January 29, 2012

The Other Half

Over the past 3 months, I, Dontie, have been trying to find my place in this ministry here at Karanda.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a multitude of opportunities! But with two small boys and a house to run, food to cook, and finding time for my own spiritual walk, time in a day gets quickly swallowed up.  I am also one who doesn’t just jump in.  I want to find something I can really commit to and still have boundaries.  It seems that everyone on this campus either works at the hospital or teaches in some capacity or another.  Forming friendships has to be on the “off” hours and that runs into meal time and bedtime.  This is a very relationship oriented culture, but it takes rubbing shoulders to be able to form those relationships.  There are several casual friendships that I have formed with ladies who sell vegetables or who help around the guesthouse, but nothing yet that could be deep or influential.    


However, tonight, I was priveleged to join a group of women who began the Beth Moore study on the book of James.  I have been looking forward to this night for a couple weeks now, and I was thrilled to see how large of a group was involved.  We had missionary ladies (both single and married), nurses, the pastor's wife, nursing school teachers, among others.  To my pleasant surprise, the majority of the group was Shona ladies!  It was a blessing to begin a journey together knowing that we start on a common plane each with areas of struggle and desires to grow closer to God.  This wa a first for real fellowship (apart from the other missionaries) and heart rejoiced.

Someone's ministry (in the U.S.) provided the workbooks and the DVD study for us - a study halfway around the world that will impact lives just like the ones sitting in the chairs in the audience on the DVD.  Thank you for this gift (whoever you are)!  Thank you for the opportunity to form relationships at a deeper level than daily greetings and superficial small talk.  I am excited to see what ways God will open for me to minister, not just as a mother and wife of a doctor, but as a woman whom God has gifted and has called as well!
 



No comments:

Post a Comment