Our coach, Lois, was here for a shepherding trip. Everything started out fine. We picked her up at the airport, and she delivered two suitcases full of fun gifts from home. We chatted excitedly about what's happening on campus and what's going on at home. We squealed with delight as we unwrapped clothes, American snacks, and decorations for our home. We found piles of wrapped Christmas presents. We read sweet notes from loved ones. As a missionary overseas, it's easy to believe you've been forgotten. In this age of social media, we see the lives our friends and family members are living in our absence, and there's sometimes a tinge of longing. It's like our hearts are in two places at once. And getting notes and gifts from home reminds us that we're not the only ones in two places. Our loved ones do miss us. They do remember us. They do love us. And as we face record tempuratures (generally over 100*F/40*C), power cuts, and water shortages, it's nice to know we have a support system. It's nice to know we're not alone! So, Lois brought much more than two suitcases of stuff. She brought encouragement!
But the bottom dropped out on Monday morning, when a semester's worth of pent up frustration, bitterness, and anger erupted. It turns out, a teammate has been stuffing feelings instead of resolving conflict. I didn't even see it coming. I mean, I knew that person wasn't really acting like his/herself, but this season has been tough. I just thought he/she was was tired and stressed. I still think those things are true, but as I sat in a heap, sobbing over the hurtful things that were said, it was clear that there is much more at work.
So, there's that. A somewhat normal but busier than usual week suddenly filled up with a series of conflict resolution conversations, which I find to be completely exhausting. Our team had some honest and vulnerable conversations, a first for some people. It was draining. It was overwhelming. It was painful.
BUT...
In Christian community, as long as everyone is walking with the Lord, filled with the Spirit, and pursuing one another in love as an act of the will (not feelings), there is restoration and redemption. As the tears dry and the pain subsides, relationships are rebuilt. Apologies are offered and received. Changes are made. Healing begins. And it's in these moments when God;s glory shines. It's in these situations where the body of Christ comes together as one. While I may ALWAYS hate confrontation, I have grown to expect conflict and embrace hard conversations. It's not easy, but it is good.
Please pray for our team. Pray for more honest and vulnerable conversations. Pray for authentic, real, gospel-centered relationships. Pray for restoration. Pray for unity and understanding. Pray for each of our walks with the Lord. AND pray against spiritual warfare. The number one reason missionaries leave the field (according to somebody's research) is other missionaries. We will NOT be those missionaries!
To wrap up this really, really challenging and exhausting week, we celebrated at our end of semester party. What we hadn't announced, though, is that this end of semester party was meant to be different. This party would be a surprise send-off party for Taffy and Gracious, who have given five years to rebuilding the Cru movements in Botswana - the campus ministry and the church/community/Jesus Film ministry. They have poured themselves out. They have labored endlessly. They have served faithfully.
So, to celebreate them, we planned a black tie event. We invited Board members and other esteemed guests. We brought gifts and prepared speeches and songs to honor the Chifamunas. And they were completely surprised. It was a really sweet (perhaps bittersweet) night. Becuase they have been preparing to leave for eighteen months, they have had many tearful send-off parties, but this one... this time it's real. They are really moving before next semester begins. And that made the night really difficult. But, in true BotsCru fashion, we laughed and danced the night away.
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| The Chifamunas: Gracious and Taffy, Zayne, Anyssa, and Heidi |
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| All dolled up for the party: Steph, me, and Sarah |
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| So much dancing! |
