Serving in weakness

South Africa | Bonnie Mentel

While participating in OM South Africa’s Missions Discipleship Training (MDT) outside Pretoria, Simeon and his team went on a rural outreach to Gazankulu, in the Limpopo province of South Africa. He was amazed at how easily he adapted to the new environment and remained joyful—he had heard that there are always challenges during this particular outreach.  

During the final days in Gazankulu, the trainees decided to give the mission all their effort. “I decided in my heart that I wanted to give everything to the Lord—120 per cent—and go out there fully,” Simeon said.

The group was asked to preach one Sunday at a local church. Simeon agreed to the request, even though he hadn’t met the pastor and didn’t know where the church was located. “I knew I had to prepare a message and just go,” he stated.

That Sunday, he preached about how God strengthens His people and helps them stand firm, while emphasising that God can use people, even in their weakness. Simeon was encouraged afterward.

The next morning, though, he woke up with a headache and felt ill. He became frustrated because he wanted to visit the schools and minister to the children with the rest of the team. He knew he would have to stay behind and wondered what purpose that would serve.

Simeon realised he was immediately being challenged with the exact message he had just preached the previous day.

He went out to collect water for the team and began talking with the ladies who were gathered to do their washing. They started asking him questions, and he told them about God’s love, His plan and His purpose. More ladies passed by and stopped to listen. The women asked for Bibles, which Simeon handed to them, along with tracts. He even prayed with them.

Simeon felt God telling him: “Even in your weakness, you can still glorify Me.”

“Sometimes we feel inadequate and don’t have the skills and training we need,” Simeon concluded, “but just stepping out on this outreach, we say, ‘Lord, take us just how we are.’”

Simeon learnt through this that God takes care of the rest.

Credit: Bonnie Mentel
© 2012 OM International