Kira G. : “so zach what have you learned about women so far during your first month on an all girl team?”
zach “i have learned that they are not men!!”
as most of you know to this point, i am the only male on an all girl team and the first month was full of challenges to say the least. here are a few things that i learned during our time in mexico and our debriefing period in antigua (my future home). i learned that you cannot fully realize your role as a christian man just by hanging around christian men. i believe that the well rounded man of faith will also have had the influences of godly women as well. so this is where i am at as we start the second month of ministry. one of the goals of the leaders at AIM is that these types of trips change you from the inside out. i am in the process of discovering my real identity in Jesus; i am on the way to becoming the man that God has designed to be. however, for that change to happen, i have to release all controls i have over self and let God and the agents of change he has put around me lead me down that narrow path. this being said, i have come to the conclusion that the major agents of change He will use to shape me is the rest of the team, who just happen to all be women. i am going to learn to be a christian man by allowing godly women to impact me. i am glad that i learned that lesson quickly. God is in the process of stripping me down completely and making me anew. i grew up in a family that pushed independence or self depedence so the fact that i am going to have to learn from and lean on women this year is a groundbreaking revelation. my future wife will thank tara, jess, jessie and maithili!
i am also learning firsthand that the provision of God is always enough. i spoke to that truth in my first blog but that was more looking around and seeing what was around me and not so much looking at myself. i will give you an example of what has happened so far. the other male on the team has to leave the squad for circumstances that were out of his hand, but this was by the hand of God so that my potential in Him will be realized. His provision called for 4 woman and not 4 woman and 1 man and it is perfect. i connect with God through 2 major facets- music and His beauty in nature. naturally my ipod (mp3 music player) breaks but he provided another one. the other thing i have been stripped of is money. through a mixup at the bank, i received my last paycheck the day i left though i was expecting one two weeks later which would have given me enough for the year. so basically i am broke with 10 months to go. however, i know that God will provide and that his provision will be enough and perfect. soon after i learned of my situation, i met a missionary in a coffee shop in antigua who bought my breakfast without my knowledge, then someone brought me lunch, then i received the ipod, and tara s. father who was not supposed to be in town just happened to be in antigua and took us all to dinner. God{s provision for that day was complete and just what i needed. i have a feeling that the year will look like that. there is something about living on this type of faith that makes life exciting for me. anyways, that is all i have for now but i will leave you with some prayer requests.
1. that our team truly has turned the page and rounded the corner and this month will prove that
2. that we are dropping seeds that God will grow
3. God´s provision for my finances (if i raise enough then i can be reimbursed for personal expenditures so give!! you are partnering and aiding the spread of the truth!)
