Here are 11 things I’m taking home from Botswana, AFRICA!
Before the race, if you asked me what I thought about Africa… the only things that would come to mind would be something in between Madagascar/The Lion King and Black Hawk Down/Hotel Rwanda. With that being said, I had NO idea what to expect from Africa. Hope you can see how much this beautiful place has moved into my heart.
1. Regional awakening
N squad started the month in Johannesburg, South Africa for a regional awakening. For 3 days, we partnered with Gap F and Gap G squads worshipping, interceding, and evangelizing together! If you’re not familiar with gap year squads, they are 18-21 year olds who are doing the World Race with 3 countries in 9 months. I know one thing that was awakened after this conference was my excitement for this younger generation. They were on fire for the Lord and it honestly gave me hope for the future. They may have only been 3-7 years younger than me but it made me excited to know that after the race, some of them would be heading to college campuses around the county and invigorated with God’s passion and love. I didn’t know The Lord during that age range and I can’t wait to see how God uses them on the field, and even back home after the race!
Started from Texas…now we HERE! 3 squads from ONE great state!!!
2. Campus Crusade for Christ
Team Selah (also formerly known as Team Daughters of Peace) partnered with Campus Crusade for Christ or CRU. Our ministry this month was campus evangelism, reaching out to students and passionately connecting people with Jesus Christ. My team and the Cru team would head out to the University of Botswana every day for about 4 hours. Of course, we stuck out like a sore thumb being from America so it wasn’t difficult at all to start conversations. This type of evangelism was my JAM. Again, I didn’t know the Lord at all during my 4 years at The University of Texas at Austin. At that point between 2010-2014, my identity was completely consumed in my relationship with my boyfriend of 3.5 years, chasing approval from any one and everyone and seeking happiness through sex, partying, drugs and alcohol. I didn’t accept the Lord until my life hit rock bottom in 2015. That’s when I realized I have spent my entire life trying to fill a void in my heart that was only meant for God. Even more than that, I realized that true freedom came from following His will. That sounds so cheesy to someone who hasn’t experienced it…but that’s what fuels my drive, having everyone experience Him. I cared for each and every student God put on my pathway and was so grateful to share truth about following Jesus, dispelling some of Satan’s lies and just having ears to be a person to listen.
3. Campus Strike
So… Team Selah got a whole 4 days of campus ministry before the campus was shut down. I don’t know the entire whole story but from what I gathered, there is a loan that the government gives to students so they can afford to go to university. This loan also includes an allowance that students can use outside of tuition (books, housing, food, etc). Once the student graduates and has employment, they can start paying back the government for their loans. I’m not exactly sure why but for whatever reason, the government hasn’t been giving some students their allowances. This has forced some students out of their housing, without food money, etc. The students were pleading for answers but neither the University, nor the government gave any sort of response. This was extremely frustrating to the students and a small portion decided to try to get their attention with a class strike. Unfortunately, the strike grew to looting of certain classrooms/student store and rioting on the streets. It finally got the attention of the government but only to shut down the campus “indefinitely” until further notice. Lol well their goes our Campus Evangelism for the month….
4. Mall and Market Evangelism
We could have just stayed at the CRU office all day, watch Netflix, spend our whole time with Jesus but that’s not what my team felt called to do! We obviously couldn’t do campus evangelism with a campus that was shut down indefinitely, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t do the evangelism part. Every day, we would wake up and ATL (Ask The Lord) what He wanted us to do. Most of the days, I wanted to go to the market or mall and follow wherever The Holy Spirit was leading me to talk to.
5. New appreciation for Google translate
Language barriers? Nope. God always has a way to get the gospel out. This time, He used my Chinese background and google translate to teach this beautiful store owner who Jesus was and what He had done for her!
6.”What if you got hit by an elephant and died tomorrow….”
There wasn’t a single person I met this entire month that said they weren’t Christian. That excited me but that also very much worried me because I could ALMOST say the same about America. It would have been easy to just walk away and try to present the gospel to those who didn’t know Christ but The Great Commission isn’t just about getting everyone saved. God wants a relationship with each and every one of us, and sometimes God uses the Body of Christ to encourage/be reminded of that!
A classic Watermark Church question is “If you were going to die tomorrow, on a scale of 1-10, how sure would you be that you’re going to heaven?” Well, I changed it to a little Africa twist (especially because I saw about a dozen of wild elephants on the way back to Botswana from Zimbabwe). “What if you got hit by an elephant and died tomorrow… on a scale of 1-10, how sure would you be that you’re going to heaven… and why?” I would say about 90% of the people we asked this question to gave us a number between 3-7. Their reasonings were all different but most of them were along the lines of “I try to go to church sometimes but I still mess up.”
I’m sure if Jesus was standing right there, His heart would have broke. We call ourselves “Christians,” and what does that exactly mean? For most people, it’s because 1.) we acknowledge we are sinners and fall short of the glory of God. 2.) because of our sins, the consequence for that is death 3.) even while we were sinners, God loved us and so He sent Jesus for us 4.) Jesus died on the cross so that we are saved and receive His righteousness as the perfect sacrifice.
So think about it… did Jesus die for 30% of your sins…. only 70%… or did He die for all of them?
“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteous could be gained through the law, Jesus died for nothing.” Galatians 2:21
7. It’s 9:18 in Botswana and…..
….OU still sucks
HOOK EM HORNS BABY!
8. Birthday Celebrations
Half of Team Selah is one year older after this month. Rachel turned 23, Lyndie turned 24 and I turned 25! #GoldenBirthday
9. My friendship with Keletso
One of the most precious things I’m taking home from Botswana and maybe one of the greatest things I’ll have after this whole race is my new friendship with Keletso. I met Keletso during one of the 4 days of campus evangelism and I couldn’t be more grateful. Keletso not only loves the Lord but she is FIERCELY passionate to learn from Him. She so diligently surrenders every day to follow His way for her life and it is evident in all of our conversations. I’ve never met someone more intentional, as she’s always checking to see how I’m doing in her country every single day! Her constant encouragement and prayers were one of the biggest support systems I’ve had this month. I was so excited I was able to see Keletso on my birthday. Not only that but this sweet girl took me to a BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE for my birthday lunch. Goodness gracious, so thankful that God put a new Sister of Christ in my life and I’m going to miss her so much.
10. Happy Valentine’s and the Gift of Singleness
Guess what… God gave me this gift that most people don’t want, but I’m LOVING it! Here’s my blog from earlier this month: Valentine’s Day on the Race: 25 and Single
11. Victoria Falls
Once again, God absolutely blew my mind to show me how He’s not just THE storytellers of all storytellers…. He’s also THE artists of all artists.
5 MONTHS DOWN! Hitting the half way mark of the race… in SOUTH AFRICA! Talk to you soon!
