Africa was a time of highs and lows. And God was in every bit of it.
It started with my team heading to Botswana. We were planning on doing a work away at a farm just outside of Francistown, but we weren’t hearing back from the host, so we decided to stay in Gaborone for a week and see what the Lord had for us.
While we were getting ready to leave Indonesia is where the Lord was preparing me for Botswana. First of all, I don’t do any research on upcoming countries we’re going to because I want to be led to where we’re supposed to go as I feel it and not have any knowledge of anything that could influence me. But this time was different. I felt the need to look up churches to visit and once I saw Kingdomcity I just felt that was where we needed to go.
We get to South Africa and leave for Gaborone on a bus and that’s where God shows up again. I go to get in my seat and there was someone sitting there, and they asked if I could switch seats with him so he could sit with his wife. Sure, no problem. He says his seat number is 21. Which is my number. It’s like a God wink to me. I go sit down next to this guy who kind of tries to get me to sit somewhere else in the open seats because he’s switched seats like 5 times already, but I sat down anyways. As I’m sitting there, he leans forward and on the back of his shirt it says Kingdomcity! I’m thinking ok God this is right where I need to be. So instead of saying anything to him I went right to sleep…
A few hours later I wake up as we are pulling into a rest stop. Everyone gets off and everyone gets back on except for this guy. The bus starts to leave, and he runs out of the store chasing it down. Good thing they saw him. I was watching it all happen and noticed that the front of his shirt was a huge gold cross.
We sit down and that’s when we started talking and I realize that Chris is a brother for life. We’re telling each other’s testimonies and why we’re going to Botswana. He invites us to church and gives us rides almost every day to church. This is what’s also crazy. Chris wasn’t even supposed to be on the bus at all. He was supposed to be on the bus the day before. And the reason he was late for the bus was because he was getting some food and candy for us to share. God had a reason for putting us together and I don’t think either one of us knows what that is yet.
The first time we go to Kingdomcity is on a Friday night and we get there early because Chris has responsibilities. As soon as we walk in the doors, I just get overwhelmed with Gods presence. I knew this place is where we’re supposed to be. Everyone on the team felt the exact same way. It was home for us.
I can’t even name everyone we met there because it was so many. We immediately felt like family there. Our time there seemed to fly by. We were invited to things everyday like braais, horseback riding, birthday parties, dinners to try local foods, prison ministry, goat herding, community groups, and even got to play rugby for the first time. It was so amazing. No one wanted to leave. It was the hardest place to leave by far. This place felt like somewhere I could live. It’s just a matter of time before I’m back.
Our next stop was Nelspruit, South Africa for debrief. This was where we would be switching teams and it was hard to do. If you would have asked me a few months before I would have been the happiest person in the world to switch teams but as we grew together our team bonded in ways that made us a family. It was definitely a rollercoaster for 5 months, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I love these guys and we will always have a special bond.
Next, we headed to Jeffries bay to work with Global Leadership Academy. I was there for a few days before I got the hardest news you can get.
I was woken up at 4:30am and told to call my mom. I called and talked to my brother and he tells me dad had been in an accident and was no longer with us…
Shock. Pain. Numbness. This can’t be real! At any moment he’s going to wake up I know it. God do something! Bring him back! I know you can!
I got a flight back home that afternoon. 34 hours of traveling. It was moving in slow motion and fast forward at the same time. My emotions were like a rollercoaster and hit me hard out of nowhere.
I just feel numb all over. A piece of my heart is hurt or gone I don’t know.
Something I noticed about myself was that I felt invincible with my dad. I knew he always had my back. It wasn’t something I was fully aware of until now. And now that protection is gone.
It made me think, why don’t I feel that way with my Heavenly Father? He loves me way more and cares for me way more and always is there for me way more in ways my dad never could no matter how much he tried.
Psalm 91 is my reminder that if I sit in the throne room with my Heavenly Father nothing can harm me. I am protected. He always has my back.
My mom was my number one concern when I went home. One of the first things she told me was she wanted me to finish the race and it’s what my dad would’ve wanted too. I was home for 2 weeks before I headed back out to meet the squad in Cape Town, South Africa.
There we were separated into 3 new teams. Team salt is my new team. Me, Sam, Lindsay, America, and Matt. Matt. 5:13 is our verse. We are the salt of the earth.
This is new beginnings and new challenges. I know there are days that are going to be tougher than others for me. My emotions are still all over the place. The tears come out of nowhere. But I know I need to trust in God and He knows what’s best for me.
