Going BACK to Africa...again!!

Adventures with Desiree

Going back to AFRICA!!

Estimated date of Departure 1 October 2010

Salama! Salama!

Hello Friends!

“Greater love has no one than this, that a man would lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

Can you believe it has been an entire year since this crazy adventure began? It is 19 August (now it is 30 Aug) and last year this time, I was beginning my first re-entry process from Mozambique. I was sitting like a duck in the water trying to “figure” it out and process the depth of what had occurred while I encountered Jesus’ heart, love, and passion through the poor. One year later, I am finally beginning to have a language to dialogue about the experiences. It has taken two times to Africa, a trip to India, a retreat in Tahoe, a mountain top experience in Redding at art school, more rest and not…finally, my words are beginning to form coherent thoughts!! ;)

To sum up in one sentence what the year has been and what I’m still learning daily: Love… is beautiful; can be seen in the eyes of a poor child; smells like a cup of coffee with a stranger whom you just met; has a face; patiently waits; and will stop at nothing to embrace another. Love is my life!

This fall I am headed back to Ministerio Arco-Iris to lay down my life for 3 months and partner with missionaries, Mozambicans and radical Harvest school students who will go anywhere and stop at nothing to learn about LOVE!!

The Quest to Know Love

Heading back to Mozambique…Trip #3

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you…You are My friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:12,14

Christ Jesus urged His disciples to love each other as He loved them. He was not talking about a feeling or an emotion, but a willingness to lay down one’s ambitions, desires, and maybe even physical life all for love and the hope and future of others. Christ then called His disciples friends with their obedience to this Love mandate. Christ lived the perfect example of laid down love. The examples in which Christ displayed such reverence for mankind are still valid today. He is Love. And through Him, we can answer the question, what does Love look like? Humbly serving; He washed His disciples feet, He stopped to talk to the “unclean” lepers, Samaritans, and women!! Christ through Holy Spirit and complete surrender to His Father in Heaven, cleansed the lepers, healed the sick, and raised the dead! But the greatest act He did was to show us what Love looked like with His arms wide open, His heart exposed, as He hung on the tree, taking on every curse, sickness, sin, to free us from the iniquity that would have been poured out on us for our actions. His choice to obey His Father in Heaven, to love not His life even unto death on the cross, has opened up the door for me to choose to LIVE…a life of laid-down love.

A few weeks back, I was asked the question, “Why Africa?” I had to sit and ponder for a moment, and my response was simply. “Love.” I long for Africa, because it was in the African dirt that I encountered Love in a very real way. I met Him as a friend through a stranger who embraced me in a moment of weakness, feeling utterly alone, who stood (and still is) faithfully holding me up in prayer and running the journey with me. I saw love embrace the children who were once orphaned and abandoned but now have a roof over their heads and three meals a day. I saw love when I took the village children out for a meal and they did not devour everything on their plate, but saved a portion to bring back home to their younger siblings. I saw Love when I went into an unreached bush village encountering hunger for the first time, and was given a simple potato—a treasure to this villager who wanted to bless me because I prayed for her. These simple acts of kindness are raw and real ways that the Love Christ walked in is displayed today.

Christ Jesus revealed love in every aspect of His life, and my quest is to know what and who this love truly is. Love is the passion that propels one to move and compassion compels one to stop. Each trip to Africa, India, Laguna Niguel, South Lake Tahoe, or [Insert your city here] my passion grows and I become more compassionate as each moment a different aspect of the face of Love is revealed; I learn how to communicate Love to all I meet, and Love looks like something practically here and now. In the states, it may be a coffee chat with someone, in Africa it may be a gift like shoes, or in India hugging a “leper” and showing them that they are beautiful and loved by Love Himself. I want to know who Love is; that all would know the true power of Love; Love that sets captives free, that takes depression and anxiety and turns it into laughter and joy, that takes pain and heals, that causes one to stop and see that every single person on this planet, here and abroad, was born to be loved.

I am not living my life for my hopes or dreams, but for a Love greater than life and a hope so strong that nothing compares! It is my passion to see this Love be freely given to all I meet that they would know that there is hope for them and their future. My desire is that I would fulfill Christ’s mandate to “Love one another” and “Lay down one’s [my] life for His [Jesus’] friends”

Thanks for joining me! Blessings & Love, Desiree

I mentioned earlier about my return to Mozambique. I have been invited to join the staff of Iris Harvest School and will get to put my words into action…All for Love!! I have been called up to service;) Here are some of the things I will be doing as a servant leader.

Duties as Staff for Harvest School

(List not complete)

1. House Mama: I will be a “mom” to 4-8 girls for the duration of the school, to encourage, exhort, pour in, and love.

2. Bush-Bush: I will be leading an outreach in the bush bush (usually far away from society)!! Help me Jesus!!

3. Help with school specific duties will be discussed upon arrival, 3 October 2010 (including: Helping students, Iris missionaries, School Staff, Iris children, projects, etc.)

4. Continue the Quest: To know Christ’s Love and make Him known

5. Lead by lifestyle

WAYS for YOU to be a Part

Duration of African time 3 October-28 December

In this short time before I leave the US, I am finding those who will continue to run with me on this leg of the journey. We are all one body, and I am just one member, but together we accomplish the words Jesus asked of us; that “You love one another”…You may not physically be heading to Africa with me, but YOUR part is just as important!! Will you ask if you are to stand with me in prayer, worship, finances…ALL are needed in His commission to go into all the world bringing the Good News. I look forward to seeing whom the Lord leads to partner with me to SEE His love poured out. You are all with me in EVERY moment of this journey…

Are you ready for Africa PART 3? Here’s how u can help:

NUMBER ONE: PRAYER COVERING: This is the single most important need to have before, during, and after returning from overseas. I will email updates as much as I can (depending on internet availability) with specific needs…Holy Spirit is the best notifier though;)

FINANCIAL GIFTS: I will be donating my time to serve and cover my expenses to get to Mozambique. There are a variety of options available, tax-deductible donations, as well as PayPal options, and checks. >>>

SPREAD the WORD: www.desirama.net will be updated this week!!

PayPal e.mail address is: dunamisdesi@gmail.com

Tax-Deductible Donations: Checks: MSN Ministries (Desiree-Africa in Memo)

Checks Made Payable to me: Desiree Metcalf

PO Box 2076 La Habra Ca 90631