let us not love with words or tongue but with *actions* and in *truth*. (1 John 3:18)

Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:11) 

If we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:12)

Love is not self-seeking.  (1 Cor. 13:5)

Love never fails.  (1 Cor. 13:8)

Love always perseveres.  (1 Cor. 13:7)

If I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am *nothing*.  (1 Cor. 13:2)

The fruit of the Spirit is *love*.  (Gal. 5:22)

Do *everything* in Love.  (1 Cor. 16:14)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... And... Love your neighbor as yourself.  *All* the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matt. 22:37-40)

How great is the love the Father has *lavished* on us! (1 John 3:1)

*****

Notice a pattern?

This weekend I spent Sunday afternoon at Kurasini orphanage, and I prayed on the long route there that God would use me as a **mighty instrument of His LOVE**.  Knowing the pain, the despair, the hopelessness, the sense of aloneness..... the longing for love, affection, a sense of belonging, a sense of worthiness... the need for physical affection... that these orphans feel in their deepest places.... I prayed that God would use me in any and every way that He could to lavish His love onto them and to help in some way to heal their deep wounds.  Their needs are so great.  And they are SO very real.  I have lately been reading more on the deep wounds and pains of orphaned children (not that some of it isn't common sense, but I have been reading more in depth on it).... and so my awareness of their needs, their pains, their longings, has just been heightened.

I knew that I desperately wanted to be used by God to give them the love and affection- the care and attention- the healing and sense of worth- that they so desperately need and deserve.... So I prayed that God would use me in any and every way that He possibly could.

And I can honestly say that on that day, I experienced His love in one of the most profound ways I ever have.  I felt SUCH immense love for these children as I spent time with them.... my heart longed for the pain in each of their lives to subside.... it felt some of the pain that they experience and it hurt so much for them... it longed for them, yearned for them, LOVED them.  I truly felt God's love pouring out of me onto these children.... giving me seemingly limitless love for them, wanting to hold them and give them the physical affection they so desperately need.... to hold them and care for them and make them feel important, cherished, beloved.... to make them know how heartbroken their Heavenly Father is over their pain and their loss.... how much He longs for them, loves them, cares so incredibly for them.  And Oh, how I can truly say- more than ever before- that I KNOW that He does.  Because I *felt* it.  I felt it *from* Him.  It wasn't of or from me.... the limitless love I experienced came from a deeper source, a place that I couldn't conjure up on my own.... it came from HIM.  From His SPIRIT and His unending source of Love that IS *WHO HE IS*.

 

 blowing bubbles with the kids :)

And I don't know what all my purpose is in writing this blog post, but I can state a few things that I know to be true.

God LOVES orphans.  His heart yearns for them and absolutely grieves over their pain.  He LONGS to lavish His love upon them. As He also longs to lavish His love on each one of us, His children.

And God placed US in this world to be His hands and His feet.  He can't physically touch or hold orphans or the downtrodden or the rejected in society, as they need it- but WE CAN.  And He ASKS us to.  If we don't, who else will?  If I didn't pick up those children and hug them and kiss them on Sunday, who else would have?  You may hope that the answer is "well.... someone else."  But no, that's not the reality.  The real answer is No one.  No one else would have on Sunday. And today.... most likely *no one* is showing physical affection or love to those children.

We can "leave those things" for others to do all day long.... all our lives long.... but the reality is, someone else *may not be doing them.* 

I'm not trying to guilt you into doing good deeds.... but know that there are ways you can be used today to impact the world- to impact eternity- to change the life of someone who desperately needs it.... in ways that otherwise would not happen.

God IS Love.  He SO incredibly, desperately loves His children.  He desperately wants to *lavish* His love on His children (and yes- you and me, too).  But so many of His children do not know that- and they may not ever know that- unless you show it to them.... tell them.  *Especially* those who are the "least of these" in our society.  Who in your life is the "least" of those around you?  Who most needs some caring words, an affectionate touch, a loving sacrifice of your time and attention?  A sense that they are valued and cared about?  If you don't show them those things today, very likely no one will. 

 some of the precious ones at Kurasini :) 

*please* pray for these little ones....

[and please do something to act on behalf of the 

millions of orphans in the world]

We can be vessels of the love of the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.  How amazing is that?  It is unfathomable.  Yet it is true.

"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

So ask for His spirit today- to give you the love that you may not otherwise have for the "least of those" around you.... and allow yourself to be a vessel of His unending Love for them.  "How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him" Luke 11:13

*****

"How *great* is the love the Father has *lavished* on us, that we would be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1

Oh, how GREAT is His Love.

*****

[Note: it isn't that there are never any caring adults in these children's lives, but they are very few and far between.... the reality is that they are at a government-run orphanage, and the few workers are government workers who mostly just sit as guardians.]

In a Quote

I have a lot of posts swirling in my head that will hopefully make it here soon.... :)  but in the meantime, an excerpt from Katie Davis's book "Kisses from Katie".  If you want a glimpse into my life and why I'm here, this pretty much sums it up....

"Most days, I wished I could wake up under my down comforter in a house with my loving family, not all by myself.  Sometimes I just wished I could hang out with my little brother and his buddies, eating junk food and laughing late into the night.  Sometimes I wanted to spend hours upon hours talking with my best friends about boys and fashion and school and life.  I wanted to go to the gym; I wanted my hair to look nice; I wanted to be allowed to wear jeans.  I wanted to be a normal person living in America, sometimes.
But I wanted other things more.  ALL the time.  I wanted to be spiritually and emotionally filled every day of my life.  I wanted to be loved and cuddled by a hundred children and never go a day without laughing.  I wanted to wake up to a rooster's crow and open my eyes to see lush green trees that seemed to pulse with life against a piercing blue sky and the rusty red soil.  I wanted to be challeged endlessly; I wanted to be learning and growing every minute.  I wanted to be taught by those who teach, and I wanted to share God's love with people who otherwise might not know it.  I wanted to work so hard that I ended every day filthy and too tired to move.  I wanted to feel needed, important, and used by the Lord.  I wanted to make some kind of difference no matter how small, and I wanted to follow the calling God had placed on my heart.  I wanted to give my life away, to serve the Lord with each breath, each second.  And at the end of the day, no matter how hard, I wanted to be right here."
-Katie Davis

Couldn't say it better. :)  Especially after spending the day with the kids at Kurasini orphanage today, playing and loving and cuddling.... as they just kept reaching out for more and more and more.....

Travels & Such

Hello!  It has been a while.... I've been traveling and getting ready to travel again- I spent Christmas in South Africa, the week after in Zimbabwe, the past several days in Zanzibar and am getting ready to go to Ethiopia for a week on Monday! Whew.  Exciting and lots of great work being done, but a whirlwind! (def. not complaining though :)).  I spent Christmas in South Africa with my brother Eric and his fiancee Lisa and her family.... we were mainly in and around the Cape Town area, and it was wonderful.  I of course missed being home and with my parents on Christmas but it was great still being with family and experiencing Christmas on this continent.  I went to a small town church on Christmas morning that was partly in Afrikaans and spent the rest of the day with Lisa's family enjoying time together.  Eric & Lisa are getting married in Franschoek (outside of Cape Town) on April 21st, and I'm looking forward to being down there again (and getting my parents & sister onto this continent)!

After Christmas, I went to Zimbabwe for about 6 days- to the Matopos Hills area- to work with a group of women who have a sewing project there, working with them to develop new products for us to sell through Karama.  The group is assisted by Norma Ferguson, a beloved friend who lives in the Matopos Hills and serves the community in many, many ways (with her wonderful husband Chris.... love these two!!).  The group is made up of about a dozen women who are HIV+, who started the group as a source of much-needed income in a very, very hungry rural area.  I fell in love with these women when I was there and am so, so excited for our opportunity to help them.  They desperately need the work, as they have such little means for income.  As I was speaking to one of the women (who also happens to be named Norma), she asked me, "Are the people starving in Tanzania like they are in Zimbabwe?"  The question just took me aback... but it made me know all the more fully the importance of our role in getting them sustainable work.

We came up with some great new jewelry designs, so be on the lookout for them on our site soon!

Me with the adorable ladies :)

[sporting the new necklaces we made]

I just spent several days in Zanzibar meeting with some of the projects we support there .... though that trip didn't end so well.  I ended up horribly sick in my hotel room for 2 days.... ughhhh, African food finally got to me... :-/  (I spent a year here being a veg. and never got sick from anything I ate, then a few months ago I decided to start eating some chicken .... and hmmm.... looks like I'll be going back to my veg roots :))


In closing, here are some good words that I've come across recently in my devotionals.... thought I would share:


"I want to see God's supernatural activity.  I don't just want to hear about it and watch it from afar.  I want to experience it.  As Abraham's difficult obedience yielded supernatural results, so will ours.  Over and over Scripture makes clear that the determining factor for experiencing God is obedience. 

I believe a correlation exists between the COST of Abraham's obedience and the magnificent blessing that resulted.  The higher the price you pay to obey God, the greater the reward you can expect from Him."  (Priscilla Shirer)


Happy 2012 to All :)  May you see and experience God's supernatural activity this year, as you obey Him in ALL areas.... and especially those that are *costly*.

Kurasini Orphanage

I spent the day with my friend Jen at Kurasini Orphanage, the orphanage on the other side of the city that I try to go to periodically.  Instead of just going to play with the kids like we normally do, we decided to start teaching the kids some lessons that will serve their greatest needs (while still loving on them and playing with them of course).  We decided to start doing some basic health lessons with the kids as well as some Bible lessons.  Today, we taught them the importance of washing their hands (and bathing) and demonstrated how to do so (and left some bars of soap at the orphanage for them).

Jen and one of our eager examples, Baraka, washing his hands :)

We also did a small lesson on why we celebrate Christmas, what its real meaning is.  We talked about how God used a star to point the Magi to Jesus and how He uses many methods still to tell us about His son Jesus.  We had them draw and decorate a star as a reminder that God wants us to know Him.

 Yesu ni Mungu = Jesus is Lord

SUCH a simple lesson, and they so loved every second of it.  These kids just can't get enough love and attention from us while we are there.... they are literally starved for it.  Please keep these precious kids in your prayers.  And pray for the other 147 million orphans around the world.  (Yes, 147 million.)  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." James 1:27