I’ve been on the World Race for just over 5 months now; you could say I’m growing worldly.
Wordly in the sense that I am experiencing things that I may not have experienced if I had stayed at home this year.
If I was at home in my mom’s kitchen, I wouldn’t be able to tell you that I sampled a Caterpillar last month in Zambia. If I was at home in Canada this year, I wouldn’t be able to tell you that my team has travelled around in the back of pick-up trucks on various occasions to get from place to place. I couldn’t tell you that we’ve crammed more than the “correct” number of people into a vehicle. If I was at home at my local church, I wouldn’t be able to write and tell you about the several churches and their services I have been able to join over the course of the past 5 months. Some with practices much different than what I am familiar with.
I’m presently dwelling in my sixth country of the race, sixth church ministry, second continent, and working on my 5th new language.
My picture of the world is growing bigger and bigger each day that passes and I am experiencing God in so many new ways.
Last month my team was living in Zambia, working with Destiny School. We were able to fill the need in various classrooms in need of teachers, and we also helped out with various administrative tasks. One of my teammates created a website for the school as well. Feel free to check it out! Click here.
I loved our time at Destiny School – I refined some of my classroom management skills(some classes had up to 40 students), and was able to see how the school blesses and encourages children who may not otherwise be able to afford an education.
While in Zambia we were able to take a 5 day trip to a more remote village, Mumbwa, to see what ministry looks like there. While there, we participated in a couple days of door to door evangelism where we were able to meet and pray with various families. Witchcraft is predominant in some parts of Africa, and we ran into a couple people who had experienced the effects of this. We prayed with them and brought encouragement and messages of God’s peace in the midst of their distress. While in Mumbwa we led various Bible studies and spoke at one of the village churches. We were able to lead the congregation in a few Bemba (one of the local languages) songs that we had learned. It was such a beautiful picture of worshipping together in multiple languages; a glimpse of what I hope is to come in eternity.
Each time I have stepped into a new country, city, church or ministry, I am excited to see what I can learn from them to grow my “worldly” perspective.
This month my team is working with PopUp Ministries here in Pretoria. An organization where individuals can come and learn basic life skills and also gain knowledge in waitressing, sewing, hospitality among other things. We are helping coordinate some devotionals for the learners that come through the program. We have helped build some greenhouses that will help grow fresh produce, and we are also assisting with a 3 week course at another location 30 minutes out of Pretoria. So far it has been a great learning experience, and I am looking forward to sharing more with you as the month progresses!
There is so much we can learn from those we meet, be it in South Africa, Canada, the Dollarama line, the classmate sitting next to you, or where ever you are. Learning new things about the world and people around us isn’t poisonous – it grows us J Like Miracle Grow.
As I keep on being worldly here in South Africa – be encouraged that you can do the same wherever in the world you are.
‘Til Next time!
