Jana Spicka and Women Getting Real Ministries
Posts tagged Zimbabwe
Dance With a Mission!
Jun 30th
Looking for a great night out next weekend? Join us as we Dance with a Mission!
Women Getting Real is hosting a charity dance at Absolute Ballroom to fund mission work for Beth Hungerford, Shimmi Taylor, and Laura Jones.
Beth and Shimmi are headed to Zimbabwe and Laura is pursuing further mission training in California.
For our dancing friends, this is a great extra dance for the month! For friends who are new to dancing, it will be a lot of fun and a great time to catch up! You don’t have to be a dancer to have fun! Singles and couples are welcome.
Date:
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Time:
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Location:
Absolute Ballroom
9119 Executive Park Drive
Knoxville, TN 37923
Attire:
Nice casual/dressy
Agenda:
Dancing will start at 7:00 pm and will include rumba, foxtrot, waltz, swing, cha-cha, salsa, samba, bolero, and anything else you want to dance to that music! Mid evening, we’ll have about a 10-minute break to hear from the women going, followed by more dancing. We will wrap it up about 9:00 pm.
Refreshments:
Heavy h’ordeuvres.
Cost:
Normally the cost to dance at Absolute Ballroom is $10 per person or $15 per couple. The studio has graciously waived that fee and simply let us have the studio for a flat rate so that whatever you give will be going directly towards the mission work for Beth, Shimmi, and Laura. There will be a donation box at the back along with further information about the upcoming trips if you are interested. We are asking for a minimum $10 donation, but you are welcome to give more as led.
Be sure to invite your friends! This is supposed to be a FUNdraiser. 
Hope to see you there!
God Stories from Beth
Sep 3rd
So love sharing the way God is holding Beth close to Him. This was from a recent email she sent. Enjoy!
It is Sunday (Aug 29) so I’ve been here a little over a week and it has been the hardest day so far without question. I’m just really missing people and realizing that this could be harder and longer than I thought even though I’ve known it wasn’t going to be easy. I went outside behind the cottage to sit at the picnic table facing the river and turned on some music planning to write emails.
Instead I ended up just listening and letting the songs wash over me for about an hour. I was playing a list of songs God had brought up throughout the time leading up to the first trip and as well as this one. Each one had something I needed to hear or be reminded of.
The first one was “Our Hope Endures” which just helped change my perspective. Nothing has really changed…the reasons I came are still the same and everything I heard from the Lord to bring me here is still true. The next song was “Don’t Get Comfortable” by Brandon Heath. The chorus says, “I am gonna show you what I mean. I am gonna love like you’ve never seen. You are gonna live like you used to dream. This is your new song.”
I’ve also been frustrated because I feel like I’m not doing anything or getting anywhere. I know that it will take time but you would think that I’d never even met the Croudaces before with how reserved I’ve been and still am even after a week. I was thinking about this and had stopped listening to the songs. The Lord brought my attention back in the middle of “Wait and See” also by Brandon Heath…”Still wondering why I’m here. Still wrestling with my fear, but oh, He’s up to something. And the farther on I go I’ve seen enough to know that I’m not here for nothing. He’s up to something. He’s not finished with me yet.”
Each song was so on target. “By Your Side” Tenth Ave. North and “Let the Waters Rise” Mikeschair…”God you know where I’ve been you were there with me then. You were faithful before you’ll be faithful again.“ Then hearing God say the next line: “I’m holding your hand.”
At one point I heard something rustling in the leaves and looked over. It was a bird but what caught my attention was the fact that it was at the base of one of those trees that the bark peels off. I hadn’t seen or at least noticed any of these trees til just then. Not much of the bark is off at this point but it has started. The Lord was saying, “You’re going to get there. Don’t get discouraged with slow beginnings. It is coming off.” It will be interesting to watch the tree as it progresses. I’m sure the Lord will have more to say to me about it.
Lord, thank You that You see and hear. Thank You that You are ever interceding for us. Bless You, Lord. Amen.
When Old People Make Young People Cry
Aug 25th
I was re-telling some Zimbabwe stories today at the girls’ school. There are some funny ones and some sad ones. And one that really sticks out to me is when we went to the old folks home.
This place was even worse than other places we had seen. It was old people just sitting around waiting to die. No family, no provision, with literally a threadbare existence. If they had shoes, they were
busted open because they had worn out or were the wrong size to begin with. If they had clothes there were holes and tears in their shirts and pants.
We took a picture of their “pantry.” It had oil and meal to make sudza. That was it.
Then sweet Laura Jones piped up and said, “What if we wash their feet and pray for them. Can we do that??” She looked like an angel when she asked that.
My internal response was No Way. But my external response was a stammered, “Yes–Yes–we–can–”
And we did. Here we were young, polished Americans on our knees with our slick American water bottles pouring out purified water on these dry, cracked black feet.
Then came the dull murmur as we prayed in our language over a people who did not understand a word we were saying. Yet we all believed that God had no problem with our dialect and accent.
I am not sure who was changed more. Us or them. I don’t think I have ever felt more like Jesus than when we washed those old, weak, dirty feet.
I am so glad that Jesus never stammered or hesitated to wash my feet. I am so glad that He is pleased to touch me and pray for me.
Father, I pray even now that the old folks in Zim and the team here are reminded about the crazy day that You showed up in the oddest way.
“Isn’t that a strange way to save the world. . .” Amen.
God, Are You Working Too?
Aug 16th
I woke up this morning with the bridge from a Passion song rolling around my head:
“In all things, we know that
We are more than conquerors
You keep us by Your love”
This was one of those times I got the answer before the question. Because as my heart was singing (or hearing?) these words, my mind was waking up with a blur of questions about human trafficking, the violent spirit hovering over our world, Beth returning to Zimbabwe.
This is a lot before your first cup of coffee. I know He really is the answer to every thing we need. But somehow His answer is mobilized through our hands, legs, and heart. How do we “be” more than conquerors in His Spirit?
He reminded me of a Charis moment from this weekend. We were doing a house cleaning blitz on Saturday. Charis came up to me with her list in her hand. “Mom, while I am doing all this cleaning, are you and Dad working too?” she asked.
“Has there ever been a time when you were working that we were not doing more?” I replied.
The Spirit stopped me in my tracks. Think Jana. Has there ever been a time that I was working, that God has not been doing more?
I will relay in coming blogs what I have learned about trafficking, but for today I want to reassure you that God is at work. In your lives, in the world. In His World.
Healing in Your Hands, Christy Nockels
No mountain, no valley, no gain or loss we know
could keep us from Your love
No sickness, no secret, no chain is strong enough
to keep us from Your love
to keep us from Your love
How high, how wide
No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands
How deep, How strong,
And now by Your grace I stand, healing is in Your hands
Our present, our future, our past is in Your hands
We’re covered by Your blood
We’re covered by Your blood
In all things, we know that
We are more than conquerors
You keep us by Your love
Mom’s Perspective of The Father’s Plan
Aug 11th
I am delighted to share a small peek into the transformation process as God prepares and equips His children for His work. As you know, Beth Hungerford is returning to Zimbabwe a week from Thursday. (Please see the end of the blog for her outstanding needs and contact information.) What you may not know is all that God had to overcome to get her ready to go. Enjoy this perspective from her mom.
“My” child at age two cried not to go outside because there were bugs. Or later as a very quiet child would panic at the sight of a dog or animal in the distance at the ball park. She freaked out when on a field trip with no bathroom in sight and refused to go behind a tree to take care of business.
After graduating high school, she did not want to go to college because she didn’t know what to major in. Then after finishing college decided to stay in Knoxville to fellowship with a group of young women to know God more so she was willing to take an entry level job. Now she will use her home schooling experience for others and hopefully her recreational therapy degree for the benefit of Zimbabwe teens half way around the world. How little did I see God’s weaving of her experiences into what is now a love of others, animals and outdoor life.
She has moved into a new level of trusting God as she seeks to hear Him. We have a new level of trusting God as her parents that it is His voice she hears. He loves her more than I and she is really His not mine.
Liz Hungerford
I love watching the Father work out His plan. Please continue to pray for Beth as we all prepare to launch her into this next chapter. If you want to continue to be updated, please send an email to hungerjl@comcast.net with “Beth Update” in the subject line. You will be added to the group email prayer updates.
And for those of you who have asked, she is still praying in $2000 for her six month stay. You can send donations directly to her mom’s address below.
Liz Hungerford
8721 Simpson Rd.
Knoxville, TN 37920
Thank You, Lord, for Your plans that are for our good and not for harm. Thank You that we will find You when we seek You with all our hearts. We pray grace on Beth and those who must let her go. And we pray Your name be her shield and reward. Amen.