Last Month Vs This Month

Last Month • This Month
November • December
Malaysia • Botswana
5th month in Asia • 1st month in Africa
I felt trapped and worthless • I felt alive and effective
Lived in a girls home in a suburb of Kuala Lumpur • Camped under a tree near the delta
Ministry assignment was to play with girls • Ministry assignment was village evangelism
Time alone = going for a run • Time alone = swinging in a hammock by the delta
New team – 3 new teammates 3 old ones • Worked with another team – 12 girls in all
Hot, rainy days with high humidity and AC • Dry scorching days w constant prayers for rain, no AC
Off days on a tropical island and in Singapore • Off days on a safari and camping in the bush

Got chased by dogs while jogging • Got charged by elephants while driving to our campsite
Went on walks to get iced coffees • Went on walks to check on the hippo in the backyard
Thanksgiving spent at a mall • Christmas at the Base with games, a feast, campfire and stars
Too much time on Facebook & Instagram •  Lucky to check email twice during the month
Saw almost no tangible spiritual fruit • Saw The Gospel preached and received almost every day

It’s really hard to not compare the two months. At the girls home in Malaysia I felt like I was useless, just playing Uno, and taking the girls to the park. I tried to share Bible Stories and teach them about God’s love but it felt like the girls that came to listen only did so to get a treat or reward. I left feeling discouraged, and frustrated that we didn’t do anything.

This past month we spent a week training and practicing a Gospel presentation for the people in the village. Then we went on a walk every day and stopped at every hut that had people and asked if we could talk to them. Every single home we went to welcomed us in. As we shared about the love of God, His forgiveness of sins and the simple message of confessing your sin and trusting Him with your life, a crowd gathered. One woman who had stopped by said “I am so happy to hear what you are saying. I know you are messengers from God. Will you please come and share this with my family at my house?” 

Our second day visiting people in the village, we asked two young men to translate for us. They came and joined us and it was obvious God was calling them to something bigger. They met us every day and translated the Gospel over and over for us. They went home and prayed and studied their Bibles, and when they had to travel to work at the cattle posts, they preached there too. They asked many questions, my favorite one was from the first day we met them, “I believe this is the truth, where can we go to learn more?” They will be beginning discipleship courses to be trained as evangelists in a few weeks.

In Botswana we had many beautiful conversations, we saw disciples being made, and we got to give away Bibles to the people who wanted to learn more and we passed out solar powered audio Bibles to the elderly people that wanted to teach their grandchildren. It was so clear that The Holy Spirit was working. Our time in Botswana was amazing, and so humbling. I’m writing from The Delta but Ill post this from South Africa. I am getting ready to leave this place with such peace and joy, knowing that God graciously used us this month. I know that people here know Him better because of the message we got to share.

But what about month 5? Just because I didn’t see results in Malaysia like I did in Botswana, does that mean that God wasn’t working there? Most of my time was spend playing games, with a few Bible lessons sandwiched in between. I left feeling discouraged, like we didn’t accomplish anything. Was it a waste of time?

To be honest, I don’t know, but I have to trust God. I have to believe that where He places me every month is where He wants me to be. And I believe there is a reason for it. That’s the lesson I’ve learned that I want to take with me from the past two months. 

Sometimes we see results, and sometimes we don’t. But do I trust that God has a purpose for the dry times as much as the fruitful seasons? It’s hard for me. I want to see that what we are doing is making a difference. 

Because that feels good. 

But I didn’t sign up for this to feel good. I signed up because I wanted to be obedient to what God was asking me to do. 

I think Month 5 was almost more significant for me than any other. Because I can look back and see that God was working through the Bible Stories I shared about Daniel in a circle of girls who desperately wanted attention, just as much as when people crowded around me to hear the Gospel. God can use a walk to the park as much as a solar powered audio Bible. He does ALL the work in the hearts of these broken and lost people. That includes me. He just lets us be a part of it in any way He sees fit. My role is insignificant. And I’m okay with that. I just need to be obedient to the way He moves. 

This is the lesson I want to take home from The Race. I want to be faithful in the small things God lines up for me. I want to do a better job of loving people in His name. And if He asks me to do something with visible and tangible results, that’d be awesome. But if not, I hope and pray my faith has grown enough to trust that as long as I obey whatever He asks of me, it’s enough. 

Because He is enough.

**Update from South Africa…learning even more about trusting God….

My teammate and I have been assigned to go rogue and look for new contacts in Durban. No host, no accomodations, no ministry contacts, just following God’s leading. So wherever God tells us to go, we go. Our first day out Jenn, Sarah and I walked out the door and said “Ok God, where do you want us to go?”

We all felt right, so we headed right from the doorstep and stopped at the next corner waiting for God’s direction. And then….

Out of nowhere an older woman came up behind us out of nowhere and said “Where are you going?” We answered “Well, we don’t know. We’re trusting God.”

She smartly replied “Well that’s great, but you still need to know where you’re going.” I cracked up. 

We told her we were missionaries looking for new contacts and she directed us to a church and a Christian Guest House. As she was pointing out directions we noticed a Jesus fish tattoo on her arm. This woman looked about 65 or 70 years old but she had a pretty fresh tatt. 

So we went to the church where they connected us with their NPO that comes alongside at least 75 other NPO’S to support them and help them carry out their mission better. At our follow up meeting today we made several solid contacts for future World Race teams. The supporting ministry is called We Are Durban and they are doing AWESOME work! Check it out at wearedurban.com

After we left the church we went to the guest house our tattooed friend from the corner directed us to and there we met the manager. He told us about their programs and introduced us to some other awesome missionaries traveling through. Then he generously invited us to sit down to an amazing buffet lunch on the house. You can’t know how much of a HUGE blessing that was since we are living off of $10 per day including our hostel, transportation, and food. (I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to get a $5 coffee again without feeling guilty after all this) But the lunch was so delicious and just an awesome experience to see how God is taking care of us and directing us when we step out the door and ask where He wants us to go. 

So it will be a cool month to see how God directs us and use us. 

I’m trying to live this month with open hands, giving more than I’m receiving. We will see what God does. I was challenged by the words I wrote from Botswana, that even if the contacts from today are the only way direction God gives and we wander around aimlessly searching out churches and ministries for the next few weeks, I guess as long as we are obedient, that’s enough. 

Because He is enough.