Hey party people! I hope all is well! So far Africa is amazing! The people of Rwanda are so great and the weather is surprisingly cool. For those reading who don’t know, I’ve been put on a new team! It consists of my friends Devin, David, Josiah, Molly, Lily, and myself! Together we are team Grace Alone! KWe’re having so much fun together and it’s great getting to know them more and more everyday.
I’ve only been here a week and so far Africa has done an amazing job of pushing me out of my comfort zone in quite a few ways. The first day my team and I arrived, Moses, our ministry host, was giving us a tour of his house. He showed us where we sleep, where we eat, and, best of all, where we go to the bathroom.
Yep, that’s right folks. We have a squatty potty. For those who may not know of such a thing, don’t fret. I’ll explain. A squatty potty is a hole that goes a good 20-25 ft into the ground. Since it’s just a giant hole there’s no seat. As told by the name, you have to squat. Doesn’t sound too bad right? Wrong. Coming from a Western way of toilet life, it’s so uncomfortable in every sort of way. It’s a tiny, dark, lizard/cockroach infested room that smells super bad. The smell alone is what I imagine Hell smells like. It’s “nicer” in the sense that it’s more affordable than a western toilet since no plumbing is needed and it’s better for your bowels. Those are the only good things about it. The squatty potty has first off given me a greater appreciation for western toilets. I’m pretty sure I will never complain about any toilet ever again. It has also helped me dive right into the way of life here. I was partially apprehensive to submerge myself completely, not knowing what to expect of Africa. God decided to give me a practical way to overcome that. Don’t you just love His sense of humor?
As funny as squatty potties are, they aren’t the only thing that have pushed my comfort zone. Something our ministry requires is preaching at church. When I first heard this my heart fell through my chest. I very much hate public speaking. I’m 100% the kind of person that would rather be in the background, not the spotlight. Getting up and talking in front of a bunch of random strangers was so terrifying to me. I gave my first ever sermon this past Tuesday. Something that helped me push through was the idea that I wasn’t the one in the spotlight. God was. My only job was to turn on the light. This is definitely something that the Lord is going to grow in me this month.
Another big thing that Africa has been teaching me is worshiping God doesn’t only mean singing. I personally hate dancing. The Rwandans have a different opinion. Dancing is HUGE here. On multiple occasions I have been asked to dance in front of people. For those of you who know me, I hope your laughing right now. The only thing that gets me through is knowing that my uncomfortableness is bringing glory to the Lord. I may not enjoy it in the moment but when everything is said and done it brings a smile to people’s faces and that’s pretty cool.
I’m so amazed at how much Africa has taught me in the short amount of time I’ve been here. I can’t believe I get to spend two months here learning and growing. The best part about pushing your comfort zone is you can’t go backwards. It makes you so much more open to things and that’s so awesome! I wonder what else the Lord will push me in during my time here.
Also, here’s a fundraising update! I’m roughly at $11,000 at the moment! That means I only have about $3,806 left to raise before the end of December! Praise God am I right? I remember when I only had $3,806, look how far the Lord has brought me! He provides in the most random ways and that will never cease to amaze me! To be honest, I don’t know how the rest of this money is coming through. What I do know is that God is faithful and He won’t let me down. If you want to help send me to Asia consider donating above!
What you can pray for:
My new team
Ministry hosts
Public speaking anxiety
Funding
I love and miss you all SO much! I hope the Lord reveals to you what you can do to move out of your comfort zone!
Peace out Brussels Sprouts,
Maddy 🙂
