Hello from the Porto, Portugal airport! So far, we have been traveling for 43 hours trying to get to Cyprus. Due to a hurricane in Portugal, our flight was delayed 24 hours, so a handful of us M-Squad ladies had a sleepover in the Porto airport. Fingers crossed that our flight will finally take off tonight so we can hit the ground running in Cyprus!
It seems a little surreal that our six weeks in North Africa are finally finished. The entire squad spent this last week together debriefing all that occurred and processing what God was teaching us, as well as seeking a little rest before heading into a new month and country. If you recall, I had been completely overwhelmed hopping off the boat coming into our home for all those weeks. Luckily, I left the country feeling extreme peace, assurance in the Lord and excitement for what is to come.
Although it was a time of growing and experiencing hard things (resistance, spiritual warfare, feral cat attacks…), I was shown the beautiful hospitality that thrives throughout the country. I’ve gained friendships that, God willing, will last my entire lifetime. I learned more of what it means to be still and be with God. I (unintentionally) learned what it means to travel on your own and be flexible with anything that may happen. I can’t say I was in love with my time in North Africa, but I’m extremely grateful for the lessons learned and the people I met along the way.
Healing became something I thought about often while in North Africa, so during our squad debrief, I really questioned and sought understanding. Of course I have read of healings in the Bible, but never have I witnessed or experienced a physical healing, and it is honestly a concept I scoffed at while in college. One day last week at lunch with my team, a dirty, toothless man came up to our table asking for money. He had a crutch, so I asked him what was wrong. He indicated that his knee was hurting, so I motioned to him asking if I could pray for it. He sat down, rolled up his pant leg, I put my hand on his knee and then prayed, asking God to heal this man. When I finished, I looked up and saw he was weeping. I began weeping with him and he thanked me. I asked if his knee felt better and he began bending it back and forth. He gave me a thumbs up as tears fell down his face.
Even having witnessed that event, I still doubted what had taken place. A few days ago, my squad mentor Jeremy told a man that I would pray for his ankle that he had hurt the day before playing soccer. I prayed for the man’s ankle, and he said it felt much better as he excitedly thanked me and went on his way. A few minutes later he drove by on his four-wheeler waving with the biggest smile on his face, and even still I asked Jeremy if what had just occurred actually happened. It’s not that I don’t believe Jesus heals- I do -but what I’ve realized since then is I doubt that He would use me as a vessel for His miraculous works. Praying for people who need healing should be a normal thing. Why does it seem slightly absurd to me? I don’t know what He has planned for me, but I do know this is something I’m going to continue trying to grow in. I tend to put God in a box, but who am I to limit what He does and who He uses to do it?
“And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
James 5:15-16 ESV
We will spend this next month in Cyprus working with a ministry that broadcasts the gospel in harder to reach countries through different media channels. I am SO excited. I worked in broadcast right out of college and I really did love it, so I’m pumped to be able to use the broadcast experience I have to assist and glorify Jesus Christ in this way. I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
Until then, BIG HUGS and please send me any prayer requests you may have!
