My Heart in Africa

This post is so long overdue. I have now been back in South Africa for 3 months after traveling through 10 East African countries for 3 months. My heart and mind are still so full after seeing and experiencing all that God is doing in those countries! I have gotten very busy as I have thrown myself into helping with the training school that All Nations runs every year. But even in the midst of all the craziness of receiving 50 new people plus guest speakers I have not forgotten what God began to do in my heart during the trip last year.

As we drove through Kenya and South Sudan it was absolutely amazing to witness what God is doing among these people groups! Driving through the deserts with its barren, stark beauty I was awestruck.

Every now and then I would be looking out at the brown landscape and then all of a sudden there would be this pillar of colour as a woman dressed in her bright colourful tribal wear walked out for water or food. Having never experienced the desert before it was all so new to me. And although I still love the green forests and mountains, the desert definitely has a beauty of its own.

I felt so privileged as we spent time with different missionaries that were giving their lives to see these nomadic tribes come to know God the Father. We spent time with one couple that had spent 30 years reaching a tribe. They had so many amazing stories as they saw the tribe go from being completely unreached to now writing their own worship songs and sending out their own missionaries to neighboring tribes. I think each one of us on the team was touched deep in our hearts as we sat in their huts and listened to the peoples passion and love for Jesus. It was a love that far surpassed my own and it was so humbling and inspiring to see!

Even after that as we drove up to South Sudan I couldn't believe it when we were able to join some of the local missionaries going to a tribe that has never been reached but was now

asking for someone to come in and teach them about the God of the Bible. The chief of this tribe had seen how the neighboring tribes had changed after missionaries were welcomed in and the chief wanted that for his people. He said that whoever comes first, that is the God we will believe in. Obviously we wasted no time and it was such an answer to prayer as one of the missionary guys there had actually been praying for an opportunity to go to them.

Sometimes it felt like we were in a National Geographic movie as we drove across deserts,

lava fields, overgrown mountain passes, and into tribes that few other people had ever seen or even heard about. Of course the adventure aspect was out of this world but also the aspect of knowing that as I went into these places, I was a light that the people have never seen before, also brought a whole new height to it.

Needless to say, the trip changed my heart forever on how I see and think about these people. I am finding myself constantly thinking about these people and also about the people that I don't even know about yet. I look at a map we have in our prayer room here and I wonder how many more people groups are out there just waiting for someone to come in carrying the light of the world with them.

I am processing a lot where I will be after this year. My heart is very much to go back out and find those people who are waiting to hear the good news of God the Father. So I don't know specifically where yet but I know it will be an adventure in itself. As I look into different places I am also looking into different schooling opportunities that I could take so that I am able to bring a skill set with me where ever I go. I will admit that sometimes it is a bit frustrating to only have a vague idea of where I want to go but it also gets me excited because as of right now God could open up any door!