Greetings from Bots (Botswana, Africa) friends! There has been a blog on my heart for a while now, and I know I’ve promised more picture blogs from Southeast Asia and I haven’t forgot. They are coming soon – very soon…
However, tonight there is something that I wanted to blog about. My time in Botswana has been truly an amazing, heart-warming and inspiring experience. The country, the people, the atmosphere…ALL. THE. THINGS.
When we first got on the bus to head to Botswana from South Africa one of my teammates and I ended up sitting in completely different seats than we were assigned (total Godcidence). Little did we know that in that, God had truly prepared a divine encounter for us. I sat next to an older gentleman named Moses and Travis sat behind me next to a guy named Chris. It was a 7 hour bus ride. Moses and I didn’t speak much at first because we mostly napped at the beginning of the trip. Trav did too. It wasn’t until we made a pit stop mid-trip that conversations started to take place. I chatted it up with Moses and Travis engaged with Chris. Then we made a stop in Zeerust where Moses ended his trip with us. That was when Travis introduced me to his new friend Chris. Chris has an amazing testimony and God journey. He was wearing a shirt from his church Kingdomcity, that had a big gold cross on the front. That was kinda how the entire conversation between him and Travis started. So as we are sharing our stories and telling him about The World Race, Chris got excited and He invited us to his church. Immediately, we were excited about it. One of the sometimes challenging things about being on the race is finding a church community to get plugged into, so this was super exciting for us. Little did we know however, that the church he belonged to was actually one of the churches that Travis had found in Botswana as he was researching about Gaborone, Botswana where we would be living for however long the Holy Spirit led us to. Which, there is no way you would know this, but Travis never does any research! Haha But what are the odds that the one church he found for us to possibly visit was the church that Chris attended? Not a coincidence, but a GODCIDENCE. He ordained for this to all happen.
Finally, we make it to Bots and at this point Chris has heard our testimonies and we’ve heard his. He’s given us all the pointers on the do’s and don’ts of Botswana and gave us all his expert advise, tips and tricks about getting around, what to expect, etc. He gets Trav’s contact info and right off the rip is making sure that we are going to visit his church, he invites us to dinner to his house, etc. Just all around a very welcoming and hospitable spirit. We parted ways and vowed to keep in touch. A few days went by and we invited Chris over for a night of praise and worship in our home. It was such a fun night. Of course the offer to take us to his church was still on the table and we were so stoked to be able to go, especially with as much as he hyped it up. The next Friday night, he makes plans to “fetch” us (pick us up) and take us to church and well, he was right to hype up his church. We had the best time ever and met so many incredible people. For me it was honestly like being at my home church and what a sweet feeling that was. Immediately, we made connections and everyone welcomed us with loving and open arms. They were all so encouraging and sweet.
While sharing with some of the girls I met about how I got to where I am now, traveling the world and doing missions, one of the girls that I met, was just resonating with everything I shared about my journey of divorce. She said that we needed to talk and get to know each other better. She got emotional hearing my testimony and immediately I knew that God was doing something in me sharing my truth. I don’t want to share her name, for purposes of keeping her safe and protecting her story but that Sunday, I got to see her again and we ended up sitting on the same row. During worship they had prayer warriors at the altar, waiting for people to come if there was anything that we wanted them to pray for with us. I went up and had them pray for me. When I was returning to my seat, I felt the Lord impress on my heart to ask this girl if she needed prayer. She said yes, but asked if we could do it after church service.
When the service was over, I found her and we began to talk. She shared with me her story and we just cried, hugged and prayed together. She told me how she was so encouraged by me the day that we initially met and that she was immediately drawn to me as soon as I started sharing my testimony. She said God spoke to her and said that she needed to get to know me better. After talking with her and hearing her story she said she just knew that God had sent me all the way across the world just for her. Y’all, all I could do was just cry! Not just because my heart hurt for her and her circumstance, but because in that moment, I knew that it was true. God had so perfectly ordained for us to meet. I knew that He had me walk through my fire, so that I could walk along side her in hers. She is the absolute sweetest, most beautiful girl too and she said that I am her new BFF! She also said that I just need to move to Botswana! HA Needless to say, we are connected, we face time each other and I just love her so much. I’m pretty sure I will cry when I leave here next Monday.
Another day, I met another girl named Shiro. She works at the mall where we go buy groceries. She is so beautiful and sweet too. One of the things that we are intentional about doing on The World Race is praying into who God wants us to see each day. Who is on God’s heart each day for us to encounter…
Well, Shiro was my person one day. I met her and felt God calling me to seek her out more. Since then, we’ve been able to hang out and get to know each other better. She is from Kenya. She has lived in Botswana before when she was younger, then in Kenya for several years where she was born but moved back to Bots again recently after a very toxic relationship. She had decided that enough was enough and she made the very bold and courageous move to come to Bots on her own and live with her family. In her sharing her truth, I also of course shared my own and again, God gifted me another friend to walk alongside with and encourage.
So throughout my time in Botswana, as I have been praying into things and doing this journey with God, one of the things that I have struggled with was feeling productive on this Race. God reminded me that even on the days that it feels like I could be doing more, He always has an opportunity for me to share my truth. He reminded me that my testimony IS my ministry and it’s been so prevalent in my time on the World Race.
Since I have been gone from home, I have not only been able to meet women from all around the world that have gone through similar trials as I have with my journey through my divorce, but a handful of friends from back home have reached out to me sharing in their struggles in their own marriages. Some are separated, on the verge of divorce or just struggling to keep things together. I have been so encouraged by them and honestly just honored that they would seek me out to share their stories. I can’t tell you how truly special it has been for me for all of these women to trust me with their struggles. As painful as I know the heartache of separation and/or divorce can be, I am in awe of what God is doing in and through me to be able to walk alongside these women that are in a season of heartache and encourage them the best way I know how. It has been such an honor that they would choose to trust me. It blows me away at how God uses EVERYTHING in our lives, however good or bad to help us help others.
Maybe during my season in my valley, through my experience of my divorce I didn’t always see the silver lining, but looking back now, I know without a shadow of a doubt that what the enemy intended to harm me, the Lord used for His glory and gave me beauty for ashes. Beauty, that I now get to share with others about my journey, my healing and my God! He is sooooo good y’all.
There is definitely more to share about my time in Botswana, but I will leave y’all with this for now. Thank you for reading and supporting me in this journey. If you can do anything for me right now, I pray you continue to lift me up in prayer as I continue this journey. & if you feel led to do something more, I could most definitely use a couple dollas to support me in my fundraising! (wink*)
Love and blessings to you all! XO, Ana
