As I prepare to leave in June for Kingdom Journeys (see this post for more details!), I want to share with you some of the stories from the Race that helped to shape this calling in me. What better place to begin than at the beginning?!?…. of the Race, that is! You may have read this story when I first posted it in January, but if you started following my journey a little later or meant to read this but it got lost in the shuffle, this is your official second chance!
Stories matter. Over and over I’m reminded that the Lord gifts us with a story to share. In the mutual sharing of stories, hearts are moved, people are transformed and change begins. There seems to always be a story to share amongst our team. Testimonies, jokes, retelling of life. Our house in Livingstone is greater than I could have imagined. A set of wicker furniture sits beside two small refrigerators in the living room. Each bedroom has a closet with shelves for our things. Our toilet flushes and our shower is indoors.(PRAISE JESUS!)
But the best part is the table. It only has space for 5, yet so much life seems to happen around it. Perhaps my heart has already been taught to appreciate the table due to my affection for Shauna Niequist. (Seriously. She’s awesome. Buy her books. Read her blog. She’s my favorite.) Her most recent book is entitled Bread and Wine: A love letter to life around the table. But I swear, my appreciation for our table is not just because of Shauna. Each day, I’ve written down highlights and memories in my day planner. Each day has included a line about the table. Between laughs over New Girl references and conversations about struggling with identity, the table has served as a place of wonder for me in Zambia.
Yesterday we were given the opportunity to spend a couple of afternoon hours at a local orphanage called SOS. Earlier in the week, we’d spent some time playing games with the kids who live there but the purpose yesterday was different. Our ministry contacts felt it was important to also spend some time with the mothers and caregivers of the children. As we settled into plastic chairs in a giant circle under an awning on the basketball court, I was humbled. What do I have to give to these mothers? These women have surrendered their lives to caring for these boys and girls as their own. Each lives full time in the home on SOS property caring for approximately 12 children each. I felt speechless.
The director of the organization asked us to split up and each spend some time one on one with one of the caregivers. For the next 45 minutes, I sat across from a beautiful woman named Ruth and was given the opportunity to hear her story. Ruth is 53 years old and has 4 grown children of her own. She’s been with SOS for the past 5 years. When I asked what drew her to this role, I could have burst into tears at her response. Ruth is HIV positive. At one point, she was incredibly sick and didn’t know what her immediate future would be. Ultimately, she received medication and began to heal and felt compelled to serve children who’d lost their parents. Looking deep into my eyes with her own full to the brim with tears she said “I thought that my children might live without their mother and I didn’t want other children to have to do that. Once I was better, I wanted to care for those who’d had parents in my situation.”
Today, I am so thankful for Ruth and the time we spent learning about one another. I’m grateful that even when I feel inadequate or unprepared, God is faithful to provide relationship that is mutually uplifting. I’m thankful for words and the power that they have to bring life. I’m glad to serve a God who is in the business of redeeming broken stories and turning our dust into beauty.
My time with Ruth was so precious and too short. Yet, it was a real place that I saw God’s restorative power in a life through story-telling. In hindsight, it’s almost funny to see the words that I used in this blog: “turning our dust into beauty”. Through Kingdom Journeys, I will have the opportunity to help host Beauty for Ashes retreats for women like Ruth and help to empower women to walk out the fullness of their identity in Christ.
This is the first in a series of story blogs that I’ll be posting over the next couple of weeks. Keep a look out for “Okra & the Holy Spirit” in the next several days.
