I am still processing Training Camp.
I miss the Georgia skies, I miss the simplicity of living life in a tent and only taking one bucket shower throughout the ten days I spent in the hot, hot south… And not being judged for it. I miss campfires, walking, laughter, silence, conversations that radiated Jesus and the people of Z Squad who shined His love and light. I miss not having a second thought about getting up in the morning and I miss the mentality of not wanting to wish the hours away so I could relax or have “free time.” There is something about having been given the space to process in a completely new area that radically transformed me and gave my life a new meaning. However, this begs the really hard question: Why?
Why does it take leaving where I am to connect best with Jesus? Why does coming home from that and honestly trying to be present suddenly become a chore?
Before I was born, God created me with a spirit that would love to travel. A heart that would catch the amazement in the journey of small things connected together rather than the destination of proof that I got there (shout out to Seth Barnes’ book, “Kingdom Journeys” for helping me form this thought). God created me to see the beauty in going, simplicity, sharing, and never becoming complacent and comfortable where I am. The truth of the matter is, wanderlust with Jesus and nomadic living is the type of “Real Life” that I want to live and completely love while doing it, at least for a short while or whenever Jesus calls me to stay put.
“Real Life” to me is not a job that I hate or wishing the time away – which is what I currently find myself doing with my Tree Farm job, counting down the days until I will be home with my family before Launch. Fun Fact: This is exactly what they told us not to do and I am finding it a lot more difficult to keep in the mentality I had out there of being “present” now that I am back here.
“Real Life” is awaiting me out there in the world and I am excited about that. Life is not about hate, feelings of being bogged down, or letting time slip away by looking in the mirror too long, staring at the television, or scrolling through blogs and facebook. Life is about being alive and fully present and I got a huge taste of that at Training Camp because there was space to really connect, little to no wifi for distraction, and time. All the time.
My heart is yearning for it again.
AIM allowed so much space for me to sit and understand who God is with no judgement. I was free to worship however my heart desired (yes, “however” meant dancing and jumping with my arms stretched toward the sky and sweating in an air conditioned room because heat is how I feel Him), and I was free to ask questions and be hungry for more of Him in a healthy environment and community that was also desiring more of the same exact thing.
I was placed in my team and learned about my first ministry site in Uganda, which is the first stop on Z Squad’s Journey. My team, Parresia, and I will be ministering to the people at the Suubi House (Hope House) in the city of Kampala, Uganda, working with families and kids with disabilities. You can find out more about that ministry here.
I am so excited for the challenge of working with disabled children. When I was praying about possible ministries on the Race, God placed working with disabled children on my heart very early in the game, so I am really excited and eager to meet the people of the organization over there and begin spreading the light and hope of Jesus through active love.
My Team is the most fantastic group of girls. We are all strong and bring something entirely unique to the table, which is going to let God move in a variety of ways. You can check out who they are by looking to your left and clicking on their links. I am so ready to see the way God is going to bring us together through ministry, feedback, and time spent together on the Race. Parresia is a greek word which means “to speak freely with boldness and confidence.” It comes from the prayer in Acts 4 where the disciples are asking God for great boldness in sharing the gospel.
If you would like to be a part of helping me launch to Uganda with Team Parresia and the rest of Z Squad on September 6th, you can do so in a variety of ways. You can pray for me, first and foremost. Pray for the people at the Suubi House that we will encounter, pray for my team and Squad as we all continue to prepare, and please pray about finances for the trip.
I am $3,983 away from my next goal of $10,000 and have placed my full and complete trust in Him to get me there (We have ONE MONTH until August 21st. It will be a miracle, can we do it?! I think we can). I am in the midst of working out some fundraisers for the next month, but I am also in need of around 28 people to simply pledge a $50 donation from now until the end of the year OR a $300 one-time-donation.
You can donate online by clicking “Support Me” at the very top of this blog post or by sending checks (Payed to the Order of Adventures in Missions with my name in the memo line) to this address:
Adventures in Missions
P.O. Box 742570
Atlanta, Georgia 30374-2570
This is real. It is happening.
Will you play a beautiful part in God’s Kingdom by donating to help send me out to the broken as Jesus’ vessel?
With Thanks from the Bottom of my Heart, and All my Love,
Ashley
