Month 3 is a chapter closed, and I’m sitting here reflecting on all the parts that made it so good.
Looking back, I can’t help but recognize some familiar behaviors of mine.
“You are always coaching gymnastics,” my teammate says to me. But I haven’t been in a gym since I left America. It doesn’t matter… I’ve realized it’s something I’m subconsciously drawn too.
For example:
As we entered Zambia, I got to do a handstand in front of one of the seven wonders of the world, Victoria Falls.
At the mini-conference we held for the young adults at the beginning of the month, I spotted so many “backflips” of the younger kids.
I was cast as the top half of Goliath the giant because of my experience in acro, gymnastics, and more importantly, falling from high distances. Lol.
At the orphanage, I taught several of the kids most of the level 4 beam routine on a raised log in their playground.
Some of the older boys were then excited to show us their acrobatic skills. They did round offs and threw aerials and gainers off the benches.
Our host this month had two younger girls, ages 11 and 9. I spent some time teaching the older one the proper progressions for a handstand. I taught the younger one many different acro yoga moves.
The following day when I got home from ministry and they were home from school, they were waiting for me in their living room in their dance leotards and shorts ready to learn more and show their parents.
At Ebenezer the school that we taught at once a week, I started a handstand contest at the beginning while we waited for the rest of our group to be dropped off to start the program we had created for them.
My teammates asked for gymnastics lessons ( which I failed to regularly hold… oops) and we practiced bridges and handstands.
I was a part of the “candle light” hot yoga class… hahahaha which was just us doing a yoga flow at night after a 107-degree day in our house using our phones for light cause there was no electricity.
No matter how far I am… or where I am in life ( or the world for that matter). Gymnastics remains a crucial part of my life. And I don’t think that will ever change.
As we left this month, our host woke up the girls to say good-bye just as we were leaving. As I hugged the younger one, I could feel her little body start to shudder and shake. She broke down sobbing. Big tears rolled down her face as we all assured her we loved her and would miss her. The reality of goodbye has started to wear on my heart this month. The goodbye’s I said to the kids in the US. The goodbyes I am saying here in Zambia… not knowing whether or not I will ever be back again.
That’s the nature of living a life like this: a life utterly submissive to the Lord’s call.
A life of listening to God speak.
A Life of following Him into the unknown.
And all the while, God uses the passions in our hearts to love on and form relationships with people around the world. They just take different modified forms.
I didn’t think this would be how the Lord uses me, and he surely uses me in a multitude of ways, but I am grateful for the passions he has placed on my heart.
This one’s for all the handstands throughout the years, and the handstands to come.
