this has nothing to do with a llama, lol sorry 🙂
But it is a look into my time in AFRICA!
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Let me start with telling you that coming to Africa has been one of my dreams since I was around 11 years old. So to say that I was excited when the plane landed in Kenya and we were only in the airport is an understatement. I was flippin’ out with so much giddiness. And it’s been awesome ever since then. (we even got to fly over Mt. Kilimanjaro!)
We began our African journey at the beginning of February in Pretoria, South Africa. My squad was able to be part of a conference type thing called ‘Regional Awakening’. We met up with two other world race squads that were in the area also and spent a few days together, being intentional with worship, intercession, hospitality, and evangelism. We were introduced to some general facts about African culture and religion and were able to meet some of the hosts from the area – it was a really neat time to come together with the other squads and prepare for our time in Africa. From there, we hopped on a bus and headed to Gaborone, Botswana! I have loved getting to bus through parts of different countries and getting to see the scenery, and sometimes wildlife, along the way.
Our host for the month met us in Gaborone and then took us about an hour north of the city to a village called Molepolole (it’s super fun to say!) where we would be for the month. There wasn’t much in the area, but it was pretty nice to be in the middle of nowhere for a bit, even with no wifi. There were lots of cows and goats and donkeys that would be walking around almost everywhere we went. Lots of flat land, and some of the most incredible sunrises, sunsets, and starry skies I’ve seen every single day! It was amazing. After dinner most nights, we would go on a little walk to watch the sunset. It was incredible how different they were each day, and how breathtakingly beautiful. God is quite the artist. I think the worst thing that happened is that the water was out was for about 2 days at one point, and we got attacked hard by some brutal mosquitoes. It wasn’t pretty.
In Molepolole, we were partnered with an organization called CAPRO Ministries, which is a discipleship and missions school and is also involved with many different outreaches. We lived on a base with two families who are a part of the ministry and some of the students who take classes there. It was fun getting to talk with them and have dinner together some nights. And lucky for us, the families had children! They were all precious, but I developed a cool bond with the 2-year-old who lived right next door. His name is Tumelo, which means faith, or Joshua (along with quite a few other names). That kid is wonderful.
The first few days in Molepolole, we helped out around the base at the school with some weeding, then on day three, we were set up with a local daycare for vulnerable and orphaned children and were able to help out there. What a blessing it was. The first day we went was hilarious. The kids were terrified of us. They just stared and didn’t talk or move or smile, and one kid even started crying when we smiled at him. It was so funny. By the end of the day, we were all playing and laughing and it was so great. They touched my heart big time.
At the daycare, we got to play with the children inside and out on the playground, work on some English letters and numbers and do some writing, and give the teachers a much-needed break. It was so awesome to see how much the teachers care and love the children and know about their stories and families – picking them up and dropping them off every day and doing home visits when necessary to check on everything. It was really heart breaking hearing their stories, but also really incredible that they have a safe place to be, food to eat, and people to love them. It was powerful that we were able to bring Father God’s love to them and to see very evidently how such love transforms and makes people come alive – even across language barriers, because we couldn’t communicate with words with the children at all.
But those kids are kids, they are so crazy and full of life, even the little one who cried when we first got there would climb into our laps, and the sweet twin girls who would barely talk or show any expression were laughing and full of joy by the time we left. It was such a beautiful image of Father God and His heart for them and for restoration. Loving on them was so refreshing. I also love how much we learn about the heart of God from children, and how much they teach us about Him. How He desires to know and love us, how He cares for us, how He just wants to spend time with us, how He delights in us, how He wants what is best for us and doesn’t want us to hurt, how He knows all about us and is always with us. I wanna live remembering how those children taught me more about how Father God sees me as His daughter, and how to have that child-like faith that is so amazing.
Thank you, Abba
