Adoptions and Elections

What a week it has been!

I continued to have sickness hangover from Friday's bout of toilet time until Wednesday. Nausea, exhaustion, no appetite, and runny tummy. My mother suggested I stay home Tuesday since I wasn't getting any better and was only tiring myself out by going and going. Despite how I felt physically, it was actually quite a lovely day spent with the Lord, worshipping, napping, watching The Book Thief. Thankfully the next day I felt SO much better and was able to fully enjoy the rest of the week without feeling nauseous and sleepy all the time. Unfortunately the bug has been spreading all throughout the volunteers ): Prayers of health for everyone on campus would be much appreciated. A cold is going through the kids as well it seems.

Thursday was most definitely the highlight of the week. It was an adoption day!! I wish everyone could be a part of an adoption ceremony at Beautiful Gate. I have said it before and I will say it again; it is like sitting in the throne room of heaven. This weeks was a little girl who was transferred from another orphanage a couple years ago. Now 4 years old, she is joining an older brother who was also adopted from Beautiful Gate four years ago and going to the Netherlands. God's redemptive story is SO beautiful, and the fact that both children came from BG is just an added measure of grace for that family. With great joy and celebration the parents signed the papers to make her legally theirs. The ceremonies are always peppered with heavenly singing, giving of gifts, and sweet words from the housemother and the new adoptive parents. It never fails to remind me of the adoption I have received from my Father. I was bought at a great price and had no choice in the matter. Born into desperation, He rescued me from brokenness to bring me to new life with Him. And when I became His, He sang over me with love and rejoicing and continues to speak love into my soul. What a gift!

Friday was declared a holiday by the King because of the elections that were held on Saturday. The directors and a couple volunteers left the country for a little getaway, and for safety's sake, my parents and I moved on campus. Things seem to be peaceful thus far, but once results start coming out it could easily get unsettled. We stocked up on groceries so we wouldn't have to go into town and are just kind of hunkering down for a week until we hear what's going on. We don't expect any problems, but wanted to be safe rather than sorry, 'cause you don't know it's bad until you are caught in a riot. We would love it if you would pray for peace and that positive change would come from these elections. I have felt for awhile that God is on the move in Lesotho and I'm really praying that these new leaders would catapult us into that time. We pray that God would unveil this mountain kingdom and reveal His truth in the light of love.

El Roi - the God who sees me, continues to be all mercy. Despite sickness and the discouragement that comes with that, He sustained my spirit in hope and worked in the hearts of dear friends to encourage me.
I just finished reading Acts, and I have been so challenged by the confidence and faith of the early church. Though I know there must have been some amount of fear, it wasn't crippling and it never once stopped them from sharing the great news that is salvation. How I long to have such certainty. Though I know the word is true and I know there is nothing to fear when the Lord is on your side, my humanness so quickly prevents me living fully into the will of God. I really want to learn more of the kind of faith that isn't hindered by flesh...to say yes to God without worrying about the step ahead. I have also been challenged in the knowledge of faith. The apostles knew what they were talking about. They didn't simply say, "Jesus loves you," and have nothing to back it up. They covered all their bases so they had a strong argument for faith. I had 14 years of Christian education, I have read the Bible cover to cover a few times, and I have always gone to church, but still I don't think I truly know the word and the weight it holds in faith. I know we will never understand the fullness of it, but wow I could really know it better. The Word is our sword. My sword is kind of short I think. It works, but not as effectively as it could. So I'm working on delving deeper into the Bible, to understand and not just read. And it's beautiful. God's revelation to us is so stunning. Hallelujahs to a God who would give us so much of Himself.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."

Again, if you wish to send letters or packages, do so here...

Beautiful Gate
C/O Grace Boersema
P.O. Box 339
Ladybrand 9745
South Africa

(don't label it as a value of any more than five bucks, regardless of what it may be)

And if you wish to send emails (I love emails) you may send them to gracemb72@gmail.com