I always heard the older girls saying it, “leave your heart out on the mat!” It sparked inspiration in me and I wanted to give it my all. I was in 9th grade and on the JV competitive cheer team. I loved seeing the older girls give their all each time they performed, but after every performance I stepped off the mat and felt the same. I didn’t understand how to leave my heart out there. Truthfully, I wasn’t as passionate about cheerleading as the older girls. I couldn’t figure out how to leave my heart out on the mat, because my heart wasn’t in it. Cheerleading didn’t bring me any real joy or change my life or make something come alive in me like it did with the other girls. I was envious of the older girls for having such a passion for it, but cheerleading just wasn’t my passion.
But Africa.
But these people.
But God…He brings me real joy. He’s absolutely changed my life in ways I didn’t think possible. He has awakened new life in me that no sport or hobby could bring out.
For the last few days, the phrase “leave your heart out on the mat” has been on repeat in my head. The memory of so badly wanting to give all I had to cheerleading was fresh in my mind. And for the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve successfully left my heart on the mat.
This mat is a lot different than the one from 9th grade. This one has 100 degree temperatures, enough mosquitos to suck out all of my blood, dirt covering every square inch, early mornings full of bread and jam, days full of teaching classes and doing chores in the heat, piles full of dirty laundry that never seems to get that clean smell back… and 11 strong, honest, and determined teenage boys who are going to change the nation of Mozambique for God. And this is the mat that I’ve finally left my heart out on.
I never expected to feel such a passion for people I’ve only just met who don’t even speak the same language as me or are so different from me. I came to Mozambique scared that I didn’t have enough to offer them, but God taught me a valuable lesson through that fear. For our final bible class of the month, I read off the paper, “If you want to invite Jesus into your heart to live with you forever, I want you to raise your hand right now.” Ms. Lola translated into Portuguese and Taylor and I anxiously waited to see if at least one of the eleven boys would raise their hand.
We had a plan. When a boy raised his hand, we would send him off with a guy from our team to talk one on one about what it means to invite Jesus into his heart and how to do it. Imagine the look on our faces when all 11 boys raised their hand. We had to quickly improvise a new plan because we had 11 boys and 1 translator. One-on-one wasn’t going to work. We split the boys into groups of 3 or 4 and sent them off with one of the guys from our team to pray together.
Man, I can’t even tell you how much that blessed my heart. To know that these boys who are rising above poverty through education, life skills, and hard work are so eager to have my sweet Jesus in their hearts. You see, I don’t have anything myself to offer these boys that will really benefit them and give them a brighter future. BUT, what I was able to give them is the opportunity to invite Jesus into their hearts, and let Him transform their lives. I am the hands and feet of the gospel. It’s not by my good deeds or by my strength or courage that these boys will be changed, but by God’s mercy and grace and love.
I wish I could leave this place promising these boys a future full of financial wealth, health, and happiness, because they sure do deserve it. But even better, I leave this place knowing that I am leaving them in God’s hands, the best place any of us could ask to be. And right along with that, I am leaving behind a huge chunk of my heart with these precious people of Mozambique!
