NLs: So what
led you to serve in Africa?
Dione:
Since high school I have wanted to go to Africa to help the poor. I was in
ministry in Canada but, as I kept praying about it, the Lord led me to
meet some people who worked with a mission in South Africa.
NLs: Tell us
about your present ministry.
Dione:
Our focus is helping the poor, so we have two townships that we go to and
about 30 families that we bring food to and pray for each week. We try to
minister to them in any way that we can.
I
lead a weekly kids club where we teach the children about Jesus. I work in
our Mission office in the mornings, where part of my job is to welcome
people entering our community. And I help lead Bible studies and do
devotionals with those who are here because of addictions, as well as with
patients in our HIV/Aids care centre.
We have a
"Work for Food" program for unemployed people, and I work
alongside them and tell them about Jesus. Our mission regularly has new
staff joining us, coming from South Africa or overseas, and I help them
get set up. Then there's our Sunday worship services, where I help to lead
worship and plan other things.
NLs: How has
being a First Nations Canadian in Africa made a difference?
Dione:
I think I better understand the local religion and culture of the black
people here because of similarities to Native North America. For instance,
they worship things, not just the Creator of things. They live with a lot
of fear of spirits, and they fear the "sangoma," who is like a
medicine man. They believe he has power, so they do things to make him
happy. To make the Gospel relevant here, we speak a lot about the power of
God -- that there is no one more powerful than Him -- so they don't have
to live in fear.
NLs: Have you
responded to African worldviews and cultural practices differently than
your nonNative coworkers?
Dione:
In the area of family, their homes are very open, so that was already very
familiar to me. Also, their lives are not run by time -- they are more
focused on relationships -- so, again, that is similar. I'm not sure that
I have reacted differently than the other staff here, as I am used to
keeping time. But I could say these things weren't such a shock to me.
NLs: What
about people's reactions when they find out that you're First Nations?
Dione:
They're quite fascinated, as they have never met a "Red Indian"
before (that's what they call us). They've only seen North American Native
people on TV so, because to them I don't look black or black/white mixed,
they think I'm white. They don't know much about present day "Red
Indians."
NLs: You're
serving very far from home. How has that been for you?
Dione:
I won't say that leaving home wasn't hard, but this was a desire of mine
for so many years. I love my family and country a lot, but if I wanted to
serve the Lord I knew that I had to love Him more than all of that. When I
was praying about going, the Lord gave me Luke 18 -- where He speaks about
leaving mothers, fathers, families for the sake of the Kingdom (Lk.
18:29,30). When I read that, there was no excuse left for me to make!
And God says
that He will be with us. One of my biggest fears was, "Is God the
same God in Africa as He is in Canada? Can He really take care of me over
there?" In Luke 18:27, God answered with, "What is impossible
with men is possible with God."
I was also
very worried about the money required. But in 18:24,25, Jesus talks about
how hard it is for the rich man entering the Kingdom of Heaven. I knew
that I shouldn't let money hold me back from serving my Lord, and I couldn't
cower behind my unbelief because God is bigger than that.
Since I've been here, God
has really undertaken for me. He's got me through times when I've missed
my family, friends and church. I have learned to depend on Him in new ways
-- because there was no one else to depend on. What a precious lesson for
the rest of my life!
Let's pray for
more First Nations to serve worldwide. With no history of colonialism to
create barriers, with a relational nature similar to many people groups,
with an emphasis on teaching by modeling rather than theorizing, they are
great communicators.
However, for a
First Nations person who may not have the support of a Christian family or
an established church, the challenge to serve in missions can seem
overwhelming.
Back when Dione was a KBI
student she shared with Northern Lights readers some of her challenges,
especially growing up separated from her biological family (she is
granddaughter of Barney Lacendre -- whose testimony is recorded in the
book "Bushman & the Spirits" -- but who came to the Lord
later in life). Through it all, Dione knows firsthand that "God is
bigger."
