This week I was privileged to travel to Francistown and live with the North Rally Team for 2 days.
Kez, their leader, is my husband and my “adopted” daughter and it was her 21st birthday on Monday. Kez has spent the last 3 years on the road with FTN on her birthday. I caught the early bird flight and phoned Innocent, the team driver to come and fetch me from the airport.
I phoned Kez on my way to the village of Tonota, pretending to be in Gabs, asking her about her plans for the day. She said, “The team is up to something and it has to be for my birthday. Innocent and Tumi aren’t here and they would never leave the premises with the vehicle without my permission.”
Five minutes later Kez was instructed to go and get some “stuff” from the vehicle for her birthday. I was crouched down on the floor. When she saw me she burst into tears and clung to me for a long time.
Thus began my 2 days with the team. They tell me I was a blessing to them… but I really think it was the other way around. I felt privileged and honoured to be able to get a feel for their lifestyle during their 5 weeks on the road. They blessed and encouraged me.
Their breakfast of oats was quickly abandoned when I unpacked a breakfast pizza, brownies, crunchies and other treats from my suitcase. Over half my luggage was food!
The team are staying in a house belonging to the parents of the North facilitator. A small 3 bed roomed house is occupied by 15 people (16 with me). 2 pastors rent one room; the boys were in one room and the girls in the other. Mummy, the facilitator slept in an outside room. 8 of us girls slept on 6 mattresses; there wasn’t enough room for 8.
Mid morning we left for Francistown Teachers Training College to hold a rally there. As in many places the venue was filthy and we needed to sweep and set up. This was done without a word of complaint. In fact they carry brooms with them to clean up wherever they go. What an attitude of servant hood! We (or should I say they) set up. It was like watching a well oiled machine. Everyone one had assigned jobs- sorting props, finalizing the order of the programme, testing the mics, erecting the puppet stage, making sure everyone had spat out their gum!
We then formed a tight circle out our arms around each other and had a time of prayer. This was followed by an individual time of prayer, touching and praying over each chair and for the person that would sit in it.
There were some “older” people in the audience. In the Setswana culture it is considered inappropriate for young people to talk about sex to anyone older than you. Kez was giving “the sex talk”. She handled it with respect and dignity. She explained to the mothers in the audience, that she knew this wasn’t really culturally acceptable, but please could she have their permission to speak because the younger people needed to hear the message about the need to live a life of moral purity.
The rally gripped the attention of the + – 100 people there. The message was clear, in your face, no excuses made. The testimonies spoke of the difference that Christ had made in their lives, the dances were vibrant. 9 people came forward to give their lives to Christ and to commit to abstinence, another 9 committed to abstinence.
After the rally I had the joy of praying with a 33 year old lady. She had given her life to the Lord as a teenager and had been walking in rebellion for 15 years, in spite of her strong Christian upbringing. She said, “I need to repent and come back to God.” After we had prayed she said, “I can’t wait to get home to tell my family what has happened. I have had an appointment with God.”
We then went to Nando’s for supper. We celebrated with balloons, noisy blowers, a Happy Birthday banner and much laughter. Each member of the team acknowledged Kez and thanked her for being such a fine leader and they recognized the anointing of God on her life. Back in Tonota we held a Bible quiz and time of sharing together. I laughed the whole way back to Tonota, as I got to appreciate the quirts and inside jokes of the team.
Tuesday morning started late. Well late for them- it was early for me. With 16 of us sharing a bathroom, morning ablutions began before 5. Everyone had a piping hot wash in a plastic bowl of water put in the bath.
I sat and watched the team pull together over the next 2 hours. One washed the cups from the night before, another made and served breakfast, Kenny cleaned out The Beast (the name of the land cruiser they are traveling in); Innocent checked the water and oil. Kez swept the house; Agnes packed the puppet stools which double up for sitting on. Several others practiced a dance routine. Suzanne and Brad interviewed and filmed Tumi for Suzanne’s documentary. Brad is always in someone’s face with that huge camera. I was very self conscious. The team doesn’t even notice him anymore. Not once did I hear someone being told to hurry up or to do their duties. In between people were finding a patch of sun to pray and read their Bible and were doing their washing by hand under a cold tap in the yard. Washing was strung up on the fence. At 9 o’clock we were assembled for the morning devotion, which is prepared by a team member on a roster basis.
By 10: 30 the trailer was loaded and we were off back to Francistown for a rally at Materspei. It was good to connect with the 3 girls who are teaching in that school. I heard their challenges and joys and was able to encourage them. Bread rolls and oranges were served for lunch from the bonnet of the Beast, in the grounds of the school. I felt a fresh wave of admiration for these brave and extremely energetic young team members, as I watched the throngs pour into the hall. This is a huge school of 1 800, all of whom were present at the rally. The noise levels from the students was unbelievable and at times I did wonder if anyone was listening. Until I stared intently into the faces of the students and saw that some were feeding off every word that was said. The team persevered, undeterred by the apparent lack of attention. At the end of the rally an altar call was made and about 100 people came forward to give their lives to Christ and to commit to a lifestyle of moral purity.
Before the rally ended I said by good byes “back stage” and Innocent took me back to the airport. As I flew home I reflected on my time with team. My focus and role in Face the Nation is to coordinate the equipping and training of the volunteers. I knew afresh that the hours and months of hard work is so worth it. I was reminded again that Face the Nation is a God thing. I quietly sang the words of our theme song:
“Send me, I will tell your precious story.
Lord, send me.
Send me
I will tell of all your glory
Lord, send me.
How can I go unless your Spirit leads me?
How can I know unless your Spirit shows me?
Help me to see all the fields around me
It’s not about me
But it’s for your glory.
Send me, send me, send me.”
I thank God for these special two days and that I have been able to share them with you. You too, are a part of this God thing. Face the Nation is grounded on the prayer of the saints and I have been reminded once again just how crucial this is. Thank you for partnering with us. Keep praying!
Yours in Face the Nation
Gail Wingreen
