David Peterka, founder of "When the Saints", talks about the first few weeks of the trip to Malawi and what is going on under the surface.
Ambuye Alemekiseke (Praise the Lord),
Dear beloved prayer team. A lot is going on under the surface, as it usually does. I will try to let you into some of these underlying issues so that you can become a petitioning prayer ally. (Breath) Ok there is a lot, so I will just vent a little bit. If you are willing... hear me out.
Please pray that I can be an effective leader for LeRoy, Matt Hawn and my brother Matt who joined us last week. I don't want to be domineering and overpowering to them, but I also want to give them structure and lead them well. So far the unity has been really good, but there is some subtle dissention that is rearing its gnarly head. This tends to happen when you spend every minute of everyday for weeks on end with the same people :] Pray that this will be part of the sanctification process where our iron is sharpening one anothers.
Also I am struggling a little bit in the process of discovering who I will be in all of this. (as in, working toward the rehabilitation center). This is the greatest level of responsibility I've ever felt before. I tend to be pretty laid back and very relationally oriented. At first I swung a little bit to the other end of trying to be in control of things and making sure it all goes smoothly. I believe I began to neglect the relational element a little out of worry that something might go wrong. Also I had changed my mindset to just be all business in trying to make sure that everything being done is working toward the goal of the safe home. I may have overlooked a love of the people in trying to just see how those people could benefit the project. I don't want to neglect the hearts and value of people in trying to utilize them to help other people. Pretty much I just don't want to use people to try to help people who have been used in a different kind of way. I believe everything that we do as Christians should build up and add value to everyone we interact with no matter who it is. So let's just say I am working to find a balance between relationship and business. It's tough, but I know it's a good and needed progression that will be beneficial.
I have been feeling a little stressed in trying to figure out a way to get people back in the US to pay attention to this injustice. I find myself trying to figure out a way to almost entertain them somehow in order to get them to listen. This idea of PR and trying to create a "product" that will attract attention in order to get what is needed for this home just gives me a strange feeling. I want to just be myself and let God take care of what resources are needed to build the center. The thing is, doing this makes me feel like I'm not doing all that I can be doing and like I'm not being as responsible as I should be. Again another balance that I'm looking for.
One last thing. I feel a little disorientated right now. The last two nights we have been at the lake where it is pretty touristy. Most of the people at the guest houses we stayed at the last two night don't have much for morals and just smoke a lot of pot, drink even more, cuss bunches and have pretty much devoted themselves to trying to get laid. Being in this environment is discouraging and weighs on my heart. Another sad part is that it reminds me of the US. This obviously further messes with me. Parts of our American culture is coming to Africa and influencing them in this case a very negative way. If you can imagine, this tears my spirit in all kinds of directions. In "helping" them and coming over here part of me wonders if we are just making them more American instead of the beautiful Africans that they are. I believe that there is good and bad in both cultures and hopefully only through the help of Jesus will the best of both emerge.
Ok, I'm done with my rant. (Zicomo Quambire) Thank you very much, for listing.
Psalm 16= "I will praise the Lord, who counsels me even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."
Frank Outlaw= "Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch you actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes destiny"
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Rach's Vid.movby Dmpeterka43 views
You inspire us brotha. Appreciate you sharing your heart in this process. I think everything you are thinking through sounds normal to me. I will be praying!!!
-dan
GiveADamnFilm 8 months ago