Made it to BOTSWANA!
After 7 hours from Johannesburg, South Africa to Gabarone, Botswana, then a 10 hour overnight bus North to Maun, my two teams finally made it to our ministry site for the next 2 months! We are working with Love Botswana.
They have 12 branch churches throughout Botswana. Their central location is where their offices are located, along with the Village Church. They hold a youth group every Friday night, Thursday evening church service along with Sunday at 9 am. They have there hands in projects and events throughout the community distributing food and clothes to those in need. They have a school for kids that have special needs and those kicked out or turned away from other schools. They aim to develop the leaders of tomorrow through their Christ centered learning curriculum. They also have an orphanage with 17 young kids.
So far this month we planned an entire youth night, from worship, a message, games and a call to prayer. The teams rocked this event and the staff remarked how they have never had any other world race team totally put it on. My favorite thing I’ve done for ministry is prison ministry. We went as a small group to the local prison to a small chapel within. We entered the building as they were worshiping. We took seats in the front and looked out at the crowd of yellow and orange jumpsuits. These men looked young, no more than 20-30s. They wore friendly smiles and expectant stares. We stood up and shared one by one. A story from the Bible, a testimony and then me. Truthfully I didn’t want to share anything. I believed that the two that had shared before had done a really good job. I was convicted and prayed asking God if He actually had something He wanted to say to them not if I WANTED to share something or not. I felt the Holy Spirit wanted to share something from Hebrews 12:15-17. It talks about encouraging one another in community. It also says in Hebrews 13 to “remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself.” Isn’t it mind blowing that God cares about those in prison enough to remind other Christians to continue to pray for them?!
After we left another girl who hadn’t spoken from my team says how grateful she was that I shared that because she also felt from the Holy Spirit that she needed to share on community but was hesitant to. Confirmation to me that God really did want to share with the prisoners the importance of community living and encouraging them as Christians to encourage one another to righteous living, even within their current circumstances.
Just wanted to share that encouragement that God is ALIVE and working not just in America, or whatever country you are currently reading this from, but ALL OVER THE WORLD GOD IS MOVING. And He’s wanting to encourage His people and remind them they are not alone for they have the Holy Spirit and they have Jesus as their Savior who meets them where they’re at.
On a side note: I’ll be here in Maun, Botswana for 2 months (52 days) For Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. This will be the longest time I will be doing ministry in a country and I am praying that my hello is easier than my goodbye.
