Rev. Anna Miller

Rev. Anna Miller, Associate Minister of Congregational Care at First Methodist Albany in the South Georgia Annual Conference and prayer team member at the General Conference, shares about her encounter with God’s presence through Bulelani, a South African pastor she met day four of the General Conference. Bulelani, whose name means “Give Thanks to the Lord,” serves those in need of mobility assistance and teaches young men godly values, radiating gratitude and kindness despite challenges. Rev. Miller sees this meeting as a prayer answered, a reminder of the call to be a “sweet aroma” for others through love and holiness.

God has been overwhelming us with His sweet spirit through all the senses this week. Beauty surrounds us in the people, their hospitality, the fruit, flowers and just the beauty of His creation and His people. I woke up this morning asking God, “How will you reveal Yourself to us today?  Whatever it is, I know it will be a sweet aroma.”  I left the hotel room expectant, watching and waiting.

It didn’t take long.  At our 10:15, what I like to call our “snack time” two delegates from our South Africa Conference came to sit at our table.  A sweet aroma of what I thought was from a lady passing by lingered around us, the most beautiful smell of sweet roses.  As we lingered in conversation, I realized the wonderful aroma came from one the South Africa delegates.  The smell was as sweet as the conversation around the table.

I’d like to introduce you to Bulelani whose ministry and person are as beautiful as his name.  He is a pastor in South Africa who spends his time ministering to those who have physical challenges needing wheelchairs, walkers and canes. These are quite expensive items in Africa, so he has taken upon himself to make canes for those who are unable to acquire wheelchairs.  For those who do have one, he has built a team who constructs concrete ramps for them to get in and out of the doors of their huts.  Otherwise, this is impossible from the way the door frame is constructed to their huts.

He also has a heart and passion for young men to teach them God’s ways and Godly characteristics.  Immorality is rampant in their area.  He wants them to know how to treat a lady with respect, and treat themselves with respect.

Bulelani is a wonderful storyteller who spoke a language I understood, the language of the Holy Spirit.  Our common foundation is one of Scriptural Holiness and Love for our neighbors.  Not only was his English perfect, it was a beautiful song of the Holy Spirit at work through, the many days even it took them to get here.  Two different layovers, in two different countries, and a complete reroute through Brazil.  Not once did he complain, but only saw how God was at work in the journey.  I was enthralled by the presence of God in him and in the moment still sensing the powerful sweet smell of roses.🌹 I knew God had answered my prayer to show up!

When we finished conversing I asked if I could pray for him.  So I did and thanked God for his beautiful name his parents had given him. After the prayer, he shared it was not his parents who named him, but his grandparents.  In his culture, the mother and father take their newborn to the grandparents, who will declare what they will be named.  He shared Bulelani means “Give Thanks To The Lord.”

What a beautiful sweet aroma Bulelani is to God by using his gifts for the kingdom.  I am reminded that as a new testament people being a sweet aroma to the Lord, is quite different than it was in the Old Testament; Numbers, Exodus, and Leviticus when a sweet aroma to the Lord was the burning of a sacrifice.  This is no longer needed now, because the perfect, ultimate and final sacrifice has already been given, Jesus.

Let us give our thanks to the Lord for Jesus by sacrificing ourselves sharing with the world the gifts God has given, spreading Scriptural holiness in the land, and loving all people.

My friend and prayer partner on our Albany Connection Prayer Team, Bonnie Lindsey often opens prayer with “Sweet Jesus“.  Jesus, what a sweet name it is that You have sacrificed for us Your life that we might live our lives according to Your will and Your ways to bring more into the loving fellowship of Your kingdom.  This is who we are as a Methodist people. I want more sweetness Lord, more sweetness of You in my life and it partly comes from those around me.

A prayer partner here at the conference and I shared a few tears together afterwards in the prayer room, so sweet was the moment.  I wonder if I will ever see him again after the conference?

God, You are truly present among us.  May our deepest desire be to be a sweet aroma to all whom we encounter this day.  You are good.  You are holy.  You are worthy to be praised Sweet Jesus.  You are our fragrance, our Rose of Sharon.  Give Thanks to The Lord for He is good.