Sanibonani! (That’s “hello” in Siswati in case you were curious)
I’m writing you from my ministry site in Swaziland. I was living in the exact same house just 10 months ago with my original squad, and I never thought I would get to return. Thinking about where I was 10 months ago and where the Lord has taken me since then is such a testament to His goodness in my life. This country is where I began my journey in leadership on the World Race (it was my first month as a team leader) and now it gets to be the place where I wrap up my time in leadership on the World Race. I have grown so much in confidence of who God has created me to be throughout the last 10 months, and I know that will just continue. God is so good!
It has been incredible to reunite in some of the same places and with some of the same people in Swazi. I’m with two other teams this month, and we are doing a variety of things. Adventures in Missions has a base in Swaziland, so we are working in several of their departments they have established here. Several people are working in care points (aka school) everyday. I have found myself working with the maintenance crew, which has truly been an adventure everyday! We have been spending our days moving and packing food boxes that were donated from the States, organizing files in an office, moving firewood, cleaning storage units, and the list continues.
I will be leaving for the States in just under 2 weeks, and the group of women I’ve been squad leading will move onto the sixth month of their World Race. It has been encouraging and humbling to watch them grow in their gifts and ministry over the past 5 months. We have officially raised up two new squad leaders and equipped them to take over once my co-leader and I head home. The incredible part about squad leading is that the journey doesn’t end here for me. I have helped cultivate an Acts 2:42-47 community among the squad, I’ve equipped new leaders to take over once I leave, and now the next step is to let them do these things on their own. I have the opportunity to meet the squad again for a debrief week in June and August. At these debriefs I will continue to to lead teachings, have one on ones with the girls, and follow up in their own spiritual growth. It’s truly an amazing way that I get to continue to disciple them even as I step off the field.
“I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust.”
-Mother Teresa
One (okay maybe most) might say that I’m in quite a season of transition. I’m headed home in just two weeks. I will no longer be living out of a backpack like the past year and a half of my life, but rather have more space and material things than I know what to do with. I’m leaving a really solid community. And no, I don’t know “what’s next” for me quite yet. Yeah..I’d say that’s quite a bit of transition coming up. Transition tends to have one constant: lack of clarity. I’ve definitely prayed for clarity in the past, but that’s not what I really need right now. What is actually needed in transition? Trust. Craving clarity shows our desire for control, but seeking trust shows our peace and faith in our Father. In times like this it’s easy to crave clarity, but today I choose to seek trust.
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”
-1 Corinthians 14:33
Notice in this verse that the opposite of confusion is NOT clarity, but rather it is peace.
Fundraising Update
I am officially just $550 away from being fully funded! This last bit of funding will cover my ability to fly out and follow up with the squad at their last 2 debriefs. Follow up is such a crucial part of discipleship, and I am praying big prayers that I will be able to do this!
As always I still have my “Buy a Box” raffle going on, and I have officially collected all the items! Once I am home I will be raffling off 7 items when I get back to the States. Claim an empty box now before it’s too late. You can make a tax deductible donation by clicking the link on the left!
