After 86 hours of traveling, we made it to Lesotho. I am so excited to be back in Africa and that was reaffirmed the moment our host greeted us. Matisolo ran up to us from her garden with a huge smile and hugs all around. I immediately felt the joy that was overflowing from inside her. She showed us our new home for the next few weeks and we began to settle in. I woke up the next day to a fly buzzing in my ear and covered in swollen bug bites even though I had not seen a single mosquito. We began to unpack, wash clothes, become acquainted with our new surroundings, and I quickly became covered in dirt. This has become the new normal. Flies have become my new best friends, my feet are always dirty, and I am learning to fully embrace it.
At launch for the World Race, my squad mates and I were given a key that was prophesied over us. These keys typically have one word engraved on them – something for the person wearing the key to learn, pray about, and then pass on to another who needs it more than they do. My key was engraved with Isaiah 42, a whole chapter. I thought, “Dang, God has a lot for me to learn.” Every day I pray over this key. I pray that God will show me what I need to learn and then for Him to reveal the specific person who needs to receive this key after me. For the past 3 months, I haven’t received an answer…
Earlier this week, I was sitting under the gazebo next to our new home, looking out over the mountains, and having my quiet time with God. As I was praying for my key, I felt the need to go back and read Isaiah 42. As I was reading the chapter, I realized that every word that God has spoken over me the past 3 months (and that I have gotten tattooed on my arm) are in this chapter. Every lesson and revelation that He has taught me can be found in Isaiah 42. But, one more verse stood out to me. One more lesson that God is trying to teach me. Isaiah 42:11 says, “Let the people of Selah sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops.” As I looked up from my Bible to the mountains that I am surrounded by, I felt the joy that Isaiah was talking about. In that moment I started to question my life. Why do I have to come to Africa to experience pure joy? Why is it when I leave the people I care most about and abandon all comforts that I find joy? Why do the people who have nothing have the most joy? It’s because they choose it. They find their joy in God and the things they do to serve Him instead of worldly, material things. We can all choose joy.
I went back to praying for my key. Again, I prayed for God to reveal to me who needs this key more than I do. To reveal whom He needs to empower. Immediately, I began to think about the prison ministry we were going to be a part of and God showed me a man dressed in red with a grey hat.
The day finally came to go to the prison. I was stoked to see what God had in store. This prison is a minimal security facility and most of the men are there for theft and lesser crimes. Sepo (one of the pastors we have been working with) has made it his mission to provide these men with the Gospel and trade skills to help them leave the life of crime. As we walked into the prison with Sepo, I was surprised to see what his definition of minimal security was. There were no fences at the perimeter, no cameras, and no barbed wire: just a wall with rooms, a courtyard, and about 50 men of God. I quickly scanned the courtyard for the man that was supposed to receive my key. Of course, every man was wearing a red jumpsuit, but only one man had a grey hat sitting next to him.
I had the opportunity to share my testimony with these men. I talked to them about the difference between religion and a relationship with God. How growing up I went through all the motions of Christianity but still didn’t feel God. I went to church every Sunday, read my Bible when I was told, went to a Christian school, and said my nightly prayers. I didn’t know what else I could do to be a person like my Mom who hears God speak to her, guide her, and comfort her. It wasn’t until God revealed my past sexual abuse to me that it became clear. The sin and hurt that we put on our shoulders and carry with us builds a wall between us and God, whether we are aware of it or not. We can’t be our own saviors, only God can. The best part about this is that Jesus has already taken our past, present, and future sins from us. Those are His to hold not ours. So in order to be in a relationship with God, we have to invite Him into our hurt and become completely dependent on Him. I encouraged them to throw the expectations of religion out the window and pursue a relationship with God because that’s when the wall comes tumbling down.
Throughout our time there, I constantly made eye contact with the man with the grey hat. I could tell the wheels in his head were turning; God was doing something inside of him. I realized how hard it would be to give a prisoner a steel key, so I started to pray, “God if I am meant to give this man my key, let your will be done.” When our time was finished, I ran to Sepo and explained to him the situation while pointing out the man with the grey hat. He looked at me like it was going to be impossible but told me that he would check with the guards. He went back and forth with the guards and just when I thought the answer was no, they brought the man to me. I introduced myself to him and we greeted each other with the local handshake. He looked at me with confusion and fear in his eyes. I started to explain to him the significance of this key and all God has taught me through it. I told him that I had prayed over it for 3 months and that God put him on my heart to give it to. As I took the key off my neck and gave it to him, I told him that God would use it to empower him just like he did for me. He held the key in his hand, and asked Sepo if it was for him. When I smiled and shook my head, he put the key around his neck with pride.
This man’s name is Retselitsoe. Retselitsoe’s identity is not a prisoner. Retselitsoe is a child of God and God will keep fighting for him even when he makes mistakes just like he does with all of us. When we invite God into our lives, surrender everything to Him, and choose joy, we can experience a true relationship with God. God has already given himself to us. It is up to us to make the next move.
