Revive: Where we tell our untold stories.

"We need to look hard at the stories we create, and wrestle with them. Retell and retell them, and work with them like clay. It is in the retelling and returning that they give us their wisdom." - Marni Gillard

On Wednesday nights, Nyasha and I lead a group of people who are recovering. Recovering from what? Themselves.We work the steps, similar to a 12 step program for any and all hang ups, habits or hurts.

Depression.
Pornography.
Alcohol.
Unhealthy relationships.
Unforgiveness. 
Anxiety.
Drug Addiction.
Anger.
Eating disorders.
Ce-Dependency.  
Sex Addiction.

ANYTHING.

I have been sober from my alcohol and drug addiction for 17 years now.  SEVENTEEN YEARS CLEAN.  I never, ever, ever thought I would say those words.  

People ask why I keep working the steps, why I stay involved with 12 step programs.  The answer is simple, "I still have A LOT to work on." Drugs and alcohol were never really my problem.  They were a symptom of a much larger problem: MYSELF.  

So I am working on myself.  Baby step by baby step.Character defect by Character defect. Sometimes these changes occur quickly, sometimes slowly but they are always in progress.  Be patient with me, I am learning to be patient with myself.  Oh how I have longed for a quick fix.

So on Wednesday night, we gather together, a group of imperfect followers of Jesus and we share our stories.  In the honest telling and retelling we find our way, we find our healing and we find our strength.  In the telling, we are able to clearly hear and see what the Holy Spirit was revealing all along-- it is in our weaknesses that God's perfect strength is revealed. 

In 2 Corinthians 12:9 Paul wrote, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

When we share our story; our weaknesses and God's gracious redemption, we give others permission to do the same.  Paul did that, as did Bill W. and Dr. Bob (the founders of AA.) And that is what we try to do each Wednesday night from 6-8 at River of life Eastlea.  Join us if you would like!

$5 an hour $10 a night

Today I was scheduled to share at a women's meeting in a peri-urban, high density neighborhood outside of Harare.  The church that was hosting is still being built, as is most of the neighborhood.  But once a month all the ladies from the (instrumental) Churches of Christ get together for a time of fellowship.  They had decided that they needed to make these meetings a bit more practical and that the topic they wanted covered this month was addictions.  This is how I ended up here. 

When the organizer told me that the ladies would be gathering from the instrumental Churches of Christ, I had a basic understanding of what this meant and why it was important.  A few years ago I would not have! However I had the opportunity before I got married and pregnant, to participate in a masters degree in missional leadership program at Rochester College.  Most of my cohort were pastors from Church of Christ churches and I learned a lot about how big the instrumental vs non-instrumental divide was.  If you love Jesus and serve on the staff at a church, I would highly recommend this program, although I wasn't able to continue because of crazy life situations, it was life changing!

Ok so back to Saturday:
I was drove out to this church, which only took about 40 minutes. However when I turned down the dusty road into Southlea Park, it felt like I was world's away from my neighborhood.  The homes were mostly unfinished, and there was construction taking place everywhere.  The wind was blowing dust all around and there were very few trees.  The hot sun seemed to make everyone who was walking up and down the streets extra tired looking.

As I tried to follow directions to the church a sign on the side of the road caught my eyes:

$5 an hour
$10 a night

Prostitution is illegal in Zimbabwe, although it is rampant.  When I drive down the main road to our home at night, there are ladies standing in groups every few feet waiting to be picked up and often we see car accidents from people who decided to stop with no warning to the cars behind them.  However it shocked me that in a neighborhood in which the houses are not even completed that a lodge would already be built and operating and so blatantly advertising an hourly rate.

When I got to the church the women were so filled with hope and anticipation.  We spoke of addiction and recovery and the questions were all about how they could best help their children and husband's find their way into a life of recovery.  How there is hope for those of us suffering in our addiction and that hope has a name: Jesus.

The despair that I felt as I drove through the neighborhood was so different than the hope I felt as I stood in the church.   

It reminded me of a quote from Desmond Tutu:

Such creativity brings me hope!!

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.

It is my hope that some of the men and women who are booking this lodge hourly will find their way into the homes or churches of the ladies I met with today.