Africa.
There’s so much I could write describing my first two weeks serving here in Zambia. I could talk about the dozens of yummy mangos we have eaten here, my new Zambian name “Chipo” I was given, washing my clothes in the bathtub, our giant spider that lives in the house that we named Harold, or thousands of bug bites my teammates and I have. Or each and every precious smile I have encountered. I am going to try my best to share all I have gotten to be apart of here and experience.
I have a NEW team for those who were wondering. Team Covenant is our name and we laugh so much. The six girls I do life with (Ali, Allie, Molly, Jenna, Maria, and Morgan) are all individually amazing and awesome people.
We are serving with an organization here in city of Livingston called “Africa for Jesus.” Us 7 live in the same house as their team of about 7 Zambians. We all do life together. Maria, Jenna and I share a room and wake up to Fred the fan that we are so thankful for (we had to name him because he is SO loud.) We are spilt up into three teams and each team is in charge of making one meal a day. We eat at 8am, 2pm, and 8-9pm together. Each morning someone leads worship and a devotional. The devotional is one of my favorite parts to hear everyone perspective and what the Lord is showing them in a specific passage we all dissect together.
Around 10:30am we go out in our teams and walk the streets and evangelize. This part has been mind blowing for several reasons. Coming from Eastern Europe and even America, when I think of evangelism, I picture us going up to people wanting to pray for encourage them and get eyes rolled at us or someone rejecting us with some excuse (in America it is- “I don’t have time”). But here, it is the complete opposite. Walking down the streets, you see handfuls of children walking bare feet, usually with mangos in their hands and all over their faces, that will run up to us yelling “MUNZUGU!” which means white person with huge smiles and giant waves. Women are usually in their front yard doing laundry, cooking, or cleaning dishes will drop everything they are doing and grab us stools or give up their own so we can have somewhere to sit. We are welcomed with open arms. We ask them if we could talk to them and share stories for the next hour and they reply with “yes.”
It’s so amazing.
We will share parts of our testimonies or stories of the Lord working in our lives. We share scripture of encouragement when they share their struggles with us. The best part of all, we pray for them. We come together and lift up their requests to our Father. We pray for prosperity, for health, for bibles to show up in their hands, for fiancees for their children to go back to school, for family members who are not with them, for unity, for loved ones to come to the Lord.
In the afternoons after lunch, we do different things such as go to an orphanage near by and help feed 54 children, put of skits for children, go to a nursing meeting and give encouragement to them, go to an Overnight where we pray all night long, or go explore town and get ice cream and get to know the team.
Last Monday, we got the opportunity to be a part of a “Jesus March.” Escorted by Police cars, different churches came together with Africa for Jesus and joined to announce the name of Jesus. We danced and sang the name of our savior throughout this town. It was such a great reminder that serving the Lord is a joyful and fun thing! So many times, people think that by giving your life fully to Him, you will miss out on all the “fun”. The Jesus March was a stand that fun comes when you are glorifying your Jesus.
This past week, we got to experience “the bush”. The bush is out of the city and in the village. The homes there were made of sticks and mud, goats were roaming around everywhere, the bathrooms are limited and where showers do not exist. We had a camp there where our team, Africa for Jesus, and other campers tented at the church in the village and went out to evangelize and kids ministry. Living conditions were pretty tough but the ministry couldn’t have been better. For our kids ministry, we had over 120+ children who came out to play games, have dance parties, and listen and watch our skit of the birth of Jesus. Getting to tell the Christmas story to all the children made it worth everything. And families were so receptive to hear the word of God and encouragement. It was truly a great experience. I also got to lead a devotional over Romans 5:1-11.
One thing that was so touching to me was looking at the stars at this place. They were so clear and bright. Each one was sparkling and it just reminded me of this truth. Our God is so big. I am looking at stars on the other side of the globe. Everything around me is so different than it is back in America except our Creator. God is the same. Jesus Christ is the same as when I was back at home with my family, or here with my WorldRace family. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever no matter where we are physically or spiritually (Hebrews 13:8). He loved me the same today as he did 3-4 years ago when I was not living for Him. And that is a definition of a love story.
Today I will be going to Victoria Falls for our off day and bungee jump. As you see, Africa has been a dream so far and ministry is in full speed. Please continue to keep me, Team Covenant, and the rest of iSquad in your prayer. Spiritual Attacks have also been real this month concerning me and people on the squad. Pray against homesickness, illness, and lies from the enemy.
Thank you everyone for reading along with taking this journey with me. I love you all. Encouragement means so much. All the glory to Jesus.
