"Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis- only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God."
Those thoughts reminded me of my niece, Meagan, who I spoke with on the phone last night about a donation from our school to her work in Zambia where she labored for the Lord for four years. If you are a regular reader, you have heard of her work and seen the children she loves and often watches die. The following is the entry from October 4, 2006, the day she showed her faith in the Lord.
Meagan moved to Africa today. Well, to be correct, I should say she is on her way. This evening, she boarded a plane in Oklahoma City. Her itinerary includes changing planes in Houston and Atlanta before landing in Johannesburg, South Africa. From there, she will take a bus to Kalomo, Zambia where her journey ends. Let me rephrase that: Meagan's journey begins at the Namwianga Mission in Zambia and where it ends is in the Lord's hand. This evening, she took the first steps of a twenty-six month adventure at three Christian orphanages and working with adolescent girls in the community. The plan is for her to come back to the States permanently in the winter of 2008. Meagan will return a changed person and I am pretty sure Kalomo, Zambia will never be the same, either.
Meagan is my niece, the daughter of my brother, Dave, and his lovely wife, Sally. Even among the many incredible relatives the Lord has blessed me with, Meagan is unique. Usually we can find someone that reminds us of a person; I know no one who bears a resemblance to my niece. An in-depth biography of her twenty-five years would not scratch the surface of her character. She is as caring a human being as I know. She tries to make everyone fit in and make them feel wanted. On my coffee table, there sits a school picture of Meagan, dressed in pink and probably in kindergarten, the same age as the children she will be loving as her ministry to Jesus. My memories of her are holiday and summer remembrances. I recall her singing stage when she would constantly belt out "Game Of Love" and the current Chevy commercial ("Listen to the heartbeat.. ooh ooh.. of America") in the confines of the car. Every Christmas, I have relied on Meagan and her cousin, Karis, to 'assist' my gift excursions to the mall. At family meals, she would set the table with the elegance of an adolescent Martha Stewart. And now, she is walking away from a well-paying teaching job she loves to do the Lord's work in a difficult locale and a culture foreign to her. She is leaving behind a close-knit family who is alternately proud and fearful and lonely. I haven't seen Meagan since last Christmas and her first visit home is more than a year off. It will be a moment for her and an eternity for us. In my classes today, we quizzed over Luke 5:1-16. This is the story where after preaching from Peter's boat, Jesus tells the fishermen to go fish some more. Reluctantly, they obey and catch so many fish the boats begin to sink. Back on shore, Peter, James and John left everything, including a large payday in fish, and followed Jesus immediately. Yesterday, Meagan called my dad to tell him good-bye. You know where she was headed? A dealership, to get rid of her car. I think Meagan has placed herself in very good company.
Applicable quote of the day:
"According to one estimate, by 2010 in Africa alone there will be forty million AIDS orphans, 95% of whom carrying the virus."
Claudio Hummels
God bless,
Steve (Meagan's uncle)
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com
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