Love letters: Dear Tjeripo, Arise

I still remember the first day you came around; we were going to have a movie on campus that day. For me, it was a crazy day. By the way it started, you wouldn't believe the day would end in such a serene and beautiful manner. I wrestled with the tempest that day; I stood toe to toe with the storm. For some reason, there's always great resistance, tension and turmoil before something good happens . It was wild—stories for another day. Meanwhile, Simaneka was busy mobilizing on the ground, running up and down as we anticipate and expect God to do something beautiful. My Hunter's Dog brother, on the other side, was holding down a concert at the Centaurus High School boys' hostel, and I had to drive the impact team over.

By the time I got to UNAM, the movie was already over halfway through. When I entered the room, it was one of the most serene scenes you'll ever see: university students deeply captivated by an animated movie (The Pilgrim's Progress), sipping on coffee mugs. Simaneka caught the vision, and she was running with it. At this point, I'm trying to shake off all the disappointments of the day because I'll be preaching soon. It's a very fearful and holy thing to stand before people and preach the Word of God. I told some lies during the day, and the Holy Spirit was dealing with me to be credibly honest. By God's grace, I mustered up some faith, got my phone, and sent the message through. I was trying to cover my failures, but one thing that God hates is a dishonest tongue, and I dare not stand before these people and demand that they be honest while I myself won't hold myself to the same standard. I remember Jo' telling me one time, "It's better to be a failure in the sight of man and be right with God than the other way around." I felt huge relief after I confessed my faults and spoke the utter truth to the person on the other end of the phone, even though it was difficult to do.

You were one of the people in that classroom; I also confessed my own shortcomings to you all just before I began to preach, and God's presence fell down in such a glorious way; it was tangible. You responded to the call to salvation that day, alongside Charlton and the others. There was a huge confrontation on the altar that night, as we prayed, I felt the darkness leave.

You'd always come around for our Bible studies; I remember it like it was yesterday. You were so broken and shredded that you could barely look up, or just answer a simple question. I remember there was a day when I was preaching a very hard message, and as soon as my eyes crossed your path, my whole tone and demeanor changed. "God, she's already wounded; please let me not trample on your little lamb." The wounded need not any more stripes on top of their wounds; they need The Balm so they can find some healing. One thing about you: you had a hunger for your newfound love in Jesus Christ that would not be denied. You started coming to church as much as possible, and no doubt God was working wonders in your heart. Your confidence started to build up, and you'd invite your friends over to church. I saw Evo and Ivie weep on the altars that day, and then they hugged each other. Hey, forget the cameras. Some of the most beautiful moments, unfortunately, just never make the photo album, but to those who are fond of them, those memories will always be fresh in the heart.

From having your head hung low to having a bounce in your step, getting out of your comfort zone, doing the things you once did, like sports, that's deep. If that was not enough, now you're putting some nails and some lashes on. Oh my goodness, I'm not a big fan of that stuff, but I really enjoyed seeing you rock the confidence because I knew that God was doing a miracle in you, and he just wanted to show of a little. Did I just see you smile? Oh my goodness, God, you are really doing something here—a garden in the desert, a river flowing in the Namib Desert. "Forget the former things; behold, I'm doing something new." And in all this, you were just getting started.

I'm writing these things to you to remind you of how real your encounter with Jesus was, to freshen up your memory and clear up the doubts that will try to creep in, especially now that you are far from us.

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. This is the greatest commandment: that you recklessly abandon yourself to Him, that you let Him consume you and wrap Himself around you. The very course and direction that your life is meant to take stems from this place. He will show you the way in which you must walk, and though it might be difficult and demanding, please know this: His way is better than yours. You are now a daughter of the Most High God, a princess, and your Father is the Maker of the universe. Do not fear people, but rather fear God, because even the very number of your days is in His hands. You are not at the mercy of people; your future lies in your relationship with God, so treat it with utmost respect and let it be the most important. Be therefore strong and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you; He will be with you everywhere you go. Only be careful to observe His word, to treasure it, and to meditate on it day and night. Do not turn from it to the left or right. Remember when I said, "Tjeripo is about to make war; bad guys, watch out! This town isn't big enough for all of us"? Well, your prayers carry such capacity for real.

I am learning that I'm more expressive when I write; that's why I am writing to you. Keep this letter close to you and read it when you're down. I was sharing with Kavetu and Betty how it's not the same without you. They all agreed that you are special, and here is the truth: we really just miss you.

You are wonderfully and fearfully made. Even before you were born, God already thought of you, and ever since then, He never stopped thinking of you. Yes, for real.

No weapon formed against you will prosper, and your enemies will not rejoice over you. When you fall, when you sit in darkness, the Lord shall be your light. Yes, Jesus will rise up and plead your cause; He will execute judgment on your behalf and have mercy on your soul. You will not die, but you will live to tell of the goodness of the Lord. In Jesus' name, this is my prayer for you.

Hafeleni

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