My last blog post was an open invitation for questions that some of you might have for me upon my return. This really helped me to process a lot that happened over the last year, thank you! Here are some of the responses. It is a bit long but read those you feel led to!
1. What did you learn about how culture impacts the ways people live and understand the gospel?
This is a really really good question and understanding the culture that you are in changes everything! This is not something that I understood at the beginning of the race, but as we encountered more and more cultures I started to see things and ask more questions and the more I did that the better I understood those around me and how to minister to them. In Cambodia we didn’t understand why the poverty was so bad. I mean we understood that poverty is something very hard to overcome, but we did not understand why the men would sit around and not work when they were perfectly healthy. We later found out that their culture being surrounded by Buddhism taught them that this life is as good as it is going to get and they can make up for it in the next life. There is no need to strive for more because their mentality is that maybe they deserved it because of their former life. My mind was blown. That changes how you approach things. It must also change how you feel about the love of God and pursuing a relationship with him right?
In Africa we thought that the people would be joyous and would want to hug and love, and for the most part they did. When we arrived in Swaziland we found that the women were very distant and unfriendly. At first glance we thought that they were just having a bad day, everything that we tried didn’t work. We were not communicating well at all.We later found out that their life was hard, that they were being abused. The way we user stood God to be love was not the same for them. They didn’t understand how a loving God could allow this. The culture in their country allows for multiple marriages. Their husbands have many wives and girlfriends and HIV/AIDS is rampant, they have no control over what their husbands bring home to them. There is no way for them to leave their cheating and sometimes abusive husbands because their culture frowns upon it. Once you leave you are on your own and there is no help from your family. This changed how we loved the women around us. We learned to be more patient and to be a whole lot more gentle. They needed that, we also learned what love really looked like.
2. What did you learn about God?
I learned that God can not be confined by my idea of who he should be. That his word is infallible and can not be rearranged or skipped over. That Gods word is God.
3. What did you learn/experience that will change the way you live and represent Jesus in your home community/church?
This year I learned to me more alert to the people around me. I am way more in tune with the needs of the people around me, and I care about the spiritual health of the body of Christ. It was really easy for me to just go through the motions of prayer and ministry and overlook those who were around me. I would rarely stop to pray for a brother or sister or just spend time with them and love them the way Jesus would.
4. What have you learned about your Christian calling?
Just like my learning about God and how I can not confine him, I learned that I also cannot confine my calling. God has called me to be a voice to my generation and beyond. I don’t know if that means speaking or singing, but I am chasing after both. I feel very called to discipleship and teaching but I am not sure what that looks like for me. I also have a huge vision for Africa and missions. For me I see my calling as a bunch of puzzle pieces. I am not sure what fits where and I am asking the Lord all the time when and where he wants me to go next. This year I learned how to dream. I learned that my dreams and visions aren’t silly or unattainable.
5. Was there ever time that you felt scared in one or more of the countries you traveled to?
No, there have been many times when I was cautious of my surroundings but I never felt fear or unsafe. AIM does a really good job of monitoring all of that. There of corse are times when unexpected things happen but nothing like that ever happened to me.
6.Which countries weighed the heaviest on your heart?
Mozambique, Estonia, and Malaysia without a doubt. Mozambique truly has something very special. I encountered the Holy Spirit in so many ways that month, I witnessed things I never know were real and they impacted me for life. The family we lived with also impacted me and I will always call them my family.
Estonia was a riot! We were unsung that month ( which means your team has no contact and are looking for new AIM contacts). Our team bonded and grew in leadership in so many ways! I saw God moving in the lives of those around me and that changed me forever. I learned how to trust more and how to depend more on God than man.
Malaysia gave me a deep love for those who are spiritually oppressed. Also gave me a love for the Islamic community. I fought in prayer and saw a lot of things in the spiritual realm that shook me to the core. It changed the importance of prayer and casting things out in Jesus name. Whoa! That was such a powerful month.
7. Do you want to be a full time missionary abroad?
I do feel called to the international field, but I do not think that is right now. I am open to whatever God wants to do, but right now I fell very called to be in America. I stingily believe that there is something being lined up for a more long-term service abroad though and I am excited to see what that might be in the future.
8.What country had the best food?
India, Vietnam, Mozambique, Cambodia, and Thailand. Most of the other countries we cooked for ourselves or didn’t get to taste local cuisine.
9.Do you think you would stick with the world Race group or go on more trips?
I am actually going to be with AIM again next year. I was accepted to an apprenticeship program called CGA to help me grow in leadership and worship leading while working for AIM and living in good ol community. I am excited to be under their leadership again. I am praying for an opportunity to lead a trip at some point as well, not sure if that is in the cards or not but I am open to it.
10.Would you go back to Africa again?
Yes! I am very confident that this was not my last trip to Africa. I am even praying over some countries that I feel called to either go to or be a part of ministry to those countries in some way. Most of them are places that most people would tell me not to go to like Nigeria, Somalia, Libya, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Uganda, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, and the list could really go on and on.
