Karoo Outreach, Klaarstroom

A Story from the Karoo by Gaylin Downie

Alfred is 73 years old. He has been married to his wife Sarah Magdalena for 49 years! They have both lived in Klaarstroom, a tiny little karoo community their whole lives, and in their current home since 1972! Alfred invited us to pray for Sarah who was suffering all night with a lung condition and diabetes. We sat with them in their little home and Sarah's pain subsided as we prayed for her. Then we sat and listened to their beautiful story for over an hour! We also met their nephew who was visiting at the time. He had seen us the day before and was hiding from us because he could see God was with us and he was afraid. His legs were paralysed and he had not walked properly in 11 years. Our friends prayed for him and shared the simple heart melting love of God with him. Immediately warmth filled his legs and all the numbness dissappeared! He moved his legs up and down, laughing and saying "I couldn't do this, I couldn't do this!

What a precious joyful moment in time. 

About 2 weeks ago Jason and I had the opportunity to go on a five day outreach to an area in the Karoo called Prince Albert. We were working in a small community just outside of the town called Klaarstroom. There were five of us from Bethesda House and we stayed on a friends beautiful farm (more pictures of that to come soon). It was an amazing time and I don't think any of us wanted to get in the car our last morning to come back to Muizenberg. We did many different things from painting the community entry gate and playing with kids, to washing the feet of intercessors and going on house visits to pray with people in their homes. We also had a youth day at the farm for teenagers from the area and led morning devotionals for the workers on the farm. 

Many miracles happened. One man rededicated his life to God while stoping to talk to us as we painted the wall. Jason and Ruan prayed for a man who was basically paralized for 11 years and could only move around a little with a cane. He got feeling again in his legs and was overjoyed with what God did. One man's eyes got healed after he welded without goggles and another ladies back was healed. These are only a few stories, there were many more and we spent so much time rejoicing in what God had done!

The gate after we patched it's holes and gave it a new coat of paint. The lady we stayed with is also a renowned calligraphy artist so she did some calligraphy on the pillars and back. I forget what the back said in all those beautiful colours but the pillars say, "Here the Lord is our Shepherd."

Happy Valentines Day and A Small Story

This past Wednesday at Awake I was at the prophetic art stall where you pray and ask God for a picture or word for the person you are ministering to and then paint/draw/create it on a piece of paper. It gives them a visual to take away that often speaks deeper than just words. 

At one point there was a man who came and sat before us a bit unsure of himself but there none the less. You could tell he had it rough and was at Awake for some free coffee and a welcoming refuge from the streets. We told him to relax and then we asked God for an encouragement to give him.  I thought my picture a little odd but I quickly painted it and then explained to him what I felt.  

His whole demeanour changed. You could see it in his face. A softening. 

I painted a heart, bright and red, shaped with all the words God was saying towards him. Many words of unending love and delight and friendship. 

It looked like a cheesy valentine. 

But it was a valentine from God Himself and went straight to this mans broken heart and poured in real love. He was full of gratitude and after my friend prayed for him in Afrikaans he sat, relaxed and loved, letting the worship music in the room pour over him. 

It was beautiful. Simple. Beautiful. My heart was so full. God loves so well. His heart is full for each of us and He wants to make it known to us everyday. Don’t get caught up on the world’s fake valentines and instead train your ear to the heavens where love Himself shouts His affections for you unendingly. Steadfastly. 

Happy Valentines Day. 

Why Imbali?

I realized I should post a blog explaining why I call this space Jillian Imbali and why I hold this name so close. 

It goes back to 2009 in January when I went on an outreach team to Swaziland. Imbali is Siswati for flower. When you arrive people always ask if you have a Swazi name and if not they give you one so our first afternoon there three young girls, who I ended up getting incredibly close to, decided to name me Imbali. It suited so it stuck. I have been back to Swaziland twice in the past five years and my friends there still call me Imbali. I respond to it like I respond to Jillian. I have seen different spellings and sometimes think it is suppose to be Mbali but I like it with the “I” and that’s how the girls spelled it when they named me so I keep it. 

Really there are probably many North American missionaries named Imbali so it’s not that I feel special because I have a Swazi name but I treasure it because that span of time was so full of growth. It was life changing. I stepped into Swaziland as one person and out as someone completely different. Imbali was like a new name for me, for a new season, one of walking in my identity as a daughter of God. It represents change for me and reminds me of who I am in Christ. I am still Imbali and I am still growing deeper in my identity, step by step.

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Throughout the past few weeks flowers have been standing out to me everywhere and I know there are literally flowers everywhere but they were standing out extra bold, extra beautiful. I have a note in my journal from class that says, “I think God is trying to speak to me in flowers but I don’t know what he is saying.” Finally on my run the other day I got to ask Him about it. “God why so many flowers? I love them but I still don’t understand why?” And in that strong whisper that only God can speak He said, “Imbali, Imbali, I am doing it again.” Imbali is Siswati for flower. He was talking about my identity. The past six weeks of LBSC have been so intense and full and I have learned so much more about my identity as a daughter of God and the amazing inheritance that comes with it. It has been like Swaziland was but the roots grew deeper into the soil this time.

So call me Imbali. Call me Jillian. Both are wonderful. Here’s to getting new names and stepping into new depths and new seasons. 

 “The Shepherd laughed too. “I love doing preposterous things,” he replied. “Why, I don’t know anything more exhilarating and delightful than turning weakness into strength, and fear into faith, and that which has been marred into perfection. If there is one thing more than mother which I should enjoy doing at this moment it is turning a jellyfish into a mountain goat. That is my special work,” he added with the light of a great joy in his face. “Transforming things..." - Hannah Gurnard, Hinds Feet on High Places.

Testimony 10/29/2014

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Last Wednesday night, myself and 4 other women went to a nearby market to paint pictures for people and encourage them. This market is beautiful and has long cosy benches surrounded by numerous food vendors so we found a seat in the middle, put out our art supplies, and began to pray for God to make people He wanted to encourage stand out to us. I felt very led to paint for a woman running a bakery but first God told me to go buy a cupcake from her, eat it, and then paint what it made me feel He was saying about her. I know, so random, but I did it and as I bit into the delicious cupcake instantly a picture of a childhood teddybear I had came to mind. It was a brown bear with a red ribbon around it's neck. So I started painting and the words came later. What I felt was that not only did her food make people happy by deliciously meeting the need of their allergies (it was a completely vegan, gluten free, sugar free, everything free bakery) but it also made them feel safe and wanted, loved and accepted like a favourite childhood toy. I felt like there was a big thank you for her from God in that because He was so happy she made His children feel so good. That He was saying, "Good job!" I wrote all of this down on the back of her picture but her stall was often busy with customers and I didn't want to interrupt so I painted another one and waited. In the meantime a friend I was with actually also had a picture for this same woman and went quickly to give it to her and encourage her. She was very touched and was fighting back tears and then moments later I went to share with her as well. She was double touched and so thankful for the encouragement. Both of our pictures were completely different but they reinforced each other and brought even greater depth to what God was saying. My friend's picture was of blended stripes and the interpretation God gave her was how life can have different seasons, some good some bad but when you step back and lookout the greater picture it all looks beautiful. Then I gave her my teddy bear picture and since no customers came I asked her why she had a stall for vegan food. This is the best part! She said it was because she was vegan and allergic to gluten and her son was celiac with extreme allergies and on that particular day it was actually 5 years since her son was diagnosed with the disease. It had been a hard day for her thinking back on the journey they had been on since his diagnosis and how she had come to open this food stall. Her eyes welled up with tears as she told me how proud she was of her little boy for dealing so well through all of it and how she had been discouraged thinking that her food was not making much of a difference even though it took so much effort. She said no one ever told her she was doing a good job and that she just kept working because she had to make a living. She gave me the biggest hug while I blessed her and said everything we said was from God, that He sees her and knows what she needs. She even gave me two brownies she made because she was just so thankful and wanted to bless me too. They were made from chickpeas and seriously two of the best brownies I have ever had, ask Jason, it's true. Encountering her made my heart so full! God is so good that out of the literal hundreds of people in the market he chose her to get two words of encouragement because He knew what she needed on the day she needed it most. He is actually so so good!

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Something I really want for this blog is for it to be a place of testimony. A place where God is glorified through sharing of His goodness and His heart for people. It is not about me, I am just a tool or a vessel to bring His love. Don't marvel at me or the people in these stories but at God who does amazing things because He unendingly loves people. He goes above and beyond for us all the time and He already sacrificed His life for us in Jesus. We are a people most loved.