We came into a small 4 by 5 metres room. It was fitted with plastic chairs with several ladies seated. I was whisked into the adjoining room. This is David Mchenga’s house. We have come for an overnight with the widows. David heard my mother speak on “what is the church doing?” He was convicted to the point that he begun a ministry to the widows within the area in which he lived. Now here we are a year later and David ministers to 20 widows and twelve of them are here for the overnight prayers.
It is cold and my chest expands through the night. By the following afternoon I have a fearful fever and Felix and his wife have to stay with me through the night to take care of me.
I minister on the word from Isaiah 54, not just because it is for the widow but because it is a word in expectation. Enlarge your capacity to believe because God responds to faith. We line up with Him in faith. We speak about relationship and how it is the foundation for expectation. The better you know someone the more likely you are to be at ease to ask of them certain things because they will or will not do it because of the level of the relationship. I can ask my brother to zip up my dress (my husband has not shown up yet) but I would not do likewise with the man who guards my home. The intimacy level of any relationship opens up possibilities. God can do anything! That was the word. God will not do everything! That was the balance. He is capable of anything and as we become more intimate with Him, we are able to hear His heartbeat and harmonize ours to be in sync with His.
They are precious ladies that told me that their motto is to seek first the Kingdom. They did not deny that they have many difficulties but shared their concerns with us.
“We were destitute when Pastor David found us. We would go to our bedrooms and cry not knowing where we would find the money to feed our children. We had lost weight because of grief but now we are growing in Christ. “
They have ideas, several and I commended them. They put their money together (what they can) and they help each other with the school fees of their children and things of that nature. Now they want to start a restaurant together. When I say restaurant, this is not a place with stoves and ten or so tables with written menus. This is a small room where they cook on makala (coal) or firewood and serve basic meals. This is not rocket science. I asked them for a plan. They had none but promised to get one to me as soon as possible. “I am not the answer and I am not saying I will definitely get this thing on the road. What I can promise you is that I will get your story out.” I know they were looking to me. I know because I saw it in their eyes. I see it in many eyes wherever I go and there are times I pray that I become so wealthy that I can meet many of these needs. But this is not what is for me right now. Right now what I do is believe that God has heard our cry and that He is the source. There is so much need out here that there are moments when you feel like screaming! Some of them are so simple and so desperate that you can’t help but cry and cry you do, secretly behind closed doors because when you come out you have to be the voice of hope.
We left them around midnight because we had to get to Mngwangwa the following morning. We left them singing for joy. God must have a giant heart. He fits us all in there and loves us so richly. I marvel at His capacity to love. How can you love so many people? At some point it feels like you cannot contain it. It is not always so comfortable to love. Love is heavy, it is pouring out and that is not always what you want to do but it demands it of you. If there is anything I learn from being in the communities, may it be that I have learnt to love.
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