I feel like I'm attempting the impossible: blogging about my outreach thus far. The strange part is that I really can't blog including specific locations, I can't really use names, and I'm in a loss of words to even try to share my experience with you. In short, my words are limited to even scratch the surface of what I've been up to for the last two months or so. But what I can share is what I've learned and what I'm eager to do with all of His teachings.But before we go into the more important things, let's chat about some fun stuff. Yay!!!
Did you know that Africa...Afrika is a big continent? I've only been to three of its countries. Yep, that right, three. On our flight to Kenya, we had a longer than expected layover. However, I was stoked, especially when the plane out of our layover was delayed, because we had our layover in Ethiopia! For all of you that may not understand why that's so exciting, maybe you're lucky or really missing out. Ethiopia! Awe, Ethiopia has a special spot in my heart (still don't understand why, but that's okay). And the third country I've been to has been Uganda.
I've been able to eat chapatis, rolexes, samosas, green goo (that's what it looks like, forgot the name), liver, heart, sheep, traditional ugali with beans, and I'm sure I've ate a few things I never want to truly identify. One of my favorite things has been this unfamiliar object in the sky. Some scientists say that it effects the temperature of the earth. I believe those scientists because it is always hot and sunny! Gotta love the African sun. In fact, I think it likes me too.
Before I started to write this, I thought it would be a great idea to go through my journal and grab different experiences to share. Horrible idea. I'm overwhelmed with all the amazing goodness I've been able to experience.Rather than going into full detail about all the ministries we did, sharing the neat stories of people I talked to and prayed for, or talking about how different Africa is compared to America, I'm going to share just a glimpse of what God did throughout this whole experience.
It all started in October. At the beginning of my DTS, I wrote out my required "expectation letter" which soon turned into a prayer of mine for this time during my DTS. I'd like to share it:
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Dear Kari,
You've just completed six months of your life. How was it? Sitting here, six months before you read this, you were in anticipation, eagerly awaiting to see what God would teach you; how He would use you. I wonder if the desires of your heart and His will for your life finally matched up. Or did God completely throw you for the most adventureous loop of your life, just like He always does? Hmmm....Well, about six months ago from today, you had a few hopes and expectations for this school....
To start off with, you wanted to know God more. You were craving to have a more intimate relationship with Him. You wanted to learn to walk with Him daily, to recognize His voice, to rely on Him to give you your Helper, the Holy Spirit, during all times of witnessing. You wanted to start communicating with Him better. You wanted to learn more of His ways. You wanted the Bible to reflect your life. You wanted to thrist for His word. You wanted Him to carry you through challenges, scares, worries, fears, troubles, hurts, and all the hardships you may have faced. You desired Him. He was your ultimate focus, your one true desire: God.
And how about what you wanted to learn about others? You wanted to see God's love and mercy provide comfort to your Mom and Dad. You wanted your sister to find rest in God's calling for her life. You wanted your friends to grow as well and take your blogs as encouragements/prayer requests.
And what about your DTS team? You wanted to be filled with God's love, immersed in the body of Christ, living amongst your brothers and sisters. You wanted to have them stretch you and you wanted to challenge them as well. You wanted to watch a wave of God's boldness restore and renew inside of them all like a contagious fire: A fire within them that only God could ignite; a flame that destroys all falseness, timidity, and pride. You wanted to learn to have grace and compassion on them during the most stressful times. You wanted to see true men and women of God start racing towards God's upright hand. You wanted to move around from city to city, during lecture phase, with the body of Jesus Christ that remained unified in God's most perfect LOVE. Did you do that?
And there was one specific expectation you had. Right? Maybe you remember it. Maybe He answered or maybe you now have even more questions, but at the very beginning you shared with others and you prayed to God that you wanted Him to bring clarity into your life about His calling for your life. Interesting. Only time will tell and then we'll see if more and more, as God continues to break you, mold you, and make you more and more who He has desired for you to be and what He has planned out for your life from the time before your mother and father found out you were being formed. Kari, God wants to make you into a beautiful woman of God. I hope you remember how precious you are to Him. He wants all of you so you can fully receive what He wants to give you to use for His glory.
In regards to outreach, you didn't even know the options at the point that you wrote this, but at the time, you strongly believed that God has placed Ethiopia on your heart. You wanted to go to Ethiopia. During outreach, you wanted to see more of God's love. You wanted to see with His eyes. You wanted to weep over the lost and desire for them to hear God's word. You wanted to see hope in the Lord and see nations sing praise to the Lord, rejoicing in Him. During outreach, you wanted to hear God's voice better than a close friend.
You wanted to pray for the nations more than you ever had or thought you would. You wanted to be challenged, broken, humiliated, scared, embarrassed, ridiculed, and persecuted to the point where God was the absolute, One and Only, God Almighty One to turn to and be embraced by.
Kari, I hope you've grown in God's word, Spirit, and peace. A lot of people have been praying for you and are awaiting for your return home. Hopefully God is letting you return to "home" where another new exciting adventure awaits you.
God is SO good. He has such a specific plan for your life. Whether you know what He has called you to do during this season after your DTS or you have no clue or so many ideas that your exploding with thoughts, know that He is God and He is and forever will be, faithful. God loves you SOO much. His plans are far greater than the ones you could even imagine.
Oh yes! And I'm sure that God provided so many different things that you couldn't have even written in words to describe. God's way bigger than you and I'm sure you've learned, witnessed, and experienced a lot to more clearly see how infinite He is.
Once again, congratulations for living the past six months, but don't let it stop. As far as I know, if you're reading this, you've still got a lot of work to do...So GO! Keep pressing on towards the goal so that you may lay hold of Christ Jesus. Abide in Him and live a life pleasing to God.
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Well, there you have it, a few things that I expected. Ephesians 3:20. God went above and beyond all that I could imagine. I guess sharing the moments would be fun and exciting. Don't worry, I plan on unpacking them on people as I share, but the thing is, the stories aren't what it's all about. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of great stories I want to share with as many people as I can. But really, I must be more focused on the mission that God has given me. These past six months have brought me into even more of an intimate relationship with God. I have such a greater knowledge of His love and my life is slowly starting to become a result of His love. I've said for a while now that I want my life to bring Him glory. And now I want to reflect His love by the way I live.
So as I'm gearing up, ready to get back home, I'm bringing a lot more than I had expected. It's no surprise. God is 100% good!
I'll try to keep you updated despite my lack of "adventures" when I enter the states....Thanks so much for the prayers and words of encouragement. I love you all!
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