Sentiments

A team from the OM Ship the Logos Hope is here in Zimbabwe for a few weeks. As a result, I've finally had the opportunity to break out of the office a do some hands on ministry.

The Ship Team is made up of five people, all from different nations (Russia, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, USA). It's been really cool to see such a diverse group of people working together for a common goal. I was able to photograph one of their outreaches last week and see some places near Harare that I hadn't yet had the opportunity to see.

We visited a squatter camp out on the edge of town and I was able to photograph the activities that the Ship Team had for the kids. It's so weird to be on the opposite side of things when there's a short term team around. I really enjoy getting to show them around a bit and have knowledge about this unfamiliar culture that I can share with them. Harare feels like home. It's a weird concept for me to fully wrap my head around.

Like I live here. This team comes, they visit these places once, and then they go. But when they go I am still here. And I have a car. And I can choose to get in that car and go back. I love this. Like I literally love it. I was born to explore and go to places I don't know. I always have a tendency to fall in love with people with a different language and culture than me. This year is changing me and changing my heart in so many ways. God has been preparing me for this life since I was a little kid and it just feels so right to be living it now! Thank you everyone so much for all your prayers and support. I can't believe I'm already a third of the way through this year. It's flying by way too fast.

I guess that's all the sentimental thoughts I have for today. I'll just leave you here with this adorable photo of what kids do when you use your hands to tell them to smile for a picture.

Refresh

This week I went to Zambia. My passport will soon be out of pages. This is kind of an awesome problem to have. It’s always been a dream to have a passport completely full of memories. I just feel real blessed to have the opportunity to travel and be a part of God’s plan to reach the nations. Just this week I interacted with people from at least ten different nations. My culture-loving heart is very full.

So let me tell you about my adventure to Zambia. First off, I was kinda terrified. Apparently in my mind somehow spending two days in a plane to travel halfway across the world by myself, not knowing what’s on the other side, is less terrifying than taking taxis by myself in Africa. Turns out neither is really that frightening. I was able to meet up with an SBU Intercultural Studies team (Kailyn and Jamee if you know them).

Zambezi River

Ever since I saw Niagara Falls and heard there was something bigger I’ve always wanted to see Victoria Falls. Yes, I just flew to Victoria Falls and spent 6 days in Zambia… but no I still have not really seen the falls haha. Didn’t really have time to go visit the official parks since I spent my time at New Day Orphanage with Kailyn and Jamee. I had my first walk-across-the-border experience – and it was a pretty beautiful experience. The bridge over the Zambezi river is full of mist from the falls and has incredible views in all directions. The reflections from all the water create a beautiful double rainbow over the rushing river.

The Falls in the distance

I traded a hair tie, an apple, and some spare change for a wooden carved hippo at the border. That’s a pretty funny story involving a nice old man who kept me from being bothered by other salespeople and walked with me all the way to immigration. But in efforts of keeping this short you’ll have to ask me about all these stories another time. After arriving in Zambia I went to the grocery store with the New Day Orphanage staff and there were literally tears in my eyes. Not sure if I was just overwhelmed with the variety of stuff, just so happy to see canned food and a variety of snacks… or even just still overwhelmed with the realization that these were really the first Americans I’ve seen since January 10th.

Reading in the library

At New Day I am so grateful to have had just a small taste of American culture. I was able to speak using cultural references no one gets in Harare, I ate Mexican food, and I quoted my way through the Princess Bride while watching it with staff. I didn’t realize how badly my soul needed a refresh of familiarity until it happened. It also was wonderful to have a bunch of little kids to play with. This really could not have happened at a better time. I’m pretty sure I would have passed my breaking point just in simple cultural stresses if I hadn’t had a chance to see another American. Now I am refreshed and recharged and so excited to be back in Zimbabwe. I have just moved into my new home and gotten my car all sorted out so that I am “now free to move about the country” as that one airline says.

Happy birthday to you!

Learning points:

• I had a pretty big breakthrough in confidence this week. I did enough walking around and across borders by myself and rode enough taxis alone to get over any fear and uneasiness I had about that.
• God is always there. Looking back, I can see how he placed so many total strangers in my life to make this trip flow smoothly and make me feel safe. From the old man at the border to meeting someone who knows my uncle to the kind man at a convenience store that fed me and let me hide from annoying guys asking for money while I waited for a bus… God’s hand was in all of this even when I forgot to ask for it.

Insanity

The word insanity has two meanings for me these days: (1) I have been going stir crazy and a bit insane for the freedom and independence and familiarity I miss from home. (2) I have had the most insane week of emotional ups and downs and craziness until it finally settled down.

Writing in the office right this minute

I suppose it's been a few weeks since my last update, so I'll make an effort to bring you up to speed. I have started working in the office. In fact, I just so happen to be here right now... hanging out after hours. I have a great team here in the communications department and am looking forward to new ideas we have this year.

Now onto the insanity part. Right now I've been blessed to be able to stay with someone here while I get my life sorted out. The first week after training I had some time off. Time off, while typically wonderful, was driving me crazy because I had nowhere to go and no one to see because I know no one outside of work at this point. If you know me you know I don't do nothing well. I have to do something. Always. God provided some design projects from 4 differed people back home (thank you for not forgetting me, people!) and then made me learn to rest a bit.

The last couple weeks I've been looking for accommodation and a vehicle. Last week, I had the car figured out. After some searching and lots of online research we found one that would work. Then a few days later another OMer offered me a temporary opportunity for accommodation that would have me set for a couple months. Temporary because I could just stay there and pay discounted rent until a full-price paying renter surfaced.

God is good. After weeks of wondering how I'm supposed to figure life out when I don't understand how things work in this country... He provided.

Then Tuesday happened.

I got up and called the car place to let them know we could come today to get the car they were holding. They said they sold the car over the weekend. I was kinda speechless. Lots of searching, hopes up, then it's gone again. "Okay, this is fine, I can handle this." Spent all morning making calls and searching online and getting real comfortable navigating the Zim Classifieds and talking to total strangers. Found some prospects to look at today.

Tuesday lunch came and I ate some food, relieved progress was again being made.

Then I get another call. The flat I was temporarily staying in became super temporary because renters were already found. Yikes. Great news for the owner, but now I was back on the hunt. God again provided an option for me to stay with a family here.

It's a 2001 Honda Fit for those who care

Today I spent four hours going around town, making calls, and forgetting to eat food... and then I bought a car. (Which just happens to be this beautiful colour that I love, thanks Jesus.)

Please excuse me for a moment while I freak out that I just bought a car in Africa.

So here's what I learned this week.

• I am not in control. Never have been, never will be. God knows what is best and his plans are already in place.
• People are wonderful to have. I have been so blessed beyond measure by the OM office here. They've been so gracious to let me stay with them, to let me visit churches with them, to drag me around car shopping, to negotiate and ensure I get a good deal, and to spend time and money on making sure I get settled. I seriously am so grateful. If you're reading this feel free to take a moment to praise God for nice people and just pray for the office staff here.
• It's okay to do nothing. I hate doing nothing. I totally missed the part in school where they teach you how to rest and chill. If you know me, you know this. I create work for myself and I go do things just because it's better than sitting. But rest is good and rest is needed, and I have learned how to fill up my rest time with productive - yet restful and needed - things. Like time with Jesus or sleeping 10 hours. 

Thanks, friends, for journeying with me this year. Sorry for all the words and not many pictures this time. Turns out a combination of rest and insanity does not yield much opportunity for photography.

Oh, and on Friday I get to take a mini-vacay to Zambia. So be praying for that. :)

Missions

This isn't so much an update about what I've been doing, but just some thoughts I'd like to share. I've had this week off to rest a bit from training before I go to the office. Honestly it's been a bit boring to have a week off in a place where I don't yet have friends or connections or transportation to go to places I want to go. It has, however, been a great time to think about life.

Growing up, mission trips were always one of my favorite things. I love to serve. It was so great for me to have a week or two of nothing to worry about except loving others and exerting all my energy on doing things that were so fulfilling.

I wondered what it would be like to spend more than just a week or two focused on serving. Now that I'm here living mission trip life almost every day, I have realized that I already knew what it felt like. Service is a lifestyle... missions is a lifestyle. The last four years of working at SBU and Gitche Gumee Bible Camp and helping at church have got me used to a lifestyle of service. So yes, maybe now I sleep in tents sometimes and eat cow intestines and chicken bones and can't find Dr. Pepper in the store... but that doesn't make me any more of a missionary than you. The opportunities I have here are just like the ones I had at home. I'm not saying I have this missions thing down, but I've just been wondering about how many opportunities I have passed up over the years because I was waiting to go somewhere else rather than making the most of every opportunity where I was. All of us are called to Go and preach the Gospel, making disciples of all nations (and our nation is part of all nations, too).

This week is Spring Break for many, and I've seen a number of photos of people who've had the opportunity to go on Mission Trips over break. As always, it's a wonderful experience and people love it and they will miss it when they come home. I totally know the feeling! Hold on to that feeling! Take what you learned from other cultures about the joys in life and being content with what you have. Don't forget the smiling little faces that looked up at you or the awesome things you got to experience - or the strange things you got to eat. Remind yourself that the feeling doesn't have to end when you come home. Get plugged in at home and live that life every day. Missions is a lifestyle that we are all called to and it's not bound by country or workplace or culture. Don't be afraid to get up and go when God says go, but until He says that don't forget to stay when he says stay and do what He has called you to do.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in (Missouri/Illinois/wherever you live) and in all (the United States), and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8, modified to fit us where we are

Prayer points:

• I'm still apartment searching. And also now car shopping. Pray for wisdom and guidance!
• Pray for opportunities every day to serve others and share the good news. Not just for me, but for you, too, if you really mean it.

Graduation

This week was my last week at the training house. We had an absolute blast playing games and having a cookout to celebrate our last nights together. We have a slight addiction to the game Crazy 8’s and have a tendency to get a little loud haha. This week in class we talked about support raising. Since I had to raise my support before I left to come here, it was all very much review. However, it reminded me of how blessed I am to have the support system that I have. Thank you all so much for still reading my updates and praying for me even after 9 weeks. Thank you so much to those who have been giving financially for the peace of mind you have blessed me with by not needing to worry about funds.

To explain these pictures a bit, on Thursday we had a cookout. We spent as much money on meat for that night as we usually do for half a week’s groceries. It was delicious. I love meat haha. It was a great time of fellowship with one another and reminded me of grilling out at Gitche and having bonfires with friends. The friendships I have developed here will certainly last. Each of us are now heading off into our different ministries, but we have created a network of encouragement and support that will be valuable to each of us in the future.

On Friday we had a graduation ceremony to wrap up the two-month training. While everyone else was in the mindset of being excited to go home, for me it was a little bittersweet as I am again heading off into the unknown.

This week I will start working in the office and begin searching for permanent accommodations for myself. It’s crazy and exciting to think about settling down and starting life here. I will have to relearn how to do a lot. How to travel, how to pay bills, how to communicate, where to go to church… please keep me in your prayers during transition. I’m flying solo and my comfort zone is forced to expand each day. It helps that I love it here and the weather is perfect and the people are friendly. Please enjoy this photo that mirrors my love for meat haha.     

Prayer points:

• Transition into the office.
• Finding accommodation.
• Working out visa trips in the near future.

Outreach

The last two weeks I've been off with my team on an outreach to Ebenezer Agricultural Training Centre. If you remember from previous updates, I was supposed to be going to Mozambique, but due to some travel issues we ended up just going here instead, and I'm so glad we did. It's located about an hour from Bulawayo, Zim. In a nutshell, it's an agricultural college with a two year program that trains apprentices in not just agriculture, but also business and other life skills. It was an absolutely beautiful place with a passion that reminded me a lot of home. No, I'm not from a farm, but I do love mentoring and working with students that are in the same age range as the apprentices there.

We pretty much spent our days helping in the fields and talking with apprentices so that we could here some of their stories. We ate sadza morning noon and night, led some classes/Bible studies, and played soccer, volleyball, cards, etc. We also got to attend and share in the local churches here. It was so fun and encouraging to sit in on the dance party that is worship and see the genuine love for God come out through all that was said and sung.

If you've ever traveled internationally with me, you know how frustrated I get with language barriers. As great as it was to be in this type of familiar environment of training young people, it was also extra frustrating that I couldn't just go and talk to anyone and connect with them on a deeper level. Please be praying for me as I try to learn a couple languages and be more bold with forming relationships.

Perhaps I'm just tired and getting overly sentimental, but it has been so good to be here. Every new and crazy thing I come across is an incredible adventure just waiting to happen. I love finding giant snails, running into donkeys and cows on trails through the middle of nowhere, standing in the rain, being lulled to sleep in a tent by the sound of a wild pig... pray that I never lose the joy and wonder of exploring the world God has made and meeting His people.

Please sign up for my email updates if you want to hear more stories. I'll be sending something out in a couple days. To wrap things, up, here's some random stuff I learned.

Learning Points:

• True joy is from the Lord. Not from where you are, who you're with, or what you have.
• Blisters heal in approximately 2 days.
• When blisters break open they don't heal in approximately 2 days.
• Throwing rotten tomatoes at people is exactly as fun as it looks on TV.

Solitude

Harare Botanical Gardens

This week has been a great week of reflection and rest. Last Wednesday I literally spent the whole day in solitude at the Harare Botanical Gardens, most of it hanging here in my Eno. Training has focused more on practical skills I can use and learning to really spend time refilling myself when I pour out all my energy and passion into others. I can't believe how quickly time has been going by. I am already halfway through the month of February. Soon I will be able to really start what I came here for. I'm excited to get to explore more of town and get myself established.

Resting after running... look, I'm
smiling and it's not even 6am!

One of my favorite parts of each day, believe it or not, is waking up early to run. There's something so satisfying about knowing I've been awake as long as the sun and haven't wasted away my morning. The city of Harare is so beautiful and green... I have grown to love running into an orange sky while dodging the many potholes in the road. The consistency in running has started to help form some small relationships with people in the neighborhood. I now recognize the faces of many other morning joggers and walkers. While our greetings may be brief and short of breath, it makes this place feel more like home.

Serving supper

Please be in prayer for me as training winds down and a whole new world of opportunities awaits around the corner.

Learning Points:

• It's not just okay to take a break, it's necessary. Pray I continue to have time to rest and reflect during these busier weeks.
• Walking to the shops for groceries almost every day provides great opportunities to get to know faces and connect with people/employees. Why don't we do this more at home?