Be my Valentine?

Back to firing from all cylinders, it's great to know that there is an army of friends praying for us in missions. Somehow, even though I haven't taken any time off work since my last blog post, I have renewed energy and vigour - this can only come from the Lord!

Added to that, my prayer life has significantly improved and I'm even spending more time reading my Bible ("you missionaries already read your Bible loads" I hear you say!)

Now to enjoy an evening with my valentine.

Second wind

Sometimes in missions we can face burnout. Sometimes we can feel like the world is upon us. Sometimes we just aren't sure of where we're going so we're like a sail that isn't anchored down in any way.

Since returning from England, there have been so many things to deal with and issues to sort out that I feel like my feet haven't touched the ground. We had a really busy time in the UK and I was hoping for a break when I returned to South Africa. No such luck. I feel like a sail that's blown here there and everywhere with no sense of grounding and direction. I feel there hasn't been time to catch-my-breath. Also, being struck down with food poisoning didn't help! Yet there is so much work that I still need to do and so much I need to step up to, to do what I'm called here to do. Yet I'm exhausted just thinking about.

Long drive
As I reflected on this during a drive home from a meeting on the other side of town today (about an hour away), the lack of radio in my car meant I had time to think! I really felt God giving me a second wind; that I should trust him during this time and just press in. That now isn't a time for sitting down and moaning, or whining, but now is a time for action. I believe that, though I'm tired, God will give me my second wind of energy -- just like you get when you're in a race and you feel exhausted in the first quarter and think "how am I ever going to finish", determination pushes you to jog/cycle/swim through that and then you get your second wind.

The person leading today's meeting brought a word of encouragement (and challenge) to us that fitted this nicely. He told us about God's miracles always being intertwined with the reality of the physical. God doesn't just clothe, heal, feed or bless for the sake of it. He works with people, in their circumstances and gave a (supernatural) helping hand, as they also did their part. The reflection was on the miracles that we see in the books of Kings, but could be applied to almost any miracle - from multiplying foods of various kinds to the parting of the Jordan - all were done in a context where men did the possible and God did the impossible.

I know that I know this, but do I really KNOW this?

Need to digest, sleep and look to get some quality quiet time in tomorrow. Then I can press on towards the higher goal.

Lord give me the energy, perseverance and wisdom to continue doing what You've called me to do.
Amen.

Measuring success

Well done, good and faithful servant.

These are words every Christian longs to hear. Success can be seen as a very loaded term as it is increadibly subjective. Yet we slip into measuring, rewarding and boasting success so easily and apply our world view to the measure. By doing so, what can be a great success for some is a dramatic disappointment for others and vice versa. Just take any football match, for example, it's only a success if your side wins!

For some industries, success and failure are black and white (or used to be), such as in banking, for example, where a successful year would be measured by how the balance sheet looked (although that's probably a bad example, given the current climate!). For athletes the ultimate measure of success would probably be competing (and winning) an Olympic medal.

So what is success in mission? How is it measured and what should we celebrate it? Should we celebrate it at all?

As I travel and meet more and more people involved in full time Christian service I find that the measure of success varies greatly. The easiest way to see what people's view of success is, is to attend a few meetings. More often than not, the leader of the meeting will be abundantly clear by body language, tone of voice and message whether the message they are bringing is positive or negative. Also, positive/success messages are often celebrated with clapping and cheering.

Many will celebrate success by number of volunteers/staff working for the mission. Some will measure it by how the finances are looking. Others will mark it by the output (number of outreaches/schools/activities).

This week, as some of us in YWAM are gathering to chat about how we can serve those working as volunteers in Africa better. Many of us are starting to feel really feel challenged not to measure our success in any of the above ways. Rather, spend time asking God where he is leading us, and try to be obedient to what He calls us to do. Only when we have achieved this, can we speak about success. And, of course, when we do that, we can only give the glory to God, as He did the work for us, we just obeyed.

Walking in obedience sometimes means going into the hardest places with the least support and little-to-no recognition. It means humbling yourself and serving - raising others up, not yourself.

Yet despite all this, as I sit and listen to the stories of people who have given up everything to serve overseas, I see how God has given them the strength, ability and will power to complete the tasks He has set before them. I see how they are simply men and women living extraordinary lives because of the God they serve. I hear about many miracles and examples of provision and guidance in some incredibly difficult circumstances - yet these stories are told without cheering but rather a deep sense of joy and hope. What a God we serve that allows us to journey with him like this!

So, how will I know if I've been successful?

When my God says: well done good and faithful servant.

Tie up loose ends

It's a strange thing to think of stepping off, or at least stepping away from the career ladder, to go and do voluntary service overseas. Some call us brave, others wonder how we're going to provide for our family, while others still question our wisdom in quitting paid jobs in the UK. Yet we know that it was a calling that we had to take.
However, when we first went out to South Africa, we weren't 100% sure what we would be doing and how long we would be there for. It was a step of faith in itself to even go. This meant, however, that there were many 'loose ends' that were left untied. One of these was our house. We bought a small house in the UK for us to live in, right at the peak/boom, and just before the credit crunch. Although that was a few years ago now, the market still hasn't recovered and our house is still in negative equity. Friends have been looking after the house while we've been away, and helping us towards the mortgage and bills. However, now that we're committing to a much longer time South Africa, we need to look to rent it out properly - which is not as easy-a-task as we had first anticipated! This past couple of weeks has been spent clearing, sorting/preparing the house for renters whilst meeting with prospective agents and contacting various services to take our names off council tax, water, gas, electricity, telephone, internet, tv etc.

Initially we booked our flights to return to SA for 3rd January, but due to complications with Joshua's visa, we had to move it back to the next available ticket with the same price/conditions - 22nd January. I'm so grateful for that extra time - much needed to get everything sorted here in the UK. Due to the wonders of the internet, I am able to work from 'home' (home being wherever I can get internet access!) during this time. It's not the same as being with the team in SA and I know there are many things that will be left piling up for me to take care of when I return. My prayer for today is that I will complete everything that I need to, to ensure good stewardship of what we have in the UK. Any loose ends are much harder to tie from such a long way away!

Lessons learned

Many of us have mini crises in our lives - often that is manifest through loss/injury/hurt of someone, but sometimes it can be slightly more removed from that - such as the losing of important documents whilst travelling. This can become an incredibly stressful event, even if nobody's life is in imminent danger. This happened to me this week when I was in London to collect Joshua's visa. The small bag that contained all our precious documents (marriage certificate, passports, birth certificates and important receipts) was with me no more. The worst part about it was I didn't notice that the smaller bag was missing until I was almost home because it was 'supposed' to be contained within the bigger rucksack I was carrying on my back. 

When such a crisis hits, many of us turn to prayer. As you would imagine, my experience started with panic. Anyone who has gone through the process of getting visas for their family to work overseas will know the expense and time and energy needed to replace any/all of them. I called my wife, Becky, immediately who worked hard at calming me down (though I could feel the tensions rising on the other end of the phone too). I was in Luton market at the moment I realised, getting my new mobile phone unlocked. I felt all-of-a-sudden claustrophobic and a tightening of my neck muscles. I asked the guy at the market stall to hold onto my phone for a bit whilst I take a walk. I went to the toilets, expecting to throw up, or something, but nothing. It was then that I turned to prayer. Not caring how I looked to others in the shopping centre bathroom, I started praying fervently to God for his help (I resisted dropping to my knees, but I did metaphorically). The first answer to prayer came immediately - it was in the form of an amazing sense of peace that came over me. My breathing returned to normal and I felt that somehow (though I didn't know at this stage how), everything would be ok. 

I began the painful process of retracing my steps back from Luton through every shop, back to the train station and back to London, making sure to pick up my newly unlocked phone in the process. Eyes focused on the floor, wishing somehow that it was lying somewhere nearby. As I gradually went through this painstaking process, a couple of glimmers of hope turned out to be false (including the train guard telling me that 'they've found a bag with passports in St Pancras'). Finally, in London, slowly tracing my steps back, I continue my prayer, which went something like: "Lord, my worship of you is not dependent on my circumstances. But please help me find this bag with all the documents in it." That is when the second answer to prayer came. I heard God say to me: "You prayed with such passion then, but why do you wait for a crisis to pray like this?". I felt thoroughly rebuked, but knew deep in my heart, the truth of it. Over the past couple of months, I have become so busy that my prayer life has reduced down to very simple, and often half-hearted quiet times. 

As I acknowledged this and pledged to turn around and spend more serious time in prayer, I received a phone call from my brother-in-law. He had been called by lost property at St Pancras station and told that the item that I was looking for had been found.And it was. All the documents in tact and collected. Back in my hands. I held onto that small back so tightly, never wishing to see it depart from my sight again!

I don't believe God took that bag from me, but I see how he used the situation to get my attention - for which I am so grateful. Now is the task of follow through. Quiet time is a must. Please Lord help me to spend more time with you. 

Wieder in Deutschland

The life of a YWAMer is that oftentimes you get the privilege to step into someone else's world. Let me explain what I mean...

Tourists get a glimpse of a world presented to them (through hotels, guest houses and museums/attractions), business travellers get a similar experience, where hospitality and service are focused on 'getting the job done'. Most others live and work in a set context (place, purpose, relationships) that doesn't really change from one year to the next. However, for those of us in mission, travel and engaging with different cultures, worldviews and ways of life are part of the job. One week you could be in luxury, the next in poverty. As we travel, we are blessed by those who offer to accommodate us in their houses (we try to keep the inevitable disruption to their lives to the minimum). As such, we get a feel - even if just for a few days - of how they live. What are the main issues facing them and where are life's struggles.
Currently we are in Germany with an old friend of mine, Daniel Deutsch. He has kindly opened his one room apartment for the three of us to stay with him as he relegated himself to a converted loft space/mezzanine floor. But life hasn't just stopped for him; he carries on working and we are trying to take our part by shopping, washing and cooking where we can (or are allowed!). This blessing of accommodation from Daniel  gives us the freedom to visit supporters in Germany but have a place to rest our heads. It also demonstrates how supporting is about but journeying with us - allowing us to understand a bit more about where you come from and what makes you tick! Last  night we visited some wonderful people - Ulrich and Gabriele Mack. They have embraced our work, support and pray for us regularly. It was wonderful to hear some of their stories - find out about their kids, where they're at and pray a bit for them. This was our first time to see them in their home context. The more we develop our understanding of who God is, the more we realise that he's very interested in our relationships with one another and how we steward those. And when we come together to chat, update, eat together and pray with/for each other, we get a feeling of what Jesus meant when he called St Peter to build the church.

Back in blighty

Back on English soil. A strange feeling, yet somehow comforting to be 'home'. Lots of stuff to do - I'm not sure any of us are going to get a chance to rest. There's our house to clear/sort out/ rent out; there's 3/4 speaking engagements; there's Christmas with various relatives; there's Joshua's visa to get; there's team meetings (over skype) as the work at AfriCom continues and lots of work to do as well!
Our first stop is with Richard and Sarah with their 18-month old daughter, Emily. Speaking at St Mary's on Sunday, then off to Germany first things Tuesday. This is going to be a busy busy time, but we're really looking forward to touching base with as many as possible!

Joshua's 8 months old today

I don't normally write about mundane family stuff on this blog, where a proud parent will celebrate every small step in their first child's life. However, I felt today I would, as it has significance in our journey. Joshua celebrating his 8 month birthday (and also his first tooth appearing) has meant that we are rapidly approaching our two year mark, since we first came to South Africa to begin our work with YWAM. Two years ago today, we knew that we were being called into missions, but where exactly we would be working and what we would be doing was far on the horizon and we were just taking steps of faith away from paid employment and into Christian service.
As I walked down the street, quietly praying about things on my mind, I reflected on this amazing journey we've been on and how we have been looked after: first by God who called us here, but second by the network of people who have stepped in to (often sacrificially) support us. Every month we have paid the rent and every day we have food on the table to eat. It's not always been an easy journey, but God has been faithful throughout.
There was barely a penny to our name when we arrived after our visit to England in late 2010 and no furniture in our newly rented house, with Becky 7 months pregnant, we seriously wondered whether we'd done the right thing. A friend of ours lent us their car while they were travelling... so to anyone looking in from the outside, as we drove around in a new Jeep, living in a gorgeous scenic holiday resort, may think "they're doing well for themselves". Yet we wondered how on earth we would make ends meet.
Now, as we're thinking and talking about trips to Nigeria, Zimbabwe and back home for Christmas, we know that we have to rely on the call of God and to step out in faith. We still don't have all the money we need and still have to rely on prayer and the partnership of supporters for our daily bread. But the difference now is that we have learnt that we don't need to fear lack of provision, rather trust in our daily walk and obedience to him. We have seen Him provide and we trust he will again.

Back in the blogosphere

It has been a significant time since I did an update. Apologies for the die-hard blog readers who have been waiting for the next entry!

Over the past couple of months, we have journeyed a long way, yet at the same time we haven't left Cape Town (except for one weekend away). It might seem cliché for us to think about our life being made up of seasons; but recently it's been so clearly defined as a time to press in and serve locally. We knew 2011 would be a tough year, and it has proven itself to be. Taking over running the communications team for YWAM in Africa for me and major changes in the team for Becky has meant that, for stability purposes we needed to stay here. For me (Pete) that has been essential. I took over a team which was, to say the least, shaky on each individual's commitment to the vision. Buy-in for vision is so important, especially when 100 per cent of your staff are volunteers. YWAM is known for its transient nature and I knew to be able to be effective I needed to ensure that I was there and committed to serving the team on the ground.

After four months of heads-down, desk-based work, establishing funds for the ongoing work, meetings and team building, we were ready to start planning. It was such a clear mark of the 'change in season' this week when we met in one of the staff houses to put together a strategy for the next twelve months. Having gone through a really tough few months - at times without enough to pay the electricity bill, let alone the rent - it was so refreshing to start thinking about where we were going and how we could 'get out there' and start building on what the team has done over the past 9 years, since it was established.

At the moment, though dealing with a couple of issues regarding fundraising and finances, we are excited about the possibility of two Africa trips before we visit the UK for Christmas. Becky is planning to go to Nigeria to attend an anti-trafficking conference; I am planning to go overland to Harare, Zimbabwe (2-3 day drive) for a meeting of all the YWAM leaders and staff across the South Central Africa region (incl. Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania). We'll keep you updated and informed.

AfriCom has a NEW website!

I'm excited to announce the launch of our new website for YWAM AfriCom. With this website, we are hoping to build a closer connection of YWAMers across Africa by showcasing some great stories here. If you have any stories you would like to share, please contact info@ywamafricom.org  In the meantime, please take a look, have a read of the new blog, listen to audio stories and watch some of the talking head videos explaining YWAM in Africa.

Learning from the past

Picture: jeffrey james pacres

It has been said that to do well in the future you need to have a good understanding of the past. Our history shapes us in both good and bad ways and, without a deep revelation of where we come from, the bad parts of history have a way of repeating themselves. In the same way, our present decisions and actions have consequences for the shaping of the way things will be done in the future.
Technology has been both a blessing a curse for this. We are blogging/ discussing/ recording issues with each other more than we have ever before. But there is little-to-no structure in how we record what we are doing right now. Letters received used to be filed, recorded and responded to. But now, with email, most of us 'clear' our inbox when it gets too full, thereby deleting a section of our past, without (much) consideration for usefulness for others in the future. We are so abounding in information nowadays, most of us have little thought for what is good, or bad, and therefore no reference on what to keep or chuck.
One of the organisations I (Pete) once worked for was founded in 1701. They had an archive of minutes of decisions that were made for the past three hundred years. This awesome amount of information was neatly collected and categorised by an archivist who diligently kept us abreast of where we have come from.
Without the diligence of, let's say Paul or Luke, we would not have such a record of Jesus' life and teachings and ways that the early church learned to 'be' church.

As I take on leading the communications team for Africa (YWAM AfriCom), I am learning to understand that it is important that I take time to learn about what shaped this continent in terms of history, missions, politics and so on. As we talked and prayed as a team this morning about where we are heading, there was a realisation of how thin our personal/individual knowledge of this vast continent is. We have therefore made a pledge to one another to investigate more, listen more and read more, so that we have a good foundation on which to build our communications ministry. We are also writing a diary of the major things that we are praying about and big projects that we are planning, with notes on successes, failures (and the reasons for the failures), so that others can look upon what we have done well and what we have done badly!
For us as a family, we have started to journal in a similar way, so that, when our children grow up, they can look back and see the journey that brought us to Africa and develop a better understanding of who we are and where we, as a family, come from.

Trusting for breakthrough

Some say that missionaries spend a lot of time praying about money, while others don't pray enough. When we face the situation of 'being without' how do we respond?

Money is a strange, yet essential tool to enable us to live. Without cash we cannot pay our bills and, as such, become reliant on the state/handouts to stop us from starving and keep a roof over our heads.

So, when we ourselves face difficulties to finance ourselves and our ministry, what should we do? Where should we turn? A biblical principle behind this is that we need to keep reminding ourselves that we are not beggars, or a charity case – though our work is charitable, we are not in 'need of charity'. Rather we are working to serve others, and as such, we need to rely on friends to partner with us. In fact, it is a very healthy model to have that reliance on investors/partners, as it makes us accountable to the actions we choose to do.

Each quarter, we produce a budget which displays income vs. spending for those three months. It compares what we said we would do, to what we actually did. It's known as an accountability report, as we hold ourselves accountable to our investors who choose to partner with us in what we do: in prayer, in support and in physically helping us.

If money were to be no object, it would be very easy to lose track of your calling. There is nobody to go back to with a report to say: this is what I did with your hard earned cash; these are the results of your partnership with us; this is what can be and has been achieved.

Each of us goes through seasons of plenty and seasons of little. When we pray, it is easy to slip into the asking for finances for the bills we have to pay. But we are learning  not to ask for money for what we need, but guidance in what we are called to do. We have seen time and time again, that if we are obedient to God's calling on our lives, we see miracles happen. And when we see miracles happen, to whom can we give the glory?

So, when we have financial needs, though it is hard not to focus on the great need that we have to pay bills owed, we need to allow God to do the impossible.

OK... got to go, got some water to walk on!

Tough decisions

In Muizenberg there are plenty of people who have fallen below the poverty line and live on the streets. Each of them has complex stories of how they got there; very few of these people are easy to support. Throwing cash at the problem without strategic and prayerful thinking is a waste of time. The abundance of drugs and alcohol, added to abusive backgrounds has led so many being in a cycle of poverty that it's hard to find a way for them to escape. The Justice ACTs  S-Cape Home - a rescue centre for victims of human trafficking - this past couple of weeks has seen ladies who have a background of trafficking ending up back on the street, as they posed a danger to the staff working at the home. Grace extended to them was often spat back in the face of those who were there to help them. You'd think that supporting others to build a life for themselves after facing manipulation and trauma would be a rewarding job, but it's often thankless and seemlingly endless, as the abuse that has been inflicted on those we help often is more powerful an influence than the soft kind hand of a friend who just wants to help. The staff of the safe house often have to deal with lies, false accusations, manipulation, violence, depression and a whole host of other problems that come as a result of dealing with broken lives.

Debt and Missions – A Toxic Mix

This past week has been eventful in terms of finances coming and going through our account.

About a month after Joshua's birth, we received an unexpected bill from the various professionals who attended us in hospital - in particular the paediatrician and the anaesthetist. We had already paid the agreed money to the obstetrician (thanks mum!), and the hospital bill had been covered by our insurance. But, it appeared that our insurance company hadn't paid up for some of the others. We resubmitted the claims to the insurance company, only to find out that they'd gone into administration. They agreed to pay a proportion of what was owed, but this left us about £500 (about $800) in deficit. This money, as you can probably understand, we don't have to spare! And when the insurance won't pay, we have to swallow the debt. We felt there was nothing to do but to put it on a credit card to avoid legal action being taken against us.

It was then that I read a blog feed on debt and missions. In Bill Hutchison's blog, he wrote: "One thing that I have seen again and again remove people from the mission field, or prevent them from entering the mission field, is personal debt. Personal debt can take many forms, including, but certainly not limited to Credit Card Debt, Student Loan Debt, Vehicle Loan Debt or Lease. I have seen numerous messages on twitter from people along the lines of wanting to join missions, but can’t because of debt. I have also seen people leave the missions field because of debt they had at home from before they joined or even because of debt they have incurred while on the missions field. Debt is very debilitating to someone wanting to follow the Will of God of their life. There is not one positive mention of debt in the Bible. Debt is always presented in a negative light. It is not a “salvation” issue, but there is not one time mentioned in the bible that debt is used to bless His people."

On checking my emails that same week, I see two that jump out of the page at me. One is from a friend of ours back home. This is a family which engaged with us and our desire for missions and agreed to support us on an ad hoc basis. The other was from my father-in-law. In total, they had sent us donations covering the shortfall.

What a blessing!

This brought to mind whether I should've put the money on a credit card or just waited. I challenged myself on "where was my faith!?", but also rejoiced in the fact that friends and family were obedient to God's call to support those in mission.

This gives me an opportunity to publicly offer our sincere thanks to all our friends who regularly support us and obediently, and often sacrificially give to our work in Africa. Your partnership is valuable and life-giving.

Whether or not I lacked the faith to believe that God would provide for us in our time of need, I know one thing is for sure: I am glad to not be in great personal debt whilst serving on the mission field. Becky and I may not have much materially/financially, but we have the freedom to go whenever God calls us, without the burden of debt holding us back.

Debt did hold us back before we left. Both Becky and I had a feeling about travel and getting into missions several years before we did, but I had personal debt that I felt that I had to 'clear' first. Through the grace of God, I managed it in 2009 and that's when we were able to start properly planning to go. 

Passing on the baton

Thursday last week saw the official Muizenberg goodbye for the Heathcote family and the welcoming and praying for Pete (me) to take the helm. Today I officially 'took office' at YWAM AfriCom. It was the hand-over where the current leader officially stepped down and I took responsibility. The morning started with an official welcoming of the new eldership team and an informal prayer time.

Other than that, it was a pretty normal day for most, I think. The 'exiting' leader had to deal with a family emergency and even borrowed my 'new' car to rush off to sort it out. 

Probably one of the most significant things that happened was the receipt of three application forms for new staff positions, plus a Facebook message from someone following up their enquiry about working with us. This was so significant, as we have not had any permanent applications for some time and for them all to arrive on the day I take office felt like a sign that I was not going to be left alone!