What a week! I could write a tonne - but probably won't. The problem is, what is really the issue of the week?
Do I talk about the the burglary on Tuesday? Do you want to hear about the sinking feeling to find your wardrobe almost emptied and two of your shirts on the lawn? Do you want to know the joy of a protecting God and a clever dog who lead me to where all (yes, all) the clothes had been hidden? Boring isn't it? No-one looses except in emotions.
Or would you like me to tell you about how tobacco auctions were called of on two days because of unrest from growers and political activists? What could I say that you have not already seen in the official sources? You may already know that the growers were given an effective 80% pay rise by way of a bonus from the Ministry of Finance. This means that, while the Zim$:US$ exchange rate remains pegged (nailed and glued) at 55:1, the growers are now being paid out in Zim$ as if the exchange rate was 99:1. I don't understand the economics, but it seems that the growers will be the winners short term. Long term is another question.
While I'm out of my depth on economic issues, I could tell you about my chat with one of our nation's stock brokers. I didn't really understand much of what he said, so I'll not try repeating it. All I'll say is that anyone who voluntarily runs the Two Oceans marathon may know what he is talking about. After all, he must use his brain for something - even if it's not self-preservation!
I guess the weekend puts the rest of the week in context.
About 150 people gathered at Resthaven, 20 minutes north of Harare, for the 2002 NFI Zimbabwe Leaders' Camp. I (officially out of deference to home security) opted to sleep at home and commute. However, even missing the hours of "bonding" (a.k.a too tired to sleep, sit and talk until the wee hours), I can put this down as a wonderous weekend.
Our guests this year were Lex & Jo Loixides from Jubilee Church in Cape Town. Lex is a man who is available to be used as God chooses - and this usually seems to mean evangelism.
A group of us had a long discussion last Wednesday about what an "evangelist" is. It sounds such an impressive term. After, all it's one of the "big 5" of Ephesians 4!! But when you spend time with folk like Lex & Jo, you suddenly (and shamefully) realise that evangelists are just normal people doing what God says. And one of the prime things He says concerns taking the Good News to everyone. How easily we get stuck behind the barriers of "right time" and fear of "causing offense". I believe most of us have come away from the weekend challenged that we are not doing what we were created for. We are not ready "in season and out" to give an answer to those who need to know. Jesus died for them each. They are hell-bound and hopeless, but we're worried about hurting their feelings. There is a hope!
This blog is meant to be dealing with what's happening in Zimbabwe. This is relevant. At a time when many are loosing hope, we can stand and categorically say that there is a hope, and that hope is not in economics, politics of agricultural reform - as excellent as those things are. The only hope for our land, our people and ourselves lies in one man - Jesus Christ.
It's amazing (although it shouldn't be) that we hear God re-emphasise the same message repeatedly in a short period of time. Just the other day I ran across the Keith Green song Asleep in the Light again after several years. And guess what, we are still (to a depressing degree) asleep. Time to get shamelessly busy!
(I'm not 100% sure of the copyright of that last link. I'll leave it to you and your conscience)
