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Patrice Miles
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LennyBy, Cindy Borody
The summer of 2019 saw my last few weeks at Foundations Academy in Egbe, Nigeria.
I was busy packing up our house and attending many ‘farewell’ events for my husband and myself. I was hot, tired, and just getting through events. There was not much joy, I was in the mode that many missionaries find themselves in their last weeks serving overseas.
I was stubbornly fulfilling my duties.
It was a Tuesday morning when I found myself driving to CARE/Foundations and I was reminded of a verse in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 36:26:And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.
As the school gates opened for me and I drove through I said a quick prayer ‘Lord, I want a tender heart this morning for these kids.
I greeted all the teachers and kids calling in through each school window. The replies always encouraged my heart.
As I passed by one particular class, the teacher called out my name and asked me to speak to a child that was having some behavioral challenges. The teacher told me that B* had a very stubborn heart and her work was suffering.
I called B* out of the classroom and asked her to sit with me while we chatted about what was happening. My heart broke for her as she described her feelings; I could identify. She was hot, tired, and very frustrated: frustrated with her classes, and friends.
She said, “my heart feels like a stone.“
I put my arm around her and shared that I felt the same way. She looked at me doubtfully. I told her some of the things that I was feeling and then brought up Ezekiel 36:26.
We went through the verse slowly together.
I was so close to tears as we both agreed to hold each other accountable to this verse.
God would give us a new heart, His Spirit, and he would remove both of our stony, stubborn hearts and give us both tender, responsive hearts.
Each time I went to Foundations those last few weeks B* and I would sit together and encourage each other on how God was developing our new hearts.
I learned quite a bit from B* in September 2019.
When the teacher asked me to speak with B*, she thought I would be instructing B*. God had other plans. It was B* who taught me.
Our CARE Africa/Foundation Academy kids have so much to teach us.
Now that I am back in North America, I think of this ministry daily. They need our encouragement as much as we need theirs.
If you ever would like to know more about how you can encourage a child, staff member, volunteer, or give of your time or finances, we would love to hear from you. Email Patrice@icareafrica.org.
Miles In Missions 