Hello Friends,
I can’t believe that is it the end of South Africa. This month has been so amazing! I seriously couldn’t have asked for a better month. Everything about this month was so great. I’m leaving South Africa filled, restored, and rejuvenated. I’m also leaving sad, but that is just a testament to how this month has been.
Ministry
This month my team was in Port Elizabeth working with Jerusalem Ministries in Walmer Township as well as in the Human Dignity Center. In the townships we put on two hour VBS programs and visited homes. At HDC we assisted the teachers in the classrooms and helped with after school care. On weekends we worked with Firehouse, the youth group at Lighthouse Family Church.
Ministry this month was so amazing. This has been the first month on the Race where I have been able to really connect with the ministry and the people we are ministering to and with. I loved this month. It has been my favorite month of the Race so far.
Lighthouse Family Church has been so amazing. These people blessed so much. They welcomed us into their church and their youth group. They truly treated us life family. Treating us to breakfast and coffee, inviting us into their homes, helping us when the power was out, and simply just doing life with us. It felt so much life home. Having friends to call and hangout with and people to go to when you need an outside perspective. So many people from the church prayed with us and for us, spoke truth over us, and encouraged us. My heart is truly sad to leave PE but, I know I will be back.
Swaziland
Next month we will head to Swaziland. I’m so excited for next month! Firstly, the men and women of E squad will be splitting up for the month and doing ministry separately as just men and just women. Because of this we have been placed onto new teams for the month. I’m can’t tell you how sad I am to be separated from the lovely ladies I have been able to do life with for the past few months, but I am excited to be on a smaller team of only 5 girls and with girls haven’t had much opportunity to get to know yet. I don’t exactly know what ministry will look like this month but I think it will be really good. Please be praying for all of us as we head into Month 8 (WHHHAAATTTT?!?!) of the World Race.
Next month is also finally the month that parents will be joining us in the field for one week. I personally am super excited for this. I will I’m sure present it’s challenges as every week on the Race dose, but I am excited to share a little bit of this experience with the parents. Please be praying for our moms and dads as they prepare for this trip. Pray for them as they pack (they are only allowed a carry on). Pray that the Lord will prepare their hearts for what He has in store for them this week (Feb. 17-22). Pray for conversations that may need to have and the boldness to share the things the Lord has been teaching us and put on our hearts for our families. Pray for ears to hear and hearts to understand. I have huge hopes for this trips. Please pray as well for our parents safety as they travel from the States to Johannesburg and then from Jo’burg to Swaziland. Travel day are not joke and ware you out. Pray that they would be ready to hit the ground running.
Challenge, Lessons, and Goals
I realized that for the last two months, maybe more, that I have left this section out in my monthly updates. Sorry about that.
This month, for me, was just what the doctor ordered. Coming out of Nepal I was feeling drained and done. I gotten myself into a place of complacency mixed with apathy. This sort adventurous gypsy lifestyle has become normal and honestly not that exciting anymore. I neglected my time with the Lord. I was really feeling the grind of the Race. I didn’t realize how much I was feeling it until being PE for about a week.
I found myself not speaking up about how I was feeling, the things the Lord was teaching me, or the ways I was being challenged in or needed encouragement in. I didn’t speak up if something was bothering me. I didn’t really challenge my teammates of call them up in the Lord. I was just tired. I know it was selfish, but that is where I was. Feeling burnt out.
I am so blessed to have the team that I had these last three months. They show me so much grace everyday, they make laugh, and love me so well. When I finally was able to share these things with the they understood. A lot of them feeling the same way.
I learned again this month the importance of spending time with the Lord and the importance of spending time alone processing and recharging. Neglecting these things hurts me because I feel the grind much more and it hurts my team because I’m fully there and fully with them. I’m not calling them out or encouraging them to the fullest of my ability.
Next month my goal is to be more intentional about my introvert time. To take the time in need to hear from the Lord and to just be with the Lord and to take the time I need to get rest and recharge. I also want to be more intentional with my team. Praying for them, getting to know their hearts, and building them up.
Fundraising
Here is the skinny on support raising. I am still waiting on two known donation to post in my account. Once they have posted I will still be $1,734 short of my goal. If this amount is not in my account by Month 8 debrief (the end of February) then I will not be able to continue with the World Race and I will have to go home.
I truly believe that going home is not what the Lord has for me. That He called me to this Race and that He will provide the funds for me to be able to finish. Next month I will have no internet so I won’t be able to check my support account or really be very active as far as support raising goes. Please pray and consider donating to help me stay on the World Race. Any amount helps. I can’t thank you enough those of you who have helped me and supported me on this journey. Everything from helping me pay for gear, to donating specifically to my tripe, helping me pay for postage to send out letter, giving me mad money for the airports. It doesn’t go unnoticed. I am beyond grateful for each of you. I continue to pray for the Lord to bless you for your enormous generosity.
Please pray for myself and the rest of my squamates who are not fully funded as we continue to work to be. Please pray for new creativity in fundraising ideas and for trust in the Lord as we wait on His provision.
If you would like to donate to help me to stay on the World Race you can go to my blog, jessicaravinjohnson.theworldrace.org and click the support me button. It will take you directly to the page to make an only donation. Just follow all the prompts. There is NO PROCESSING FEE to make online donations any more and all your donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
Thank you again for all your support. I’m truly humbled by each of you.
Prayer
This month you can be praying for my new team, Team Crash and Burn, as we head into this next month together. Pray for our safety in country and as we travel to Swaziland. Pray for us and our parents as we prepare for PVT. Pray for myself and squamates as we continue to support raise to become fully funded.
Also I have taken on the new role as treasurer on my team. Pray that the Lord would help me to steward well the money we have worked so hard to raise. Pray that the Lord would give me discernment and wisdom in spending team money.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. It means so much.
