http://beccachristian.myadventures.org Living the - Blessed Whatever en-us Sat, 5 Jul 2008 08:08:40 GMT 30 http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=299D0F85B4474A478CFCD96DAB647D http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=299D0F85B4474A478CFCD96DAB647D The Lord has me in this place of asking me to do bigger things and giving me less details and at the same time just began a new book Fresh Faith by Jim Cymbala. The premise is rooted in Hebrews 11:6, that without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God. While Im stumbling through the things Hes asking me to walk through He just keep showing me His enjoyment of me having to lean fully on Him. Last week, I had the African flutheres nothing like itand spent most of the week in bed but Thurs Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=sisters-weekend http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=sisters-weekend   This is Heather, one of my little sisters in Christ.  Heather and I go to church together in Bakersfield, CA and she came on a 6 week trip to Johannesburg (4 hour drive from my house in Swaziland) with her University to teach English.  I can't explain how fun it is to see someone from home on the other side of the world.  Heather is one of those with great "Kingdom perspective", for example she understands it's not up to her to change an entire way of life that people ha Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=prayer http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=prayer Of course as we are getting in the full swing of ministry, we are facing opposition personally and as a team.   Hloniphile (back) had her purse stolen on Saturday that had her phone, money, Bible, passport etc.  Phumlile (middle) also had money stolen from her this week.  Zabiba (front) had a friend just try to commit suicide and is now in the hospital.    Phumlile and Zabiba have applied for University and as a team we are praying and fasting this week that th Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=anguish http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=anguish Becca, I hate to tell you this but one of your girls just dropped out of school, shes pregnantThe girl you have been ministering to, she was out of school last week, we sent her home because she was possessed by a demonTheres no Bible at home, my parents only refer to the ancestorsDear Becca, please help, Im HIV positiveThe women keep coming to me from the community asking for food and I dont have any, I dont know what to doHello, my name is Lindiwe. My parents are not working, my mother is Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=sights-of-swaziland http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=sights-of-swaziland Beautiful Scenery -I've never gotten tired of it. My church just put up a tent on our own plot of land so we don't have to rent any more.  This was an exciting day and a celebration for my church family. The same day the tent was up the kids at church presented our Pastor's Wife a cake for her birthday Cell phone in one hand, a live chicken in the other - Welcome to Africa! Sometimes I still think "I can't believe I live in africa" Swazi traditional healer Favorite on th Mon, 9 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=humbled http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=humbled Last Saturday, the Lord confirmed "This has nothing to do with me".  About a month ago, the 3 girls I work with went with me to South Africa for a prayer retreat.  As we sought the Lord He was giving them more ideas for the Bible Study while to me He just kept saying "Step Back".  So I gave the girls the mandate that if the Bible Studies were going to continue was up to them.  Meanwhile I'm working on the Card Project and the retreat in August for all the girls who have gone Sun, 8 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=yay-for-steve-and-dave http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=yay-for-steve-and-dave Steve and Dave, 2 of my pastors from RiverLakes (My home church), came Thursday evening and just left Monday morning.  Here's a picture journal :) My friend, Angel, and I met Steve and Dave at the border and then had dinner at my favorite little restaurant.  Yes, we met them at the border, they wanted to find their way from Johannesburg to Swaziland - i thought they were crazy too :) Friday morning we hiked up to Sibebe Rock, the largest granite dome in the world.  Okay Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=you-live-on-a-speck-bec http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=you-live-on-a-speck-bec "It's not about you".  Only God can say this and my feelings not be crushed.  This is what keeps getting whispered in my ear.  Yesterday, there was a special showing of a movie (you must know how rare that is) of "Horton Hears a Who", a recent Dr. Seuss film.  Horton is an elephant that sees a speck of dust fly by and somehow thinks, "I wonder if anyone lives on that speck of dust".  He hears something from the dust speck and not only does someone live on the speck o Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=increasing-in-faith http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=increasing-in-faith   Last Tuesday, I picked up Faith Riley from the airport to join our team to teach the Bible Studies in the high schools.  Faith is here until Aug 10 and is a great asset to the team.  She is going to help tremendously in carrying the load here.  Lord, thank you for sending Faith.         Little bit about Faith:       1)      Age:  23 2)      Occupation:  Student Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=stepping-back-so-others-can-step-forward http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=stepping-back-so-others-can-step-forward 3 weeks ago, the girls (Zabiba, Hloniphile, Phumlile) and I went to South Africa after the Lord had told us to pray.  Every time I asked the Lord for direction for this second term of Bible Studies he said "step back".  Over and over he just kept saying "step back" to the effect of let these girls step up.  I admit I like to be in control of things because when I'm in control then things run the way I want them to.  However the more I step up and do "everything" the less the Sun, 18 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=you-give-them-something-to-eat-pt-3 http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=you-give-them-something-to-eat-pt-3 Nelile and I have met twice with the group of girls with me bringing the Word and prayer and music and Nelile bringing the talent, creativity and instructions for the cards.  Praise Him for the way He uses the different gifts to accomplish His work.  The first meeting Nelile told the girls to bring things at their homes - i.e. chicken feathers, small pebbles, seeds etc.  One thing Nelile is intentional about is that she wants to bring hope to these girls that no matter what situ Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=living-the-blessed-whatever http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=living-the-blessed-whatever God's calling me into a new season with Him.  I'm such a planner and I want to tell the Lord sometimes what I'm going to do for Him and this weekend He had me surrender full control of my life to him - EVERYTHING.  Beth Moore in one of my favorite messages of her's "the crucified life" talks about living the blessed whatever.  Doing whatever it is Jesus is asking me to because it's not about being surrendered to a project or a mission, it's about being surrendered to a Savior.&nbs Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=from-his-right-hand http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=from-his-right-hand I just got back from South Africa yesterday evening.  The schools went on break last Friday so we have 3 weeks out of the schools.  When I asked the Lord what He wanted us to do with the break he said "Pray".  So Phumlile (Faith), Zabiba (Bibo), Hloniphile (Ruth) and I went to Nelspruit, South Africa and sought the Lord in His beautiful creation.  There's a place there called God's Window and you hike up to the top of this huge mountain and then there is this amazing view but Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=blessed-by-those-who-mourn http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=blessed-by-those-who-mourn continued from "Mourn with those who Mourn" "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" - Matthew 5:4 I had read the beatitudes so many times and I knew that those who mourn would be blessed but I had not idea I could be blessed by those who mourn.  I arrived at the school not knowing what to expect and I found the school practically empty and Make Zwane, the vice principal waiting for me.  "I can't even look at you she said, I'm in shock".  She was amazed that t Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=mourn-with-those-who-mourn http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=mourn-with-those-who-mourn Yesterday the Lord led me to pray through the last part of Romans 12 and the part that stuck out to me was "rejoice with those rejoice and mourn with those who mourn".  Well unfortunately there are way too many mourning here.  Yesterday I found out one of the girls at the high school we are working at died.  She wasn't in our Bible Study but this school is the one I worked at last year and I'm definitely mourning with them. The reason I'm posting this is because the girl's family Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=over-already http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=over-already I can hardly believe it but the first 9 week Bible Study has already finished on Friday and the rest will complete this week.  Just wanted to share a few pictures. Hloniphile (Fufu), Zabiba (Bibo), and Phumlile (Sikoni) made cupcakes for the girls to celebrate.  I had way too much of that icing :) The girls each received a completion certificate and if they had done all of their homework and memorized all of their verses they received a Bible.  As you can see Gugu on the rig Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=expect-a-miracle http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=expect-a-miracle "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, "RAbbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, said Jesus, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in His life".  John 9:2-3 Many of you know my car situation for the last year.  I've owned a car but could only drive it for 3 weeks at a time and then it would break down and go back in the shop.  Two or three w Fri, 4 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=the-team-expands http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=the-team-expands In February, I introduced you to the team I'm now working with (Faith and Ruth).  We now have another team member - Meet Zabiba (2nd from left). In February, I introduced you to a woman named, Lindo, who is a Pastor's wife with the same passion for the women of Swaziland that i have.  She has a group called Daughters of Virtue that meets twice a month and Zabiba is a "daughter".  Zabiba finished high school last year and Lindo wanted me to meet Zabiba because her passion is to Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=happy-easters http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=happy-easters Sorry, I know it's been more than a week since Easter but I had trouble uploading the pictures and the pictures tell the story.  Here they call Easter, Easters, because most churches began celebrating on Wednesday or Thursday with night services and continue until Sunday evening.  Good Friday is a public holiday as well as Monday.  Therefore it's not called Easter here (like one day in the States) but Easters.  Here's what I was up to... THURSDAY: There is a Children's h Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=pray-pray-pray http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=pray-pray-pray I've been humbled and brought to tears at how many people want to get involved with the Card Project to provide income for these girls.  Thank you to all of you who are wanting to be involved, your help is needed for this to happen.  As for right now, I need you to pray and then I will have tangible ways to get involved soon.  Currently I'm profiling the girls to learn about their living situations and what their needs exact needs are. Pray: 1.  Logistics - Time to meet with Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=jesus-wasnt-kidding http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=jesus-wasnt-kidding When Jesus said the harvest is ripe, he wasn't kidding... This is Mlumati High School, our Thursday Bible Study, and wow this harvest was ripe.  I would not consider myself to be an evangelist but last week after the gospel was presented by one of the girls I work with, I prayed "the sinners prayer" with the girls and afterwards asked them to raise their hand if they just received Christ and 15 out of the 16 girls raised their hands (the 16th was already a Christian).  We went back Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=you-give-them-something-to-eat-pt-2 http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=you-give-them-something-to-eat-pt-2 continued from You Give Them Something to Eat, February 15, 2008 The Lord wants me to start an income generating project for these girls to keep them from having sex to have their basic needs me.  Where did I start?  I got on the internet and typed something genius into Google like "making cards in Africa for money".  A website came up 80  Rwandan refugees making greeting cards and selling them over the internet.  There was a link that said "email the founder" so I Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=what-a-week http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=what-a-week So, it's official all 5 of the Bible Studies have officially started.  We meet with them once a week Wednesday through Saturday.  We are in 3 of the 4 regions in Swaziland which means lots of driving and the radio in the car we are using is out so that means my team has been subjected to my singing :) This group here is our Friday group and these girls go to a Nazarene school and stay in the hostel there with 200 girls.  This school is close to the Mozambique border so we have Sw Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=pictures http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=pictures Sure stories are nice but most of you want to see pictures.  Here's some pictures of the last month.  It's been a lot of preparing for the Studies and I hope to get pictures up of the different groups of girls soon but I didn't want to have pictures of me studying and praying and organizing which is what I have been doing so here are some other fun things... I was in 2 weddings last year and i thought last year was the year of weddings but I've already attended 2 since I've been here Sun, 2 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=life-as-a-missionary http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=life-as-a-missionary How to make a missionary laugh: I was talking to a few of my Swazi friends the other day and asking them what their love languages were.  They had no idea what I was talking about so I explained mine was physical touch and quality time and asked them what they thought theirs was.  Then Musa, one of the Swazi guys I work with, walks up and I say "Hey Musa, what's your love language?" and Musa replies "SiSwati" (the language spoken in Swaziland) How to make a missionary cry: A fe Sat, 1 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=lindo http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=lindo       Paul said to the Philippians that to make His joy complete the body of Christ would be one in Spirit and in purpose.  Well, I know Paul would be happy with my new friendship with Lindo.  Lindo is the daughter to the late Swaziland ambassador to the United States and Lindo lived in the New York from age 8 to 23 when the Lord burdened her for her home country and specifically the women of Swaziland.  She moved back while the rest of her family continue Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=i-dont-get-you http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=i-dont-get-you I feeling like i'm failing, feeling like you are just shaking your head at me in disappointment.  I'll read my Bible and pray but my heart is closed.  I could hardly get out of bed because I didn't want to face all of these thoughts and worries about the car, not having a way to get to ministry.  I went to my neighbor and she says "Becca, I have a word for you".  She began to read her devotion for that day and it was saying the Lord doesn't want you to focus Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=you-give-them-something-to-eat http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=you-give-them-something-to-eat   Father, I can't take this anymore.  If I hear one more story of teenage girls doing ungodly things because their basic needs of food and education aren't met, I'm gonna lose it.  You say "you work righteousness and justice for the oppressed" (Psalm 103) yet I don't see it in the case of these girls.  Where is the justice in this.  It is not their fault their parents have died or that their father is in jail or that there is no employment opportunities for their parent Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=the-team http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=the-team The team - Hloniphile (or Ruth), Becca (or Jabu), and Phumlile (or Faith).  Ruth and Faith were in the very first Bible Study last year and then were leaders of the younger girls of the same Bible Study.  When I got back from the States, I called them over to stay the week with me where they soon found out that I wanted to hire them full time to help me lead the Bible Studies last year.  Last year I was primarily at 1 high school and this year the Lord wants us to be in one school Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=nomile http://beccachristian.myadventures.org/?filename=nomile Last week, the Lord led me to Romans 12 about feeding and giving drink to your enemies.  I tried not to laugh as that is the last thing I want to do for "my enemies" but the Lord had me buy food and drink for them.  It is amazing, I'm honestly my heart is healed and completely changed toward them.  I don't know why I'm surprised that God's Word is true if we do what it says.   The coolest thing though is, the woman working behind the counter started asking what the white gi Tue, 5 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT