“Those who wait on the Lord…”
/I’m not very good at waiting. I’m American, for one thing, plus I’m a man, not to mention I’m an Amazon Prime member to boot! I’m accustomed to short lines, overnight mail, easy access to reservations, and even get frustrated when I have to wait too long in a line, any line. How about you?
Abby and I have been waiting since last fall to get back to Zambia. Having our dear friend and GTN colleague, Percy Muleba, here in January and February helped, but the cancellation of our May 12th trip to Zambia due to Covid-19 sure didn’t!
Providentially, we had already set aside March-April as a time for curriculum development so it wasn’t until May 1st that we began to long for Zambia and Namibia, to long for our students. Even now they are asking for us to come as soon as flights are available (August 5th is the latest update) and Zambia relaxes it’s 14 day quarantine (in an expensive hotel for all visitors at their own cost), but Zambia has not announced any news about this. So, we are waiting…
Biblically, waiting is sometimes a good thing. It is often connected to a sense of anticipation for what lies ahead. “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles…” (Isaiah 40:31). In this regard, waiting is not a passive thing, but rather an active trust in the Lord, a reasonable hope that the future will be filled with his strength and power because he is just that kind of God!
Biblically, waiting on the Lord does not suggest that we just sit around and do nothing, but rather that we engage fully in the life we have been given to live now, even as we await a future hope. By the grace of God, Abby and I have been engaged in this kind of waiting over the last few months. Oh, there have certainly been times of a passive, even a depressive, waiting….”When will this COVID-19 thing end?” “Is Zambia ever going to open up again?” That sort of thing.
But, mostly it hasn’t been like this. It’s been much more active. While we’ve waited, what have we been up to? Well, an awful lot, actually. The Lord has blessed us with mission right here at home.
Last month, Maria Furlough, Missions Director at Lake Forest Church (LFC), asked us to lead a small group for mission-minded members. We jumped at the chance and we are so glad we did. So far, we’ve met three times and the group has been amazing, open, and eager to grow. Abby and I have been using some of our Zambian curriculum, modified a bit for the U.S., and it’s worked very well. People are just people everywhere, after all!
We have also had numerous opportunities to connect personally with Zambian students (WhatsApp), mission-minded Christians (outdoor meetings, text, email, Zoom, and phone), GTN colleagues (Zoom), EPC colleagues (Zoom and in person), and our family (WhatsApp and in person). And, now that things have opened up, both Abby and I are each meeting regularly with someone for deeper mission conversations.
In addition, at Percy’s request, Abby and I have begun recording podcasts with overviews of six of our courses. Harrison Gillming, our church’s Director of Worship, has kindly taught us to use the LFC podcast studio and has edited our efforts!
I have preached by recording at Centre Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) on May 24th and am scheduled to preach at Westminster EPC in Burlington on July 5th and possibly again at Centre on July 19th. Of course, Abby will be there to share mission highlights with these supporting churches.
So, when will we return to Zambia? We honestly don’t know. In the meanwhile, we are waiting on the Lord, and are very grateful that our waiting has been filled with ministry opportunities, friendship, and grace. Please pray for us as we do for you, and please keep Percy Muleba and his family in your prayers as they deal with COVID-19 in Zambia.
And, remember, whether we are here or in Africa, wherever we go, you go!
Our Zambian and Namibian students’ hunger for god’s word is insatiable.