I find myself surrounded by the beautiful mountains in Swaziland laughing, singing, and playing with children serving alongside my parents. At the beginning of this month my parents flew all the way to Africa to visit me and to experience a week of the World Race!
While my parents were in Swaziland we served at one of Adventures In Missions care points (AIM). AIM has 33 care points in Swaziland that provide a hot meal to children who would otherwise not eat a meal at all. These care points also each have a young person usually in their 20s who looks after and disciple the children called a shepherd. The shepherd I have been working with this month is Lindo. Lindo lost both of her parents when she was young, and was left to be raised by her older brother. The sad reality is this is true for many children in Swaziland because of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Over 75% of the children at the care point I have been working at are orphans.
Although these children come from difficult family and living situations they have big dreams and hopes for the future. One day I was sitting at the care point hanging out with the kids and a twelve year old girl asked me, “What is your biggest ambition?” Taken back by her question I wasn’t sure how to respond because to be honest sometimes I forget to dream big . I say to her, “To love God with my whole heart and to love others as Jesus did. I want everyone to experience the love of Jesus that has transformed my heart and life.” The twelve year old girl jaw dropped open, “Oh wow!” A few minutes later she said, “I want to be a shepherd like Lindo and teach the kids about Jesus!” All I could do was smile because this little girl had it figured it out at 12 years old…our biggest ambition in life should be to bring people closer to Jesus.
What is your biggest ambition? If you would have asked me that same question 2 years ago I would have told you to be a physical therapist. I don’t think it was a bad goal to have, but that was my biggest ambition in life and I sacrificed a lot in pursuing that dream. I was so tunnel visioned in pursuing this big ambition that I was missing out so many opportunities to deepen my relationship my Christ and love others well. I dare you to look at your biggest ambitions and see if it’s involves drawing others closer Jesus. Where you are a stay at home mom or a doctor Jesus can use you to draw others closer to Jesus.
