When I was about 14 or 15 years old, I remember looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where I would be in the next 5-10 years. Never would I have guessed that I would have gone where I have gone, or that I would be going where I’m going. My senior year of high school, my heart was broken over my sin and completely changed. From that point on, by the grace of God, I have been following Christ with my whole heart. I have fallen, I have stumbled, and I have become distracted, but He has also picked me up, healed my wounds, and restored my life. Shortly after this experience my senior year, I started slowly developing an unexplainable love for Africa. I had never been there, but I loved it. I almost felt like I grew up there, but just didn’t remember it… Long story, short—I went on a mission trip to Zimbabwe in the summer of 2008 and my love for Africa was confirmed.
I met a little girl named “Respect” while I was in Zimbabwe and she has made a lasting impact on my life. Respect was an 8 year old, street kid. She had been living on her own for several years and seemed to be very afraid of people. The first time I saw her was at a soup kitchen that we were doing at a local church. Respect slowly snuck in the back doors of the church and quietly sat at a table all by herself. Well, of course me and my “kid radar” noticed her and so I (along with a few others) went to go sit down with her. She had her arms folded on top of the table with her head lying on top of her arms. She would not look at us, except for a few little peeks every once in a while. We continued trying to talk to her and to get her to say something, but it didn’t work. After about 30 minutes, a huge rush of people came into the church for the soup kitchen and so the table quickly filled up with hungry people. We started running out of chairs, so I touched Respect’s little hand and asked her if she wanted to come with me to a different table. Surprisingly, she smiled and nodded! We moved over to a different table and I picked her up and sat her in my lap. She seemed so confused, like no one had ever picked her up or like she had never sat in someone’s lap before…
After she finished her meal, she started whispering something to me. I couldn’t hear because the room was so loud and she was speaking so softly. So I leaned in and she whispered, “My name is Respect”. I was ecstatic that she was talking so I just started asking her little things about herself. After about 5 minutes of small talk I asked, “Where is your family?”. She just looked up at me with tears in her eyes, shrugged her shoulders, and grabbed my hand. Immediately, my world came crashing down. My heart was broken, and I knew I was “home”. I knew, at that moment, that she (and others in similar situations) was the reason I loved Africa. I later found out, that Respect was, in fact, abandoned when she was 4-5 years old. However, while we were in Zimbabwe, a lady from the church took her in and gave her a place to stay! Praise God! I don’t think I could have left without that happening…
Since that summer, the Lord has been working in me. The Lord has called me to Africa, to love those who do not know love, and to bring hope to those who do not know hope. He has called me to the broken and to a ministry of reconciliation. Last November, I was accepted by Every Child Ministries (ECM) to work with the “forgotten children” (who have been rescued from slavery, prostitution, war, abandonment, etc.) of Africa—to love and teach them. I love children… I am comfortable with children. I am accepted by children. So, I cannot tell you how excited I was to have this opportunity!
However, recently they asked me to pray about serving as a women’s rehabilitation counselor. I would be working with women who have been rescued from slavery/prostitution in idol shrines. I would go into their homes, build relationships with them, share the Gospel, and learn how to meet their needs. I would still be able to spend time with the children, but just not all of my time like the original plan. I’m going to be honest, this scares me. Bad. It scares me because it will push me past where I am comfortable. I will have to rely on something (or someONE) other than myself. But isn’t that the point? I CAN’T do it alone. And I don’t have to…
Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, Here am I. Send me!”
That is my answer. Here am I, Lord. Send me. Whatever it entails. Whoever it involves. Wherever it leads. I will go… Please take my empty hands, my weaknesses, my fears, my inconsistencies, my shame, and my strengths and use them for Your glory.
“Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it’s all for Thee.”
This is my first blog/update/newsletter that I have written about Africa. I will leave in June 2010 and will be in desperate need of prayer. So, if you would like to pray and receive updates while I'm in Africa, send me your email address! :)
I met a little girl named “Respect” while I was in Zimbabwe and she has made a lasting impact on my life. Respect was an 8 year old, street kid. She had been living on her own for several years and seemed to be very afraid of people. The first time I saw her was at a soup kitchen that we were doing at a local church. Respect slowly snuck in the back doors of the church and quietly sat at a table all by herself. Well, of course me and my “kid radar” noticed her and so I (along with a few others) went to go sit down with her. She had her arms folded on top of the table with her head lying on top of her arms. She would not look at us, except for a few little peeks every once in a while. We continued trying to talk to her and to get her to say something, but it didn’t work. After about 30 minutes, a huge rush of people came into the church for the soup kitchen and so the table quickly filled up with hungry people. We started running out of chairs, so I touched Respect’s little hand and asked her if she wanted to come with me to a different table. Surprisingly, she smiled and nodded! We moved over to a different table and I picked her up and sat her in my lap. She seemed so confused, like no one had ever picked her up or like she had never sat in someone’s lap before…
After she finished her meal, she started whispering something to me. I couldn’t hear because the room was so loud and she was speaking so softly. So I leaned in and she whispered, “My name is Respect”. I was ecstatic that she was talking so I just started asking her little things about herself. After about 5 minutes of small talk I asked, “Where is your family?”. She just looked up at me with tears in her eyes, shrugged her shoulders, and grabbed my hand. Immediately, my world came crashing down. My heart was broken, and I knew I was “home”. I knew, at that moment, that she (and others in similar situations) was the reason I loved Africa. I later found out, that Respect was, in fact, abandoned when she was 4-5 years old. However, while we were in Zimbabwe, a lady from the church took her in and gave her a place to stay! Praise God! I don’t think I could have left without that happening…
Since that summer, the Lord has been working in me. The Lord has called me to Africa, to love those who do not know love, and to bring hope to those who do not know hope. He has called me to the broken and to a ministry of reconciliation. Last November, I was accepted by Every Child Ministries (ECM) to work with the “forgotten children” (who have been rescued from slavery, prostitution, war, abandonment, etc.) of Africa—to love and teach them. I love children… I am comfortable with children. I am accepted by children. So, I cannot tell you how excited I was to have this opportunity!
However, recently they asked me to pray about serving as a women’s rehabilitation counselor. I would be working with women who have been rescued from slavery/prostitution in idol shrines. I would go into their homes, build relationships with them, share the Gospel, and learn how to meet their needs. I would still be able to spend time with the children, but just not all of my time like the original plan. I’m going to be honest, this scares me. Bad. It scares me because it will push me past where I am comfortable. I will have to rely on something (or someONE) other than myself. But isn’t that the point? I CAN’T do it alone. And I don’t have to…
Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, Here am I. Send me!”
That is my answer. Here am I, Lord. Send me. Whatever it entails. Whoever it involves. Wherever it leads. I will go… Please take my empty hands, my weaknesses, my fears, my inconsistencies, my shame, and my strengths and use them for Your glory.
“Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it’s all for Thee.”
This is my first blog/update/newsletter that I have written about Africa. I will leave in June 2010 and will be in desperate need of prayer. So, if you would like to pray and receive updates while I'm in Africa, send me your email address! :)
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