When I was young I would hear the word “Zimbabwe” and think it was a silly made up word that my dad would use when I asked where something was and he didn’t know what else to say. It wasn’t until I was a little older that I realized it was a real place, not just some funny word. Never would I have thought I would be living in sweet Zimbabwe for a month, longing to stay for at least a little bit longer. Yet here I am, saying goodbye to one of the greatest places on earth.
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe is special for many reasons. In all of it’s African glory, it is home to the kindest and most uplifting people. No matter where I was, I would always be greeted with a smile, high five, fist bump, and endless hugs. It is home to praise and worship like no other. We spent hours upon hours dancing and singing to the Lord. While I desperately needed water at some points (three hour church services without AC are something else), I found so much joy within the people and myself as we jumped and laughed throughout worship.
Bulawayo is also home to Scripture Union. SU was our ministry for the month and having the chance to work alongside them and visit schools across the city was the most incredible thing. I could go on about the schools for days. There were insane amounts of running, screaming children as we arrived to elementary schools. The light in kid’s eyes as they confidently declared “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” was unmistakable. There were beaming smiles when older students read a paper full of encouraging notes written by their classmates, and the way they shared their greatest aspirations and how they’re unstoppable because of the Spirit of God within them was inspiring. All of these things (and more) brought me to a new level of joy week after week. I found myself tearing up and smiling as students opened up and began walking in the freedom of knowing God’s love.
Throughout all of this God started to paint himself in a new light for me. I am starting to understand the power of His friendship and how with Him, we hold that same power to make a dent in this world. I realized that these lessons taught in schools are more than applicable to my everyday life. If I walk in the knowledge that I am wonderfully made, bound in love and uniqueness rooted in God, then I can do things far beyond myself.
I had a lot of humbling and mind blowing moments this past month that shifted the way I understand God’s heart and I’m honestly still making sense of some of it. At the end of the day though I am truly grateful for this place and the people who taught me so much. While there is most definitely a need for God throughout the school system in Zimbabwe, things are being done to bring the Kingdom in sweet ways. Leaders are rising up to lead in love with unwavering passion. Students are stepping forward and taking a stand for change and working hard to make their dreams a reality. They do these things in line with the Lord – something that is both powerful and beautiful.
Saying Goodbye is hard. I am not ready to go in the slightest, but come tomorrow I will be on a bus to Zambia. A lot has changed since I was a child and assumed Zimbabwe was a made up word my dad used. Now I know it is a very real place that holds so much goodness. I know it’s been the best home for the past month and I am confident great things are to come for it.
————
One last shoutout –
This month marks the last time I’ll be with my current team, Breath of Life. These five people are the greatest. I honestly cannot express that enough. They have made me laugh and cry like no ones business. They have pushed me to seek God in incredible ways. They have made me choose community in ways I didn’t think were possible. They are forever a huge part of my life and while I know so much is to come within these next few months, saying goodbye is not easy. So shoutout to the greatest humans alive. I could write a whole other blog post about them but my girl Stella has it under control. Check out her blog to get an idea of how this teams made up of incredible hearts. Aliento De Vida forever!!
http://stellagilchrist.theworldrace.org/post/dear-aliento-de-vida/?bookmark=true#viewcomments
Thanks for reading – this blog was exceptionally long (so many things to cover!!) and hopefully it made somewhat sense. Forever grateful for you people.
Xoxo,
