Today, my team and I are saying goodbye to the continent we have said called home for the last three months. We are all full of many emotions and boarding the plane to come back to America is bittersweet. Since I’m still sorting through all that God has shown me through this amazing adventure, my team and I want to share the following advice with anyone (especially young adult) who is leaving soon for the mission field..(hind sight is 20/20):
- Allow God to use the bad moments just as much as he uses the good moments.
- Don’t wish your time away.
- Memorize scripture- don’t enter the mission field without your weapon.
- Don’t eat the ice…(overseas)
- Be where your feet are -stay present.
- Stick it through. Always prioritize your relationship with God.
- Pace yourself and take care of yourself. (Emotionally, spiritually, physically..)
- Choose positivity (even when things suck.)
- People suck sometimes, love them anyways.
- If you’ve been there for one month and you don’t know three peoples’ stories, then you’re wasting your time.
- Anything is worth doing if it makes a good story. (One time for the one time!!)
- If it’s difficult, you should do it.
- Splurge a little! (Home comforts, adventures…)
- Take chances, be bold, do what you never expected you would do!
- You grow the most outside of your comfort zone. Step out and have fun!
- Don’t stand back, make the most of every minute.
Please pray for South Africa to continue to embrace their culture and love one another. Pray for the many broken families and for their job situation as it is very hard for most people to find work here. Pray for the beautiful people that we’ve gotten the privilege to meet while we were here; pray for all of the locals who are learning to walk in the new seeds that God allowed us to plant. Please pray that their community can come together in times of need and provide for one another!
Please pray for Impact Africa as they continue to equip locals, students, and faculty to truthfully change the country for the Lord. Please pray that they will continue to be bold and step into the plan the Lord has to grow their organization. Please pray for God to provide the support they need financially and spiritually. Please pray for the lives and hearts that they touch every day that the locals here would find the Lord and follow him. Please pray that they would continue to see the fruits of their labor.
Please pray for me as I process through all of the things this trip has done in my life. Someone told me, “The more you’ve been changed overseas, the harder it will be to return home.” & I am really starting to feel that now!! I know that the Lord is going to point much more out to me in the next few days during our debrief and on my way to America. Please pray that I will be open and ready to understand/look out for everything that God is trying to show me through this transition process.
Please pray for my team as we are all preparing to go home and say goodbye to one another. We have truly become one huge family and it will be beyond difficult for us to say goodbye to one another. Please pray that we can all have an amazing and impactful last weekend together as a team and truly discover more about Christian community.
Thank you for all of your love, prayers, and support. God is good all the time; all the time God is good! See you soon, America!
