The Spa and the Gospel

By the Zim border at Lake Kariba Dam

We just returned from a three-week journey to the interior of southern Africa. We joined about eighty other missionaries for a two-week training on the missionary task, culminating in the development of a master strategy plan for reaching the city of Pemba. We crossed two borders. We drove through a game park and saw the largest waterfall in the world. We ate at Pizza Hut and KFC. So I really debated what to write this post about (elephants! rainbows! pizza!).

At Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

At Victoria Falls (See the rainbow?!)

At Pizza Hut in Lusaka, Zambia

But the most important thing that happened during those three weeks happened in a spa. (And--as pretty as it was--it wasn't my pedicure.)

My Zambian pedi

As we sat in meetings day in and day out learning about entry, evangelism, discipleship, healthy church formation, leadership development, and exit, the Spirit convicted me. Even though I'm a missionary, it's still a challenge for me to start spiritual conversations that lead to sharing the gospel or discipling. But if I'm not seeking to do that on a regular basis, then why am I here? In Mozambique, part of the challenge is that I'm still learning the language and not quite able to navigate that kind of conversation yet. But in Zambia, where our meeting was, many people speak English as the trade language. And every day at the resort where we stayed, we interacted with dozens of workers who might or might not have heard the gospel.

Most of these workers I would see only in passing (at the restaurant or on the grounds). But my thoughtful husband made me an appointment for a massage at the spa, and a generous volunteer paid  for me to get a pedicure. So in the spa, there was actually an opportunity for conversation.

It was there that I met Beauty, the head of the spa team. As I spoke with her, I found out she was a Christian. She shared her testimony with me and I shared mine with her. She even invited me back to the spa to teach her and the other women working there. So I returned the following day and spent more time getting to know her and her coworkers, reading the Bible with them, teaching it, and discussing its truth.

By God's grace, with Beauty, I had the opportunity to apply the things I was learning in my training. As missionaries, we see the world as our field, and our job is to sow the seed of the gospel. Each person we meet either has heard and received the gospel or hasn't. If a person falls into the latter category, then we share the gospel; if she falls into the former, we seek to disciple (train), being sure to teach in a way that she can also use to teach others. If we evangelize evangelists and disciple disciplers, then there can be multiplication--it's not just dependent on us. 

So with Beauty, I discipled her in the little time I had with her. I tried to explain a simple way to study the Bible, and I encouraged her to tell others what she learned. We exchanged contact information so I can keep in touch with her, and I will connect her with a missionary who lives in her area so she can continue discipleship and get connected to a church (or help begin a new one). And I have a new friend and sister in Christ.

My new friend Beauty

On my own, in my flesh, I wouldn't have started a spiritual conversation with someone who gave me a massage or a pedicure. I'm more comfortable sitting quietly as I enjoy the pampering. But I'm not on my own. Christ is with me. "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and rose again" (2 Cor. 5:14-15). The only way I can explain what happened with Beauty is Christ: His love and His Spirit in me.

God was gracious to me and my family in many other ways during our training and our trip. He provided volunteers to lead Vacation Bible School and work with our children. He introduced me to many new missionary friends whom I learned from and enjoyed fellowship with. He sent cool weather (which means I got to wear jeans and fix my hair, which I've missed!). He gave us spectacular views of Victoria Falls and showed us some of His most beautiful creatures. He allowed us to enjoy the city of Lusaka, which is much more developed than anywhere near us in Mozambique, with western-style malls, movie theaters, restaurants, and hazelnut lattes.

On our sunset cruise on Lake Kariba

A zebra roaming the grounds at Lake Kariba Inn

Giraffes at Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

The croc that Tabby spotted on our safari drive

The kids with the rhinos (under the trees behind them)

View from our hike down to the Boiling Point at Victoria Falls 

Harvey with the kids at the Boiling Point at Vic Falls

The Falls! (I was so excited.)

Getting soaked by the mist at Vic Falls

Now we're home and eager for the task ahead of us: evangelizing, discipling, and church-planting in Pemba. But until then, we will keep learning Portuguese and looking for more opportunities to practice the missionary task right where we are, in the spas where we find ourselves and with the Beautys God places in our paths.