Botswana Trip Update
Restore My Heart & Wisdom for Fathers Conferences
Gaborone, Botswana, 2008
Fifteen men and women from Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA, USA, arrived in Gaborone, Botswana, to work with Denise and David Glenn from Perth, Australia, and Open Baptist Church and they found God’s Spirit had prepared the way and was there waiting on them! They saw that the world is an open doorway to be His voice, His touch, to be used as a vessel by Him to listen to hearts’ cries, to give an answer, to demonstrate His love and to offer hope and peace.
During the MotherWise Restore My Heart conference, Denise spoke to 220 women from 27 different nations and 
29 churches. There were 4 first time decisions for Christ, 29 rededications to Christ and almost 60 ladies who indicated that they would love to start MotherWise groups in their churches or communities. The team was able to pray with ladies who have experienced hurts and life trials and assure them that they were chosen by God before they were even born. A special time for everyone was when we were able to surrender our hearts and pains to the cross, literally. We had the privilege of seeing God work during our small group time, when the team anointed each woman’s hands and assured her that God loved her and then at the end by placing a tiara to represent a crown from God on each precious head. Denise’s teaching from the Holy Spirit filled the room both days, pointed each woman to the Word and to Christ in a powerful way. Patrice Arnold’s dancing and the OBC Praise and Worship team was an inspiration to all. The team’s desire to make relationships with the women was certainly blessed.
David Glenn taught 102 men from the FatherWise Wisdom for Fathers Bible study, representing 15 nations and 16 different churches and denominations. The JFBC men worked hand in hand with the local team from OBC to reach out to the pastors and lay leaders who had come to the conference. For David and his support team, it was a first experience in Africa and for some, a first mission trip. The men felt that God showed them the hurts, pains and struggles that they experience in the US are also prevalent around the world. They were assured that God’s Word and encouragement from other Christians is vital to promote strong Christian families, marriages and relationships with God. The realization that fellowshipping with other brothers in Christ and knowing that even though we are from many different countries and cultures, we are all the same in loving Jesus, was learned by all.
The grand finale was when the men’s conference joined the women’s conference. Husbands and wives were united with a special teaching by both David and Denise Glenn. Pastor Norman Schaefer of OBC led the couples in repeating vows to rededicate their marriages. Watching married couples holding hands, committing to seek the Lord’s guidance in their marriages and families and trusting God in their lives was a heart warming experience.
In addition to both, two day conferences, the teams spent time in prayer and preparation for the conferences, therefore forging friendships that will follow for eternity. They were taken to the different mission outreaches of OBC to see other mission opportunities to perhaps participate in the future and to pray for, such as the feeding station that feeds 150 children daily and a new church plant outside of Gaborone. They spent valuable time in cultural orientation for the country, its history, its people and for OBC itself. A cultural debriefing time in South Africa was icing on the cake…seeing God’s creation in nature and African animals.
Father God, You are amazing and we all want the world to see how wonderful You are through our faces, actions and words.
Claire Crigler and Hamp Hart, Team Leaders for JFBC
