Zimbabwe. Where do I even begin? The first half of month two has been incredible and overwhelming all at once. I have attempted to write quite a few times, but I really think the Lord wanted me to soak in my first few weeks in this beautiful country without feeling the pressure to summarize it all. Every time I have tried to write, nothing has come out…this is not usually a problem I have. But the time has come to share, and I am so excited to let y’all in on everything Zimbabwe has been so far!
Before I get started, let me just say this: the people of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe are STRONG and BEAUTIFUL. Zimbabwe is currently going through an economic crisis and recession. It has gotten so bad that they don’t even use their own currency – USD is the common currency currently. In addition to this, the government often shuts off the power and water. So for half of the day, one half of the town will have access, and then it will switch to the other half of the town. At first, I was super overwhelmed by this. How in the heck were we supposed to cook, shower, wash our hands, and other such things?! After the initial shock, however, I realized that there was no reason to be upset about this. When we don’t have power, we are blessed enough to have candles and a gas stove to cook on. We may not always have water, but when we do it is clean to drink and we are able to collect it for those times in which it is shut off. Not gonna lie, I felt pretty ashamed of my initial reaction to the lack of these two things. In the United States, we often take our power and water for granted. It has been extremely humbling to live within these limits and to experience the circumstances that much of the world lives in. I wouldn’t trade this lesson and experience for anything. It is a lesson of GRATITUDE and SURRENDER.
I have never met people as friendly as local Zimbabweans. Everyone you pass says hello, smiles, or stops to strike up a conversation. The hospitality here is like Texas times twenty – and I never thought I would find a place with a friendlier culture than Texas. My team and I live with our Youth for Christ ministry host, James. James has grown up in Victoria Falls and is one of the most humble human beings I have ever met. He volunteers his time to teach soccer to local kids and create a safe, Christ-centered community for them – all for no pay. I have honestly never met someone as selfless as James. He truly embodies what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus and inspires me with his humility and servant heart every single day.
James is the head of Youth for Christ ministry in Victoria Falls, and boy is he good at it. We have the mornings off and go to one of a few local high schools in the early afternoon. I love ministering to teenagers so this has been right up my alley. So far, we have visited three different schools a few times each. We have led assemblies on topics such as leadership and overcoming school stress/the need to be perfect. We have put on after school programs on identity and view of God. My favorite thing about these programs is getting to talk to the students in small group (which we often do near the end of the programs), or one-on-one. I love hearing their stories, their passions, and giving them encouragement. There are quite a few girls I have really connected with since being in Zimbabwe, and I have been blessed enough to get to see them multiple times. The people here have big dreams and immense talent, and it is an honor to be able to encourage them in that. I see future leaders, amazing friends, and fearless followers of Christ among the kids I have gotten to spend time with. These are kids who don’t let their circumstances get them down and love Jesus shamelessly and with their whole hearts – it is beautiful. The impact YFC has on the youth of Victoria Falls is evident, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it this month. By the way, James single-handedly facilitates all the school visits and programs.
In addition to working in the schools, James also puts on a sports program for local kids and young adults of all ages every weekday evening that we get to help out with. Not gonna lie, when I heard we would be doing sports ministry I was filled with dread. If you know me at all, you know I have never been a fan of sports that involve teams and balls. Definitely not my thing. BUT coming into this, I knew that the Lord had placed me with this specific ministry for a reason, and it has been incredible to see that reason unfold over the past couple weeks. Yes, I don’t enjoy playing soccer at all – I will admit that. But I freaking love connecting with all the locals that come every day. There is a group of younger kids that comes to hang out at the field and watch. I love playing with them, learning about their lives, and making them feel seen and loved. There is also a team of older boys, around ages 16-22, who practice with James as their coach and compete with other local teams. It is wonderful to get to encourage them, pray for them, and see the Christ-centered brotherhood they have formed through soccer. Every day, I learn a new name and learn a little more about the kids I already knew. Every day, I am pushed a little out of my comfort zone in this ministry. And every day, I thank God for the friendships that are being formed and for the work He is letting me be a part of in this community.
I love this ministry. I love Youth for Christ. I love James. And I love Victoria Falls. Since being here, my team has gotten the opportunity to serve and minister to local youth every day – a real blessing and growing point. But we have been blessed in many other ways as well. We have gotten to experience one of the seven natural wonders of the world (Victoria Falls itself) only a 25 minute walk from our house. We have seen wildlife such as baboons and warthogs while walking to ministry every day (gotta be careful around those baboons though). We have been able to see the Milky Way every single night. We have learned how to hand-wash our clothes and live minimally. We have learned how to get creative with cooking, and lemme tell ya, I can’t wait to come back to the States and cook for my family and friends now. We have spent countless hours playing Monopoly Deal around our small living room table and have eaten some of the most amazing traditional African food I think I will ever have. We have gotten the opportunity to sing and share messages at James’s church – a place where we are welcomed like family every Sunday. And, most of all, we have learned to rely on the Lord through everything. This month, my relationship with the Lord has deepened beyond what I thought possible. I look forward to spending time with Him every day and talk to Him no matter where I am and what I’m doing. I can’t wait to see how this continues throughout the rest of the Race.
Zimbabwe, you and your beautiful people have my heart.
