It's Not About Me!

IT'S NOT ABOUT ME!

A Malawi Outreach

The testimony of an exciting mission trip to Malawi

with 25 amazing students

By Nathan Overmeyer

Copyright 2016 Nathan Overmeyer

Smashwords Edition

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, (NIV) Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations from The Message (MSG). Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (RSV) are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my beautiful wife, Julianna Overmeyer, who has believed in me and has been most understanding. She is a major pillar of strength in my life and covered me in prayer throughout this mission trip.

Also to my son, Dane David Overmeyer, who is no longer a boy, but a man. I am truly proud of you my son.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

Prologue

Section One

Ephraim and Annie's Story

The Political and Economic Conditions of Malawi

Doctor David Livingstone

Spiritual Temperature of Malawi

Counting the Cost of this Mission Trip

Mode of Transport to Malawi

The Theme of the Trip

Section Two

The Route (some towns visited along the way)

Bonding Time, Additional, Training and Equipping

Across the Border into Zimbabwe

Across the Border into Mozambique

Casa Masika (More Stops on our Journey)

An Emergency Air Lift from Beira to South Africa

Personal Discomfort

Beira

Kedesh

Section Three

The Cost of Leadership

Welcome to Malawi

Waiting for Diesel

Nkopola

Section Four

A Local Church and their Bible School Students (Day 1)

Visit to Mangochi (Day 2)

Visit to an HIV/Aids Orphanage (Day 3)

A Horrific Accident (Day 4)

George McCormack and His Wife

A Trip into Rural Malawi (Day 5)

Section Five

Rest and Relaxation (Day 6)

Cape Maclear

Tourist Market

The Blind Man

The Leper

A Testimony of Heidi Baker

Preached at a Local Church (Day 7)

Section Six

A Team Drawn Together by Holy Spirit

The Word of God in the Context of This Trip

Agape

Section Seven

Our Journey Back

Home Sweet Home

Conclusion

Epilogue

APPENDIX A. The Great Zimbabwe Ruins

APPENDIX B. Tshipise Hot Springs

APPENDIX C. The Gold Mining Town of Welkom

Bibliography

About Nathan Overmeyer

Other Titles by Nathan Overmeyer

Connect with Nathan Overmeyer

Acknowledgments

I hereby wish to acknowledge the members of The Island Church for their financial contribution in order to make my trip to Malawi possible. For being mission-minded and seeing the value of taking the Gospel to the nations.

Wittedrift High School, especially the principal Mr Andre Bouwers and his two faithful teachers, Mr Pieter Coetzee, and Mr Willie Lane.

I would also like to acknowledge Plettenberg Bay Christian School; you students were an absolute pleasure to lead with your good manners and true leadership quality.

Also to the few students from the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) especially Mr Bouwer’s two daughters, both sold out to Jesus, and great leaders.

Mr Lourens Jooste Senior, his amazing wife, his son Lourens Jooste Junior and sister Cassandra, and some extended family; peer leaders Jarrod, Marc, Margie and Zanel. Furthermore to some of the students who really stood out Adam, Paul, Pieter, Donovan, Stephan and to the rest - you were all amazing. I just cannot remember all your names.

The amazing bus driver Dave Pepersen who safely brought us there and back.

The trip was under the covering of Gateway Africa Ministries.

Pastor Peter Likagwa of the Christian Pentecostal Church.

Pastor Sam Vinkhumbo of Divine Restoration Church.

George McCormack and his wife.

Alaythea Hamlyn of Truth House Publishing for editing the manuscript and her positive feedback on the main theme: It’s Not About Me.

Piet Bakker my Dutch friend for his photo and cover graphic, it looks much better than my attempt.

This is not an exhaustive list of individuals, thus apologies if your name was not mentioned; my recollections are but limited.

Foreword

Story-telling is one of the most effective and earliest forms taken by leaders to communicate what they wanted the next generation to understand. It was the way every aspect of Biblical truth was first conveyed, from the Creation account, to the calling of Abraham, to the gospels themselves. Nathan's book reminded me of that, and reminded me especially of the Gospel of Mark in its breathless, excited, and exciting recording of a delightful story.

Mark's gospel challenges and inspires us, in his helter-skelter eyewitness account, with the Story of all stories. The challenge of it is in an uncompromising call to follow Christ, regardless of consequence. As Nathan observes, this does not mean we shouldn't first count the cost of that followership. Quite the contrary – we should do that, but not to decide whether to follow – rather to ensure through wise planning how to follow. The inspiration of Mark is in its display, in stories of people like Nathaniel, Simon Peter and Zacchaeus, of Christ's confidence that there is gold within every follower, which can only be unearthed by following Him to where it is needed – among the poor.

I know that Nathan's story of a band of young followers, who went to the poor of Malawi and Mozambique, will likewise inspire its readers. The story, and the way Nathan tells it, is accessible and truthful. It does not exclude warts and failures, but shares them as part of the lesson, interlaced with a good sense of humour (an essential item in any missionary's toolbox!) The story is also deeply and beautifully honouring of both the people who went, and the people to whom God sent them. In telling of Ephraim, the Malawian man who started it all, or of the Jooste family and their godly compassion and servant-heartedness, it recognizes and applauds the gold in both, and in that there is another lesson.

Finally, although the title is It's not about me! the story is told from the perspective of what we as followers have now, rather than what we don't have yet. Whether a dance and a Bible instead of money, a simple prayer while we await a full measure of healing, a desperate plea for mercy on a leper when the courage to embrace him hasn't quite arrived yet – all of these are supporting evidence that we, as citizens of a Kingdom that is both already and not yet, must straddle the divide with humility and compassion, doing and speaking what we see through a glass, darkly while we desperately implore God on behalf of the poor, the broken, the lost and the least, to reveal the full redemptive picture.

It's a compelling account, described by a man whose zealous heart leads him through pain and discomfort, setback and discouragement, to go with God. Nathan's life, let alone his book, states the vision strong and clear, so that they may run who read it: IT'S NOT ABOUT ME!

Costa Mitchell 

(National Director of the Association of Vineyard Churches (SA), and co-ordinator of the African Vineyard Leaders' Network. Costa has a B.A. (Biblical Studies and Psychology) and B.Th. (Hons.) from UNISA, and a M.Th. in Missional Leadership from the University of Stellenbosch.)

February 2016

(Author’s Note: Costa is a role model whom I met through Youth For Christ, Knysna, and who, like myself, studied Missional Leadership at my alma mater Stellenbosch University. I also came to know him through Cornerstone Christian College although he lectured after I had graduated from that Seminary.)

Introduction

Perhaps a great place to start is to introduce myself, and unfurl why I chose to pen this book. What I do, in no way determines who I am. My first name, Nathan, was deliberately bestowed on me by my mother, as I was a reflection to its true meaning: "A gift from God. Well, to her anyway. My name was her prophetic declaration that I would be a gift to the community of Christian believers, and especially to the unbelievers that would be introduced to Christ through my life.

I enjoy other peoples’ jokes as it takes the edge off life, so don’t be surprised if the ones you come across in the book are cheesy but I believe they will surely make you smile.

As a God-fearing South African with the greatest desire to see God’s Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven, I have what the world calls a bucket list. This mission trip was a heart’s dream that superseded any human contrived list. What was on both was my desire to do a mission trip to an African nation called Malawi. This book is about the fulfilment of that desire and perhaps the fulfilment of a divine call.

There are numerous crises in Africa. I initially wanted to ascribe them to poverty, substance abuse, gangsterism, leaderlessness, fatherlessness, lawlessness and perhaps godlessness. My firm conclusion is that it is due to lack of purpose and identity. When we know who we are and whose we are, it enables us to address and transform the ills of society.

I shall relate this story to the best of my ability, remembering most of the details. I kept a rough diary, but there might be the odd area of inaccuracy. This is in no way deliberate.

It is my intention to unpack the conception and birth of a dream, the fulfilment, and the lessons I learned along the way.

I trust you will enjoy my adventure with God and take this step by step faith-walk and journey with me. Life should never be about destinations but rather about the journey.

Prologue

Africa is a continent with character and a rich heritage. It is liberally gifted