Scarlet O’hara

05 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by in Inspirational Thoughts, Life in Africa, Lorato House Rescue Centre, Love Botswana Outreach Mission

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One thing I know: If someone insults you its one thing. Let them insult your kids, it’s another thing entirely! Let any threat to Lioness’ cubs come anywhere near and instincts kick in with a roar!  I feel this way about the lives entrusted to our watchful care here at Love Botswana. I am privileged to be a Mama to anyone who will let me! If danger comes near and my cubs are threatened, my instincts kick in to protect. That’s the first and strongest instinct of any mother. Its something too strong to wrap words around. It usually defies logic and happens before critical thinking skills and planning and protocol have a chance to play a role.

My sister from my African Mother calls me “Scarlet Ohara” for my streak of, well whatever you call it. A name could be temper, spirited, passionate, and feisty. Regardless, it gets me in trouble more times than I would like to admit.

Its like the pushing part of giving birth. In order to make some things happen, that’s just what it takes. Tenacity. Grit. And yes, even a strong will to get that thing done! Just get out of my way cuz I am pushing! And give me some ice chips and encouragement when I need it because its going to happen!

One thing I know: If my motives are questioned and I am misunderstood in my efforts to be that mama, that is the worse thing I can experience. My knees go weak and the tears will not stop.

Real life is full of such experiences. All we can do is swallow our pride, “eat crow” and carry on the best we can.  If I don’t brush off those knees when they fall down, I won’t ever get up and keep doing what is before me to do. I am not a perfect person or mama, but I am going to keep on going, loving, trying, protecting, and watching out for my cubs.

Neither Jerry’s fingerprints nor mine are on this ministry, only the fingerprints of God. So enemies of good cannot stop us. Don’t let my white skin fool you. My instincts to protect the dignity of my African family are strong. Everything I stand for is FOR the land of my heart that I have been privileged to live and serve in for 25 years. I have received more than I have ever given in this rich land that values respect, honor, and relationships.


On A Tightrope?

09 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Inspirational Thoughts

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(AP Photos/Discovery Channel, Tiffany Brown)

A world record was set last month on June 24 when Nik Wallenda, a tightrope artist, made his way across the Grand Canyon in just 22 minutes. My Pastor, Joel Osteen, was there to pray with him before hand. This man has a wife and kids and yet, his dream was to be the first in history to conquer this great feat. Along the way, he knelt down twice in order to make the rope stop shaking. With every breath, he was praying and thanking God for helping him. He also thanked the many people who supported him along the way. When it was all said and done though, he was the one who walked it and him alone.

We all walk a tight rope of some kind in our lives. Sometimes we get out of balance and feel like we are falling down a great canyon! But it is possible to do it.

How do you balance your personal life with your ministry? That was the question posed to me on Saturday when I met at the coffee shop with a small group of young women, hungry for answers. I took a deep breath, wishing I could say that I have, in fact, mastered that question. It was a mixed group of young, single and married. So what do you do when your whole life is based around ministry, or any job for that matter? Even for my husband and I, our whole adult life has been about serving people. It has only been in the last couple of years that I have been able to say I even know how to experience what that looks like!

Here’s what we came up with:

  1. Have a sabbath. For those in full time Ministry, that day is certainly not on Church day! So, that doesn’t count.  If possible, set aside a day that is for Y-O-U. No work. No ministry. If you are on call,, it doesn’t count.
  2. Set boundaries around yourself for your family time, if you have one. If you are single, do the same. Don’t let people take advantage of you, assuming you are more available to do things because you are single! It’s really surprising to see how people really can get along without you if you are not available. I know I always thought I had to be the one to “be there” when people were in crisis. But, it has been so liberating to know that I don’t have to be! They will find someone else or figure it out themselves, or do the last thing we all seem to forget: that God is right there the whole time, ready to take our hand and walk us through it HIMSELF.
  3. Realize that sometimes, a total separation can’t be made. Jerry and I have been in ministry our whole 26 year marriage. Our lives are intertwined with it. But if its conversation around “work” or talk that creates homework, its not personal time. If this comes up, don’t sweat it, just jot it down on a pad or on your phone notes for later pick up. Then get back to carving out your personal time with those close to you.
  4. Guard your quiet time with God. Everything you do in your life flows out of that relationship. It makes you better. It empowers you. It satisfies your soul! He is waiting for you, always there, and would love to walk with us all individually in this thing called life!
  5. Don’t feel guilty for saying no. Really.
  6. Do a weekend or 3 day getaway every few months. A personal retreat. To take stock. To look at where you are on your journey. To ask yourself, are there changes that need to be made? It is a life-giving time to clear your head and get back in touch with you!
  7. The last, but not least, is to download Creating Your Personal Life Plan by Micheal Hyatt. This exercise is a great way to help you get from here, to where you want to go. It’s easy! Just sign up for his enriching updates and you get it for free! http://michaelhyatt.com/life-plan

For all of us who find ourselves in different places along our way, we can know that with some adjustments, we can go through our day, satisfied that we did what was in our heart to do and feel good about it!

PHOTO: Nik Wallenda gives a thumbs-up as he nears the end of his successful untethered high wire crossing of the Grand Canyon. (Reuters: Mike Blake)
RELATED STORY: US man walks cable stretched across Niagara Falls
MAP: United States

Oprah Winfrey Show “And you LIVE there?!”

11 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by in Life in Africa, My Journey

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When I got on Facebook this morning, I was asked if I wanted to write a review. Here it is:

I was sitting in the hospitality room at Harpo productions. I had just been on the front row in the Live “Oprah Winfrey Show”. I was invited beforehand to meet with the producer after the show. I started telling her our story. It went something like this: “I live in the small but growing Village of Maun, Botswana. My husband and I got married, put our things in storage and headed off to Africa. We only thought we were giving up the “American Dream”. After 25 years of living and serving in a place where we wanted to help lift people’s lives, we are, indeed, the ones who have been lifted! The richness of the culture, the people; the honor and respect that is the fabric of society, and the value of relationships and manners, have shaped our lives by living here.” there were lots of questions and lots of answers about our work here, which we call ‘Love Botswana Outreach Mission Trust’ and what all we have been privileged to accomplish and build, with help from all around the world. But the one question she kept repeatedly asking, shaking her head, leaning forward, with big eyes and great intensity was “And you LIVE there?!” the answer, “yes”.

You may be asking what this has to do with my Facebook Review? Well, we have gone without electricity, running water and lived in tents. When we came there was dial up Internet, but no phones! But today, Botswana has almost twice as many cell phones as the population! There may be a mud hut and no power or water tap, but a cell phone is as much utilized as water! From the children to the grannies, cell phones are everywhere.And so is the internet. Talk to anyone here who uses a phone and they also know about Facebook.

When we came to this village, the rest of the world was so far away, our family, our friends, our life in America. I know I speak for all international volunteers when I say that Facebook has impacted volunteerism with a worldwide impact. International Volunteers can now stay connected to their friends and loved ones as if they were living in the same house! Most of our revolves around developing leaders. I can visit countries all over the world in just a day’s time right from the Village of Maun, Botswana through Facebook. Sometimes it’s a social visit, but it is also an opportunity to nurture, mentor and be a leader to my “friends”. Hundreds of people have come through Love Botswana, and through Facebook, we can stay connected and continue to be a part of their lives as they capture the heart of volunteerism and the joy it brings to many.

Mark Zuckerberg and your amazing team, in sharing this little bit, what you thought was a great networking tool for pleasure has impacted the world through giving people, like us, the opportunity to multiply our efforts in our sphere of influence. And it just keeps getting better and better.

All the best! Jana Lackey
Co-Founder, Love Botswana Outreach Mission Trust
janalackey@lovebotswana.org
http://www.lovebotswana.org

P.S. the only negative thing I would share is the new thing of allowing friends of friends to see all our posts. I wish that would go away.

2012 in review. Thanks for your support!

31 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by in Life in Africa

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The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 2,600 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 4 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.