Welcome to Lesotho: the month I have been praying for!
We are surrounded by beautiful mountains in every direction. In the beginning of the month, before I hurt my leg, I went up the mountain behind our home to pray for our time here and for revival in the village. On my way down from the mountain, I noticed this young girl hand washing her laundry. I could feel my heart being pulled to go talk with her and to share the gospel. I tried to brush it off and justified myself by thinking that I would come back with a translator, but I couldn’t ignore my heart being pulled so intensely. So I went up to her and introduced myself and she as well “Nsuei.” She had to repeat it for me several times. Even though she could only understand bits and pieces of what I was saying, I told her that Jesus Christ has died for her so that she can have eternal life with Him. Christ overcame death and took on our sin so that we no longer have to be separated from the love of God. Before I could even finish she said “COME.” I asked her “do you want to give your life to Jesus Christ? Do you believe Jesus Christ is Lord? ” and again she said “COME.” I was so amazed at this kind of hunger within her. I prayed with her and she prayed to the Lord “Come into my heart and come into my life”. I told her I would come back. God knew I would be going up the mountain that day and used my climb to share with her that even though she may be in the valley, she can reign with Him on the highest peaks.
I wanted to go back with a translator so she could really understand what this means for her life. Our translator was pretty unreliable that week, so it took me a few days to get back to her house. On the day we finally could go back, I honestly didn’t want to go. After a few days, I wasn’t as passionate about teaching them as I was at first. Then Jesus shared with me John 19:16 “Tend my sheep.” My heart’s posture completely shifted; I remembered why I’m doing all of this in first place. If it would have been up to my own will, I would have missed out.
I finally got to go back to Nsuei’s house with a teammate and our translator. I was expecting to get to share with her but she wasn’t there. We ended up sitting down with the rest of her family: her mom, grandma, sister and brother. We were able to share the gospel with all of them, and they ALL gave their lives to Jesus Christ. (Praises!!) We ended up being there all morning praying and trying to unravel the gospel more so that they could have a clearer understanding. Just as we were about to leave, Nsuei walked up with her friend. After the incredible miracle God had just performed, I also got to share the gospel again with them. In that moment, Nsuei’s friend also received new life in Christ!!
“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
The next Sunday we picked Nsuei and her family up for church. I was hoping to get them more connected to believers in the community. While I was sitting next to Nsuei, I couldn’t help but notice she was shivering. She was hardly wearing any clothes, and the tempertures here are low enough to get frost bite. The whole service I couldn’t stop thinking about all of her physical needs. By the time that the service was over, I was overwhelmed with the needs of her entire family. Their poverty made me feel completely helpless; thoughts came into my mind like “I can’t possibly do enough for all of the people around me.” I told God “I don’t want my coat if that means someone else has to freeze and I don’t want this food if someone on the street is starving!” I wish I could tell you that my hope remained in God but the next day I was so mad at God that I was unable to trust the plans that He has for His children. The enemy had stolen my voice to rejoice. However, I nor my team was going to allow that to continue for another day. I’m so thankful that my team sat and fought with me because I woke up the next day refreshed and ready to take on the day with a good attitude. That’s reason to rejoice!
I told God “I don’t want this to be something that makes me run from You, but that in all circumstances It would make me come running to You.” God had done the most beautiful thing for her and her family and the enemy didn’t want me to rejoice in that. In all the things that we see and in every circumstance that we arrive in there is one thing that doesn’t change and that is Gods goodness! I am ready now to focus on what I can do instead of what I can’t. I can’t allow what I’m not seeing to determine what I need to see.
Many days this month I couldn’t get a translator, but I didn’t allow that to be an excuse that I couldn’t spend time with her. Nisuei was hungry to learn more. Later that week she came with me to women’s bible study, we sipped coke together, painted nails, and I read her stories from the Bible. It was such a blessing. I’ve been praying that God would get her connected with some of the kids her own age at church. She doesn’t do much during the day because her family can’t afford for her to finish school. I wanted to connect her with the pastors daughter Joy. Without me even asking Joy to make friends with her, she went and invited Nsuei to Sunday school! Joy came up to me and said “Monique it’s like she one of us now, she is smiling and laughing now! I could cry!” I said “you are an answer to prayer and I’m so grateful that I can leave knowing that she is connected in community!”
I will never forget Lesotho and all the beautiful people we witnessed get saved. Nsuei will always be in my prayers and her beautiful smile will always be a precious memory. On our last few days, I went back up the mountain to pray and process all that God has done. Coming down I saw my friend Nsuei; I knew in my heart that I may not be able to change the whole village but I can change one persons life and that’s so rewarding to know she will go and do the same (Multiplying for His glory).
Saying goodbye to people each month is hard, but when I look into the eyes of the ones that are longing to be loved, I remember when I looked for what I was missing and the one girl who took the time to show me Gods love. Even though it hurts every month, I will never face the pain Jesus did to show us His love.
“It takes courage to love, because we all know loving means you will be hurt.”
