But I’ll choose the bush again any day.
We have been so spoiled in Livingstone. It’s hard to believe all of the amazing things we will be leaving behind as we continue our journey.
- Our phenomenal ministry contacts Sanderson and Lweendo. This couple leaves me speechless. The love they have for The Lord and for people is incredible. It is so exciting to see how passionate they are about sharing Christ with those around them. It has most definitely been an honor to work beside them.
- The variety of ministry we have encountered. I’m not one who is prone to routine, so the fact that we had several different ministry outlets weekly was easing. We would spend a few hours at one ministry then break for lunch and spend some time at another ministry, visiting each ministry a few times during the week. God is working in miraculous ways in each avenue which is such a blessing to see. I am so thankful for this because I had the opportunity to meet so many people and hear oodles of stories!
- The house we live in. I will miss this place for sure! It was paradise. In walking distance to grocery stores, internet, coffee and donuts every morning, this place became my home. It’s huge-we had furniture, a dining room table, a kitchen, a closet, a nightstand, refrigeration, a beautiful yard, but most importantly a toilet I could SIT on AND flush! If ever I return to Zambia, I hope they have this place on reserve for me.
As far as environmental challenges go, it hasn’t been extremely demanding on us here.
This past weekend we were finally presented with a test- THE BUSH. No lie, I was pumped! I had been looking forward to off the beaten path Africa so I was quite ready. I minimalized my things for the weekend, taking only the necessities. Obviously soap didn’t make that list. 😉 We met up with a missionary couple Dan and Regina who organized the base camp in the village. In addition they had the Mandate group with them out of Oregon. Together, we piled in the back of a canter truck for our expedition into the wild.
Challenge accepted!
The campsite was better than expected. We had great food and hot tea available to us every day, the ministry was booming in the area, and we had a beautiful thatch roof awning to get away from the sun and share meals. The trial wasn’t learning to survive in the bush. The trial, surprisingly, was seeking Christ there. Our team was constantly disconnected from the way the Spirit was moving throughout the village due entirely to a lack of comfort. It was so easy to get caught up in personal feelings. We needed to WANT to do His work out there instead of looking for opportunities to sit under the thatch roof haven.
This weekend The Father opened my eyes to a new way of seeing Him. Through the children’s ministry I connected with a sweet sweet girl named Loveness. Her innocent smile and gentle voice made my heart so happy, it melted. I got to instruct the kids, with a puppet named Musa, on how to wash their hands. (For those of you who know me well enough-this is quite ironic. If you don’t know me that well…now you do.) I met a man who broke his pelvis a few years ago and it was never put back correctly. The faith this man has to get up to walk a couple miles on crutches to get to church every Sunday makes me question my own. I heard testimonies from the folks with Mandate. The stories of the way God has changed their lives is so relatable and touching. It has made me more aware of the opportunities presented to me to ask people about their lives and share a piece of mine. However, my favorite approach in enjoying His presence this weekend was through the nature around me. The first night I saw stars like I’d never seen in my life! So many and so bright, I nearly passed out. I could have stayed outside all night admiring their splendor. The river was so beautiful and made everything green. The second night I witnessed a lightening storm across the river. To see the rain and the lightening on the Zimbabwe side and be sitting on the Zambia side completely dry was the weirdest, most intriguing sight. Gods glory was unmistakable in the bush.
The chance to witness The Lords power and movement is everywhere. It’s where you are comfortable, but it’s also where you are uncomfortable. We should take one look at any person or situation and ask Him, “what are you doing here and how can you use me?” It may be that He chooses you to be His mouthpiece or He could influence you through someone else. Be Kingdom minded!
Don’t pass up those two birds in the bush.
Just because you are already holding one, doesn’t mean the others are any less beautiful.
