A freakin Chrisrmas to remember!!
If you would have asked me a week ago if I was excited about spending my Christmas camping in the middle of the bush of Africa, my response would be “no”. Straight up had nothing good in my mind about spending Christmas camping, all I could think about was how hot I would be and that tents are not equipped with neither AC nor wifi. All I want to do is be in the semi cold Georgia weather with all my friends and family. Or the alternative, staying in Maun, Botswana in our AC equipped house with wifi to call home on Christmas morning to see my parents, at least!
Little did I know, or would have dreamt in my wildest dreams, that this Christmas would be one of the greatest ones yet and for sure one I will remember for ever.
We spent the first day of our trip to Samochema on a hot bus that was packed full of people. I slept and listened to music the majority of the way. After our 5 hour bus ride we finally arrived to a street in the middle of no where and the bus driver tells the team that this is our stop. We get off the bus to be greeted by a group of about 10 locals who were super excited to see us and welcomed us with all the hugs and handshakes. From there we followed them to their house where we were introduced to the ministry host of the branch church and what kind of ministry we would be doing.
The second day was super fun: we spent the morning planning for a children’s church we would be teaching later that day. We learned lots of games that are very popular in the African community here. That afternoon we walked to the church and taught a children’s church for 3 hours. Starting with a lesson on Jesus feeding the 5,000, then singing many fun songs and, then playing games. So. Many. Games. I played: train/tug of war, duck duck goose, mouse v. cat, long jump, and bank river. We ended with the kids singing us their Setswana worship songs! That day I saw kids with true joy radiating off of them. I was dragged through the dirt, got thorns in my feet, and lost all the games to kids 10 years younger than me. Life is too good.
The third day we got to meet the village chief to let him know why 14 Americans would be running around his village telling people about Jesus. He was cool. Very open to us being there and gave us some good encouragement. After that we walked to a nearby cluster of homes to evangelize. Let me tell you: this is WILD. We encountered OVER 30 people who had never even heard the name of Jesus. Wild. We sat down and talked to these people and walked them through the gospel and over 30 people decided that they wanted to become a Christian!!!! *YAY!!!!* so crazy. God put us in this village so intentionally and guided us to the right people at the right time so they could hear about Him and all His glory!!!
The fourth day weeeeeee saw crocodiles!!!! We went to a neighboring crocodile farm and actually got to help hatch newborn crocs! We toured the farm and saw crocodiles all the way up to 76 yrs old! After that we went to speak to a family about what ministries they have started in Samochema. They are doing great great things and I wish I remembered alllll of what they are working with and toward but tbh they do a ton and I don’t even think I would have enough space to tell you all about it. But one example is: they are starting a Setswana translation of the bible!!!! *praise!*
On the fifth day the team went out to evangelize and they brought the gospel to so so many more people!!! (I stayed back and rested due to a v bad headache) I drank coffee and read my bible while admiring all the ruralness surrounding me. Real beautiful. Later that day we went for a grocery run and ran into some really close friends from our squad that just so happened to be passing through the same town AND grocery store that we were camping in. God is good and He for sure gifts us with little treasures like that all the time.
The sixth day was Christmas Eve and we spent that morning getting the site of the church service in good condition. (Kinda felling like a mix of Cinderella and Annie while sweeping and mopping school floors) that afternoon we attempted to help our host carry water to their house and our camping area. Much harder than we originally thought. They are pros and I have a new respect for the ladies that carry water jugs on their heads back and forth from the water source 7+ times a day. That night we went to the church service and had some very different experiences than what we were expecting, but hey that’s where we grow the most 🙂
The seventh day I woke up and realized it was Christmas and opened up a gift I packed for myself 4 months ago while still in America. I opened: a new tshirt, new socks, some emergency, a real cute new bracelet (thanks hay!), and a family picture! Loved it all. Also Kaylee got me bright pink crocs! Yay!!! From opening gifts in my tent I opened my tent door to find a letter from some sweet girls on Team Agape. Love them, they are too sweet. From there, Aubrey gave us Starbucks instant coffee ANDDDD next months ministry site info!!!!!! such a gift and so excited to say I will be at Impact Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa for the next two months after Botswana! Yay! Later on we went to see the ferry and some wild crocodiles. After that we spent the majority of the day laying in the shade of a tree sharing our testimonies and doing some quality choir practice for our big Christmas night performance. That night we killed it at the church, rocking the place with our American styled Christmas songs.
While the week had its tough moments I know the good definitely outweighed the bad. There is truly nowhere else I could imagine I could have better spent my Christmas in 2017. God placed us in that little town in the middle of Botswana SO intentionally and I’m so thankful of that and all the good times spent there and all the growth it caused me to work through in my own life.
If you made it all the way through that, thank you. That was totally me just processing and putting out there what my week leading up to Christmas looked like and a very brief idea of what I experienced.
You rock.
Emily.
