Just un update!
Our daily life in Africa is going very good!
Just like anybody we go through good days and some really hard days. Believe it or not but there are days when all I want to do is stay in my tent … So I try to … Then about a second later… I look at how the sun comes through the rain cover and I say to myself “yeah it is way too hot in here”. Let’s just say that God has His way of waking me up and getting me out of bed (weather I like it or not).
We have been in a small and fairly pour area called Maramba. We have been able to really get to know the neighboring kids and people of this community. In the last 2 1/2 months, I have seen God’s hand in SO many situations!
Some of the things that we got to be apart of …
Packages for our School
Our team got to teach at a beautiful and chaotic school for about the first 2 months of Africa. We came along side the teachers, teaching when they needed a break and helping them grade their small notebooks. I loved getting to sit down with a small and beautiful boy that had dyslexia and get to work with him one on one. This small classroom that served as the main place of education was filled with about 80 rambunctious children dressed in green and yellow – barely any of them had pencils.
My teammate, Shelby, has a beautiful heart for the importance of education. She quickly sent out a little requests for some simple school supplies from her hometown community. And in return we were able to deliver 3 huge boxes of more pencils and sharpeners than we ever could have imagined — these boxes also blessed the school with books, crayons, erasers, flash cards… And so much more! It still blows me away of how God works in the lives of so many people to PROVIDE.
Maramba Women’s Event
We quickly noticed that women work really hard. But what many of us Racers have been learning is the huge importance of rest. My teammate , with all reliance on The Lord, through a women’s even for those in our community! As they entered we washed their feet and then they got to rest and hear, from some of my squad mates, words of refreshment and encouragement. They also got to bring their kids! We had about 100 women come… Brining about a total of 300 kids! God had PREPARED that number for us and their was enough food for them all!
Raising Fawn
One day a girl wondered into the gates to our school. Her arm had been burned and an open wound was getting quickly infected on these dirty streets of Maramba. My teammates Alycia and Amy have been pouring their hearts on this girl and her brother as they continue daily to clean and bandage her arm. A lot of trust has been formed from this relationship and the things that my teammates dream for this girl and her family are unbelievable… Check out her blog to find more! But through this we have been able to see how God HEALS.
The Boys
To be honest, I don’t even know exactly how the start of this story came about but here is what I do know. God’s timing and preparation is PERFECT! There were some older teenage boys that were always at the field and would sometimes play soccer with us as we hang out with the kids every day. Eventually Abbie and some other of the soccer players from our squad started a Bible Study for The Boys! The work that God is doing in their hearts… I get to see shine through everyday. These boys now join us for house worship most Wednesday nights and volunteer with us as we work in the Old Peoples Home! (Oh yeah … School is out so we now do ministry at an old peoples home!) Abbie was able to raise money from back at home… God provided. Now these boys and sons of God get to walk around with Bibles in their hands! I can already see these amazing men of God growing closer and closer to their father every day. But pray for them too!
Prayer
I know that “the power of prayer” is something that is kind of said a lot… And sometimes said with a hallow meaning. But if I can encourage whoever is reading this — take prayer seriously. Prayer is a conversation that you get to have with the creator of this huge and majestic universe… And he hears every word you say. Jesus said “get up and pray” (Luke 22) in that situation, praying was not really a request… But a command. God has shown me a lot of “fruit” that also comes from prayer! And what an amazing part we get to play as God’s hand is on a situation!
I feel so blessed to be here!
Only a few weeks left… Crazy right?!
I am sending so much love back to my Crested Butte community!
