Last Thursday one of my team leaders said headquarters had called to say that I was supposed to call my dad. My first thought was “Oh no. Somehow my phone is trying to connect to service and I have huge fees.” Such was not the case. It turned out one of my grandpas, Kenneth Moy, had just passed away.
Immediately I felt that the peace that I had had the entire trip was stolen from me.
I went in my room, (in which four of us sleep on the ground shoulder to shoulder), and opened my Bible simply because I was in shock and didn’t know what else to do. The first verses that God pointed out to me were Isaiah 54: 16-17. Part of it talks about how He created the destroyer to wreck havoc. Yup, I said, there was definitely some havoc happening in me right now, I thought. However, it was comforting to know that God does not bring about havoc without a reason.
The next verse that stuck out to me was Isaiah 52:7. “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” My grandpa had did not have beautiful feet at all due to medical issues. God made me laugh knowing that his feet have now been made beautiful.
The next morning I felt drained. No joy or energy was in me: I just prayed to God to give me the energy to get through the day because it was not by my strength that I could get through a day of teaching preschool to kids who don’t even understand my language and pouring out to primary kids as they rampage a playground at my care point for hours on end. (A care point is a location where kids come after school to be fed, played with, and discipled.) I got through the day on His grace.
On Saturday morning, half our team went on an optional weekend trip to Elshaddai, an orphanage at the top of a mountain. We went on a hike with the children. I was still feeling a since of unease as peace was not restored to me. Although I was surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ, I had no one with me that knew who my Grandpa was. However, on the hike, Jesus showed me that He was walking beside me and He was sitting beside me on the rocks and the He is always with me in the Holy Spirit. He knew who my grandfather was and so He was my comfort. During the next few days God pointed out more verses to me and I could feel him restoring my peace.
Through it all I learned that God gives us our peace and it is not to be taken for granted. Sometimes He will put us through trials in order to appreciate Him all the more.
Love you all! Supporters, thank you. Your resources have allowed me to pray over numerous children and let God be a light through me. Swaziland, where we are now, is a very spiritually heavy country with lots of people relying on witchcraft and half the population with HIV/AIDS. The devil hates us being here and we are focused on being lights as where there is light, there can be no darkness.
-Camille LaBerge
1 Corinthians 1:18-19
Isaiah 29:14
