As I write this blog, a dog licks my foot and the chickens are clucking and wandering around me. I can hear the ocean waves and the sweet laughter of my squadmates in the hall. I never imagined my life could be so full of love, hope, joy, and peace. Where we live in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa is directly in-between the beach and the mountains. It’s called Global Leadership Academy. We are staying in a wooden house on the school grounds called the Mission House. Living in a cabin with thirty other girls, crowded meal times, and ministry that seems pointless is the best when you constantly have sisters around you encouraging you and loving you. There’s plenty of laughter and chatting during dinner as well as bread 24/7 if you ever get hungry, and ministry that fills you up because God called you to serve and that is exactly what you’re doing. I get to wake up each morning with the crow of the rooster as my alarm clock and soak in God’s word before the day even begins. Our ministry hosts are incredible. They want to pour into us and love us as much as they humanly can in the next three months. For Wendy, our host mom, she loves us by cooking all our meals. For Moulder, the ministry supervisor, he loves by sharing the word, dancing freely, and making sure we always have work to do. For Lehanie, an employee for Global, it’s taking us out for lunch, and joking, laughing and intentionally talking with us. When I said I’d move to South Africa this was not the life I expected. The last three weeks have been full of so many sweet moments, encouraging words, new relationships, and encounters with God. I couldn’t tell you something specific that I have learned but as I spend each day in the Word and in His presence I see myself becoming more and more like Him. He is changing my wants to become His own and showing me where my identity truly comes from and whose I am.
I remember the first week here, I was walking in a 5K event at the school and we met this woman. We immediately began talking with her and she shared her story, after the hike, she invited us out for coffee and took us on a tour of the town. She took us to the farmer’s market, the beach, and even showed us where she lives. We spent hours with a woman we had only just met, but it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. We became quick friends and we got to encourage each other. I walked away that day amazed with what God had done. Another day a worker around the school began talking to me. We talked about what Jesus was doing in our lives and before he walked away he said something I will never forget. He looked me in the eyes and said, “Now I know your name is Ashlyn I will be praying for a word specifically for you”. I was shocked. I had just met this man and yet he intentionally promised to pray for me. Not only have I met faithful brothers and sisters in Christ but I have had opportunities to evangelize to the taxi drivers on the way to the mall, and the traffic police while grocery shopping, and that’s not even our ministry.
For the first week, my ministry was nannying the staff’s kids at Global and cooking the meals for all 40 people in my squad. At first I was disappointed as my friends had ministry such as going to a soup kitchen or leading an after school program or even building a house, but at the same time I had an incredible peace because I knew I had come all the way to Africa not to do what I wanted but what God wanted even if it seemed pointless to me. I am here to do whatever God called me to. The second week, I was a counselor at a camp called USCA in the town. It was hard work and super tiring. I had to dig deep into my quiet time to stay patient and loving towards the kids that didn’t listen. I was constantly reminding myself that I was just planting seeds especially when I felt like there was no fruit in what I was doing. Although, it was not the most organized or easy ministry God was still working. Through disciplining the kids, I myself was reminded of the foundation of my faith and was in awe of God who would love me so deeply. I started to love reading my Bible, which encouraged me in times during the week when I felt less than equipped to lead people to Christ or just insecure of my own identity. God showed me that it is through him that I can even plant the seeds and that my identity is found in him and Jesus lived inside of me (which is so cool!!!).
There were some sweet moments in the midst of all the chaos such as one night all the girls in my cabin wanted me to sing and at first I was hesitant but then I did and they all joined in. We all sang together, “This Little Light of Mine” and they began to harmonize. It was so beautiful. These kids also loved to dance. During worship, they would all sing loudly and dance like no one was watching. We must have done the “Church Clap” about twenty times. I also got to pray with one of the boys in my group for salvation. He was so excited. This shy and quiet kid was so excited he couldn’t stay still or stop saying the name of Jesus. Even though I’m not sure how much of the gospel he truly understood I was honored to plant seeds and pray with and for him. Our third ministry was not as exciting but it was humbling. Myself and a few others had to reorganize the school’s storage rooms which including hundreds of spiders, lots of dust, and many mysterious smells. I actually loved this ministry not because I love carrying heavy things or getting my hands filthy but because it made me step back and ask myself if I was willing to serve even when it was out of my comfort zone. I chose to serve with joy and it all worth it.
The word Hallal means to worship God unashamed. This is a word I have been meditating a lot on since I’ve been on the Race. I want to be so radically changed that I can look like a fool and not care one bit because I am worshipping Jesus in my actions, words, posture. One night on the second week of ministry my squad came together for communal worship. I was helping lead and as I stood in front of everyone I was so aware of how disorganized the set up was, but as we awkwardly finished my friend gets up and says, “Can we write a song right now?” Everyone was shocked but we were excited. He began a melody and just started singing lyrics of praise. People began to shout out words and he effortlessly turned them into a song. Then he jumped up and ran outside shouting for everyone to follow him. We all ran after him and spontaneously worshipped our father as brothers and sisters in Christ with a freedom that could only come from the Holy Spirit. Everyone was smiling and laughing with joy as we worshipped our father in an open space.
Tehillah is another posture of worship in Hebrew like halal, but it means the singing of halals. The church we attend is a part of the school. It is like a small church in America. They have the morning coffee, a stage, and an amazing worship team. It is a place of freedom. Our first time attending we were singing “Waymaker” by Micheal W. Smith and the power went out, but that did not stop God’s children from singing His praise. The mic went dead and the worship team looked worried, but only for a moment as they realized that the congregation hadn’t stopped singing instead they were singing louder. It was a beautiful act of tehillah.
I could honestly write a book about what God has already done these past few weeks, but I’ll end by saying this: My God is not confined to the small and seemingly insignificant events of our day to day lives. He is alive and present and waiting to move, to show you what He can do, to love His people. I have experienced freedom, boldness, and change just because I was willing to say yes to what he asked of me. Listen to the tug of His spirit and be bold, be obedient, believe He can do the impossible because He can. You don’t have to move to Africa for God to use you, let Him use you right where you are.
