This fall I was in a women’s Bible Study focused on the book of I Thessalonians. Throughout the study, I Thessalonians 1:3 became the verse I prayed over on behalf of our partners. I was blessed to be able to share it with them when I visited Zimbabwe and Zambia in October.

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

One evening towards the end of our time in Zambia, I found unexpected hope in an unexpected place, as a woman named Agness showed me what it means to have endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

It was the end of a long day filled with meetings and sharing with 13 of our partner project leaders.  We were sitting outside in a circle under the African night sky. Our last session had been heavy with conversations on the challenges and difficulties facing the churches with whom we partner. The struggles shared that evening were not necessarily new concepts to me, but it was much harder to hear them from a living, breathing person a few feet away than to read them in a report on a computer screen. I was feeling discouraged and even angry – discouraged by the many barriers that inhibit effective ministry and angry that the evil in this world could have such an impact on these Godly, committed leaders and the innocent kids they served. I was frustrated by the unfairness, the injustice, the brokenness that is so rampant in our world. I was tired, disheartened and feeling a bit hopeless.

Someone asked Agness to close in prayer. Agness is one of our Forgotten Voices Zambia board members. She lost her husband many years ago. In addition to raising her own children, she has an increasing number of children who call her “mom” and consider her house their home. She works as an HIV/AIDS Coordinator for a local faith-based non-profit.

I expected her to ask God for wisdom. I expected her to ask God for mercy and strength and provision and healing.

Instead, Agness started singing. I couldn’t see her face, and I couldn’t understand the words sung in Bemba, but I knew she was worshiping. The rest of the church leaders around the circle joined her and for the next few minutes I cried as I listened to their beautiful harmonies and thanked God for allowing me to be among leaders who cling to their hope in Him. Eventually Agness did end with a prayer that was mostly focused on thanking God. I asked her later for the translation of the song they had sung, and indeed, it was a song of praise and thanksgiving to God as well.

I continue to be floored by Agness’s response of turning to thank and praise God even in the midst of the daily trials she faces in ministry and in her own life. She reminded me that I too can have endurance in the face of any challenge, inspired by my hope in Jesus Christ.

It would be an honor for me if this post today reminds just one person that we can endure whatever trials are in our life by clinging to the hope we have in Christ. This is my prayer for our partners in Africa, for myself, and for you today.

Ellen Shaffer – Director of Project Management

Tags: advent, hope, I Thessalonians, Jesus, partners
Filed under: General Blog