Hello from South Africa!!!
WOW- where do I begin? We flew for a little over 30 hours before finally reaching the mother-land of Cape Town, South Africa for the start of our 4 day “debrief.” Debrief happens 4 times on the race- it’s a time where we come together as a squad and relax, vacation a little, worship together, and have a more intentional time of being mentored by our leaders.
This debrief was our second one of the race, and it was significant because we had team-changes. It was a whirlwind of emotions…on the one hand, I was saying goodbye to a team that walked with me through deep growth in my life; people who had become more than friends to me, but sisters. On the other hand, I was welcoming a new group of people who were going to help me grow even more.
And so before I knew it, it was goodbye “Worthy Pearls” and hellooooo “Thunderbirds!”
We are a group of women hungry for more of Jesus and all the life He is ready to live with us. These girls amaze me. Each one of them…they are STRONG. They are talented. They are willing.
Britney is the sweetest person I have met. She is funny, and she is strong. Britney is a gentle leader; grounded in goodness and honor. I know I will learn so much from her.
Abbie is the “go-getter.” She’s not afraid to try new things, and her adventurous spirit invites the rest of the team to be brave and be bold. She too is a natural leader.
Lindsay is wise. She has a heart for intimacy with the Lord and she encourages the team to dive deeper, dig further, and press into more than just the routine of it all. She is a woman of influence.
Jill is trustworthy. She is honest and her vulnerability invites the group to relate to her. She is ready to buy into this new season of the race, and her desire for deep friendship beckons the rest of us to buy in as well. Her influence is raw, organic, and beautiful.
Lauren has a huge heart. Anyone who meets her will encounter the love of Jesus. She is the first one to jump in when it comes to serving, and she never gives less than her all. Her servanthood leadership inspires the rest of us to give our everything, everyday.
Then there’s me. Over the last 4 months I’ve found a lot of strength in owning my weaknesses. I’m honest about where I am- the emotions I’m feeling, the questions I’m asking, the lies I’m battling. My transparency disinvites the fear of rejection and cultivates the safety to be who we are and no one else.
Together we are a powerhouse. God is preparing a season of remarkable kingdom work and satan is afraid- as he should be.
It’s been a week since we were placed with our new teams and then tossed into ministry…we are serving with an organization called Zimele this month, which in Zulu means “to stand on your own two feet.” In simple terms, this is kind of like a micro finance organization that teaches impoverished communities how to execute the skills and trades they already have in a way that will get them the best profit, and then they help them practice good “saving habits.”
Africa is definitely nothing like North America or Central America. It’s also absolutely nothing like I pictured. It’s not desert land and lions, (at least, not where we are)- it’s more mountains and countryside. The wildest animal we’ve seen is a billygoat. It’s also winter here, so it’s pretty cold.
We are all adjusting to new customs, a new language (Zulu), and very new food. We’ve had the excitement of eating soured milk porridge, pumpkin porridge, pumpkin leaf stew, butter and cheese sandwiches, and mystery meat called “wors.” We’ve learned to save the questions for after meal times.
We’ve gotten to venture into African bathrooms which have officially been deemed the highest level of parkour there is. (Our standards on public bathrooms don’t exist anymore- if there’s an actual toilet and a door that shuts, it’s a nice bathroom). Every night for our baths we boil water and then pour them into big plastic buckets that we sit in to bathe (by candlelight because there is no light in the bathroom). It definitely feels like “colonial times” but we are seriously loving the adventure of it all.
From what our ministry hosts have told us, there will be times this month where we have limited access to electricity, and we also don’t have any wifi unless we go into town (which is about 45 minutes away), and we can only go on our off days- so you won’t be hearing from me much this month!
We also got to experience our very first African church service! WOW- what an experience. First of all, it was a whopping 4 hours long (now we know to bring a snack next time)! I don’t think words could do the day justice- but let’s just say I never thought I’d dance in a conga line as part of worship!
A lot of people have never seen white people (except on tv), so we basically get stared at wherever we go. The neighborhood kids come over everyday after school and play with our hair and teach us African dances while we teach them duck duck GOAT (because they don’t like goose). The Mamas here (which is what you call older women out of respect or endearment), are so full of love. They have treated us with such tender care and generosity. I could not have asked for a better welcome and first week in Africa. I absolutely love this place.
Yes, the transition has been exhausting, and adjusting to not only a new culture, but a new team and dynamic has been harder than I had mentally prepared for…it almost feels like a completely different race altogether! Through it all, my heart is so full of excited joy. As a child clings in trust to her daddy, I wait upon my Father in confidence and peace.
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my Rock and my Salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him; for God is a refuge for us.”
Psalm 62:5-8
Please continue praying for my new team and I as we venture into the work God is doing here in Africa!
