Africa. The word itself encapsulates mystery. It brings to mind untouched tribes, suffocatingly lush jungles, lions sleeping under trees, elephants spewing river water over their backs in the heat of the sun, along with the everyday danger and adventure. It’s where the wild things actually are. Historically, it reminds us of what a colonized and conquered nation resembles, and the effects are still quite visible. The land is scarred by centuries of warfare, and even now there are areas which are beyond the reach of reason and sanity, caught in fresh combat; where the stench of suffering is rife.
So why am I going to this place? What is calling me to the African savannahs?
Is it too cheesy to say that on March 19th (yes, I actually remember the day-the moment even) I felt God touch my heart for Africa in such an undeniable way that the natural reaction, the only thing one could possibly have done, was to immediately fall into action? I knew that God was calling me to serve in Africa, as soon as possible. Initially, I wanted to take time off of college life and take a teaching position in Cairo, Egypt.
The opportunity came through the open option to take time off of school and “get lost in the wilderness for a while”. In the Bible, Moses wanders into the wilderness, and it is there that he runs into God. The idea has appealed to me for a while, and was rekindled by divine intervention back in March. Unfortunately, Egypt didn’t work out. However, God connected the wires for me to go to another awesome place in Africa; to Blantyre, Malawi, to be an elementary school teacher…for 10 months. Sa-weet!
I don’t know how it happened, but everything fell together-timing, dates, available space, enough money, open arms-and I was offered the opportunity to go with the La Mesa team to gear up for Tanzania (which is right above Malawi, by the way) for the two weeks before my teaching career begins, in early August.
Hands free, without much effort at all, everything was settled. All I had to do was nod my head to God and He got the wheels turning in every single facet. It’s been the most amazing experience merely to watch God work. It has been my pleasure to be working also in Tanzania and I cannot fathom how God will use us, mold us, and reveal to us the ways that we can serve Him during this time. Cheers!
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