Africa is truly unlike any place I’ve ever been before.
One of the biggest takeaways I’ve had here in Rwanda is being present.
Yesterday, we got to our ministry location (Kingdom Gate) around 3pm. Our ministry host, David, decided to set up our room around 4 and hire a chef to cook all of our meals around 6:45. We hung out, shared some laughs, and wound up eating dinner around 9:30pm. Surprisingly, my team was pretty chill about the whole lack of planning here.
When we didn’t finish all of our food, we asked if we could save it for tomorrow and David said “why would we save it? tomorrow is a new day!”
That kind of wrecked me. We’ve been at Kingdom Gate for less than 24 hours and I’ve seen countless times how in the moment these people live! They don’t worry about what’s to come 5 hours from now, all they see is what’s right in the present.
Today, we’re going to the genocide museum and I’m asking general logistical questions and David keeps responding, “yes yes don’t worry” like planning is me worrying or something.
It’s kind of laughable actually! Jesus actually confirms this way of life:
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. [Matthew 6:30-34]
Those verses run through my head every 5 minutes here. With so many fun things ahead of me—Parent vision trip in 2 weeks, South America in 3 weeks—it would be so easy to just coast through these next 2 weeks and not press in. But HOW MUCH MORE FRUITFUL will these 2 weeks here at Kingdom Gate be if I choose to be present and press into everything that The Lord has in store?!?
I’m never going to look back on the race and regret pressing in, loving sacrificially, or inconveniencing myself for the sake of others. No of course not!!! But, I would regret getting comfortable and pressing out when things get hard.
So yeah, phrase of the week: BE HERE NOW! Draw near to God and he WILL draw near to you 🙂
^^^
I wrote these thoughts in a note in my phone the first day we got to our ministry site in Rwanda and they’re still so true now, two weeks later!!! I was blown away by how in the moment our ministry host was and by the number of times that he would look deep into my eyes with a big smile and say “WAIT”.
this is our ministry host, David. amazing man of God^^
These brief 2 weeks at Kingdom Gate have really taught me how to sit back, be patient, and not take life too seriously because really, what is there to worry about? God’s got me every second, and He will lead me where I need to go!
Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word:
forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here—the king is wild for you. [Psalm 45:10]
