Hello Family and Friends,
I would first like to start with saying that God is good all the time. His mercies are never ending and His love is so beautiful. However I am starting this blog by telling you the ugly truth. Yes, I am on the wold race and it is an amazing beautiful adventure. But at the same time it’s hard and frustrating.
This month my team and I have the opportunity to work and live in an orphanage with girls who have been abused. I was so absolutely excited about this opportunity I have to minister into these girls lives that have been so cast out by their families. These girls come from all over Zimbabwe here because they have no home or family, and for those who do have families they are very unhealthy and need to get away from their homes. The first day at the orphanage I was in a state of shock. So many girls with heart breaking stories living in this building trying to figure out their life and how they fit into the world and how they are gonna live life as they migrate back into their society. These girls are so full of joy it is absolutely astounding. Their love for each other is incredible. They take care of one another and keep each other in line. Some of the girls here (who are younger than me) have children, some even have multiple children. Let’s just say the first day was a day of trying to understand how they live and how am I going to impact their heartbreaking lives.
Since being here I have struggled greatly with understanding their lives and also the struggle of being constantly drained. Being an introvert I need time to myself in order to be effective in life. I need quite time where I can talk to God, read my bible and just be alone to gather my thoughts. However, living in an orphanage with 80+ girls is very difficult to find that time. I struggle with the worry that I need to be with the girls and playing and talking with them all the time but also needing time to be alone. I want to be as effective as I can for the next 4 weeks but I know that I cannot be if I don’t have time to recharge my battery daily.
I know that God has a wonderful plan for my team and I in this orphanage but I also ask that you continue to pray for us as we face many struggles. Yes, the ugly truth is that the world race is hard. It is draining and tiring at times. However, my mind continues to go back to the verse in 1 Peter where it says, cast your cares on Him for He cares for you. Thank you for your continued support through this journey. I am so encouraged when I hear responses from people back home. Love and miss you all!
