Lesotho is a small country that is landlocked in the eastern side of South Africa. Before going on the Race, I hadn’t heard of Lesotho and if I had I don’t remember it, but it now marks a significant point in my journey.
My team and I were staying in a small village between a mountain range in Lesotho called Malealea Valley out in the middle of nowhere. The views were breathtaking.
We did home visits our last week of ministry and met a lady named Anastasia who asked for prayer. Her son, who was in his 30’s, had recently died from the gang violence in the Valley. After we prayed for her and her family, we asked her to share stories with us about her life. In sharing with us, she told us about pain she had in her leg and asked if we would now pray for it and we gladly did. She continued on with her story after we prayed. Shortly afterwards, she called for her granddaughter to bring her her walking stick. She said she wanted to try to walk because her leg was feeling different.
Anastasia’s granddaughter brought the walking stick and she started to walk on her leg. After a few paces she started to shake her leg in front of her and talk fast. A few moments later she dropped her stick and started running around her yard calling out and laughing. She grabbed a girl from my team and asked her to run around the yard with her. Her granddaughter stood in awe at seeing her grandma move without her cane.
The Lord showed me an important lesson that day: when faith and prayer collide, you get to see the work of God. Growing up in the States, I heard so many times about having faith and moving mountains, but it didn’t click until I was in remote Africa. In the States it’s easy to talk about trusting God. It’s easy to talk about having faith that God will move, but putting it into practice is hard. In the States, we have everything. We get sick, go to the doctor. We need money, go get credit. We need food, go to a soup kitchen. In Lesotho they don’t have those luxuries (and yes all of those are luxuries). In Lesotho if they have a need, they pray and have faith God will provide. They can’t pray for God’s provision and then when it doesn’t happen in their timing go solve the problem themselves.
I recognize what a privilege it is to have access to so many resources and they aren’t a bad thing. It becomes a problem when I look to myself to provide instead of looking to the Lord. It becomes a problem when my first resort is to seek help from the world instead of God. Seek the Lord above the comfort. When you have a need, where do you look first? Do you look to how you can fix/solve it or do you look to the Lord who created you and wants to grow your faith?
Shelby, what a unique journey you are experiencing!!! And, I love seeing God working through your prayers. How amazing that the lady was able to walk. We all need to be reminded that God is in control. That’s what gives us hope.
yes this is so good. We get pretty used to being able to solve things. Faith to move mountains really takes on a whole different meaning! This was an encouraging reminder, thanks for sharing 🙂
“When you have a need, where do you look first? Do you look to how you can fix/solve it or do you look to the Lord who created you and wants to grow your faith?” Too often, I try to solve the problem myself…but I’m learning more and more to turn to God first! Big change happens in small increments. God truly has the solution to all the problems……I’m so thankful for that!