Things have been
eventful this month. I remember less than 3 months ago, while in Ireland we had
the opportunity to gather with all the world racers out on the field for a time
of refreshing. During the conference we talked with folks who had just left Africa
as they passed the baton to us entering Africa.
The folks leaving said basically that they were ready to leave Africa.
This concerned so. So I turned to my team leader at the time, Sydney, who had
been to Africa before and questioned, “Syd
are we gonna be ready to leave too?� She comforted me saying, “No! you’re
gonna love it!� And that has been true so far, especially last month.
However
somewhere around a week ago, I started to miss America. Of course I miss my
friends & family…but America-that was new for me. When I found out in grade
school I could renounce my US citizenship I was ready. Something in me has been
disgusted with America just below the surface for years. And I’ve longed to go
to Africa for more than 7 years. SO what
is this wanting to go to America and
leave Africa? I didn’t understand…still don’t fully, but boy am I READY
TO LEAVE. The things I identified a week ago that made me want to be IN
America weren’t blueberries, a washing machine, nor running water. It was the
realities, well the opportunity for the realities, I have back home like a church body to really RUN with (Downtown Hope, The Uprising, OR a new one), people who move & walk boldly in prayer (the Mike & Kim Baker (love you guys!) among others), and friends
who evoke & encourage radical faith & crazy Kingdom living (I constantly thought of Adam Tedford & John Anello, among
MANY MANY MANY others.) And while I find it a bit odd to want to leave the very
place I’ve longingly prayed over for years, I also find it a bit encouraging.
WHY?
Well it has
birthed a fresh vision & eager hopefulness for Kingdom work in America.
(Many will be glad to hear that…🙂 ) It has also opened my eyes
to see ways to invest in the church there, knowing that faithfulness is greater
than I realize.
Oh but I’ll be back to Africa again,
that’s not a question. 🙂
Last week I
had Malaria. I was feeling a little off, so I went in and had a simple blood
test done. It came back with 2 parasites of Malaria. So I took some 24 hour
treatment than caused horrible side effects. But two days later I was up and
feeling good. I went back out with my team, who also had Malaria, to do
ministry. We were praying at a hospital and I passed out. More than any thing
it was scary. I woke up and didn’t understand where I was or what was going on.
Honestly, without being dramatic, passing out has gone to be THE most
traumatic & scariest thing that’s ever happened to me. Though I’ve
never been in one, I think it would be like a car wreck. Afterwards most people
are shocked & nervous to get back in a car. Such was the case for me. I
knew that the passing out episode was more warfare than anything else. So I
didn’t want to go back out and do ministry. I
mean what if it happened again? But then again I didn’t want to yield to
fear and sit frightened in my room.
I
went back to the clinic and found out I had 4 parasites of Malaria. (That was
their natural explanation of me feeling great & then passing out.) So I had
people at home keep praying for healing, PEACE,
& protection. The clinic gave me a lovely shot in the rear & planned to
give me 4 more, one per day. The first one didn’t make me feel any better, but
worse. So I decided to skip the clinic the second day and go to the very best
hospital we could drive to. There they gave me an IV of fluids, B-12, a stomach
acid reducer (malaria causes increased stomach acid), & something to stop
the nausea so I could eat. This made me feel M U C H better!!! They ran LOTS of
tests and found NO SIGN OF MALARIA! (I made them check twice.) God healed me!!! Praise the Lord!!!!! All my blood
levels were normal, so literally there was nothing wrong. I had them run every
possible test to check for everything & they all came back normal! No
Worms. No Parasites. No nothing. The Doctors told me I was just feeling the side
effects of the drugs the clinic had given me…which could last a week.
PRAISE JESUS FOR HEALTH!!!!
So I regained
my strength & rested for the next 2 or 3 days as I processed everything
that had gone down. Now I’m feeling great! I can eat normal amounts of food
again. And I even bought Pringles to snack on…I’m grateful for the BP gas
station a little walk away from our house here in Dar Es Salaam. I have more
peace too. I’m still a little shaken up from the passing out warfare stunt, but
I’ve regained the will to FIGHT BACK. One of my friends gave me a letter to bring on the trip that I
was to read when I felt DEFEATED. The day after the hospital I felt like there
was no better time to pull it out. It really encouraged me to STAND FIRM &
FIGHT. It also reminded me of my all time favorite Bible Verse:
“But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be steadfast, immoveable, ALWAYS abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.�
-1 Cor. 15:57-58
I’ll tell you
what, reading & choosing to believe the Word of God rather than what I am
feeling has been what got me through this time that I would have loved to get
on the FIRST flight to America. Well that & all the people praying for
me….thank you so much for praying for me. It was encouraging to know people
were praying and believing with me. (I love guys at FNF & The Uprising!!!)
I haven’t
gone back to the hospital that I passed out at. I’ve decided not to. But I will
be fighting back against the enemy and doing ministry this last week we are
here in Tanzania. A lot of our ministry here is just hanging out with the
family, teaching English, doing house-to-house evangelism, and sharing what God
is saying. So I’m daily choosing to step back into these things step-by-step.
