Today was our final morning in Shiselweni! After breakfast, we headed out to Pasture Valley, a children’s home and economic development program just outside of Nhlangano, to visit Peter and Michelle, the owners. Here we got the opportunity to see how they are directly impacting the lives of Swazi children by offering them a stable environment in which to live and thrive. Their work is multifaceted – they have a primary school on site, kids from infants to 18 years old, a economic development program teaching people how to install solar panels and the property includes a working dairy farm! It’s an incredible operation. (To learn more about Pasture Valley, please visit their website, https://pasturevalley.com/.)
The thing I was most struck by? They don’t actively fundraise.
When Peter and Michelle told their story, they demonstrated over and over again how much dependance their ministry has on the Lord. They stay open-handed, ear to the wind, listening for that still-small voice of the Lord. They expect Him to show up in whatever way He sees fit.
And He has provided for their ministry for 20+ years.
In telling their story, Peter said “I’m just a farmer. God’s doing all of this, not us, we’re just happy to be here at the same time.”
MHM.
And isn’t that what all these small miracles are? A front row seat to the glory and majesty of our Lord? Isn’t that what we’re called to? To stay open-handed, ear to the wind, listening, waiting, watching, believing? To expect God to move? To believe He hears our cries?
“I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:1-3)
I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered. Today that is my prayer one our ministry. That we would be watching for the small miracles. To stay listening, with bated breath for the voice of God. To keep our eyes turned towards heaven, believing, expecting Him to move.
We’re just people. God’s doing all of this, we’re just happy to be here at the same time.