Hello all! I finally have time to sit down and process month one and update yall.
Pease excuse the delay!
My team and two other teams spent the month in the beautiful mountains of Mokhotlong, Lesotho. Incredible is an understatement, and leaving that place was tough. The people, creation, and love made for a very hard goodbye.
After traveling for a total of 71 hours we were welcomed into our beautiful home. This month we slept in bunk beds, had hot showers, meals prepared and cooked for us, and absolutely perfect host!
The people of Lesotho are one of a kind. They love so well, and care so deep. Our host spoke life and truth to us everyday.
Ministry looked different everyday. While we were there we finished a playground at an orphanage / church, served at soup kitchens, hung out with kids at youth, prayed for the sick and brought a word every morning at the local hospital, played with school kids, sung “higher higher” more times than I can count, prison ministry, and just tried to serve and love those around us.
God is still in the miracle business and He blew away any box I had put Him in this month. Over 200 people accepted Jesus to be the Lord and Savior, a blind lady received her sight, a man with ear problems was healed, many hearts were comforted, hope was given, truth was spoken, and lives were changed.
This month the Lord has been showing me how to love His people. I am also learning to grow in intimacy with the Lord and allow Him to love me. I never realized how much I seek affirmation from those around me. I am also learning to walk in the authority Jesus has given every single one of His followers.
One day we were out playing with the school kids and we were having a dance party. A little boy sat sadly over to the side. As I approached him and tried to love on him he was completely unreceptive to my love. As I got down to eye level I could see a pain deep within his eyes. As my heart slowly broke for this little boy I tried to imagine what could happen to a 8(ish) year old boy that would numb him to love and affection. Kids are suppose to be happy. Kids are suppose to be carefree. Kids are suppose to live, smile, jump, run, play, but something robbed him of this. With tears running down my face I held him and loved him even when he didn’t receive my love. I prayed over him, I told the Lord to give me some kind of insight. I asked the Lord to guide my words and help me love this precious boy. God told me to just keep holding him. A language barrier and a broken heart separated us. After about 15 minutes of singing Jesus loves me and good good Father over this boy he looked up and something in him broke. Some kind of trust was built, something in his little heart had changed.
As I continued to follow the Lords lead I would quietly tell this little boy “Jesus loves you.” “You are important” “you have a purpose” “you are loved” after a few times of repeating this I heard a little whisper. I lowered my ear to his mouth and said “Jesus loves you” and I heard back “Jesus loves you.”
We repeated this probably 50 times until he was standing, holding my hands, looking me in the eyes and saying “Jesus loves me.” “I am important.” “I have a purpose.” “I am loved.”
He repeated everything I said until his teacher called him in. I tickled him, laughed with him, and got to love him.
Looking back I realize how this is a sweet picture of Jesus. Sometimes we dont want to be loved, we are so hurt we cant accept love, we have been told we are unloveable but Jesus sits there patiently with his arms wrapped around us, whispering truth until we are able to stand on our own and repeat what He says.
The longer I go about this mission trip the more I realize these people are touching my lives more than I will ever be able to touch theirs.
Tomorrow we leave bright and early for Swaziland!! This month we will be with the entire squad! I am more than excited to see what the Lord has in store. Please join me in praying for my family back in Mokhotlong, and also for the lives we will encounter in Swaziland!
I am still not fully funded, about 2,000 away! Please be praying and believing the Lord will provide with me! If you feel led to donate you can do that on here!
Also, quick story. Before we left Atlanta one of my squad mates was not at the 10,000 dollar deadline yet. After praying and believing with her that the funds would come in she checked her account in Lesotho, and she had been anonymously fully funded! God is so good!!!!
I love you guys. You guys make living on the opposite side of the world easier. I am thankful for you guys. I am honored I get to pray and love y’all <3
MP
