I truly didn’t believe past racers when they would say that this year is going to go by so fast but while I’m in the middle of it, it would go by so slow. And just like that month 1 has passed and we are in a different country, with a different host,with different kids, starting month 2. I feel like month one was very much the trial and error month, meaning, frankly I had no clue as to what I was doing, and I very much just went along with whatever. Month one was hard due to the fact that it was new, I’m in a different country, let alone a different continent, with 5 others believers.
But here are a few things I picked up along the way.
• Adjusting to time changes suck.
• You see different stars in different hemispheres.
• Before I left home, I was praying and God was telling me to take heart because I am not entering into this alone, his church is rising up. We went to a local church called the The Store House there in PE, and it was so encouraging to see this church sending out their own missionaries into their cities and to other neighboring countries.
• Compromise sometimes doesn’t mean that we get any bit of what we want.
• The phrase “share your peanut butter” isn’t just for actual peanut butter but rather for everything one has such as: food, SUGARY FOOD, toothpaste, beds, clothes, bibles, pens, electronics, etc. Literally nothing is off limits.
• That dying to yourself daily actually hurts.
• There isn’t a cookie cutter image of ministry. Sometimes you really do have to clean out the storage unit that smells like mold and that has rat feces.
• Even though the boys drive you nuts, you still love them because you can see why God loves them.
• That even though your team doesn’t always get along and sometimes you really do just need to be alone, you still love the men and women you are placed with.
• Hot showers are gold, but if you can’t cold also works, and if you can’t baby wipe showers will suffice.
• Cadbury chocolates are so good and sweet chili sauce makes everything better.
• Bean bags work wonders if you throw them in as seats in the back of the bakkie (pick up truck) to absorb some of the shock.
• Being a “missionary” doesn’t mean that you have it at all together at times.
• Home sickness is a natural process to go through.
• God is still God in different countries, He is sovereign, He is here.
One month down, 10 more to go. Thank you for supporting me in this and praying for me. You guys rock!!
