I made it!

Big update: I’M IN AFRICA !!

Just 9 days ago, I flew into Atlanta and hopped on a shuttle to Gainesville, GA where I met my squad and leaders for the very first time. Everyone is amazing! God gave us each such different gifts, but it has been so cool to see them all come together for His glory. This community is exactly what I’ve been craving.

In Gainesville, I had 4 full days of training camp filled with team bonding, worship, and teachings. It was so much fun to experience God in a new way on the Adventures in Missions campus and be surrounded by people who portray Jesus’ love so clearly. One of my favorite reminders was that when you fill up your cup with Jesus, your walk of life changes— much like when you fill a cup of water to the very top and have to change how you would otherwise walk if it were empty. Furthermore, I was given a new perspective that I will take with me for the rest of my life. If God made us all in His image, then that means that we can find Him in everybody. It’s so beautiful to think that every single person that you meet (whether in Africa, the US, or anywhere else!) has a piece of God that no one else will ever have. A key verse that was brought up many times throughout these 4 days was John 13:35. It states, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”. I am learning to put aside my ways so that I can serve His people better and look a little more like Jesus in the ways that I love others.

I gave God my “yes” to this mission trip a while ago, but my “yes” was exemplified so much more by the time I left training. Because of this, I’ve felt His presence more than ever. God draws near when we give Him our “yes” and for that, I hope to never stop giving Him my “yes”. I am forever grateful for my time in Gainesville. It was very bittersweet leaving campus, but I had a 15-hour flight ahead of me.

With all that said, I am finally in Johannesburg, South Africa as I write this— and WOW is this place beautiful! We are partnering with an incredible ministry called Impact Africa here. The Lord’s heart is at the center of all that they do. We will be helping them with many outreach opportunities such as taking care of abandoned babies, teaching orphan children that they have a Father who will never leave them, educating students in the schools, and evangelizing in the nearby communities. We have lots to learn, and with it will come failure, but I’m ready to go in with open arms and with an open heart. I have been praying for God to break my heart for what breaks His. I ask that you join me in this prayer, and that God uses me in ways that only He is capable of.

The poverty and brokenness I have seen so far have been hard to grasp, but my heart rejoices to know that the Lord’s presence is here. We are here to point these people toward the only One who can bring them out of their struggles. For it is Him and never us. Thanks God for giving me this opportunity to build your Kingdom. Thanks to everyone who prayed for me and donated to me so that I could be here. I love you all, and so does Jesus!