“I have given you a new heart. I have restored you, redeemed you, and made you whole again. I have called you to freely give all that you have received. I have performed the most beautiful heart transplant within you. I have taken your heart of stone and given you my spirit, heart, and love. Take my heart and love to the nations. They need to experience my love and know the truth. Just like you, they need a new heart, they need Jesus.”
Those are the words I heard the Lord speak as soon as our captain came over the speaker and announced that our flight from Oklahoma City to Atlanta was a medi-flight carrying a human heart on board to a patient who was awaiting a heart transplant in Atlanta. I had just said goodbye to my family for 11 months and I was a snotty and sobbing mess but I’ve never felt more comforted and encouraged in my entire life than at that moment. As soon as the wheels left the ground I could feel my faith arising and a courage and boldness like never before. As my own heart was breaking from some of the hardest goodbyes and the reality and imagery of a human heart actually on board the same flight as me on its way to save a life, I could literally feel the Father’s heart beating and breaking for the nations and his desire to fly across the globe to reach those that he loves and to give them a new heart, just like he relentlessly pursued and chased after me for so long and gave me a new heart.
One thing about receiving a new heart from God is the “newness” of it all. There’s no room for the old, no room to think about the past, and there’s definitely no turning back. I’ve already been challenged and stretched so much and it hasn’t even been a full two weeks yet. I’ve found when someone is uncomfortable or vulnerable the old things and old ways of thinking start to seem a lot better than the new and unknown in front of you. There’s this awesome quote I read in the church’s office that we’re being hosted by this month, “what lies before us and what lies beyond us is tiny compared to what lies within us.” AMEN! God is doing something new and fresh, not only in my life but in the world and there’s no time to dwell on the past or worry about what lies ahead of us because He’s within us and with us at ALL TIMES. Why the emphasis there at the end? Recently my team and I got the privilege of camping out at the shadiest bus stations of all bus stations there in Johannesburg, South Africa. I think it was there that I started to really wonder what the heck I signed up for. No worries, we kept a good eye out for each other and were safe, but there was definitely a stark contrast between the comfort of America and this bus station, and we had a 12 hour layover there while waiting for our bus. It was definitely an interesting and eye opening experience, but after 12 long hours of sitting and napping when the security guard wasn’t looking (because apparently you can’t take naps at this particular bus station, oops.) we were finally about to hop on our bus and a young girl about my age sat down beside me. She looked flustered and tired so I decided to start a conversation. Long story short she and her husband were actually from Johannesburg or “Joburg” if you’re a local. She had taken her car to the shop the day before and it ended up needing more work done to it than she had planned for and they were having to keep her car a few extra days but they were on their way to Mozambique where her in-laws were missionaries. I shared with her our story and how we’d be headed to Mozambique in a couple of months and then was able to pray the Lord’s peace and comfort over both her and her husband before we boarded our bus. It was such a cool divine appointment setup by God, especially considering how tired we all were and how frustrated they were with their car situation. Who knows, maybe we’ll actually get to meet her missionary in-laws while in Mozambique? I’m already learning and seeing how there are many “missions” around us while on this entire mission trip. Once again I hear God encouraging my team and I that He’s doing a new thing and to step out of our comfort zone, even in shady bus stations because He’s with us at all times.
So, we make it to East London, South Africa, and have been welcomed by the most amazing hosts and church. First City Baptist Church here in East London has such a heart and passion to share with their community what a relationship with Jesus Christ as our Lord looks like. Through them we’ve been provided meals, transportation (because taxis here are dangerous and so is walking in most places), and lodging (yeah we’ve been getting spoiled this first month with our own beds and showers, the church members have opened their homes up to house us). We’ve also been introduced to and able to work at a school called Hope School. Hope School is a school filled with the most beautiful joyful and lovable little ones that I’ve ever had the privilege of loving on and watching after. I wish I could paint the perfect picture for you with words to show you just how beautiful they are even after the hell they’ve already been through at the age of 4. There’s a myth here in Africa that if you have sex with a virgin it will cure your HIV/AIDS and many little ones have been gang raped and infected with the disease. If they haven’t been directly infected many are affected by HIV/AIDS due to their parents being infected. It’s only been 4 days with these special ones and I’ve held little hands and cradled many in my arms as they cry from hunger because their parents were too drunk to feed them for 3 days or because they were dumped on the side of the road down the street from the school at the age of 4 and were scared out of their mind because this definitely isn’t the safest place for a young child or even someone my age to be walking around in. As I go home and shower every night and put on a pair of Nike sneakers every morning I come back to them in the same dirty clothes and broken shoes as the day before. My heart isn’t just broken but I’m angry. I’m angry at a whole corrupt government system and at the sin of racism. Learning the history of the apartheid and seeing the very distinct division between the races here is sickening. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that the Lord would place us here so soon after leaving the U.S., who is also struggling with their own issues with racism. I feel challenged to pray harder than ever before for those in authority worldwide. I know the work we are doing is not in vain but I also know this issue is bigger than us and needs to be constantly lifted up to the Lord. He’s the one who looks past the appearance of man and sees directly into the heart. He’s the Judge of all judges and the government rests on his shoulders. My team has been chosen and placed in South Africa but we’re all called to pray for those in authority so please join us in lifting up the governments worldwide, especially the United States and South Africa.
I keep having to remind myself that this is just the beginning. This week we’re working at Hope School and at the end of the week we’re headed to Lesotho (Le-soo-too). Our team has been blessed with the most amazing opportunity to visit an extra country this year. We’ll be going with First City Baptist Church on a mission trip for a week and working with some missionaries in Malealea Valley in Lesotho. I couldn’t be more excited especially considering I was visiting with a lady back home before we left for South Africa and she was sharing with me that she sponsors a child there in Lesotho through World Vision. Keep in mind, this conversation happened before I found out we were getting the chance to go to Lesotho. A couple of days later my team leader (shoutout to Taysha!) informed us that we were going to Lesotho while in South Africa! I got some information on the child from the lady back home in Oklahoma and come to find out he is in the same Malealea Valley that we will be ministering in when we arrive in Lesotho. How cool is God? How big is God? He makes this world tiny in comparison to his sovereignty and ability to divinely orchestrate something like that! I have been praying I get the chance to meet him while we are in Lesotho so I will definitely keep you guys updated after we return. Once we get back to East London we’ll continue to work at Hope School and assist the teachers and help with their physical education classes. School will be in session for one more week when we get back and then we’ll begin construction on their playground and garden. It’s a special little school with the most beautiful view in the back by the playground. The other day we stayed behind after holiday club was over and helped take down a fence and dig up weeds and rocks and got to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen set over the rolling hills that roll on forever out here. When the work gets hard and dirty, sunsets and views like those make it more than worth it. It’s pretty ironic how some of the poorest places filled with the ugliest crimes are surrounded by the most beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and nature. God has never left his people here and he never will. He loves them so much and he makes it apparent every morning and night with these amazing sunrises and sunsets. I can still feel His heart beat for them when I look up into the sky and when I look down into these beautiful little ones’ eyes. I pray that they know their Heavenly Father loves them enough to paint the skies every morning and every night for them, that no matter what ugliness they have to face at home and in everyday life that they know those sunrises and sunsets are beautiful masterpieces painted new every day, just for them.
I’ve never felt the Father’s heart beat like I have over the past week or so. It’s brought me to tears in the middle of the classrooms here at Hope School. Once again I’m reminded of the words He spoke to me on the plane that day as we literally brought a human heart to Atlanta to save someone’s life. “I have given you a new heart. I have restored you, redeemed you, and made you whole again. I have called you to freely give all that you have received. I have performed the most beautiful heart transplant within you. I have taken your heart of stone and given you my spirit, heart, and love. Take my heart and love to the nations. They need to experience my love and know the truth. Just like you, they need a new heart, they need my son, Jesus.” God is doing a new thing, not only within me but within my team, my squad, this school, and this world. His heart is beating louder than ever and he desires for the nations to hear it and to receive his love, and his son, Jesus. I’ll update you all soon after we get back from Lesotho next week sometime. Please keep my team along with those from First City Baptist Church who will be joining us in Lesotho in your prayers. I can’t wait to write again and share what the Lord has done.
Because my Redeemer lives,
Kacy
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
