December 3, 2024 • 10 mins
What happens when a basketball mishap leads to a profound connection with a community halfway around the world? Dan and Rachel's journey with the Key of Hope ministry offers an inspiring tale of finding purpose in unexpected places. Dan recounts how losing the top of his pinky finger as a teenager turned into a transformative encounter with the Zulu community in Durban. This seemingly unfortunate event, initially perceived as a random accident, became a divine key unlocking relationships and opportunities to serve in a region profoundly affected by the AIDS epidemic. Through personal trials and triumphs, Dan's story of resilience and faith uncovers the remarkable ways our personal challenges can be woven into a greater narrative of impact and service.
Guided by the teachings of Romans 8:28, we explore how enduring hardships can lead to significant contributions to the kingdom of God. Each struggle, no matter how painful, can hold profound purpose when viewed through the lens of faith and trust in a larger plan. We invite listeners to reflect on their own pains and recognize them as part of a broader story being crafted by divine hands. Encouraging everyone to seek God's presence in every detail, we close with a heartfelt blessing, reminding us all that our lives are often part of a much grander design than we can imagine.
Guided by the teachings of Romans 8:28, we explore how enduring hardships can lead to significant contributions to the kingdom of God. Each struggle, no matter how painful, can hold profound purpose when viewed through the lens of faith and trust in a larger plan. We invite listeners to reflect on their own pains and recognize them as part of a broader story being crafted by divine hands. Encouraging everyone to seek God's presence in every detail, we close with a heartfelt blessing, reminding us all that our lives are often part of a much grander design than we can imagine.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey podcasters, I hope you are having an
incredible week.
This weekend we came off alittle bit of a different Sunday
.
We had a mission partner, keyof Hope, with us and they had a
choir from South Africa, fromDurban, that came and sang some
music and shared some testimonyand it absolutely was an
incredible experience.
If you haven't seen it orweren't there or don't go to our
church, jump on the websitesouthshorechurchcom and you can
(00:25):
look at that service fromyesterday.
Now, key of Hope is anincredible ministry in South
Africa.
It was founded by a guy namedDan and his wife, rachel, and
they went down there about 17years ago and it was pretty
crazy the story of them startingthis ministry from what it was
to what it is now.
But let me tell you a littlebit about his story.
If you were there this pastweekend, the story will sound
familiar, because this is hisstory.
(00:46):
But let me tell you a littlebit about his story.
If you were there this pastweekend, the story will sound
familiar, because this is hisstory.
But let me tell you about a guynamed Dan.
When Dan was 20 years old, heloved playing basketball.
In fact, he was pretty good.
He could even dunk a basketball.
Now, don't ask me to dunk abasketball.
I can't even really shoot hoops, but I try every now and then.
Now one day he and his friendswere playing a pickup game and
he went up for a dunk.
His friend tossed the perfectalley-oop, then jumped, caught
(01:08):
the ball and slammed it into thehoop.
It should have been one ofthose moments that was just a
celebration and then they movedon.
But when he came down herealized something was wrong.
His pinky finger had gottencaught in the net and as he
landed the top of his fingerdidn't come down with him.
It had been completely severed.
He thought at first that maybehe just torn a nail, but when he
(01:30):
looked and saw bone where hisfinger used to be, he realized
this was a different situation.
Now you have to picture thisDan's trying to get his
teammates who've ran down thecourt continuing to play
basketball to come back and helphim.
One of his friends does comeback, but he's trying to pump
himself up to pick up the fingeroff the ground.
As you can imagine, that was agross thing.
Nobody wanted to do it.
(01:51):
Eventually he took his shirtoff, picked up the finger and
they all jumped in the car andDan was rushed to the hospital.
But as soon as he got there,the doctors told him there was
no saving his finger.
They advised him to startlooking into prosthetics.
Dan went home that day minus thetop of his pinky finger.
At that time he wondered whysomething like this would happen
(02:11):
.
It's one of those moments weall have right when we wonder
God, why is this happening to me?
How could this be used for yourglory?
How is this your plan for mylife?
After all, it's not every daythat you lose part of your body
playing basketball life Afterall, it's not every day that you
lose part of your body playingbasketball.
But little did Dan know God waswriting a bigger story.
(02:32):
Let me pause there for a moment.
That is true of your life aswell.
I could say that about each oneof you.
But little did you know, nick,god was writing a bigger story.
But little did Steve know Godwas writing a bigger story.
But little did Steve know Godwas writing a bigger story.
Fill in your name there andremind yourself that your story
is not being written by yourgreatest pain, by your tragedy.
(02:53):
Your story is not being writtenby the greatest upset that you
have in life or your hardestloss.
Your story is being written byGod and is bigger than the
moment you find yourself in now.
Now back to Dan's story.
Years later, dan and his familyfelt called to move to Durban,
south Africa.
Durban is the front lines ofthe AIDS epidemic, in an area
(03:17):
struggling with deep poverty andcrime.
Him and his family they soldtheir house, their cars, almost
all of their belongings.
Him and his family they soldtheir house, their cars, almost
all of their belongings.
With four young daughters,including a six-week-old baby,
they arrived in Durban with aheart to serve.
Now, while in Durban, danstarted working with local
children, many from the ZuluNation.
(03:37):
One day, during one of thefirst kids' programs, dan
noticed that two young twinswere staring at him and no
matter how hard he tried to talkto them or make them laugh,
they just kept staring.
Finally, as Dan was out ofthings to talk to them about or
figure out what was happening,the twins both raised their
hands to show him that they wereboth missing the tops of their
(04:00):
pinky fingers, just like him.
Now Dan is staring back at themthinking what a coincidence.
How could this have happened?
He's got questions himself atthis moment.
On that day, dan learned thatin the Zulu royal family,
members of a specific clan, theMgambi clan, have the tops of
(04:20):
their pinky fingers removed atbirth as a sign of their royal
lineage.
These two kids imagine they'restaring at Dan trying to figure
out how this white guy fromAmerica could possibly belong to
their royal family.
You know that small detail, amissing pinky, opened countless
(04:42):
doors for Dan to connect withthe Zulu people and to share the
gospel.
Over the last 17 years, over andover, god used Dan's pain.
God used Dan's loss.
God used Dan's tragedy to buildbridges and make an internal
impact.
Now here's the thing Every oneof us has experienced pain or
(05:05):
trauma in our lives.
Maybe it's not as dramatic aslosing a finger, but we've all
faced moments where we'vewondered why would God allow
this?
What good could possibly comefrom this?
Sometimes the purpose of ourpain isn't clear right away.
We're left holding the pieces,unsure of how they'll fit
together.
But other times, like with Dan,god weaves a story so beautiful
(05:28):
and so clear that we can't missit, even if it's years down the
road that we start to see it.
Let me encourage you withPhilippians 1, verse 12.
Now I want you to know,brothers and sisters, that what
has happened to me has actuallyserved to advance the gospel.
Those are the Apostle Paul'swords, written from prison.
(05:51):
We think about Paul and wethink about how great he was and
how big he was for the faith.
Let's think about how hesuffered.
Let's think about the momentsthat his freedom was taken away.
How he suffered.
Let's think about the momentsthat his freedom was taken away.
He's sitting in prison writingto his friends saying what has
happened to me has actuallyserved to advance the gospel.
Even in chains, paul could seehow God was using his suffering
(06:14):
to spread the message of Jesus.
Now, maybe you're in the middleof a painful season right now.
Maybe you're still carrying theweight of something that
happened years ago.
I want you to know that Goddoesn't waste anything.
He can take the very thing thatcaused you pain and use it as a
platform for his glory.
Sometimes we miss what God isdoing because we're not looking
(06:38):
for it.
We're so focused on the whythat we miss the how.
How is God moving?
How is he shaping our story?
How might he be using yourscars to reach someone else?
This week, I challenge you totake some time to reflect on
your own story.
Ask God to show you how he'sworking in your life.
Maybe it's through aconversation with someone who's
(07:00):
walking through a similarstruggle.
Maybe it's an opportunity toserve or share your testimony.
Whatever it is, don't be afraidto let God use your pain for
his purpose.
I sat in a hospital room thismorning with a young lady that
just had open heart surgeryabout a week ago, hearing her
(07:20):
story and what led her to thesituation she found herself in,
talking to her about what thefuture might hold.
I left there and I wentstraight to a rehab facility
where I sat down with Michael.
Many of Michael's story andwhat he's gone through.
He had a stroke about twomonths ago now and verbally
can't talk.
His left hand doesn't move alot.
(07:41):
His left leg is getting there.
He's got a long road ahead ofhim and I'm sitting there
talking to both theseindividuals in very hard seasons
of life and I can't help butthink about Dan's story and look
at Michael and think Michaelman, I can't wait to see what
God does with your story and,truth be told, it's already
(08:02):
happening.
Michael's nurse is blown away byhow many people have visited
him and she started to dig inlike where are all these people
coming from?
How is it that this one guy inthis room that can't talk is
getting so many visitors?
As she realized it was hischurch family coming to see him.
She thought you know what?
I haven't been to church in along time, but if I do go to
(08:24):
church I want to be at a churchlike that.
Fast forward to Sunday and sheshows up.
She shows up with her youngdaughter.
She actually went and evenpicked Michael up from rehab so
that he could come back tochurch for the first time.
For the first time I'm tellingyou your story.
(08:48):
Even the hard parts can be sucha huge impact for the kingdom of
God.
Don't miss what God is doingbecause you're so focused on the
pain.
Let me leave you with thisencouragement from Romans 8.28.
And we know that in all things,god works for the good of those
who love him, who have beencalled according to his purpose.
Your story matters.
Your pain has a purpose.
(09:08):
Trust God to use it forsomething far greater than you
could ever imagine.
Until next time, may you beginto look for God in every detail
of your life.
God bless.
Hey podcasters, I hope you are having an
incredible week.
This weekend we came off alittle bit of a different Sunday
.
We had a mission partner, keyof Hope, with us and they had a
choir from South Africa, fromDurban, that came and sang some
music and shared some testimonyand it absolutely was an
incredible experience.
If you haven't seen it orweren't there or don't go to our
church, jump on the websitesouthshorechurchcom and you can
(00:25):
look at that service fromyesterday.
Now, key of Hope is anincredible ministry in South
Africa.
It was founded by a guy namedDan and his wife, rachel, and
they went down there about 17years ago and it was pretty
crazy the story of them startingthis ministry from what it was
to what it is now.
But let me tell you a littlebit about his story.
If you were there this pastweekend, the story will sound
familiar, because this is hisstory.
(00:46):
But let me tell you a littlebit about his story.
If you were there this pastweekend, the story will sound
familiar, because this is hisstory.
But let me tell you about a guynamed Dan.
When Dan was 20 years old, heloved playing basketball.
In fact, he was pretty good.
He could even dunk a basketball.
Now, don't ask me to dunk abasketball.
I can't even really shoot hoops, but I try every now and then.
Now one day he and his friendswere playing a pickup game and
he went up for a dunk.
His friend tossed the perfectalley-oop, then jumped, caught
(01:08):
the ball and slammed it into thehoop.
It should have been one ofthose moments that was just a
celebration and then they movedon.
But when he came down herealized something was wrong.
His pinky finger had gottencaught in the net and as he
landed the top of his fingerdidn't come down with him.
It had been completely severed.
He thought at first that maybehe just torn a nail, but when he
(01:30):
looked and saw bone where hisfinger used to be, he realized
this was a different situation.
Now you have to picture thisDan's trying to get his
teammates who've ran down thecourt continuing to play
basketball to come back and helphim.
One of his friends does comeback, but he's trying to pump
himself up to pick up the fingeroff the ground.
As you can imagine, that was agross thing.
Nobody wanted to do it.
(01:51):
Eventually he took his shirtoff, picked up the finger and
they all jumped in the car andDan was rushed to the hospital.
But as soon as he got there,the doctors told him there was
no saving his finger.
They advised him to startlooking into prosthetics.
Dan went home that day minus thetop of his pinky finger.
At that time he wondered whysomething like this would happen
(02:11):
.
It's one of those moments weall have right when we wonder
God, why is this happening to me?
How could this be used for yourglory?
How is this your plan for mylife?
After all, it's not every daythat you lose part of your body
playing basketball life Afterall, it's not every day that you
lose part of your body playingbasketball.
But little did Dan know God waswriting a bigger story.
(02:32):
Let me pause there for a moment.
That is true of your life aswell.
I could say that about each oneof you.
But little did you know, nick,god was writing a bigger story.
But little did Steve know Godwas writing a bigger story.
But little did Steve know Godwas writing a bigger story.
Fill in your name there andremind yourself that your story
is not being written by yourgreatest pain, by your tragedy.
(02:53):
Your story is not being writtenby the greatest upset that you
have in life or your hardestloss.
Your story is being written byGod and is bigger than the
moment you find yourself in now.
Now back to Dan's story.
Years later, dan and his familyfelt called to move to Durban,
south Africa.
Durban is the front lines ofthe AIDS epidemic, in an area
(03:17):
struggling with deep poverty andcrime.
Him and his family they soldtheir house, their cars, almost
all of their belongings.
Him and his family they soldtheir house, their cars, almost
all of their belongings.
With four young daughters,including a six-week-old baby,
they arrived in Durban with aheart to serve.
Now, while in Durban, danstarted working with local
children, many from the ZuluNation.
(03:37):
One day, during one of thefirst kids' programs, dan
noticed that two young twinswere staring at him and no
matter how hard he tried to talkto them or make them laugh,
they just kept staring.
Finally, as Dan was out ofthings to talk to them about or
figure out what was happening,the twins both raised their
hands to show him that they wereboth missing the tops of their
(04:00):
pinky fingers, just like him.
Now Dan is staring back at themthinking what a coincidence.
How could this have happened?
He's got questions himself atthis moment.
On that day, dan learned thatin the Zulu royal family,
members of a specific clan, theMgambi clan, have the tops of
(04:20):
their pinky fingers removed atbirth as a sign of their royal
lineage.
These two kids imagine they'restaring at Dan trying to figure
out how this white guy fromAmerica could possibly belong to
their royal family.
You know that small detail, amissing pinky, opened countless
(04:42):
doors for Dan to connect withthe Zulu people and to share the
gospel.
Over the last 17 years, over andover, god used Dan's pain.
God used Dan's loss.
God used Dan's tragedy to buildbridges and make an internal
impact.
Now here's the thing Every oneof us has experienced pain or
(05:05):
trauma in our lives.
Maybe it's not as dramatic aslosing a finger, but we've all
faced moments where we'vewondered why would God allow
this?
What good could possibly comefrom this?
Sometimes the purpose of ourpain isn't clear right away.
We're left holding the pieces,unsure of how they'll fit
together.
But other times, like with Dan,god weaves a story so beautiful
(05:28):
and so clear that we can't missit, even if it's years down the
road that we start to see it.
Let me encourage you withPhilippians 1, verse 12.
Now I want you to know,brothers and sisters, that what
has happened to me has actuallyserved to advance the gospel.
Those are the Apostle Paul'swords, written from prison.
(05:51):
We think about Paul and wethink about how great he was and
how big he was for the faith.
Let's think about how hesuffered.
Let's think about the momentsthat his freedom was taken away.
How he suffered.
Let's think about the momentsthat his freedom was taken away.
He's sitting in prison writingto his friends saying what has
happened to me has actuallyserved to advance the gospel.
Even in chains, paul could seehow God was using his suffering
(06:14):
to spread the message of Jesus.
Now, maybe you're in the middleof a painful season right now.
Maybe you're still carrying theweight of something that
happened years ago.
I want you to know that Goddoesn't waste anything.
He can take the very thing thatcaused you pain and use it as a
platform for his glory.
Sometimes we miss what God isdoing because we're not looking
(06:38):
for it.
We're so focused on the whythat we miss the how.
How is God moving?
How is he shaping our story?
How might he be using yourscars to reach someone else?
This week, I challenge you totake some time to reflect on
your own story.
Ask God to show you how he'sworking in your life.
Maybe it's through aconversation with someone who's
(07:00):
walking through a similarstruggle.
Maybe it's an opportunity toserve or share your testimony.
Whatever it is, don't be afraidto let God use your pain for
his purpose.
I sat in a hospital room thismorning with a young lady that
just had open heart surgeryabout a week ago, hearing her
(07:20):
story and what led her to thesituation she found herself in,
talking to her about what thefuture might hold.
I left there and I wentstraight to a rehab facility
where I sat down with Michael.
Many of Michael's story andwhat he's gone through.
He had a stroke about twomonths ago now and verbally
can't talk.
His left hand doesn't move alot.
(07:41):
His left leg is getting there.
He's got a long road ahead ofhim and I'm sitting there
talking to both theseindividuals in very hard seasons
of life and I can't help butthink about Dan's story and look
at Michael and think Michaelman, I can't wait to see what
God does with your story and,truth be told, it's already
(08:02):
happening.
Michael's nurse is blown away byhow many people have visited
him and she started to dig inlike where are all these people
coming from?
How is it that this one guy inthis room that can't talk is
getting so many visitors?
As she realized it was hischurch family coming to see him.
She thought you know what?
I haven't been to church in along time, but if I do go to
(08:24):
church I want to be at a churchlike that.
Fast forward to Sunday and sheshows up.
She shows up with her youngdaughter.
She actually went and evenpicked Michael up from rehab so
that he could come back tochurch for the first time.
For the first time I'm tellingyou your story.
(08:48):
Even the hard parts can be sucha huge impact for the kingdom of
God.
Don't miss what God is doingbecause you're so focused on the
pain.
Let me leave you with thisencouragement from Romans 8.28.
And we know that in all things,god works for the good of those
who love him, who have beencalled according to his purpose.
Your story matters.
Your pain has a purpose.
(09:08):
Trust God to use it forsomething far greater than you
could ever imagine.
Until next time, may you beginto look for God in every detail
of your life.
God bless.
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