Two weeks ago, my squad and I were wrapping up our time with JZone ministries in Zambia. Not only were we relishing our last few days in Africa, but we had the incredible opportunity to run the first two day camps ever at the play park!
For over two weeks, we had slashed grass, collected trash, raked, dug holes, painted a mural, prayed over the land and put up a fence there. I am happy to say that we saw the fruit of our labors at the end of the month! The joyful faces of the children who came for the program that my squad members meticulously planned made it all worth it. Prayers from the moment we stepped foot on this land brimming with possibility were answered as we practiced team building, taught the kids about being children of God, and played games all day.
I would by lying if I said I was not eager to leave Africa. I would also be lying if I said I had a heart for Africa. But here is what I can say:
In many ways, Africa left its mark on me. The Ashley who stepped off the plane in South Africa three months ago had absolutely no clue just how many times she would ride crammed in the back of a pickup truck, or how abandoned she would feel by God in Mozambique, or that she would lead a man named Moffat to Christ in Malawi, or discover even more freedom in her relationship with God by actually exploring Him. And she certainly did not know that she would let her squadmate cut a bunch of her hair off in Zambia.
The leaves have been changing color on my Race, signifying that a new season is coming. About three weeks ago, God revealed to me that it is time for me to start focusing on me in this Race. I have been beautifully swept up in learning new things about God and trying to lead my team and do ministry… But He shed light on the fact that I have some big insecurities to deal with, that I had locked away in my heart and ignored.
He gave me the space to begin this process by giving me a break from Team Leading this month. The timing is also noteworthy because I physically moved to a new continent and entirely new culture.
When I cut my hair, it was about more than the sweltering heat of Asia and a desire to try something new; it was symbolic, for me, of moving into a new season of embracing who I am, and shedding the lies and insecurities that have tried to define me.
I am so excited for the outcome of this new season, as painful as it may be to walk through. So far, I have fallen in love with the Philippines, and am already feeling a renewed sense of purpose and even self.
This month, we are planning VBS’s for Moriah Baptist Church. The part I am most excited about is that we get to train the youth in how to run a VBS so they can continue to hold this program once we leave. My heart has already come alive here, getting to spend time with English-speaking youth and loving on some of the most adorable kids I have ever seen. I have been eating some of the best food I’ve ever tasted, ridden in tricycles (look it up on Google – it’s quite the experience!), sweated profusely, done zumba in the local plaza with Filippino women who think we are celebrities, and been blessed immensely by our ministry hosts.
This month is going to be incredible, and I am confident that this season as a whole will become one of the most impactful yet.
Stay tuned for updates on how the VBS’s go! We do our first one tomorrow in a very impoverished area, and begin training the youth tomorrow as well.
