Malealea Village, Lesotho
The most beautifully breathtaking place I have ever seen. Let me tell you what a typical day is like- 6:30-7:00 we go on a walk, usually going to the river at the base of the mountain! From 7:00-8:00 we have quiet time and then breakfast! After breakfast we have a 30 minute (sometimes longer) walk to the village where we stay until 12:30. In the villages we do laundry for people, sweep their houses, help with dishes or really just anything they may need! Then we go back to our base, which he the way is incredible! This base has a church, bunk rooms, a kitchen, gardens, the host’s home and a preschool! We have lunch there and from 2:00-4:00 we do physical labor! That can look like gardening, moving rocks or anything that needs to get done around our new home.
It already has been SO eventful. Especially our very first day, one that was crazy/ miracle-filled! It was raining off and on as we walked to the valley of Malealea to explore it for the first time, it was really exciting! After being shown everything we headed back to the base when it started to storm. Our group took shelter under some trees, a few of them leaning against a fence. Suddenly I saw a bolt of lightening touched the ground behind the fence, sending a shock up the pole and onto our new Basotho friend, Batang. I watched her get shocked… she jumped off the fence in fear, wearing it on her face. Next thing I know I see her fall onto the ground, her body posturing, stiff as a board. Our ride, by the grace of God, showed up right then. We loaded her in, having to check her pulse, she was still breathing. Everything was going by so quickly. As we got to the clinic and took her out of the car, we all gathered around and prayed while holding her. We prayed for healing all at the same time, me trying to hold her clenched fist. My friend, Daniella, prayed for her muscles to relax and to wake up. As soon as the words “wake up” were spoken, her eyes opened and her body went limp! THANK YOU JESUS. It was one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen- true healing right in front of my eyes. We took her into the clinic and all she needed was a shot. And now guess what? She doesn’t remember a thing about it, no trauma at all!! It all happened at once so I’m sure that I’m leaving things out, just know it was and incredible miracle.
ANOTHER unexpected, shocking story. Or should I say… culture shocking.
This past weekend I did the craziest, most last minute thing of my life! Saturday morning me and two of my teammates woke up at 3:00am to do an 11 mile/ 9 hour hike to a rural village on the other side of the mountains. A group of Lesotho people that have never been reached, a village that has never had visitors. We went with a group of South African students that we had met just a few days before! From Saturday to Tuesday we lived in small huts called Rondovals, ate traditional African food and didn’t understand a thing because of the language barrier. We went door to door meeting new people and telling them about God. A total of 26 people came to know the Lord!! 26 PEOPLE. It was the most mentally and physically challenging thing I have ever done in my life, no exaggeration. I’ve never experienced culture shock like that before. Again, there are many more details to this but it would take a novel to explain it all. Also, I am still processing because I just got back yesterday! I was so uncomfortable but it grew me SO much. After we hiked back, my body completely shut down on me. I was shaking uncontrollably and had a fever, I was so exhausted because in the span of 4 days we hiked probably 24 miles total. I am much better now and would not trade that experience for anything!
And these are only two of the many things that have happened while I’ve been here in Lesotho! What a crazy life I’m living. I’m so grateful. Thank you for reading this!!
