Thursday 19 June 2014

I, Mwape Mbewe, am starting a university!

 

'I am starting a university', have been the words of at least one church leader every Sunday. At some point it began to sound like a statement i could get used to which had no deep meaning for me. It wasn't till my dad called me in the afternoon on Tuesday, 10th June asking if I was willing to volunteer at African Christian University.(ACU)Let me tell you the story. I promise to keep it short.

My dad knows of my ability to sleep till I can sleep no more as well as my ability to not get tired of sitting around and doing nothing. I guess he feared that i would be putting my abilities to great use during my 3month vacation and so he figured he had better get my teeth into something real quick. So being the lovely child i am ;) i was totally up for it and so psyched about it. After speaking to Uncle Ken Turnbull, the Vice Chancellor of the university, i was informed that my help was needed like 'yesterday'. During dinner my excited dad kept cracking jokes as his face was glowing with excitement about his daughters first day of work. My sister; Mwila and I had a good laugh about it. You have got to love his spirit:) A week later and i am still wondering whether it was excitement about me finally using my time for ACU, where he is chancellor, or excitement about getting me out of his house for a few hours, Id like to believe it is the former.

So the next day came, after like 17 minutes of convincing myself to get out of the comfort of my bed I finally got up and prepared for my day one at ACU. Dad dropped me off and I was well received by Uncle Ken who explained to me the work I would be doing for the next 3months. It then slowly started to dawn on me that ACU is real and I am really part of the large body of believers who are starting a University. That is how it all changed, They I am starting a UNIVERSITY!! I have been spending quite sometime here at ACU helping with the prayer updates that go out once every month. So if you notice any good changes in the prayer letters for the next 3 months know that there is a 96% chance I am the brains behind the amazing adjustments:)

Okay, story over. I have been volunteering for just over a week. I have many thoughts about ACU of which I would like to share a few. The work God is doing here is beyond amazing. It has been such a blessing being surrounded by people who have dedicated their entire lives to Gods service. If the Bible used to put pictures of people whose lives apply to verses, their pictures would be right by Matthew 16:24-25 'Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.…'. Come to the ACU offices on any day and you will see the fulfilment these ladies and gentlemen have found in sacrificing their lives for this cause, with reference to the just mentioned verse, denying themselves. They have denied themselves the comforts of their homes and being so close to their families who they are probably so attached to. They literally uprooted their lives, some from USA and Canada. I am doing my degree, Bachelor of Commerce, in Kabwe which is a 2 hours drive from Lusaka, my home town. I am constantly coming back home to visit. I am home at least once every month because i miss my family, especially my 5month old niece Katongo, who I am madly in love with. Okay, my point is that I am in the same country as my family, I can easily pick up my phone and call them any second and feel a little better, but of course not better enough to keep me away for over a month. These lovely people who have come all the way from other continents have left their children, parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, and grand kids to start a life here. They cant randomly pick up their phones and call their families due to challenges like cost as well as time difference. Neither can they randomly head to the airport and fly back home for a weeks visit. In addition to that they are here having to adjust to new cultures. They fall ill here and there due to change in environment in addition to other possible reasons. I don't mean to rub it in their faces as to how much they have sacrificed. Or to brag about how my family is more accessible or how i do not suffer any culture shock from being in Kabwe(although there is a chance that i do lol). Well, my point is that its a 180degrees change. But they choose to stay, for the love of God and ministering through this University.
In addition to the sacrifice they are making, believe it or not this isn't a financial profit making venture for them, it is a soul winning venture as well as discipleship venture. They are not here to expand  their bank accounts but to extend Gods kingdom. They are not getting paid for doing what they are doing here at ACU. I, personally, stand amazed after reflecting upon these facts about these people who have left the comforts of their homes.
When i sit and really think about this i am left asking myself what I am doing as a youth for Christ whom I claim to love. Especially as a youth who is starting a university. How am I contributing to ACU? I am absolutely grateful for this opportunity to interact with these people and see how much loving God can lead one to sacrifice for his Christ's sake. So much is happening here at ACU, seeing how joyful these ladies and gentlemen are as they labour is simply amazing. I can only pray that God answers our prayers as we pray for different aspects pertaining to this University and that his will may be done  at the end of the day.

If you would like to know more about this University, do subscribe to receive our monthly updates and please visit our site for an even better understanding of what is happening. It is only with deeper understanding of what is happening as well as how much God's people all over the world are putting into this that your eyes will be opened, just as mine were not too long ago. Pray pray pray, as we know prayer may just be the most powerful tool mankind has.

*The grammar is as raw and unpolished as I am. But i do hope I drove my points straight home:)