Be still and know

After an amazing few days with the leaders of the YWAM locations across Southern Africa it was time to join the rest of the staff for a regional conference at a spa in Worcester (just two hours drive from us). During these past few days we have wrestled with our past as a mission in this region, and learned more about God's heart for YWAM. As we shared our hearts on what we felt our roles were within YWAM using the metaphor of family (brothers, mothers, grandparent etc), we began to see that it is not easy to define ourselves. We also felt there were a lack of those who saw themselves as 'father figures' in our region.

Tonight Ian Muir - the Scottish founding father of YWAM in South Africa - gave the opening speech. In it we heard a powerful message of the importance of listening to God. He called on us to 'Be still and know..." (Psalm 46:10) because if we don't we will not (necessarily) be able to be obedient to what he's calling us to do. "In our busy lives with smart phones and mobile phones, with iPhones and iPods, it is increasingly difficult to quieten ourselves to be still ... in conferences - like this one - where schedules and timetables are pushed in importance, we can miss what God is calling us to be". 

It was fitting, therefore, after the word from Ian, for the delegates of the conference, led by Diane Vermooten of YWAM Media Village, to pay tribute through gifts and song, for the example that Ian has been to YWAM in this part of the world. He has gone before us, he has endured the hardship and paid the price for obedience, so that we can do the work we're called to do.