Riekert Botha's Blog, page 2

True Beauty

You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,

And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

They will perish but You remain;

And they will all grow old like a garment;

Like a cloak You will fold them up,

And they will be changed.

But You are the same,

And Your years will not fail. Hebrews 1:10-12

We are surrounded by indescribable beauty. Each sunset more spectacular than the last, each scene a masterpiece proclaiming the glory of the Creator.

Our friends from Germany do not know the Lord. They are wonderful people and we love their company and have great respect for their character. They have toured the world over the years. They have seen and experienced the wonders of many continents. They have admired and appreciated the beauty of nature but they cannot yet recognize the One who so thoughtfully created this beauty.

To be able to fully appreciate the world, one needs to know the Author and Creator of all this majesty. Therein lays the depth of meaning and absolute joy! Therein the discovery of peace that passes all understanding and surmounts all experience!

For all this beauty will perish, but His beauty remains!

All these worldly creations will grow old and He will fold them up like a used up garment and they will be changed, but He remains the same and His years will never fail.

My desire is that, as I watch and listen, I will see and hear beyond the natural world and experience deeper intimacy with my Creator and Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that our new friends will one day join us in our worship of Him.

Delightful Zambian names

Zambia is filled with villages, small and large. One of the joys of driving through this wonderful country is looking for delightful local shop names. Here are a couple of our favourites:

God is willing Investments

Blessing from God General Enterprises

Beauty and Pleasant intentions Parlor

Second chance Enterprise

Jesus never fail

Mini skirt store (definitely not selling mini skirts)

Sharp sharp Shop

Hope for success Investments

Get busy Restaurant

It is well Grocery

Blue sky Soak away (presumably selling beer)

Smartlife chemist

GoTV Life at 40 Live it Love it

Istanbul quality factory in Lusaka

The most interesting gentleman's names we came across were "Lights on" and "World".

These are not sophisticated names but they perfectly represent the people of Zambia. Simplicity, happiness, positivity, creativity and colour are everywhere you look.

Thank you for uplifting our hearts.

Being without

When one sits at home and thinks about being without, you think about the big things- things like food and clothes and shelter. When you go on a journey like ours, you realize that you are more spoiled than you think and the things you miss (because you are assured of life's necessities) are your hair dryer, your make up, your internet, your music, your appliances and your gadgets. Take those things away and you are not suffering. You are decluttering.

We drive through miles of rural Zambia. All along the way are small villages. People are everywhere. Poor people living simple lives. They are not hungry or lacking shelter. Zambia is lush and fertile. Food is everywhere. People tend their crops. Goat herds watch their flocks. They live lives of industry or inactivity as you find in all cultures or races. Some little homesteads are beautifully clean and kept. Others are filthy and neglected. But they live and love and survive. They do this without the trimmings of western culture. They go to bed early and rise early as we also do when we are here.

There is a freedom one feels in such an environment which is more than the great open spaces and the proximity to nature. It has to do with the "being without".

Even though I know we will go back to the things of western life, I pray that I will go back lighter and free-er and that the Lord will help me to stay that way…

happy without and within!

Enough

Riekert and I have been blessed with three months of long leave. What does one do with ninety days? I struggled with the reality of so much time filled with nothing… no family, no friends, no demands, no ministry… A week before we left South Africa, I was really anxious, not because of the journey but because of the prospect of no work for such a long period of time. A holiday is wonderful for a couple of weeks but we enjoy getting back into routine, discipline and employment after a time of rest.

We planned to go into rural Africa. I decided not to take books with me. I want to declutter… not only in stuff but also in mind. My desire is to learn how "to be". How to be means I first have to learn how to be without. I think that was the cause of my anxiety.

It's scary to go without the comforts of one's mind.

This is the beginning of a discovery. After a week, I am encouraged that I will not fall apart in the process. God is all around me. He holds the whole world in His hand. In going without the things that fill my life and mind, I know Him to be enough. I find Him to be everything.

I find Him! That is all. That is more than enough!