Beautiful Balance
Posted by: Jessi Schwertfeger on December 12, 2011 | Staff Blog
Jesus’s ministry was one of beautiful balance.
He taught.
He ate.
He prayed.
He worked.
He talked.
He worshipped.
He rested.
In ministry, many DAYS don’t show a whole lot of balance. Some days, I spend my day cooking, cleaning, and balancing accounting books. Some days, I attend a conference and spend the whole day listening, preaching, or praying for the sick. And that is perfectly fine. It’s not necessary to have a particular DAY that encompasses every area of ministry that we love to engage in.
But it is awesome when it does happen!
Last month, the LIFE Team traveled to Nyawa to minister a “teacher training” to the women there who have shown interest in teaching preschools and being discipled. It was a beautifully fruitful, balanced day.
We taught. About Jesus, and what made HIM such a good teacher.
We ate. Delicious fire-baked buns and tea for breakfast, and traditional nshima and kapenta (dried fish) for lunch.
We prayed. For a discouraged widow. For a busy mother. For grace, wisdom, and peace.
We worked. We learned how to backstitch and sewed dolls for their homes and classrooms out of scrap pieces of material.
We talked. About our husbands, our children, our differences, and our similiarities..
We worshipped. In Tonga and in English. We taught them some songs, and they taught us some songs.
And even though it was a hot day that began early and ended late, it somehow felt RESTFUL.
Not every day can be perfectly balanced, nor should they always be! Many days are about servanthood, having a good attitude, and dying to self. But I love the times that I can spend in relationship, teaching, and working with those whom I'm here for!
About Jessi Schwertfeger
Job Title: Missionary/Teacher
Location: Zambia, Africa
Spouse: Jacob Schwertfeger
Children: Sunda (5) Kya (18 months)
Bio:
I became a Christian at the age of 13 and have always had a heart for ministering to people who seemed lost in the mix of life. By the time I was 16 I was convinced that God was calling me to a third world country to spread the Gospel of Hope. I graduated from high school in 2002 and moved onto a large university to major in Music Education. After college, my husband and I got married and made plans to leave for Africa 6 weeks later!
Our first year in Zambia was spent running an orphanage and falling in love with our daughter, Sunda. In the following year, we began spending weeks at a time living in the villages and learning how to serve and empower the Tonga people with the message of the Gospel. We joined Overland Missions after catching the vision for ministry to the neglected peoples.
During the last 4 years, I have worked with LIFE Project to develop sustainable preschools in the rural areas of the Mukuni Chiefdom. In the meantime, we have added our daughter, Kya to the mix! I love being involved in every facet of ministry and feel so blessed to be a part of Overland Missions, the LIFE Project, and the wonderful team of people who work together to bring love, hope, and education to those who desperately need it.
