Africa…
a place, a culture, a life that I was most looking forward to experiencing when I applied for the World Race. When talking to people who had been before I would so often hear, “There’s just something about it that you can’t explain”. I didn’t understand what they meant by this until one day on the race I stepped off of a plane and stepped into Malawi. And I suddenly understood. It was in the air, it was in the smiles of the people, in was in the desert horizon that goes on for miles, it was in the red dirt roads…there’s just something about it that is unexplainable. You feel these things and they excite you, they overwhelm you…but then you remember that it’s also month 10 of the World Race. There’s a part of you that wants nothing more than to just coast through the next two months, to make it home to your family, your friends, Texas sweet tea, and QUESO [although after todays experience with cheese I’m not sure my body’s quite ready for that…]! And in all honesty, that would be easy. It would easier to coast through than to be present, to go to ministry and do the bare minimum and then come back to the house and check out. We’ve exerted ourselves for nine months now; we’ve poured our hearts into nine different ministries, nine different countries, three different teams, and hundreds of different people. It’s easy to tell ourselves that we’ve done enough; that we’ve made a difference. As if making it to the last leg of the race is an excuse to stop short. Except have you ever seen someone win a race by stopping 100 meters short of the finish line? Reality check.
Before this 11 months journey began, I thought for sure that the last two months would be the easiest. But now I think they may be the most difficult. Each morning I wake up and have to make a conscious effort to be mindful, to be present, and most importantly to be thankful. And when I do, those are the days on the race that I remember most.
Just before heading to Africa our squad had team changes. I was placed on a team with all girls [my entire race up until now has been with a coed team] and I was skeptical. My initial thought was more drama, more emotions, more work. But today [3 weeks into month 10] I can’t imagine finishing the race with anyone else. There’s an incredibly beautiful thing about being surrounded by a team of girls who are all on fire for the Lord. To encourage one another, to challenge one another, to hold each other accountable, and to call each other higher; so that we don’t go home wishing we had done more, and so we can enter into the next season of life the same way that we end this one. With boldness, with passion, with excitement.
Here are some of the moments this month that remind me to give thanks for this extraordinary life I get to live
The time we walked through a school playground and were followed by 100+ children chanting AZUNGU, AZUNGU, AZUNGU! [which means “white people” in Chichewa]
The time we prayed healing over people and truly believed with BOTH my mind and heart that they could be healed if that’s the Lords will
The time we spoke to a group of high school students with boldness and passion about living out a life for the Lord
The time we made friends and shared Jesus with two refugees from Congo
The time we stayed up all night to worship and give thanks to Jesus
The time we sat on the back porch and fried banana donuts over an open flame with mama Bishop
And these are just a few….
“Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
