If you’re reading this, I’ve probably asked you to support me on my race. Whether you received a support letter or have watched my Instagram stories about needing funds, I’ve most likely, in some way shape or form, have asked you for money. Most of you who are reading this have given to me. You have agreed to partner with me on my trip and send me to the nations. Well, I’m here now, in South Africa, and I’m writing this blog to share a testimony of what God is doing with the money you have donated.
I could tell you about how the money that was donated has provided food for me and a place to live while on the field. I could tell you about how it allowed me to travel here via a very long plane ride. But what I want to share with you guys is so much deeper than those things. Right now, my day to day ministry does not look like directly sharing who Jesus is with others. It looks more like showing people who he is with acts of service and being willing to do any task in his name. That’s what I’m walking through right now. But something cool happened that made me think, “wow, without my supporters, this wouldn’t have happened”.
While at month one debrief, my team went out for lunch. After lunch, we went to the grocery store because a few girls wanted to get food for cooking dinner. My team of 8 spread out across the store, and one by one, we all started to finish up and were going to meet outside the doors. Emma and I finished first, so we went outside and decided to by ice cream from the tiny shop outside of the grocery store. Then Braeden comes out, and wants to buy an ice cream. The woman at the counter asks her
“Where are you guys from?”
And Braeden replies, “we are from all over the states, I’m from Virginia”
The woman then asks her “What are you doing here”
Braden says “We are on a mission trip and we came here to tell people about who Jesus is”
The woman says “oh ok” and hands her the ice cream.
We get asked this question a lot. People always see our backpacks and here our American accents and ask us all sorts of questions. So then, a few minutes later, more of my team walks out of the store and my team leader Alex decides to buy an ice cream too. A few minutes later she gets her ice cream and we are all standing there waiting for the rest of the girls. We were just standing around and talking to each other when the woman says in a louder voice across the walkway:
“Excuse me, will you tell me about Jesus, please?”
Take a minute and read that line again.
I’ve never been asked that question before, and I’m just standing there with an ice cream cone in one hand, and a Pick N’ Pay bag in the other, and my heart is jumping for joy because she wants to know about Jesus! We go back up to the counter, and she pulls out a note pad and asks if she can take notes while we talk to her so that she can tell her children. This woman is working a shift at her job, she’s on her knees behind the counter with a pen and notebook in hand, ready to receive the good news of the Gospel from us.
That’s desperate for Jesus. And guys, without your donations that keep me fed and that got me to South Africa on a long plane ride, no one would have been there to tell her about Jesus! No one would have been there.
It’s your generosity that changes the world, one person at a time.
I’ve learned that when God wants something done, he’s gonna do. He invites us to be apart of the works, but regardless of whether or not we accept the invitation, he’s gonna do it. We have a choice to be apart of it. We have a choice to give our money to missionaries so that they fulfill the command that Jesus gave to us before he rose to heaven, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”. You made a choice to donate to me, and I can assure you that nothing you gave will go unused. The money you gave has allowed people to know Jesus, and has allowed salvation to be accepted into their lives. What happened there was something that is worth so much more than money.. and that’s why we choose to give to missionaries, because other’s salvation is worth our time, our travels, and our money. You never know what God is going to do with the money you donate, so I thank you for trusting that it will be used for something amazing. I’m thankful for each and everyone of you who have given to me, because without you, no one would have been there to tell her about Jesus.
P.S, I’m still short of my fundraising goal, if you are interested in helping me stay on the field, click the orange “Donate!” button at the top. Or Venmo me @samkayhughes
🙂
