a ship sailing
[slightly modified letter]
"A ship in a harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are for." -John A. Shedd
Dear friend,
I have exciting news to share with you! Please journey with me as I tell you of the wonderful ways that the Lord has been at work in my life over the past couple of years. As you probably know, I studied abroad in Australia the first semester of my junior year of college at Olivet Nazarene University. Through my studies at Kingsley Wesleyan College in Melbourne and various experiences there, I was able to grow in ways I never could have imagined. Without a doubt, the largest contribution to my growth was separation. I was taken out of every comfort zone I knew and thrown onto the opposite end of the globe, without knowing a soul. I had no cell phone, no set itinerary, and ‘no worries, mate!’ God had me right where he wanted me... alone. You may have heard the song lyrics, "I choose to be Holy... Set apart for You, My Master, ready to do Your will." It is when you are stripped of everything that you are truly forced to rely on God and are able to do His will. I assure you, God wants you alone...in one way or another... There is so much He is waiting to share with you... and with me. Needless to say, during this time, I was able to hear from God in ways I never had before. He began whispering many things to me in those still moments, and one of these whispers involved myself and missions to Africa.
For a long time, that’s all I had: me, missions, and Africa. Since that time, God has guided me down a winding river to bring me to the place where I stand today. He has spoken to me through His Word, though dreams, through total strangers, through various service opportunities, and in so many others ways to get my attention. For quite a while now, I have attempted to serve through a mission organization. Specifically, I intently pursued becoming a Nazarene World Mission volunteer to Africa. Well, through a strange course of events (which I would love to share with you), God showed me that He had different plans for me than I had for myself. For the first time throughout this whole process, I can assuredly say that I have complete peace about where God has placed me. Don’t get me wrong, I am of course a bit nervous about the task which lies ahead (which is why I need your prayers), but I know this is His will for my life right now, which gives me fulfilling joy that overcomes all fear!
So let me tell you a bit about this wonderful place to which the Lord has led me. Welcome to Sparrow’s Nest Rainbow Village: the first AIDS village in South Africa (and in the world).
"Sparrow Village is an inter-denominational Ministry of Help... caring for destitute terminally ill adults and children with HIV/AIDS. We primarily function as an in-patient hospice facility offering comprehensive medical, nursing, psychological, social, spiritual, educational and occupational care -- through a multi-disciplinary team."
Despite the thousands of people who have passed on since its start in 1992, Sparrow refuses ‘to be stunned into passivity by this silent killer’ and holds true to its motto of "GET UP AND LIVE!" Specifically, I will primarily be working with the beautiful children of this village, known simply as "the sparrows." Most of these children will not survive past their pre-adolescence; however, through this ministry, they will be able to see and experience the love of Jesus, first hand. "No child should live or die alone." Please listen to the following story, told by founder Corine McClintock, of how Sparrow Ministries got its start:
"[The name] Sparrow Ministries was impressed on my heart by the Lord. The world is full of little sparrows, insignificant but plentiful little birds. We are very like them in many aspects. I believe that God wanted to show us that this was not a racial, intellectual, or select community – but just ordinary people needing help. And so, we chose the unbiased name of Sparrow. Singular, because we are all single in God’s Sight. This was confirmed when one patient confided in me one day, and mentioned that nobody would ever remember him, once he had gone...With joy, and emotion, I recited Matthew 10:29, 'Not one sparrow falls to the ground, and God is aware of it, you are worth more than many sparrows.’ Thus, Sparrow Ministry began and our remembrance tree was born. The tree bears the names of all our precious patients who have passed on to the Lord, and once a year we hold a remembrance service and invite relatives and friends, who on that day, bury all their regrets, hurts, and guilt and start to live again."
By visiting http://StacyBeery.blogspot.com, you will be able to read my journals/ updates and view new photos each week. Also, by clicking on the "Sparrow" links on this website, you will be able to read more of these stories and see the beautiful faces of Sparrow. I encourage you to visit this online resource today, so that you may begin the adventure with me. I need your prayer and encouragement so much already. However, I ask that instead of just praying for my safety, you would pray that the Lord will make me dangerous. As Matthew 11 states, "...the kingdom of God has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men and women lay hold of it!" God did not create us to remain ships in a harbor. For you, ‘being dangerous’ may not mean going to Africa... Maybe it’s speaking to the stranger in the elevator, inviting a co-worker over for dinner, letting go of a harmful dependency, listening with an open-mind, or making eye contact with the sea of faces you pass by each day. I seek to travel through uncharted waters, and this is why I need your prayers. Having faith, I am asking God to give you clarity and peace about what your role might be in my journey.
Thank you in advance for your partnership in prayer as we accomplish this journey of love, together.
May God be with you in the coming weeks!
Stacy
"A ship in a harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are for." -John A. Shedd
Dear friend,
I have exciting news to share with you! Please journey with me as I tell you of the wonderful ways that the Lord has been at work in my life over the past couple of years. As you probably know, I studied abroad in Australia the first semester of my junior year of college at Olivet Nazarene University. Through my studies at Kingsley Wesleyan College in Melbourne and various experiences there, I was able to grow in ways I never could have imagined. Without a doubt, the largest contribution to my growth was separation. I was taken out of every comfort zone I knew and thrown onto the opposite end of the globe, without knowing a soul. I had no cell phone, no set itinerary, and ‘no worries, mate!’ God had me right where he wanted me... alone. You may have heard the song lyrics, "I choose to be Holy... Set apart for You, My Master, ready to do Your will." It is when you are stripped of everything that you are truly forced to rely on God and are able to do His will. I assure you, God wants you alone...in one way or another... There is so much He is waiting to share with you... and with me. Needless to say, during this time, I was able to hear from God in ways I never had before. He began whispering many things to me in those still moments, and one of these whispers involved myself and missions to Africa.
For a long time, that’s all I had: me, missions, and Africa. Since that time, God has guided me down a winding river to bring me to the place where I stand today. He has spoken to me through His Word, though dreams, through total strangers, through various service opportunities, and in so many others ways to get my attention. For quite a while now, I have attempted to serve through a mission organization. Specifically, I intently pursued becoming a Nazarene World Mission volunteer to Africa. Well, through a strange course of events (which I would love to share with you), God showed me that He had different plans for me than I had for myself. For the first time throughout this whole process, I can assuredly say that I have complete peace about where God has placed me. Don’t get me wrong, I am of course a bit nervous about the task which lies ahead (which is why I need your prayers), but I know this is His will for my life right now, which gives me fulfilling joy that overcomes all fear!
So let me tell you a bit about this wonderful place to which the Lord has led me. Welcome to Sparrow’s Nest Rainbow Village: the first AIDS village in South Africa (and in the world).
"Sparrow Village is an inter-denominational Ministry of Help... caring for destitute terminally ill adults and children with HIV/AIDS. We primarily function as an in-patient hospice facility offering comprehensive medical, nursing, psychological, social, spiritual, educational and occupational care -- through a multi-disciplinary team."
Despite the thousands of people who have passed on since its start in 1992, Sparrow refuses ‘to be stunned into passivity by this silent killer’ and holds true to its motto of "GET UP AND LIVE!" Specifically, I will primarily be working with the beautiful children of this village, known simply as "the sparrows." Most of these children will not survive past their pre-adolescence; however, through this ministry, they will be able to see and experience the love of Jesus, first hand. "No child should live or die alone." Please listen to the following story, told by founder Corine McClintock, of how Sparrow Ministries got its start:
"[The name] Sparrow Ministries was impressed on my heart by the Lord. The world is full of little sparrows, insignificant but plentiful little birds. We are very like them in many aspects. I believe that God wanted to show us that this was not a racial, intellectual, or select community – but just ordinary people needing help. And so, we chose the unbiased name of Sparrow. Singular, because we are all single in God’s Sight. This was confirmed when one patient confided in me one day, and mentioned that nobody would ever remember him, once he had gone...With joy, and emotion, I recited Matthew 10:29, 'Not one sparrow falls to the ground, and God is aware of it, you are worth more than many sparrows.’ Thus, Sparrow Ministry began and our remembrance tree was born. The tree bears the names of all our precious patients who have passed on to the Lord, and once a year we hold a remembrance service and invite relatives and friends, who on that day, bury all their regrets, hurts, and guilt and start to live again."
By visiting http://StacyBeery.blogspot.com, you will be able to read my journals/ updates and view new photos each week. Also, by clicking on the "Sparrow" links on this website, you will be able to read more of these stories and see the beautiful faces of Sparrow. I encourage you to visit this online resource today, so that you may begin the adventure with me. I need your prayer and encouragement so much already. However, I ask that instead of just praying for my safety, you would pray that the Lord will make me dangerous. As Matthew 11 states, "...the kingdom of God has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men and women lay hold of it!" God did not create us to remain ships in a harbor. For you, ‘being dangerous’ may not mean going to Africa... Maybe it’s speaking to the stranger in the elevator, inviting a co-worker over for dinner, letting go of a harmful dependency, listening with an open-mind, or making eye contact with the sea of faces you pass by each day. I seek to travel through uncharted waters, and this is why I need your prayers. Having faith, I am asking God to give you clarity and peace about what your role might be in my journey.
Thank you in advance for your partnership in prayer as we accomplish this journey of love, together.
May God be with you in the coming weeks!
Stacy
posted by Stacy at 11:52 PM
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