Volunteer Worshop

Once a month all of the volunteers from Rubatano get together to discuss how they are doing and what they can do better. These meetings have been a wonderful forem for Brooke and I to have an opportunity to speak to all of the volunteers, encouraging them with the word and offer training.

Last month Brooke made a "wordless book" for each of the volunteers that visit orphans. She taught them how to use the book with colorful pages to tell the children about God's love for them. The following day at the orphan workshop, she taught the wordless book to the kids, so the volunteers could see again how it was done. While she was in Zambia, I visited orphans and the volunteers presented the Gosple with the wordless book. Very nice.

I have been talking with the women every week. We have found that most of the volunteers are men. The women often do not speak up during visits, but just follow behind the men.

3 months ago, I shared my story with them and encouraged them that they have a story that will speak life to many. Speak of God's faithfulness. In the community, if I told someone to hope in God, it is likely that they would say back to me, "you have no idea the suffering that I have seen." True. However, if the volunteers tell their story of God's faithfulness in their life, then encourage the community to trust in God it is entirely different. The community knows that the volunteers have seen great suffering and know that the volunteers can relate to their own suffering. How powerful it is for the volunteers to share how God's love has been proven true time and time again. God is worthy to be praised and can be trusted with every need they have.

Each workshop I sat with the women and asked them to tell me their story and encouraged them to tell everyone of God's faithfulness. God's has given each one of them a great gift. We as nurses are simply a tool in their hip pocket for them to use to show God's love to their patients and orphans. It is all about them loving and caring for their community.

It has been wonderful to see my relationship with the volunteers grow through these times of sharing that we have.

Last week I shared 2 Cor 2:14-17. Your work is a sweet aroma to the Lord as you share Jesus with the community.

I am going to miss these times that I have with the volunteers as I plan to return to South Africa next week.