My time in Zambia was one of major ups and major downs and no in between. I experienced some very very sweet moments during ministry and amazing adrenaline-rush inducing adventures. I also experienced much homesickness around the holiday season and major health issues. Overall, the happiest parts and the hardest parts all turned to good, and even through the difficult times I was able to find peace with God.
Our ministry was street evangelism and door to door evangelism. We also volunteered at a children and teen’s Bible camp and preached on Saturdays and Sundays. During the days, the pastor at one of our partnering churches would take our team out into the villages and we would talk to anyone and everyone. While walking, we would pray for the Spirit to lead us to whoever needs to hear good things, and then we would pray for the Spirit to give us the words to say. Sometimes it’s difficult to see the fruit in this because you don’t always see the same people everyday or get to build relationships, but it was the rare times that someone would tear up or really take to heart the words we said that would push us to keep pursuing after these people. All in all, despite seeing little fruit at our ministry, it was sweet to know the Lord didn’t bring us there without reason, and even if I never see the fruit of my labor, I can trust the ways the Spirit led me were not in vain.
Christmas Day, our team went to a local hotel that let us use their wifi and pool for the day so we could call family and have a fun day off. Long story short, after having to wear long pants/skirts for the first three months of the Race, your girl’s legs were NOT used to seeing the sun, especially the African sun. Even with SPF 70 and minimal time actually in the sun, I came home with what we thought was sun poisoning. After two days, when my legs were so swollen I couldn’t feel my feet and I had lost all ability to bend my knees, I decided that maybe a visit to the doctor wouldn’t be a bad idea. Without looking for even a minute, the doctor concluded I had a staph infection throughout both my legs and I needed to be on medicine pronto for it not to spread. After a week of medicine, exploding boils, my skin turning yellow, and standing at the dinner table because I couldn’t sit in a chair, my swelling had gone down and my skin was starting to look like a normal sunburn again. Although I wish I could say the Lord taught me a big, beautiful, life changing lesson through this, the main thing I learned is there is never too much sunscreen, pain for a short amount of time can’t stop me from being where the Lord placed me, and the African sun is no joke.
We had ample time off of ministry (something I was not used to at all) and these were the sweetest and most difficult moments. Time off meant time to think about home and family and the holiday season I wasn’t spending with them. The lack of evident change in our ministry and the homesickness made me question a few times what exactly I was doing on the other side of the world. After a while of struggling with all these emotions finally hitting me after being gone so long, I decided I wanted to stop thinking about these things alone. I started sitting outside (in the shade!!!) for a few hours a day and just told all these things to God. My time off of ministry turned from something that made me sit and think of all the hardships of the Race to a time where I could just have simple conversations with God. I would sit outside and just tell God what I was feeling and how much weight my heart was carrying. He would tell me time and time again to just feel the things I need to feel, but ultimately give it to Him. He would tell me to just sit with Him when I felt confused, tired, homesick, or anxious and to feel that with Him. I began to have conversations with God. I would ask Him questions and wait for what answer He would put on my heart. I actually learned the art of talking with God, not just praying at Him. This time that I would dread soon became a time that I craved. It’s funny how the Lord time and time again tells us to slow down and just spend time with Him instead of fixing everything ourselves.
Although this is a pretty brief synopsis of my time in Zambia, I would say these are the things that were the most impactful to me. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, texted me prayers, sent their love, and even those who have just taken the time to read this blog! I pray that whoever is reading this blog receives some wisdom and a blessing from the Lord today! 🙂
Much love,
Hannah Grace
