I leave for training camp in 16 days, 14 hours and 17 minutes. Launch is another 59 days after that. This feels incredibly close and also light-years away. I am excited, and now nervous, as I think about this. I wasn’t nervous four hours ago, but I also wasn’t allowing myself to fully process the reality and gravity of this life change four hours ago.
I am actually leaving the country on August 1st for essentially 1 year. I am leaving family, friends, cat and job. I am exiting my life as I know it, so that God can use my life as he needs it. Sheesh! What am I doing? Haha! This is good though. I am glad. I am relieved. I am ready. I want this. I couldn’t be more sure of it, even if I am slightly nervous.
That said, pray for me. Pray for bravery. Pray for me to be fully engaged in the ministry, and to not let opportunities to love people like Jesus would love them slip by me. Pray for my family, and pray for my heart as I leave those I love. I will miss them fiercely; I already do.
Okay, enough mush. As promised, information on where I am going…
First Stop is My Motherland: Africa
Ma mère est née au Nigeria et elle a élevé au Cameroun comme une missionnaire, donc la culture africaine c’est une partie de moi. Les premiers pays que nous visitons sont le pays de l’Afrique du Sud, le Zimbabwe, la Zambie et le Malawi. (pardon me if my French is terrible. It has been a while :))
Now in English…
My mom was born in Nigeria and raised in Cameroon as a missionary kid, so African culture is a part of who I am, hence “my motherland.” The first countries we will visit are South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.
South Africa is the first country on the list, and might be the one I am most looking forward to living in. If you have ever read Cry the Beloved Country, you will know why I have heart for it. South Africa has a long-standing history of racism and segregation, the effects of which still impact life there today. My team and I will spend much of our time in the school system: teaching classes, life skills and investing in students. I am excited for all aspects of this. I love working with youth. I love giving people hope, and I never want someone to feel undervalued.
Zimbabwe is stop #2 on the African portion of our route. This will be the site of my first African birthday (hooray!). This land-locked, south African country has struggled to find economic stability post-colonization, and continues to suffer from high levels of unemployment. In Zimbabwe, my team will be focused on encouraging the local church. We will help with services, attend church meetings, partner with them in their ministry efforts, and live in community with one another.
Zambia is the third stop on the race, and our greatest efforts will be focused on church planting here. This is going to be a fun new thing for me! I have always wanted to be involved in ministry startup, and now will be my time. We will focus much of our energies on youth and women’s ministry. We will be leading camps, hosting events, and helping women find their voices within the church and their communities.
Malawi will wrap up our African circuit. Malawi is considered one of the poorest countries in the world, but is also considered the “warm heart of Africa.” The last time I went to Africa, I went to a country that ranked 2nd or 4th from the bottom on the poverty scale, at that time. Those people had literally nothing, and yet they had no issue giving up their time, and even giving me the one chair that they had in their house, so that I (a complete stranger) could come in and tell them about a God that they didn’t even believe in. I expect that Malawi will offer me many similar lessons in joy, appreciation, relationships and sacrifice. We will be working with new believers in Malawi, and will have many opportunities to encourage them in their faith.
This will take us from August through November of 2019. After that, my team will be boarding a plane for Southeast Asia. In my next post, I will tell you more about what we will do in those countries. For now, I am apparently starting to get nervous (ever so slightly) about leaving, and am starting to have the first hints of pre-departure missing of people. Theretofore, let’s plan a phone call, a coffee date, a movie night or a 30 second hug soon. (:
I’ll be posting again shortly. Probably right prior to training camp, or right after.
Stay tuned,
Liesl
P.S. We are over 70% funded!! Oh my goodness. You all are wonderful, God is good, and I feel incredibly blessed. THANK YOU! Less than $6,000 left to raise. We can do this! If you want to support me, click “donate” above, or send me note and I can mail you a letter. 🙂 Thank you for all the encouragement and prayers. They have meant more than you know!
