Hello everyone! I am here to share some amazing news…I’m on the World Race! On January 8th, I traveled down to Atlanta, Georgia to meet my entire squad for launch. With eager spirits and uncontainable joy, we all united to prepare for this unbelievable 11-month journey.
On January 10th, the day came…travel day! All 35 people from my squad hopped on a plane and embarked on our 14-hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. I got to enjoy all of the perks of international flying for the first time including meals, music, and movies.
Once we arrived in South Africa, we took a bus to a hostel just an hour outside of the Mozambique border. The following morning, we reached the Mozambique border. After getting our passports checked around a dozen times, we drove to our individual ministry sites.
My team and I joined two other teams working with a ministry called Beacon of Hope located just outside of the capital city of Maputo. We met our ministry host, Angie, who gave us the vision of her ministry. Beacon of Hope is a ministry that takes in teenage boys from the surrounding community. Majority of these boys are orphans.
Currently, there are 12 boys living at Beacon of Hope. Their ages range from 11 to 17. Our role is to love on these boys, show them what it is like to walk with Christ, and teach them a wide curriculum. We have been teaching the boys English, math, geography, Bible, and God’s world. The amount of hunger these boys display towards learning is truly remarkable.
The weather here in Mozambique is extremely hot with a healthy dash of humidity. My meals have been mostly rice and beans, but we did get pasta with garlic bread one night for dinner!
On Monday, my team and I will leave Beacon of Hope to go work with another ministry located in Chokwe, Mozambique. We will be working alongside of Pastor Tienie (pronounced “Teeny”). My team and I will be working with the terminally ill, elderly, prisoners, and the greater community at large.
I wake up each day and think to myself, “Wow. This is really happening.” I am in a hot African country, eating rice and beans everyday, and spraying myself with bug repellant every hour. What a life.
To some, this may be considered miserable. For me, I have never felt so alive. I am removing myself from so many distractions to embrace a life that focuses on community, serving, and growing in Christ. How are we supposed to grow if we never challenge ourselves? Think about it.
I love my squad and especially my team. I am surrounded by individuals who want to grow, be vulnerable, and become the true sons and daughters in Christ that they are.
Whenever I lose focus for a second, I remind myself, “This is worth it, because He is worth it. I feel alive because he is alive.”
With much love,
Spencer James Belkot
