This week has been so full! Full of love. Full of connections. Full of joy. Full of kids. Full of Jesus. I’m so exhausted but so filled! The Lord has shown me so much as I have been here and has already encouraged the people here through us! Care point ministry with the kids has been such a sweet time. We get to love on these kids that are so hungry for affection. We are able to give them a comfortable place to take a nap (even if my arms are sore for hours). One girl in particular was very closed off at the beginning. She didn’t want anything to do with us and she would just lean against the wall and ignore us if we tried to engage with her. She would turn her face away and side eye us. One of my friends was persistent with her and continued to try to love her and play with her even though she seemed bothered by it. Surprisingly enough, a week later, this little girl is now full of so much joy and loves it when we come. She talks a ton and tickles us and smiles! The change in her has been so very sweet to see.
I love the culture here! It is so fun to see how many different, but beautiful ways the Lord can be praised. Church here is so fun, and very loud!! We dance and sing praises to the Lord for hours. It has been convicting to see how passionate they are about the Lord here and the pastors passion for his message. I pray I can always be that passionate for Christ in my own life! I have been trying to learn as much Siswati as I can! It is a very difficult language to learn. Right now I am able to say most of the kids names and hello, how are you, I’m fine, and thank you! I hope to continue learning!
I’m learning to die to myself this week and to live in what the Lord is doing. Not I, but Christ who lives within me. African time is veryyy slow, so I have had to die to my desire for everything to be timely, have a plan, and being task oriented. I have also learned that I am a very sentimental person and don’t like change. It has been hard knowing that my life before and childhood is over and I am now in a completely new season. It’s especially hard to know that when I get home, everything will not be the same. People are going to have changed, and I am going to have changed. I know now that there is beauty in change and in new seasons. I want to keep God first in my mind and make sure things I am holding on to are not becoming idols over the one and only thing that matters!
Praise the Lord for this week!! I would appreciate prayers for me because I miss my family, home, and friends a lot. Pray for me to be vulnerable and trust these people here and not be afraid to be a burden to others. Pray that I would have confidence in sharing the Lord and my testimony with others. I’m so thankful this is where the Lord has placed me!!
Love and miss you all!
Bella <3
