The COVID -19 was such divine timing for us to be pruned and to prepare for the harvest. God has brought many change in our lives from inside out. We had numbers of significant adventures full of UPS and DOWNS during the past 6 months of lockdown!! Our every day life has led us much more closer to God and lean on Him alone and knowing GOD IS TAKING CONTROL!! The word of God has made us to stand firm facing every situation as it is written in Philippians 4:6 ”Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”.
First of all, we would love to present our deepest apology to each one of you who has been concerned and have not hear from us during that time…ONly for one reason that we do not even take it as an excuse nor we did not make it in purpose….!!! ”Mirana and I had taken care of few people around us who had different diseases in distance such as Mirana’s dad who had heart attack and stroke, Mirana’s nephew and sister in law has hospitalized several times, Setra’s mother who has to be under close health supervision, few co-workers and staffs who has been affected by the corona virus at sever case and ourselves who took turn to get sick and healed … For months, we were not allowed to see all of those loved ones but only by distance or when only through window … This lack of contact was traumatic!!…”
ONLY NOW, are things getting back to normal. All of us have struggled through lack of contact…And as we come out of lockdown and turn around, we see this season has taken its toll on many of the people around us, including ourself and our family! In one side, we have been hurt deeply in this time in the area of financial and our daily supplies for we knew very well that it was time we could not stay only in thinking of ”ME ALONE” but ”US”…In the other side, we have been privileged to live the value of giving time to all the important areas in our life such as maintain our marriage and family life, self-reflection, maintain our personal relationship with God, to put first the priority in life, to get back to the foundation, to prepare for the harvest…and so on!
Briefly, this season was very draining and falling season but also huge opportunity to live-learn, to grow, to stand firm and to lay down good foundation in our life as individual, as couple, as family and in our ministry!
GOOD OUTCOMES of LOCKDOWN:
- We could have more time to spend and to concentrate as family bonding full of harmony, creativity and fun!
- It was time to stop by! We could have time of self-evaluation in term of Character and behaviour, in term of different position in leadership, Spiritual and relational development. We did not run ministries except the Social-Aid (mercy ministry) and focus mor on family!
- We had time of pruning our bad routines and bad habits, unfruitful personal life and ministry which brought us into life-changing and into new habits. The process of repentance and re-alignment was the way to go to restoration with God!
- We had plenty of time to be equipped as team at our base and received plenty of online training that enable us to pursue on each individual’s calling as we serve together the vision. Few different workshop was following up such as self-leadership, fundraising, team building, member care,…and getting re-aligned with the vision, the values and structures of our base. The outcomes was huge as every individual respond to their calling, delegating responsibilities, share job description, renewing commitments,…and so on!
- YWAM Land of Canaan was known as a local Christian Organisation doing mercy ministry through helping the people in need during the COVID-19. Many poor and needy met Jesus and become new believers! Praise GOD!
- The harvest of lockdown is plenty for discipleship!
- …and SO much more!!
BAD OUTCOMES of LOCKDOWN:
- Every one lived under fear and anxiety issue and control. Many people are hopeless and helpless! Families, friends, neighbours,…lost their job, their loved ones and hardly to get survived. In fact, people start to miss-behave (stealing, begging, robbing, lazy, arguing, …) or some live life of rejection, rebellion, unconscious and depressed!!
- Our financial family life has been deeply hurt and totally drained! As a Malagasy, we could not just watch and pray for our family member, our staffs and friends and neighbour those suffer and face the valley of death…it was time to stand as leader/elder and as brother and sister to help one another and face the covid-19 together!
- Economically, our base and all staff members are just starting over and pray a lot for new ways, new strategy and new guidance from God on how to make self-sustaining for every individual and the existing ministries.
- Life in general has been disordered and instable which led easily to frustration and mood with people around us and for sure for most people, including us who are easily to get fatigue physically, moral and emotionally. WE are in the very need of little recreation, to get away from our routine!
- …and so much more!!
YWAM Land of Canaan 