Who knew that a rock could make such an impression?
“I waited patiently for the Lord;he turned to me and heard my cry.He lifted me out of the slimy pit,out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rockand gave me a firm place to stand.He put a new song in my mouth,a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” -Psalm 40:1-3
Big, immovable masses, some rocks are obstacles and annoyances, while others might provide a place where you can meet with God. In Swaziland last month, we had one of the most beautiful views of rolling mountains, jaw-dropping sunsets, and a winding river that looked like it was out of The Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
We would sit on this big rock, a rock that wouldn’t be characterized as beautiful in and out itself, to see some of the most gorgeous views of God’s creation. During the day, the sun would cascade over the endless mountain tops. At sunset, I would float through emotions of joy, awe, and wonder as the warm colors hit my eye line and spread through my heart. At night, I would be struck silent with a dumb and permanent smile on my face as I gazed at the stars. Like an expectant child, I’d whisper to my Daddy in heaven: “Please, just one shooting star.” I would giggle as He sent me a present, and I’d say, “Again, again!”
Other times, I would cry on the rock, completely overwhelmed by God’s glory, amazed at the immense selfless service and encouragement of my fellow squadmates, or struck silent by the injustice in the world. We were living at an orphanage, called El Shaddai, which housed over 40 orphans from a variety of difficult backgrounds. I was blessed beyond measures to be paired with a young, 13-year old girl named Bongiwe as my “buddy” for the month. I met with her for 2 hours, 5 days a week throughout the month, and she was always such an encouragement and joy. She was mature for her age, always looking for ways to serve, playful, and a great role model for her community. We listened to Demi Lovato, wrote poems, drew crazy drawings (hers were always better than mine), read the Bible, prayed, watched movies, and baked.
Important side note: I am not a baker, and this wonderful girl endured my burnt peanut butter cookies (which I called the cookies of Mordor). She also tolerated my lack of knowledge when we made a cake from scratch (meaning zero directions or amounts- literally just pouring ingredients into a bowl and hoping it turns out edible).
But Bongiwe’s life was not easy and her journey thus far has been difficult. And after talking to her and other children at El Shaddai about hardships, complications, injustices, and more, it broke my heart time and time again. When you are faced with difficult situations and heartbreaking stories, it’s easy to feel defeated. But I would look out from the rock, realize that the Almighty God of heaven knows better than anyone the injustice that exists, and know that the most powerful being in the universe is on the side of the oppressed and loves them more than I could ever imagine.
“For I, the Lord, love justice;I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my peopleand make an everlasting covenant with them.” -Isaiah 61:8
More than just an emotional catalyst, the rock was a big source of growth for me as well. I journaled, prayed, listened to Classical music in worship, had beautiful and encouraging conversations, and felt like I never walked away the same. God romanced me this past month, and I had so many dates with Him that made me feel so loved, cherished, and special. He is my true love, the only One that can satisfy me completely, and while I do desire a husband one day, no man will ever be able to love me or be fully dependable like God. Overall, I am grateful for the experiences, growth, relationships, and adventures I experienced in Swaziland (including ziplining through trees amidst magnificent mountains).
We were at El Shaddai as an entire squad, meaning there were 54 of us there instead of only my team of 7, and I could not have asked for better squad mates. There were different ministries we could choose, such as working with the kids, building a fence, doing road work, gardening, kitchen, etc. For the majority of the month, I worked in the garden and cultivated such a love for it that I have decided to start my own garden when I get home. I also greatly enjoyed our ministry with our “buddies” (each World Racer met with an orphan daily throughout the month), and though I might be biased, I think that I definitely lucked out with the best buddy ever. While I miss her already, I am so happy that I had the time in Swazi that I did and I am very pumped to now be in Mozambique! A video is in the making for Swazi, and there’s more to come about what I’m currently doing in Chimoio…
Prayers would be appreciated for:
-The health of everyone on my team- many of us have felt bad or had stomach issues throughout this month, and while nothing has yet become severe, prayers would be very appreciated.
-For the continued fundraising of my teammates. If you want to help, please go to Hannah Moyer’s page, seen to the left-side column under “Meet My Team,” and give to her to help her meet the deadline at the end of this month. She is such a beautiful friend of mine who is a strong prayer warrior, a passionate servant, and has a child-like faith that continually shines and brings joy to everyone she encounters. Please help her with fundraising so that she can continue to be a part of my team; it wouldn’t be the same without her.
-For Life Church (the church we are working with in Chimoio) and their growing congregation and impact on this community
