BEHOLDING HIS BEAUTY!

I’ve been in Eswatini for a couple weeks, so here is a long overdue South Africa blog!

A month in South Africa and I see God and myself so differently! When our two teams walked onto this sweet campus in Heidelberg, we immediately felt the quiet, the serenity, the simplicity, and knew this would be a season of growth and learning to be still. We didn’t know we needed it so badly!

Ministry:
As I mentioned in my last blog, our teams were given so much creative liberty in ministry. Pastor Phil made sure we knew this was a time to step into our giftings and to love on Heidelberg creatively and intentionally. Our ministry hosts here were Uncle Phil and Auntie Tanya, who lead the church, as well as Uncle Wayne and Auntie Janice. We spent our first week here cleaning up the church and planning out ministry for the next month. We also celebrated Christmas and had the best day spent at the pool and around the table for a yummy Christmas dinner! We explored the town and found what would be all our favorite go-to spots for the next month, as well as got to know our neighbors and church community!

A HUGE blessing we encountered was full access to the church building! Before ministry every weekday morning, we would spend an hour in worship. Having daily worship built our hearts up so much and was an amazing, unexpected blessing. For ministry the next week Ashlyn, Abby, and I got to paint a mural on the school wall, while others ran a couple Kids Days where kids from the community were invited to come to the church and just hang out! 

We also planned that every Monday and Wednesday night we would hold a worship and prayer night at the church for the community. Something that was super difficult was changing our expectations regarding attendance. We went into the worship nights with a lot of eagerness and excitement for the room to be filled and for revival. Night by night, our teams would show up and worship, and usually no one came. Eventually, more people started to come and the Lord taught us that the room doesn’t need to be filled for hearts to be revived. That was a big lesson for us. The highlight of our time in South Africa was definitely the “Submerged” theme VBS we put on our third week here. Up to eighteen kids came to the church every day that week and it was THE best time. Every morning we would greet them and play some introductory games. Some teammates and I then led worship where we taught them some good old VBS classics (ONE WAY JESUS!!!!!) and dance moves— seriously a party : ) We would then play more games and then someone would teach a lesson about a water-themed Bible story to the kids. My favorite part of children’s ministry is watching them hear the Gospel and be attentive, curious, and eager. It is quite literally the sweetest thing ever. Then we’d go outside and play one too many rounds of Poisonous Dart Frog and do a craft! These five days were so fulfilling and fun!!! The best part was the relationships we got to build with the kids and then learn so much about childlike faith from them!! A couple of people who work at the college and church had kids that would hang around and we got to get to know their sweet faces. They were the most bright, fun, hilarious, Jesus-loving kids and the goodbyes when we left were extremely tearful and bittersweet. 

That week we also went to a Bring and Braai which is basically a barbecue party where you bring your own food, grill together, and hang out. The next week, school started so we helped out in classrooms and helped welcome the kids to the new school year!

My favorite party of the week was when we served at a local soup kitchen and met the sweetest, most joyful kids ever. For two hours we danced, served food and raced the kids down the street!! As we drove away there was a crowd of boys running to keep up with the car and we all may have leaked a couple tears.
Some friends and I also had the opportunity to go with a couple amazing church members/proffessors to their home group and I was so grateful to be in a home with an intimate community, learning about the Lord and prophesying over one another— it was such a satisfying time. This last week that we are here we are continuing to help in classroom, evangelize, and do activities with the church, as well as prepare for our time in Swazi. Ministry here has been so good and such a lesson about letting go completely of expectations.

Adventures:
WOWOWOWOWOW South Africa is the most BEAUTIFUL place I know!!! Our weekends have been spent traveling to different beaches and towns around Heidelberg, including Stillbaai and Cape Town! Those days were so relaxing and I learned to love the ocean and the beach!! In Cape Town, we took a cable car up Table Mountain and it was beautiful! We also stumbled upon a breakdancing competition in the square and it was the most random, entertaining part of South Africa! Our ministry hosts love traveling and taking people around South Africa so this past Sunday they took us to the most southern point of South Africa and we stayed in a hostel for the night, which is always an interesting experience! We all went first to where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet at the southern most point, then the next day went to see a penguin reserve which was the best, happiest thing ever! They were so cute and I wanted to run and grab them and whisk them off but apparently they’re biters so that was a no-go. The next morning we went to a zipline and went to a BEAUTIFUL cavern by the ocean and it was so unbelievably gorgeous. I was sitting on the rock, high up overlooking the sea, and literally just thinking “What is my life God??” Literally in awe of what my creator has made! I’m so grateful for Auntie Tanya especially for her heart to take us on adventures and show us around her home country!! Such a blessing! Later that week, we also got to go to an ostrich farm which was the most surreal, funniest experience ever. We got to pet the ostriches and see how the eggs were incubated— it was crazy and so random and cool! South Africa is the most beautiful place I’ve been!

What the Lord has been teaching me:
I knew as soon as we got off the taxi in Heidelberg that I would learn— or at least start to learn— STILLNESS here. It was quiet, it was so calm and serene— entirely different from Guatemala. Especially during our first couple weeks in Heidelberg, we had so much time to spend. I learned I loved to just sit on my bed, even if it was just for ten minutes at a time, and speak to Jesus, and sit in waiting for His touch and His voice. It was so sweet and, especially during those first couple weeks, something I did often. 
Something else I learned is that Jesus is the best friend ever in the way that He is consistent and loyal and always for me. I realized I’ve been turning to people for approval and fully satisfying friendship, but Jesus is the only one who fully satisfies. I learned I was depending on people in even the smallest of ways and He helped pry my hands off of that dependence. And now I feel lighter and more free! God is so good!
One more thing the Lord taught me is how to walk in authority!! Wow this one is BIG and still something I’m learning to walk in. This past month I’ve had my own room. On a mission trip especially, this is a WILD privilege. But a downside is that I still struggle with fear and anxiety at night and in darkness— it sounds a little silly but I’ve always struggled with it. Also, when night comes in Heidelberg it gets DARK because we are in the middle of nowhere! When spiritual warfare arose and I was face to face with it, I was so scared and literally forgot that I have the Holy Spirit living in me. I’d be scared to be alone or in silence or wake up in the middle of the night, something that occurred nearly every single night. I spoke with a couple people about it and decided to begin to walk in authority and boldness, something God has already made my identity as a child of Him! The Lord has been so good to reveal so many things to me and to teach me how to interact with these things as He would!

In all, I came to South Africa one person and left feeling so changed! The Lord gave me that season as a time of refinement and growing so much closer with my community! I now feel so much closer with my friends here and I am constantly more aware of how much God has blessed me with this squad.

I will be writing a Swazi blog soon so keep an eye out for that!!! Our days are FULL here and it’s wonderful! I can’t wait to share with you all!! Since Guatemala, I have been fully funded, and I am always full of gratitude for all of your prayers, kindness, and generosity!

Prayer requests:
– I have been struggling with my health— especially with chest tightness and my lungs! Our ministry is lots of childcare and it’s very humid here so please be praying for my immune system and health in general!
– Squad unity always!
– Clarity on future plans after the race!
– Our safety

I love y’all and thank you for being so intentional in reaching out and keeping my squad and I in your prayers!!!

The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord cause His face to shine upon you,
And he gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

All my love, Abi : )