Nepal has been an absolutely amazing month.
This month we’ve been working in slums with at-risk kids, in a women’s center teaching English, tutoring kids, and we just got back from a weekend trip to a tiny village in the middle of nowhere where we got to minister to the believers and preach on Saturday (Nepali church is on Saturdays, not Sundays). I’ve loved every minute of it!
It’s been an incredible month of growth too. Between continuing my own personal growth to getting to know and dive deeper with my new team, it’s been a super rewarding month and has helped to renew my energy levels and excitement, which, I’m not gonna lie, were the lowest they’d been on the Race after India.
So now, we’re leaving for our sixth country, Rwanda, on Thursday.
Wait, WHAT!!??
I almost don’t believe it, but my squad is now entering our sixth country and are roughly halfway through our World Race. It seems like just last week we were at training camp, like yesterday that we were in Atlanta getting ready to fly to Colombia; but that was five months ago!?!?
Wow.
I’ve had some good reflections lately, as I process where I’ve been, what the Lord has taught me and brought me through, and where I’m going. And basically, when I look back, there are many ways in which I’ve grown and changed and so many things I’ve learned. A few of them include:
What it looks like to be mature in my faith and walk.
Who I truly am in Christ.
How to use a squatty potty. (This is very important!)
How to lead a group of men.
How to have hard conversations and/or conflict in a healthy manner.
How to eat with my hands. (Ok, I’ll admit, I kinda already had this one down)
How to fit into whatever ministry wherever we are.
How to live out of a single backpack. (Trust me, you really don’t need that much! For real, if you aren’t questioning whether you have enough to get by, you have too much.)
How to not have my heart break every time we leave a ministry… actually, I still haven’t learned this one.
These are only a few of the things I’ve learned so far, and while I can’t believe the Race is almost half over, I also can’t believe I’ve been traveling for five months now. I look back, and in a way, it almost feels like a dream. The people I’ve met, places I’ve been, amount I’ve grown and seen God… so much has happened that at times the last five months seem like an eternity.
All that being said, as the halfway mark approaches, I’m a mixture of emotions. I’ve grown so much and yet still have so much more to learn. I’ve had times where I want to stay where I’m at forever, and times where I’ve missed home.
Really, at the end of the day, I’m incredibly thankful to my amazing Father for all He’s allowed me to see and grow the past few months, and I’m so excited for the future because I know He has so much more in store for me, my team, and my squad.
Thank you to everyone for all the prayers and support so far!
You guys are so incredible!
Please be praying for open doors and closeness as a team as we embark on the next four months in Africa, and that we will continue to see God move and work in incredible ways.
“I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6
So, “I press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:14
God Bless!
-Ben
