Africa is nothing like I expected. I repeat myself: NOTHING like I expected.
Since arriving in Africa we have experienced precious children always telling us they are “Fine” when we ask how they are doing through smiling cheeks. We have experienced lovely people overjoyed to see us in their country. We have experienced people shaking our hands with genuine acceptance. We have experienced hospitality poured out on us as if we were royalty. We have experienced people drop everything to cook us a yummy meal. We have experienced Jesus move and bring love.
However, that’s not the extent of what we have experienced. Coupled with joy we have also experienced acute suffering; suffering that not was anticipated. Along with hatred.
Since arriving to Africa we have experienced harassment from drunk men and sober men alike. We have experienced aggression every time we go out in public for no reason or causation other than the sight of us. We have experienced people shouting violently at us purely because we are white women. We have experienced sexual advances made at us. We have experienced physical attacks. We have experienced people touching us against our will because they see us porcelain dolls and not flesh just like them. We have experienced 2 car wrecks. We have experienced malaria (yup, I got malaria. Can check that one off the list) and bed-ridden sickness. We have experienced people mocking us because we choose to feel emotion openly rather than conceal it. We have experienced people laughing at us as we try to invite them to church. We have experienced people shunning us as we greet them in their dialect and try to respect their culture. We have experienced people’s disgust based on solely our skin color. We have experienced people shouting “Money money” at us because all they see is a big dollar sign. We have experienced what it feels like to be only an object, a thing, a color, a sex, and less than human.
I don’t say any of this to dramatize, shock you, or to invoke pity. I say this because the world is sinful and no country or continent is exempt from sin regardless of its beauty in nature or people. Evil shows no discrimination. And the enemy will go below the belt every time to make you question God’s goodness or even His existence.
As you can probably surmise, Africa has not been all sunshine and rainbows (although one day we did have a double rainbow pop into the sky). Africa has been really hard. But you know what? It’s been my favorite month so far. You want to why?
Because my Jesus has never let go of my hand. He has never failed me. He has never left me alone. He has never forsaken me. He has never let evil come to me and it prevail against me. Or any of my teammates.
Life is not easy. Mission work is not easy. And this month was more trying than any of us could have predicted. But the beautiful thing about having a God like our Papa is that He NEVER (and He doesn’t let one slip by either) let’s things happen without working them for our good.
So regardless of if I see that “good” now or later I know that I know that He is working and moving always for ME.
If people here hate me for loving Christ, so be it. If people here hate me for being an American, so be it. If people here hate me because I am white, so be it. If the world hates me to hate me, so be it. If the world hates me for no reason at all, so be it. If the world hate us, it is because it has hated Jesus FIRST.
And this beloved Jesus took it all first that I may be accepted by the One Whose acceptance is truly all we need. And this One is also fighting for me day and night.
So there are days when I ask myself, “What on earth am I doing? Am I even making a difference? Is this worth it?” But IT IS. Every smile. Every share of the Gospel. Every hug. Every bible handed out. Every window cleaned. It is done for Jesus. It is done to bring His Kingdom here. It done for Hope.
So what do we do when the world despises us? We press on towards the Prize fixing our eyes on JESUS the author and perfecter of our faith because it will and is worth it.
