South Africa 🇿🇦

2/23/24

On Valentine’s Day, I got to share a message with the 5th grade students about how much God loves them. It was the perfect opportunity because the teacher wasn’t there that day so I was left in charge of the class for the day. You never know what someone else’s life looks like outside of the environment that you are meeting them in. I know that majority of these kids don’t have a proper love system or understanding of how love is supposed to be portrayed, so I knew I needed use this opportunity to show them what biblical love is. I have such a big heart towards these kids, I just want them to know that they are loved no matter what and I hope I’ve planted that seed in the students. If I wanted to them to remember anything that I say when I leave, it’s that Jesus loves them unconditionally.

With the rest of our time being in South Africa, I know I want to live in the mindset of “ministry is life and life is ministry”. For a decent amount of time since being in South Africa, I have been thinking, “I don’t want to waste the time that I’ve been given here. I don’t want to treat this like a vacation. I did not come across the world just to ‘travel’. Every single time that we walk out on the street, we don’t know if the person next to us knows Jesus. We have no idea whose soul is secured and whose isn’t. We don’t know what peoples belief systems are. We have the knowledge and power to influence and change that. Now is not the time to be sitting back and waiting for change to happen. We have the power to change and influence and we need to do something about it!” I don’t want to waste the opportunities that are right in front of me! People need to know Jesus, NOW more than ever!!

I’ve obviously learned and grown a lot since the beginning of my race. One of the most important things that I feel like I have learned so far is one of the best ways to minister to others or show that you are a Christian is to live like Christ would. This might sound cliche, but asking myself the question of “what would Jesus do?” But not with the intention of presenting ourselves as ‘holier than thou’ but to show biblical and sacrificial love to others. Just to show others love as Christ would love them.

I know that I am making an impact whether I see it or not. I know that these students will remember me for the rest of their lives. I just pray that I was ministering to the teacher that I was with.

Every week we do these check ins. We go over how we’re doing mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Right now, I don’t know why it just feels like it’s hard to put into words how I’m feeling or what’s going on mentally. It just feels like there’s confusion and I don’t know why it’s happening or where it’s coming from. So please just prayers for me as I’m navigating this hard time as we’re about to go into our next country.