Update from Africa!
I can’t believe I am already in Month 5 of my 11 month journey. Asia was full of so many blessings and so many awesome opportunities! The Philippines was full of visiting villages, loving on orphans, and building storage facilities. Next, in Thailand, we were able to minister to women caught in the sex trafficking industry, which was a very heavy thing to experience, but the Lord is so good and we got to see many girls make real steps towards freedom. My last two months were full of teaching English to the sweetest Khmer (Cambodian) and Vietnamese students ever. Despite the heat, our time in Cambodia was amazing, getting to bond with our precious students and leading bible studies with the teachers and residents at the school. Khmer people are so hungry for the Lord and they worship with a purity that was so refreshing.
Last month, in Vietnam, we were right in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, where the culture was electric with busyness, motorbikes, and street vendors. It was a treat to teach more students who are striving to study the best they can so they can earn a better future for themselves. While Vietnam was a closed country and we were not allowed to openly share the name of Jesus, the culture is very open and there is change in the winds. Many people inquired about why we were here and were interested to hear more about our beliefs.
The end of our time in Asia led to a transition in teams. I am now on Team Radiant and I couldn’t be more excited. Cali, our team lead, carries such a deep sense of God’s presence with her. Kathleen is full of joy and compassion. Josh, from my old team, has such a wisdom and depth that I am so excited to dig further into as we continue together as teammates. Derek has a fire in him for the Lord that in unquenchable and he shares it to anyone who will listen. And Lydia has discernment to be reckoned with, as well as her sense of humor.
We are in Nkhata Bay, Malawi, now where we live right on Lake Malawi and enjoy the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. I am finally getting to use my tent, which is exciting, as we are now “roughing it” in Africa. Our team cooks our own food and we walk very far to our ministry sites every day (I’m getting buff, guys).
Our team is working at a nursery school, where we get to love on some of the most beautiful children ever! As most of you know, I’m not a little kid person, but these little ones are stealing my heart. Today, on my birthday, we got to take the children down to the beach and it was so awesome to watch them play in the sand with such joy.
We also do ministry with disabled people, a youth club, and we lead bible studies at the local prison. The culture here is stark different than Vietnam; the Malawian people are so excited to learn about Jesus and to hear from his word. In fact, on our first bus ride to Nkhata Bay from the airport, a preacher stepped on the bus before we left and delivered a sermon to all those waiting for the bus to leave! So cool!
I’m so excited for what the Lord is going to do for the rest of our time here in Africa. I’m learning a lot about His heart for His children and about trusting Him when my heart begins to doubt His promises. But the Lord is so faithful and it is such a gift to be here and to bless the people I meet around the world. Thank you so much to everyone who have gotten me this far and have brought the kingdom to earth through your support of this ministry.
Today is my 22nd birthday and I would love it if I could be fully funded by the end of my birthday month. I am only about $2,000 away from being fully funded, which is so awesome! That means I am over 85% funded! So please, if I have talked to you about donating towards this awesome cause and you haven’t yet or perhaps you just want to bless me on my birthday, please click the Support Me tab! Thank you all so much! May the grace of the Lord bless you and keep you.
