The Rose

I've been waiting to share this story because it's one of the most exciting parts of the trip. To be honest it is also maybe one of the hardest to share because of the emotion that I feel when I just talk about it. Since I will be free-writing, I can't guarantee that the thoughts you are about to read will be coherent or in perfect writing order...so here goes.

On our second day in Diepsloot Squatter Camp we met Rose. Interestingly enough we ran across her because she ran across us; she literally chased us down. We had just left the shack home of Zele and stopped at the next to see if we could talk to them. There were several people outside talking and when Acts asked if we could come in they said they had been spoken to already by others from our group. So we dusted off our feet and began to walk down the worn path. A young woman emerged from the group and began making her way towards us. She was younger than most we had been talking to up to this point. Her head was covered with a do-rag and she wore a white t-shirt that had a picture of the African continent with the words "AFRICA UNITED" printed in bright blue. As she quickly moved towards us, she caught the eye of Acts and he stopped to see what she wanted. She said she hadn't spoken to anyone and wanted to talk to us. I remember letting out a slight chuckle as I thought back to the Maggie experience. I realized that yet again, God was allowing someone to chase US down so that we share the gospel with THEM. Oh yes, I let out that little laugh knowing that once again He had set us up for another one of His amazing divine appointments.

We make our way through the gate of what appears to be a relatively new shack. A small dog hides in the tiny shade of a bench that sits to the back corner. A few flowers are growing along the front wall. The splash of purple hues brings a comfortable feeling and a smile to my face. This woman has been watching Curb Appeal on HGTV I think to myself! It struck me that she had been making efforts, even here, a place where an entire home is a one-room tin shack, to bring color and life, cozy and homey to her environment.

We sit and speak with Rose for a bit. We learn that Rose is a mother to a 14-year old that is living with someone else in a distant place. Rose lives here with her husband but he is rarely home because he works in many different places and only comes home on occasion. Like so many others, the money they earn is sent back to the family. We also find out that she loves music. Someone spoke up in our group and mentioned that I was the person that sang at our church. She surprised me when she insisted that I sing her a song. This may shock most of you who know me, but believe it or not I was hesitant. I felt embarrassment for some reason? After a bit of prodding, I burst out the chorus, "This Is The Day That The Lord Has Made." She smiled and clapped as I sang. The neighbors that were standing in the yard behind her looked on with a curious stare...probably chucking at this white boy trying to sing.

As I finished I turned the tables on her and insisted that SHE now sing ME a song. She too protested, but eventually let out a nice chorus of something related to God. We clapped along with her as we tried to pick up the language quickly. Even though we messed up the words we enjoyed our time sitting there and getting to know her. As I've said so many times before we were in the process of sharing and exchanging life with this stranger, and it was GREAT!

As she finished her song I thought it a natural transition to ask her about church. She informed us that she went to the ZCC (a Christian wanna-be cult). Acts interrupted and asked the million dollar question that seemed to be so effective, "WHY?" She informed us that she went because she had been trying to get pregnant and she thought they could help her, but she never conceived so she stopped going. I'm so thankful that she was honest and transparent. Most Americans would have just said some lie but she was real with us which helped us get real with her. Wendy asked her what I thought to be a strange question at the time but later proved to be quiet effective..."WHY" [did she want to get pregnant]. Rose just kind of laughed and asked it again back to Acts like "What do you mean why do I want to get pregnant?" as though Wendy were somehow coo-coo for Coco Puffs. Wendy just repeated it again with an nonthreatening smile and a tilt of her head and Rose finally answered. She told us she wanted to get pregnant because her 14 year-old wanted to have someone to play with. We really sensed that Rose was lonely and wanted to conceive so that she could have someone to love on each and every day while she existed and lived there at her shack.

Suddenly I felt that increasingly familiar feeling...that feeling of the Holy Spirit opening my mouth and prompting me to speak. As with so many other people we had met along this journey there was a common factor from our lives that would bride the culture gaps and allow us to understand and symphatize with the people we met. I began to share with Rose the fact that I had a 9 year old at home and that she too has wanted a little baby brother or sister. I explained that my wife Sarah had been trying to conceive as well and that she had many issues with her womb that made us wonder if she would be able to ever have a child. Rose was listening intently as I continued to share.

For those reading and don't know this story it will be new to you as well and God gets the glory here today yet again for His awesome ways! I suddenly realize that I have something very very important to share with Rose and that is the story that my wife and I went through on our own journey to conceive and how it is connected to our faith and our relationship with Christ. I explained to Rose that just a few short months ago, my wife and I were trying to get pregnant. We had been trying for several months and nothing had happened. [My heart is racing as I tell this story. I almost can't get the words out fast enough as the Holy Spirit puts them in me.] We went to our church one Wednesday night for what's called a prayer meeting. That's just a time when the people of the church body come together and pray together. I made it clear that we went to this prayer meeting because of a relationship that we have with Jesus Christ. Since we follow and trust Him, we also pray directly to Him and He in turn intercedes with us to God. As we prayed our pastor felt led by the Spirit of God to lay hands on my wife's womb (over top of her hands in case you're thinking something you shouldn't). That night the 3 of us agreed together in prayer and asked the Lord to open up Sarah's womb. Just a few weeks later Sarah and I heard the incredible news that she was going to have a baby. I definitely had her attention now as I shared our story. I stopped there however and moved forward into a new direction.

"Rose, what we came here today to share with you isn't necessarily about the physical life you want to conceive in your womb, we are here to share with you how you can have spiritual life, an everlasting life that is even far greater than having a baby, a life that will lead you to heaven in eternity. Can I share that with you please?" Rose said yes and I brought out the handy evangecube yet again to visually help me tell the story of our sin, Jesus' death and resurrection, and the grace and mercy of God. Rose was ready to pray and ask Jesus into her heart. Derrina or Wendy (can't remember now) prayed with her a simple prayer and we knew that the angels in heaven were yet again rejoicing. God wasn't finished here though!

As they prayed, I remembered something else that had happened that night at the prayer meeting in August. My mind struggled to really believe this was all happening and had all happened like it had just for this one very special moment in time. After Neal had prayed with Sarah that night, he gave her a scripture from the Word as he felt led by the Lord. All I could remember was that it was a scripture that indicated that Sarah would indeed conceive and that there would be joy and laughter in our home. In this chaotic moment I couldn't think of the exact verse but I wanted so desperately to share it with Rose. My heart was pounding at the very thougth that the Word of the Lord that was given to Sarah was also given to Rose this very day??? I looked down in what I can only describe as a slow-motion type of awe and thrill as I realized what I had in my hands. As I was packing for my trip, I couldn't get my big Bible in my suitcase so I asked Sarah if I could take hers since it was smaller and had a concordance. In my hand was Sarah's green Bible. I knew that she had marked that scripture from Neal so I was just blow away that I just so "happened" to bring her Bible instead of mine. My heart raced and my hands no doubt shook at what I anticipated. As I opened the Bible towards Genesis, it fell right to the place. Instead of it being marked there was a small piece of paper. There in my dear brother's handwriting was where he had written Genesis 21:6 and the date 08/20/08 AD. I thought I'd find a pen marking the verse. I had no idea I would see Neal's print there at the spot. I was so overwhelmed at this point I could hardly keep my composer. I managed to keep it together and I explained to her the story as I just explained it to you. The team looked on in and listened with the same amazement that I felt and we ended our time with a powerful powerful prayer for Rose to conceive and to raise this child for the Lord!

After we concluded we hugged and said our goodbyes. Another hour had passed and another wonderful, unforgettable experience had taken place. We walked back up the path towards the vehicle in a stunned silence. Scot came up towards me as he could tell I was on the verge of something. He motioned for a hug. I put my finger up and said I can't but he insisted. He hugged me and my tears started. As we gathered around the vehicle to pray, I was completely overcome with emotion. Wendy and Derrina and I were all crying. Scot and Leslie were a bit misty as well as they had had some pretty incredible experiences of their own. I cried almost the entire way back to the camp...let me tell you why...

Do you realize what God did during the experience with Rose? I believe He didn't allow her to conceive because He was setting this whole thing up from the very beginning. He knew in advanced we would be there, walking down that path to her shack to share Him with her. I believe He didn't allow Sarah to conceive so that we would be looking to Him and Him alone for this child. I believe He waited until we knew it could only happen by His Word and that my Sarah had the faith to believe He could open up her womb. I believe He set-up our prayer meeting that night and allowed to flow in such a way that Neal would be obedient to His Spirit to pray over her. I believe He gave Neal that verse to encourage Sarah. I believe He gave Neal that verse to use to encourage and strengthen the faith of an upcoming, new believer named Rose. I believe Sarah's faith and trust in the Lord allowed her to believe that her womb would be opened. I believe that her womb was opened so that she could conceive a life. I believe the life in her womb, that is being formed at this very minute, was part of the story of Rose's salvation experience. I believe our child has already helped bring one soul in the Kingdom. I believe our child is a child of promise as Isaac was to Abraham and that he/she will be leading many many more souls to the Lord in the Name of Jesus! I believe that Rose has or will conceive and I believe that the life of the child will be a life filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and I believe the Lord will use this baby also to do mighty works for His Kingdom. I believe that it was NOT a mere coincidence that Sarah's Bible was in my hands that day...that the verse Neal received from God was penned on that small piece of paper so I couldn't miss it when it needed to be share. I believe God used my unborn baby, my wonderful wife Sarah, and my best friend and brother Neal to be a part of a wonderful divine appointment that only God could ever coordinated and set up. YES I believe that God is an amazing God!