From the Heart

We began the day with a loving example of a generous and selfless heart. Even after having little sleep for the past few days, Rod Story, the vice president of EE, woke up early to fix a delicious breakfast, something he's been talking about doing for the past week.

After we were given our breakfast, a group of us got into a small bus and drove to Nabila school. A school in Australia has been raising support to buy the Nabila school several laptops, as well as a printer and stacks of books to add to their library. Both the teachers and students will be able to benefit from more resources.

While we were presenting the students with their gifts, I was again blown away by the selfless generosity shown by others. The students were thrilled with their new books. They couldn't wait to start reading them and poured over the pictures in the book.

For people that have so little, they have so much to give back.

 

I have a lesson to learn from today. When I'm tired, I think I owe it to myself to save the last scraps of my energy. I don't want to turn around and give back to others. In fact, when I get tired, I become selfish and it doesn't cross my mind to look out for those around me. 

      

I want to give from my overflow, but when I'm running low, I begin to hoard. It's not just my time or willingness to help others. I do the same with my money. I'm generous when I have plenty, but when the coffers get low, I tend to keep what I have for myself.

     

I'm reminded of the story in Luke 21:1-4 where the widow puts the last two coins that she has into the offering.

Jesus told his disciples that she gave more than anyone else, because "they all contriuted out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

  

For a school that has so little, they were able to put together a snack for all of us. Again, I was blown away by their generosity. Here we are to love them and help them in any way we can and what do we get in return? They're putting everything they have together to give back to us.

Today I am blessed by the giving hearts of those around me and encouraged to act likewise.

Blessings,

Liz

OJT-orange juice time

Several weeks ago OJT was nothing more than a mysterious acronym to me. I couldn't figure out what it meant and several of us decided to call it, Orange Juice Time. I know we're in Fiji with a wealth of tropical fruit at our fingertips, but what does Orange Juice have to do with missions? 

I have come to learn that OJT stands for On the Job Training. Which at first seemed unclear. What does it mean? 

On the job training is the EE term to describe going out into the community and sharing the gospel. We can only learn so many techniques for sharing while sitting in the classroom. The real training happens out on the field. Usually we go out in groups of three or four with one person who's been trained in EE in the past. 

Last week we were the ones training in the classroom and this past week, we got to help host an evangelism workshop in Nadi. We've gotten to share the training that we've been learning for the past two weeks with those who have never learned how to share. The group is a mix between local pastors, people from local churches as well as several people that we met on the s tweets last week who have turned their lives around. 

In some ways, Fiji reminds me of the south, or the "Bible Belt." People are friendly and give you a big smile with "Bula!" When you meet them. and for the most part, they've grown up in a church, so they know any bible stories, but their relationship with God is not one that have become personal to them. 

The predominant "religion" on the islands is Methodist. Although the Methodist church is one denomination under the banner of the church, here it is its own religion. 

The word is preached in church, but not encouraged at home. Many people involved with the Methodist church still practice pagan traditions, such as drinking Kava, that have been part of the islands' history for hundreds of years.

I have to say, the early missionaries did a fantastic job with bringing the church, but somewhere along the line, things changed. Just about every village has a Methodist church in the center of their village. Today, it is mostly the old who attend. 

The early missionaries did not have instruments to bring with them, so now it has become part of the tradition of their church. They sing a capella  in church and would kick you out if you dated bring a musical instrument in. 

There is a legistic emphasis on good deeds. Because of this, many people don't realize that God is personal and wants a relationship. In fact, many are excommunicated from the church if they begin having a personal relationship with God. 

When we go out to do OJT in town and share this with people, most of the time they light up when they hear that God loves them and wants a relationship. 

In the past two weeks, I've gotten to speak with many people from a Methodist background, as well as seventh day Adventists, Jehovah witness and several people from Hindu descent. 

Most are completely overjoyed to hear the gospel. 

My new friend Judah changed completely from when we first met him and at the end of our talk. He couldn't wait to bring his wife back so she could hear about Jesus as well!

He was beaming and had tears in his eyes at the end. 

L-R, ashley, William, me, Mitch, and one of the trainees at the clinic. 

Several men on their lunch break who all said they wanted to follow Jesus. 

Sharing with some school boys. 

Two beautiful girls I got to share with. Vaciti and  vitinia. 

Most have been receptive in wanting to hear more about Christ. There is a hunger to know him! Pray as we continue to follow up that there would be a heart change and a hunger to know Christ more. 

Blessings,

Liz

Pictures from Nabila

I wanted to share some more photos from our visit to the village last weekend. For church, all are required to dress up, which means long sarongs for the women and sulus(man skirts) for the guys. 

The crew of interns after church. 

Several villagers cut some fresh coconuts for us. Hmm, best coconut water ever!

God's given me a sister that I never even knew several weeks ago. She's pretty awesome! Ashley and I went snorkeling together on Saturday. 

Some of the adorable girls from Nabila village. 

My new little friend, Junior. 

Charlie's angels(including helicopter or small dot in the background)

Nadi Town

We've been learning tools for sharing the gospel for the last several days, and today we got the chance to go out into the town and put them to use.

We were told to try to connect with people, and if there was an opening, then we could share with them. I've been a Christian as long as I can remember and have done multiple mission trips, but in all my 27 years, I've never actually gone out to talk about Jesus. I don't know why not. It was never encouraged. In youth group years ago, we were told to "lead by example" or the Augustine quote was thrown about. 

"Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words."

These are great things to do, but as a Christian, they should not be a way to fall behind actually sharing the gospel with others.

The first person I got to talk with today was a girl by the name of Shoshon. Like 80% of Fijians, she goes to a methodist church every week, but she didn't know who Christ is in her life. After sharing with her, we asked if she would really like to make him real and have a relationship with him and she said yes!

My prayer is that she has a complete heart change and that it changes the way she interacts with her family and friends! 

Afterwards, I stepped into a shop that I've been in several times and started talking with some of the Indian women working there. 

(Side note: There is a large population of Indians in Fiji due to the British colonizing the islands and bringing them over to work the sugar cane fields)

So as I talked with these women I didn't get to share the gospel much, but I got to ask them questions about themselves and their religion. I feel like it is the building blocks for some good discussions in the future.

Well, it's late and I've got a busy day ahead. Please continue to keep me and my team in your prayers.

Blessings,

Liz

Nabila Village

The brevity of life is not one that I tend to dwell on often, but every once in a while I do. Why am I? well, this morning I went to check on the puppies to find that one was dead and the other had disappeared.

While a bit sad this morning, I just started reflecting on the fact that in our Western culture, we try to shield ourselves from natural life events, but in the village I visited this weekend, the hand of death and suffereing is part of daily life.

When I get a scratch, I have clean water to wash it out or antibacterial cream to clean it off. If it gets really bad, then we have clean hospitals to visit. For the friends I've made this weekend in the village, that's not the case.

I have so many new friends, and unfortunately, they know my name a lot better than I know theirs. They gather around in crowds. Smiling. Holding my hand and laughing with one another. They are some of the happiest kids I've ever met, but if you looked at them, they're dirty, their teath are rotten and their bodies are covered in scabs.

All of the children, even the smallest toddlers had scars and scratches. They climb the palm trees for coconuts and scratch their hands, but without the proper care, the scratch turns into something bigger. But... you don't hear any complaining. It's just daily life.

There are no computers, tvs, video games, or really any "children's toys" but they are so happy.

In a place so deprived of the "essentials" or basic Western necessities for survival, there is life. A fulle, more complete, well-lived life. In the slice of one day, there is fullness.

Some joke about living on "island time" and the inconvenience it provides when activities don't start when they're supposed to, but there's something nice about living with no rush.

They don't look at their clocks, impatiently waiting for the next activity, rushing from one thing to another.

After 3 days in the village, I'm happy to get back to the comfort of a bed and no bedbugs. I relished in the delights of a shower and electricity.

 Breakfast with one of the village families.

 Mitch with some of the kids.

Blessings,

Liz

Wash Day

I want to blog more about my weekend in Nambila Village, but when you spend a weekend away, then things start to get pretty smelly and when what happens, it's time to do wash.

Thankfully we don't have to do wash by hand here, but it is a learning curve figuring out the washer. 

Step one includes putting the clothes in the washer and filling it with the nearby hose and some washing powder. 

After the clothes are washed have been agitated for 15 minutes, you can turn the cycle in again for extra dirty clothes, or drain the water. Add clean water with the house and run the cycle again in the ran water the drain it. 

After that, you take some of the clothes and add them to the spinner. 

After a good spin, they're ready to hang on the line. 

And that's how it's done.