I’ve been trying for days to come up with something to write a blog about. But the truth is that there are almost too many good things here to combine into one blog. I recently wrote that this place has become a home for me, and that feeling has only increased the more time I’ve been here. Going into town feels like something I’ve done every day for years. Running into people that we know at the market and saying hello feels like saying hello to someone I’ve known forever. Honestly, the thought of leaving is almost too much for me to handle right now. I only have 3 more days left here in my new home and I am nowhere close to being ready to leave.
The opportunities that I’ve gotten here to share about God are more than I could ever ask for. He has blessed me so abundantly here. He has taught me more about him than I thought I could ever learn, let alone learn in just one month. There is one church that we’ve spent more time with than others, and it has truly become a part of my heart.
It’s called Ever Increasing Joy Ministries. It’s run by Pastor Isaac and his beautiful wife Ruth. If you want to talk about a man that radiates joy and excitement for the Lord, Pastor Isaac is your man. He ALWAYS has a huge smile on his face and is so full of the love of God that it literally pours out of him. The first time that we met him was on a Thursday that we went to go speak at a women’s group for his church. He greeted us from the entrance of the church before we even got there with a giant smile saying “Welcome! Welcome! Please feel at home, you are most most welcome here!” And I knew that he genuinely meant that. From the second that we stepped in that church I felt like I had been going there for years.
They started out the meeting by doing some of their praise and worship songs. Everyone danced and sang, and it was so clear that the Holy Spirit was there with us. I felt God’s presence and knew that these people usher Him in every time they meet in His name. We sang some worship songs for them once they were done, and let me tell you, they’re a hard act to follow! Suz got to share with the women about identity and what it means to be a woman of God. From the second that we left them, I was hoping and praying that we would get to see them again.
That Sunday we got the opportunity to go back and join them for church. I got the opportunity to preach for a second time, but I actually wasn’t nervous that time. I got up front and stood behind the pulpit, just waiting for the feeling of anxiety to hit me. Just waiting for my palms to start sweating because I was so nervous, but it never did. I realized it was because I knew that I was talking to a room full of friends and family. I knew that I belonged there and that I was exactly where God wanted me to be. I preached without fear knowing that I was speaking exactly what God wanted me to. I don’t know if I changed any lives that day, but I do know that God changed a little piece of me, just as He is every day. Afterwards, Pastor Isaac thanked me and told me that my message was very encouraging. He said that I was truly speaking the word of God and that what I said made a difference.
Honestly that seems crazy to me. I’m younger than a lot of the people at that church. I’m younger than Pastor Isaac and definitely have less bible knowledge than him. I’ve only been doing this Christian thing for less than 2 years. The thought that my words could influence people and encourage them is crazy. I’ve realized though that none of that matters. What matters is that God sent me here for a reason. He trusts me to spread His love and His word, and as long as I do that, I’ll make a difference.
We got the opportunity to meet with them on Wednesday to preach again, then again on Friday for a “Home Cell.” Which is kind of like a small group meeting. It definitely wasn’t a small group though! It was awesome seeing how many people from the church came again to hear us speak. We met outside of the house of one of the members under a tree. As we started singing, all the kids from the neighborhood started to gather and came down to sit and listen. Hannah Menzies spoke and one of the first things that she said was that she felt like this is how Jesus would have preached. Outside in His creation, sitting on the ground, under a tree. She was exactly right. I know that He was looking down on our meeting smiling. We sang and danced again. As usual, we all made fools of ourselves, but we got to worship God in the process, so that makes it totally worth it. Hannah shared her message and we got to just fellowship with the people there. We shared a very interesting African drink called Tobwa with them, and wrapped up our meeting. The smiles of the people at that church bring me more joy than I’ll probably ever be able to explain or express. I can tell you without a doubt that if I was to come back and live here, this is the church that I would go to, especially since I’m already a member.
Leaving this place is going to be one of the hardest things that I’ve done yet. I started thinking about it yesterday and started crying. Just the thought of it is incredibly hard. It really is a blessing though. It means that my time here has been amazing. It means that I have connected with not only the country, but the people in it. I have built a family and a home here. I don’t want to have easy goodbyes. I want each goodbye to be harder than the last. It’s a beautiful thing knowing that I will have family all around the world by the time I’m done with this thing, because I know that I have one here.
