Our stay in Zimbabwe has been a drastic adjustment. Though at first our westernized minds were dumbfounded with the reality of having to plan out basic things like a shower, we are now almost two weeks in and we’ve successfully molded into our new lifestyle.
When there is water we fill up any sort of cup, bottle or jug around to store. When we receive electricity, we make food on our not-so-sweet hot plate stove (we’ve been electrocuted by this machine one to many times).
We’ve really put our legs to work this month. We walk on warm sand in the scorching African sun to all our locations. Schools, soccer field, church, grocery shops. Exhausted would be an understatement at this point. But our daily commutes have truly been a blessing. At times, I feel like we’ve lived here for much longer than we actually have. We always make uncomfortable eye contact with the groups of baboons that walk alongside us. We could do without that part…
We play soccer every single day with the youth of this community. When I say play soccer I really mean we get crushed by eight year olds. But we still show up. They must actually like our company because surely they don’t like us for our skills. We’ve adapted well into this community. Though at times we face barriers, walls are broken down with simple things like a hug or a ‘shop’ (kinda like a thumb hug???).
Our Youth for Christ host, James, has us teaching the Word of God at multiple school locations. Most of the programs we put on are optional for the students – they are not obligated to come. Even still, we have had 50+ students join us each time. Praise the Lord. We share vulnerable testimonies, expose what the Lord is teaching us in this season and in previous seasons and just fellowship with these crazy teens. We ask them what life in Zimbabwe is like and they ask us what life in the states is like. There are so many kids here that are on fire for the Lord. I couldn’t be happier.
I can’t say this has been a breezy month. You know whats weird for me? Turning a faucet and not having water come out of it. That’s new for me. I have never truly been exposed to that. The truth is that’s the reality of the people here. Zimbabwe is and has been facing this water/electrical shortage for some time now, so this experience is so normal to them.
Day two in Zimbabwe, I cried. I sat down for my morning quiet time with the lord and couldn’t start my day off with a warm shower (tragic). I looked at my sweet teammate Hannah and told her what my heart was feeling. She kindly looked at me and listened to my irrational complaints. I stopped, opened my bible and read.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
It’s weird. I felt a mixture of conviction and joy. Hannah and I read over the passage of scripture with tear-filled eyes, rejoicing over all the goodness the Lord has provided us with thus far. This is how I want to start all my days: rejoicing, praying and giving thanks.
All this to say; month two is looking quite different. But our God is still the same. He’s the same One that walked with us in South Africa and in the States. Location doesn’t change my God. We may have very limited water and electricity, but He is beyond unlimited. I’m going to rest in that.
Thank you for all the prayers. Please continue to pray for team SHINE and for the sweet people of Zimbabwe. They are good people.
Oh, almost forgot to mention: we flooded our host’s house one night. Yup. Lack of water, yet one of us forgot to turn the faucet off. While we were gone, the water came back on. This is my new “what’s your most embarrassing moment” answer. We joked about it after and called our house the Zambezi River.
Month One:
What has changed: I can confidently say that I now love cold showers and know how to successfully take a bucket shower.
What has stayed the same: Still as clumsy in Zimbabwe. Fell off a tree the other day.
