An African Journal - February 13,2003
An African Journal
Written by: Staff
Post Date: Feb. 13, 2003
Dear Friends and Family,
It took a lot of time and thought to write so passionately from my heart about the experiences and the impact on my life, family and people who have been touched by the mission time in Africa. I do want you to know that these stories really happened and are a very brief part of the what happened in the mission fields. They are my personal journals and came right at the moment of the event so they are full of passion and express the profound cry of my heart to let the world know about the precious children in Africa. I do not want to change or compromise the passion in these journals but someone did ask me about my experience in the Congo with a crippled man whom I shared the word of God with, I want to clarify my intent and not leave confusion or criticism on peoples part. I do want to let you know that I never told this man that God's blessing would only fall on the crippled man if he tithed. He already has God's blessings. He is alive. He is saved. He is loved. The message I was sharing with the church body was one of the condition of the heart of the people which is what I believe that Christ also was reaching out to people from all walks in life, rich or poor, healthy or crippled. Regardless of our affliction, Christ calls us to take the focus off of our own needs and reach out to someone else in need and do what we can to help and bless that person, church or community. I have visited this land, the Congo twice. I saw when the relief aid came in and helped the City of Goma when the volcano destroyed their city with it's lava flows last year. The aid has for the most part stopped now. The crisis is over. The local people must help to build and support their own pastors and ministries, they just can't wait for emergency aid to come in and help or a missionary to come in and bless them once in a while. The pastors have nothing to help their people with, all people, even homeless, poor or afflicted can if they choose help to make a difference in building up the body of Christ. Will the tithing be in a form of money in these nations, probably not, but it could be in the form of a gift of clothing, an egg, a chicken, their time, their prayers, their listening ears and compassionate hearts. As Americans we often only think of tithing in dollars and always at 10%. Most of the world does not view tithing the same way as Americans do. They know it is about a relationship between them and God, and is a way that God uses unity in the body of Christ to help reach out and build up the body. I believe that "Offering's" is the love gift we give to God within or outside the church body to reach out and touch the lost, homeless, needy and hungry. The gift of love that I gave on the mission trips I have taken have been to help to plant seeds and change the mindset of people to see God's promise of prosperity is the same of each of us. I do challenge, encourage, and support these nations, people and churches to walk in faith and boldness to build the foundation of these nations and churches on a prosperous mindset, not a poverty mindset.
I would encourage each of you to continue your walk of faith within your own ministry in your own families, churches, communities and our own county and nations around the world. We each are called to preach, teach and reach out to others who have less than you do, and to also bless other ministries with your prayers of success and support as they answer the calling that God has placed on their hearts. As we give what we can financially to support God's ministry in our home, work, our hearts let them be are gifts of love and joy that we freely give. Grace in God's Hands has supported many pastors in Africa and has seeded much support to an orphanage which helps to take care of over one hundred children. Some people have asked why don't I live in Africa? I do not live in Africa because that is not where God is calling me to be at this time, I am a single mother. America is also my mission field, including the outreach to the homeless in Spokane, Washington. God uses me to bring a taste of Africa back to the people here in America who would or could not go to Africa to share about the needs of these people. God can use all of us to help touch people's lives here by giving opportunities for normal everyday people to have an opportunity to bless and support people in other countries. It is important to do what God has called each of us to do, and that is to be obedient and follow his teachings, his words and share the gospel, completely to all people rich or poor, American or Africa, healthy or crippled. None of us know the personal price that has been paid by any of us individually, so we must be careful about making assumptions and judgments and just humbly ask God for guidance, mercy and grace to fall fresh on each of us and the ministry He calls us to.
The reports from Africa I pray touch and bless you as you read and see the pictures or real people, real children and real blessing and needs. These blessing are just a few that came out of the willingness of one simple person efforts to be willing to be used by God in unusual and profound ways for His glory and mission.
Grace to all of you,
Carol Himsl
It took a lot of time and thought to write so passionately from my heart about the experiences and the impact on my life, family and people who have been touched by the mission time in Africa. I do want you to know that these stories really happened and are a very brief part of the what happened in the mission fields. They are my personal journals and came right at the moment of the event so they are full of passion and express the profound cry of my heart to let the world know about the precious children in Africa. I do not want to change or compromise the passion in these journals but someone did ask me about my experience in the Congo with a crippled man whom I shared the word of God with, I want to clarify my intent and not leave confusion or criticism on peoples part. I do want to let you know that I never told this man that God's blessing would only fall on the crippled man if he tithed. He already has God's blessings. He is alive. He is saved. He is loved. The message I was sharing with the church body was one of the condition of the heart of the people which is what I believe that Christ also was reaching out to people from all walks in life, rich or poor, healthy or crippled. Regardless of our affliction, Christ calls us to take the focus off of our own needs and reach out to someone else in need and do what we can to help and bless that person, church or community. I have visited this land, the Congo twice. I saw when the relief aid came in and helped the City of Goma when the volcano destroyed their city with it's lava flows last year. The aid has for the most part stopped now. The crisis is over. The local people must help to build and support their own pastors and ministries, they just can't wait for emergency aid to come in and help or a missionary to come in and bless them once in a while. The pastors have nothing to help their people with, all people, even homeless, poor or afflicted can if they choose help to make a difference in building up the body of Christ. Will the tithing be in a form of money in these nations, probably not, but it could be in the form of a gift of clothing, an egg, a chicken, their time, their prayers, their listening ears and compassionate hearts. As Americans we often only think of tithing in dollars and always at 10%. Most of the world does not view tithing the same way as Americans do. They know it is about a relationship between them and God, and is a way that God uses unity in the body of Christ to help reach out and build up the body. I believe that "Offering's" is the love gift we give to God within or outside the church body to reach out and touch the lost, homeless, needy and hungry. The gift of love that I gave on the mission trips I have taken have been to help to plant seeds and change the mindset of people to see God's promise of prosperity is the same of each of us. I do challenge, encourage, and support these nations, people and churches to walk in faith and boldness to build the foundation of these nations and churches on a prosperous mindset, not a poverty mindset.
I would encourage each of you to continue your walk of faith within your own ministry in your own families, churches, communities and our own county and nations around the world. We each are called to preach, teach and reach out to others who have less than you do, and to also bless other ministries with your prayers of success and support as they answer the calling that God has placed on their hearts. As we give what we can financially to support God's ministry in our home, work, our hearts let them be are gifts of love and joy that we freely give. Grace in God's Hands has supported many pastors in Africa and has seeded much support to an orphanage which helps to take care of over one hundred children. Some people have asked why don't I live in Africa? I do not live in Africa because that is not where God is calling me to be at this time, I am a single mother. America is also my mission field, including the outreach to the homeless in Spokane, Washington. God uses me to bring a taste of Africa back to the people here in America who would or could not go to Africa to share about the needs of these people. God can use all of us to help touch people's lives here by giving opportunities for normal everyday people to have an opportunity to bless and support people in other countries. It is important to do what God has called each of us to do, and that is to be obedient and follow his teachings, his words and share the gospel, completely to all people rich or poor, American or Africa, healthy or crippled. None of us know the personal price that has been paid by any of us individually, so we must be careful about making assumptions and judgments and just humbly ask God for guidance, mercy and grace to fall fresh on each of us and the ministry He calls us to.
The reports from Africa I pray touch and bless you as you read and see the pictures or real people, real children and real blessing and needs. These blessing are just a few that came out of the willingness of one simple person efforts to be willing to be used by God in unusual and profound ways for His glory and mission.
Grace to all of you,
Carol Himsl
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