The Lord spoke to my heart very gently but very firm this month and said to me: “It is not about safe water, nor about emergency food that saved the starving, or about the beautiful rice fields standing rich with promise for abundant crops, or about the chickens, the goats or the toilets, wonderful as that all is………….”. “It is about the transforming Power of My Kingdom replacing bondage, disease and lack into son-ship, Hope and Life! It is to Bring Wholeness! – Beauty for ashes, the oil of Joy for mourning… the garment of Praise for a spirit of heaviness… that they might be trees planted by the Lord for His Glory.
It’s about establishing the Kingdom: “so that you (& they) may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you (& they) may have great endurance and patience,
giving joyful thanks to the Father, Who has qualified you (& them) to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the Kingdom of light.
For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
This is possible because
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
The whole Bible is about one all embracing thing--- the Kingdom of God which is the Good News of the Gospel.
The other things we have done / are doing in Malawi are simply the natural outflow of the Kingdom coming to, and in, the people.
When God finished creating the universe; the Bible says: God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
When I look back over every component that He touched this year I see: “That it is very Good”. God transformed everything just like at creation – from chaos, formlessness and a void into order, health, growth and Life”
All I can say from my heart is:
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.!”
THE RICE CROP
An amazing thing is happening. As a “norm” in Malawi the men send the women to work in the fields. In these 10 families God has done a beautiful thing; the men are actually now going out and helping their wives in the fields, which was previously unheard of.
The rice seedlings are growing wonderfully after being transplanted into the fertilized fields. The Lord has blessed them with good rains and the crops are looking very good.
| God is transforming from this: | To This: |
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Chickens
The chickens are growing and doing very well. Most of them should start laying eggs this month and start supplying additional nutrition and even extra for income.
Goats.
We were blessed to be able to provide two goats to each family as planned. The families completed building their goat pens themselves using their own materials. They worked hard and had to be creative during the process. The goats had to all be inspected by the local veterinarian to ensure they were not carrying any infectious diseases.
Great was the surprise upon delivery that many of the goats were pregnant. That means that instead of getting 2 goats, many will be getting additional, maybe two or more, kids. God is certainly full of surprises and pouring out unexpected blessings on these dear families, much more than we in our limited minds could plan for. We Praise Your Holy Name our Great and Precious God!
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Seeing the love and compassion of our God in action, wipes me out! Maybe a couple of chickens or goats doesn’t impress you or touch your heart, but having been there, seeing the lack, desperation and need, and then watching God step in ….. rocks my world !!!!.
Only a year ago, I started really understanding that, that is the Gospel of the Kingdom: It’s the compassion of God in action practically and eternally. This is what I believe Jesus meant when He said: “but I have come so that they might have LIFE (as expressed in and through the expression and implementation of the true Gospel) and have it to the fullest (abundantly)!!!” His Mighty power unleashed to deliver and change and provide a Life worth living; one with meaning and hope and filled with His love and Grace.
Hygienic Toilets.
This month we are excited as we are entering the final phase of this initial pilot project – providing the families with beautiful, sparkling, sanitary. self composting toilets that will improve their health and lifestyles significantly.
If there is ever something that sends shudders up my spine, it’s having to use a dirty toilet at a store or rest stop when traveling. I know you know what I mean. How degrading is it, not even to have one at all, or use some filthy unkempt places that spread disease to the whole environment - A breading place for germs and harmful bacteria.
I know you are probably saying… do you have to talk about this like this???!!!
I don’t know how else to regularly place myself in their shoes so that I don’t slack off and forget … and let God’s empathy awake in me anew so that I will be moved into action to actively share His heart for His people.
This is a great thing that is being done – especially providing dignity. I know it’s on God’s heart because He firmly placed it in His Vision that He shared with me.
My Provider (Yahweh Yireh).
This whole project reflects and implements the Lord’s Vision that He declared beforehand to me - He is The Architect, the Owner, Provider and Source. He has abundantly, supernaturally supplied all our needs to this very day. I praise Him for everyone that He has drawn to be a part of implementing the Glorious Gospel in Malawi, as a testimony of God’s deliverance, love, power and Shalom (Wholeness). This is not the end… but only the beginning for the rest of Malawi! Hallelujah!
On behalf of the Lord I want to thank everyone who has in any way supported this great work. It is greatly appreciated!
- Jan Koekemoer (Life Abundantly Project Founder and Leader)
