I spent this past month living in the African bush in Botswana. My home was my tent, which surprised me and provided me my best sleep on my Race. The weather was wet and rainy the majority of the time which blessed us with cooler weather. My team, Hallelujah, was matched up with another team, Covenant, which reunited me with two former teammates, Nicole and Ali and provided me comfort, community, and familiarity.
I had many fears traveling into the month of January about what life in the African bush would be like. Would we have enough to eat? We were cooking for 15 people and grocery shopped for the entire month in just one shopping trip. Despite that, we ate well all month; fishes and loaves were all up in our pantry.
Would we be safe? Yes, the bugs were enormous, but if millipedes and mice were our biggest safety concerns, I’d say we were doing pretty well.
Would ministry be fruitful? Each morning we spent evangelizing in the surrounding villages & each afternoon we spent in children’s ministry. I met beautiful people, heard incredible stories, laughed alongside many children, and saw God’s handiwork here deep in Botswana.
It has continually blown me away how God’s hands have been all over us here in Botswana. He took what should have been the most uncomfortable of circumstances and turned it into a time to process, a time for us to be very present and intentional with each other, and a time to rejoice in the small victories, small joys and small simple laughs.
Some of my favorite small joys and laughs from this month are:
Living next to a delta (watering hole) and watching the hippo that lives there swim around
Our costco size containers of smooth peanut butter
Drinking water that tastes like blood (super high iron content) and looks like pee
Eating salt and sand in everything
Taking a total of 13 hours to get groceries, sim cards & cash from the ATM
That a mouse ate a hole in my airporter and built a nest inside it where it lived until I rudely opened it at the end of the month to repack
My favorite; that I couldn’t get out of the bus on the drive into Botswana when I had the diarrhea sweats and shakes because of the high risk of a lion attack. (This is a great story, ask me about it in 5 months)
Team Hallelujah and Covenant were well protected this month in Seronga, Botswana. We were kept physically safe, given tremendous sunsets & lighting storms, and had our steps guided to the right people to speak with to build relationships. We were given the right words to speak to plant seeds that I know God will keep well watered, protected and allow to bloom into something beautiful. Botswana, you provided me challenges, triumphs, belly laughs, breathtaking views and a deeper understanding of God’s character. And for that I am forever grateful. You will be missed!
Much love from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean
Elizabeth
