Last year I wrote a post about one of our beautiful five-year old girls. Her mother had been in prison for much of her young life, but had recently been released. We waited in anticipation for her to come for this precious girl after we were informed the government had given her permission to reclaim her daughter. As you may recall from my previous post, however, she never showed up. We never heard from her. And our sweet girl, who so often claimed she was going home with her mom soon, despite us never having told her this, had her dream taken away from her again. It was absolutely heartbreaking. But life went on. We moved past the sorrow and the pain, and clung to the joy and goodness that comes from God and His perfect provision despite our circumstances.
Last week this memory came flooding back to me. Almost 8 months later we once again received word that our girl's mother was coming to get her. The Beautiful Gate house mothers told our girl. She was so excited. Her smile threatened to crack her face in half. They dressed her up in her best clothes and prepared her for a most anticipated reunion. The day came and went, though, and once again her mother didn't show up. And once again our girl was crushed. She cried herself to sleep that night. Even at six-years old she knew exactly what was going on. She knew how close she was to having her dream come true, only to have it snatched away yet again. When I heard about this my heart broke all over again. I was so disappointed for our precious girl. I tried my best not to be angry or judgmental toward her mother. I still didn't know this woman's story or circumstances. There could have been any number of reasons, some totally legitimate, for why she didn't show up. But knowing how hurt our girl was made it very difficult to show grace.
The next day, however, we were surprised. We got another call telling us this girl's mother would be coming to pick up her daughter. It was sort of like ripping a bandage off a fresh wound. The pain, sorrow, and confusion of the previous day washed over all of us afresh. We told our girl's house mothers and they refused to tell her or get her ready until the mother showed up on campus. We didn't argue. Within the next thirty minutes, though, she was here. Our girl's mother was here. Her dream was finally coming true! We went to tell her and get her ready. It was like the previous day had never happened. Once again she was all smiles. She was so excited. She put on her best dress and her prettiest shoes and waited impatiently for the rest of us to get everything in order. Finally, we took her back to the office where her mother was waiting. Our girl was shy at first, but after a few minutes her smile was back and bigger than ever. She wouldn't leave her mother's side except when we hugged and kissed her goodbye. Seeing the joy in her eyes was incredible. It filled me with hope and reminded me once again why I'm here. At the same time, however, I looked at her mother's face and didn't see the same joy. I didn't see the same longing and desire that our girl had. Again, I don't know this woman. I don't know how she expresses her feelings. But I couldn't help feeling my heart drop just a bit.
It's moments like that one that perfectly capture why I love and hate my job all at the same time. We want the best for our kids. Sometimes we get to see that happen for them and we are sure of it beyond a shadow of a doubt. Other times we're not so sure. Other times we simply do what we have to do and rely on God to do the rest. The truth is people in this world will always disappoint us, but God never will. The promises of Jeremiah 29:11 are encouraging. Most of us know them by heart. ""For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."" We can take even more encouragement out of these promises, though, when we realize that God promises these things to His people when they are in the midst of exile in Babylon. Despite the circumstances we find ourselves in, God is there and He is faithful. He will never let us down. Though we don't know how life is going for our beautiful girl right now, we know that God does. We place our hope for her in His hands and we trust that His plans are to prosper her and her mother, and to give them hope and a blessed future together.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Sunday, January 31, 2016
New Beginnings (Again)
It is so similar…
Returning to Lesotho, in a lot of ways, has been so
familiar. I experienced many of the same feelings departing the U.S. that I did
last year. I felt sad that I had to leave my family and friends for another
long period of time. I know God will care for them, but it’s difficult knowing
life moves on back home and there’s a lot that I will miss. I also felt a great
deal of excitement for the adventures ahead of me.
Walking back on campus for the first time was much the same
as last year as well. I felt peace and comfort knowing this will be my home for
the next several months.
The love and joy I experienced when I saw the kids for the
first time was just as intense and overwhelming.
I’m living with the same people I lived with when I came
last year. I get to work with many of the same incredible people this year too.
Just like last year I enjoy spending free time with the
other volunteers. We eat meals together. We go to church together. We go on
adventures together (Lord willing we’ll be hiking this weekend!). We watch
Marvel movies on the weekends together.
The local people, both the staff at Beautiful Gate and
people around town, are still so incredibly friendly and I love getting to know
them.
The joy of seeing kids brought into new families and the
sorrow of seeing others abandoned are still overwhelming and incredibly
motivating.
In so many ways it feels like I never left. It feels like
I’ve picked up right where I left off and no time has passed in between.
But at the same time…
It is so different…
Returning to Lesotho, in a lot of ways, seems so foreign. It
definitely feels like home, but so many things have changed on campus and
around town. When I drive to the mall to go grocery shopping I find that
several shops have moved or gone out of business. Friends I made last year are
no longer around.
Some of the kids I grew to love are no longer on campus. In
some cases that’s a huge answer to prayer because they are now with forever
families, receiving the love and care they deserve. In others, though, it’s
heartbreaking because we have had to transfer the to other care facilities or
return them to situations where we cannot be sure they are being cared for at
all.
My daily schedule is different. Instead of going to a baby
house at 7am I go to the office by 8am. Despite not having to start my day
until later I find myself getting up earlier (like 5:30am earlier). I got to
watch the sunrise on my first morning back. In the mornings I eat breakfast (I
know. Me? Breakfast?) and I spend quality time with God in the Word. Those are
the only parts of my day that’s a given. Unlike last year, when I pretty much
knew where I’d be at any given moment throughout the day, I never know what’s
going to be on the agenda.
I’m no longer a baby house volunteer or a “house father,”
but now I’m a North American Ambassador. I’ll get to work more directly with
those who love and support Beautiful Gate! But I also won’t be as directly
involved with the kids’ daily schedules. Thank God for afternoon playgroup
where I can go out and be with my kids.
In some significant ways I can really feel my absence over
the last few months. It feels like so much has happened and changed since I was
last here in September.
Despite the seeming conflict between the similar and the
different, the old and the new, I take comfort in the fact that my God is
constant. In the good and the bad He is still God. He is with me every moment
of every day, whether I’m in Africa or in North America. Even in the continual
back and forth nature of my life I find stability knowing I’m right where God
wants me to be.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
I'm Baaaaack!
I'm back at Beautiful Gate and it feels so good! What a blessing! I don't even know where to begin! As hard as it was to say goodbye to my family and friends again (and I do miss them you all very much), knowing what I was going to gave me a great sense of excitement, joy, and eagerness. The long hours of travel and "sleeping" in airports was grueling, but it was all worth it the moment I walked back on campus! I got back as the kids were playing outside for playgroup and as soon as I was inside the gate I was literally bombarded by children screaming my name. All fears of being forgotten by these precious kids were put to rest immediately. I spent most of yesterday picking up kid after kid and reconnecting with staff and volunteers. It was pure bliss. And the best part? It's just the beginning. God has a whole new set of experiences for me this year. Some of them will be familiar, like yesterday, but many of them will be completely new as I move forward in my role as North American Ambassador. I'm excited for all of them!
This morning I woke up early. I made breakfast and got ready for the day. As I was sitting in my living room doing devotions I heard my name being shouted from the nearby baby houses. I got up and looked outside to see a handful of my kids standing on the porch yelling for me, hoping I was awake and would come out. It was such a perfect reminder of why I'm here. I can only hope that each day this year starts out as beautifully as today did. It's good to be back!
This morning I woke up early. I made breakfast and got ready for the day. As I was sitting in my living room doing devotions I heard my name being shouted from the nearby baby houses. I got up and looked outside to see a handful of my kids standing on the porch yelling for me, hoping I was awake and would come out. It was such a perfect reminder of why I'm here. I can only hope that each day this year starts out as beautifully as today did. It's good to be back!
Friday, December 11, 2015
Not So FUNdraising
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
- Proverbs 3:5-6
As I ponder over this verse I realize how spot on it sums up where I find myself right now, not only as a missionary, but even more broadly as a Christian in general. I'd be lying if I said I've been reflecting on these words often since I've been home from Lesotho. In fact, it kind of just popped into my head as I sat down to write this post. Not a coincidence, I think.
Since I returned to the U.S. in September my big goal has been raising financial support to head back to Lesotho in January 2016. Most people know by now, but I'll be taking up the mantle of North American Ambassador for Beautiful Gate, and a huge part of that position is fundraising for the orphanage (on top of raising funds for my personal budget). The funny thing I've learned over the last couple of months, and something I kind of already knew beforehand, is that I don't like fundraising! I don't like asking people to donate their hard-earned money. I hate that my mind often associates a dollar amount with people now. I feel like I'm scheming and plotting to manipulate people out of their money a lot of the time. I fear people are going to start thinking everything I do with and for them is to get money. It's hard. It's uncomfortable. It is not aptly named - FUNdraising is not FUN. To add insult to injury, sometimes I don't feel like I'm even a very good fundraiser. As I write this, I'm hoping to head back to Beautiful Gate in a little over a month. Also, as I write this, I've still got less than half of one year's budget accounted for, and I'm committed for at least three years! If you had told me a year ago that one of the two major parts of my job would be asking people for money, I would have laughed and said you were nuts.
But here I am.
The craziest part about this situation, though, is not that I find myself doing something I don't particularly like. Let's be real, a lot of people do jobs they don't like. No, the crazy thing is that I wouldn't change it for the world. Despite the discomfort and the anxiety fundraising produces in me, I know this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. Never before in my life have I been so sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God has called me to do this. And that's where Proverbs comes in. As I strive to do the work God has set before me I have to trust Him and Him alone. I cannot lean on my own understanding because I simply do not understand. I don't understand why God called me down this particular path. All I know for sure is that He did. I need to constantly remember to submit all that I am and all that I have to Him. When I do this, when I'm in relationship with my Abba, when I throw caution to the wind and trust in Him to provide all I need and to catch me when I fall, He will be there. He's orchestrated this grand plan to get me where I am today, and He's blessed me with the awareness to see all the little steps it took to get me here. He hasn't failed me yet and I know that he won't.
In the Gospel of Luke, after he predicts his impending death, Jesus tells his disciples:
"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me" (9:23). I love this verse. Does that sound strange? This simple phrase seems to suggest that a life of following Christ will be extremely difficult. That's exactly why I love it, though. It reminds me that Jesus doesn't call us to a life that is easy. He doesn't call us to be comfortable. Jesus knows that it's precisely doing the hard things that push us out of our comfort zones that will cause us to grow. He knew from the beginning that following him meant his followers were going to have to sacrifice. The beautiful thing is that Jesus doesn't call us to sacrifice simply for the sake of sacrificing. He goes on to tell his disciples, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it" (9:24). Jesus promises to bless our sacrifice. He promises right then and there that those who truly follow him will be saved, foreshadowing the work he was about to do on the cross. And we get to see glimpses of that beginning to take root and come to fruition even in this life now.
Fundraising is a difficult and essential part of my job. It takes up a great deal of my thoughts and energy. It helps our ministry to grow and to make more people aware of the needs our children at Beautiful Gate have. For me, though, that's not the fruit. For me, the fruit is being able to spend hands on time with my kids. I get to see them grow. I get to see them learn. I get to see them love. I get to see them have the blessing of just being a kid. And I get to see them become part of a forever family. That alone is worth a thousand years of a fundraising. Though fundraising is certainly not my favorite part of my job, it's not without benefit and purpose. Being able to take part in the fruit far outweighs the hard work and anxiety of sowing the seed and waiting for it to grow.
In the end, I've sent out letters, I've given presentations, I'm planning fundraising events. I've done just about all I can think to do. I believe I have been faithful in sowing the seed, and now I have to be patient and trust that God will raise a crop that can be harvested. If you're reading this I pray that you would take a moment, listen to the Holy Spirit, and consider if you might be able to support the work God is calling me to at Beautiful Gate. As always, prayer is the most necessary form of support. However, as I mentioned earlier, I still need 50% of my budget for this year alone. Would you consider contributing toward that amount. I'm also hoping to find someone (or a few someones) who, at the end of each year, would be willing to see the gap I have in my funding and say I or we can take care of that. If God has blessed you with the means to do it, I pray you might consider being a huge part in my ministry and a huge blessing to the Beautiful Gate community. If you decide you do want to join me prayerfully or financially, both my contact and donation information can be found in the right hand sidebar of my blog page.
Thank you to all those who have already come alongside me to help make this ministry a reality. And thank you in advance to those who will.
- Proverbs 3:5-6
As I ponder over this verse I realize how spot on it sums up where I find myself right now, not only as a missionary, but even more broadly as a Christian in general. I'd be lying if I said I've been reflecting on these words often since I've been home from Lesotho. In fact, it kind of just popped into my head as I sat down to write this post. Not a coincidence, I think.
Since I returned to the U.S. in September my big goal has been raising financial support to head back to Lesotho in January 2016. Most people know by now, but I'll be taking up the mantle of North American Ambassador for Beautiful Gate, and a huge part of that position is fundraising for the orphanage (on top of raising funds for my personal budget). The funny thing I've learned over the last couple of months, and something I kind of already knew beforehand, is that I don't like fundraising! I don't like asking people to donate their hard-earned money. I hate that my mind often associates a dollar amount with people now. I feel like I'm scheming and plotting to manipulate people out of their money a lot of the time. I fear people are going to start thinking everything I do with and for them is to get money. It's hard. It's uncomfortable. It is not aptly named - FUNdraising is not FUN. To add insult to injury, sometimes I don't feel like I'm even a very good fundraiser. As I write this, I'm hoping to head back to Beautiful Gate in a little over a month. Also, as I write this, I've still got less than half of one year's budget accounted for, and I'm committed for at least three years! If you had told me a year ago that one of the two major parts of my job would be asking people for money, I would have laughed and said you were nuts.
But here I am.
The craziest part about this situation, though, is not that I find myself doing something I don't particularly like. Let's be real, a lot of people do jobs they don't like. No, the crazy thing is that I wouldn't change it for the world. Despite the discomfort and the anxiety fundraising produces in me, I know this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. Never before in my life have I been so sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God has called me to do this. And that's where Proverbs comes in. As I strive to do the work God has set before me I have to trust Him and Him alone. I cannot lean on my own understanding because I simply do not understand. I don't understand why God called me down this particular path. All I know for sure is that He did. I need to constantly remember to submit all that I am and all that I have to Him. When I do this, when I'm in relationship with my Abba, when I throw caution to the wind and trust in Him to provide all I need and to catch me when I fall, He will be there. He's orchestrated this grand plan to get me where I am today, and He's blessed me with the awareness to see all the little steps it took to get me here. He hasn't failed me yet and I know that he won't.
In the Gospel of Luke, after he predicts his impending death, Jesus tells his disciples:
"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me" (9:23). I love this verse. Does that sound strange? This simple phrase seems to suggest that a life of following Christ will be extremely difficult. That's exactly why I love it, though. It reminds me that Jesus doesn't call us to a life that is easy. He doesn't call us to be comfortable. Jesus knows that it's precisely doing the hard things that push us out of our comfort zones that will cause us to grow. He knew from the beginning that following him meant his followers were going to have to sacrifice. The beautiful thing is that Jesus doesn't call us to sacrifice simply for the sake of sacrificing. He goes on to tell his disciples, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it" (9:24). Jesus promises to bless our sacrifice. He promises right then and there that those who truly follow him will be saved, foreshadowing the work he was about to do on the cross. And we get to see glimpses of that beginning to take root and come to fruition even in this life now.
Fundraising is a difficult and essential part of my job. It takes up a great deal of my thoughts and energy. It helps our ministry to grow and to make more people aware of the needs our children at Beautiful Gate have. For me, though, that's not the fruit. For me, the fruit is being able to spend hands on time with my kids. I get to see them grow. I get to see them learn. I get to see them love. I get to see them have the blessing of just being a kid. And I get to see them become part of a forever family. That alone is worth a thousand years of a fundraising. Though fundraising is certainly not my favorite part of my job, it's not without benefit and purpose. Being able to take part in the fruit far outweighs the hard work and anxiety of sowing the seed and waiting for it to grow.
In the end, I've sent out letters, I've given presentations, I'm planning fundraising events. I've done just about all I can think to do. I believe I have been faithful in sowing the seed, and now I have to be patient and trust that God will raise a crop that can be harvested. If you're reading this I pray that you would take a moment, listen to the Holy Spirit, and consider if you might be able to support the work God is calling me to at Beautiful Gate. As always, prayer is the most necessary form of support. However, as I mentioned earlier, I still need 50% of my budget for this year alone. Would you consider contributing toward that amount. I'm also hoping to find someone (or a few someones) who, at the end of each year, would be willing to see the gap I have in my funding and say I or we can take care of that. If God has blessed you with the means to do it, I pray you might consider being a huge part in my ministry and a huge blessing to the Beautiful Gate community. If you decide you do want to join me prayerfully or financially, both my contact and donation information can be found in the right hand sidebar of my blog page.
Thank you to all those who have already come alongside me to help make this ministry a reality. And thank you in advance to those who will.
The Other Side Of The Mission Field
Recently a fellow missionary friend of mine shared a blog post she found with me. It's titled "10 Things Your Missionary Will Not Tell You," written by Joe Holman, a missionary in Bolivia (read it yourself here: http://joe-holman.blogspot.com/2014/08/ten-things-that-your-missionary-will.html?m=1). Joe expresses many of the frustrations that accompany the joys and blessings of being a missionary. He doesn't whine and complain, but tactfully shares many of the "behind the scenes" sort of things that come with the territory of mission work. I won't say all his words are true for every missionary in every circumstance. If you read through the comments after the post, though, you'll see that he strikes a cord in the hearts of many in the missionary community. I myself couldn't help relating to each of his points to one degree or another. The truth about being a missionary is the same truth for every job, career, or calling out there. It's the same truth for being human. The truth is it's not always pretty or fun or glamorous. Oftentimes it's lonely, frustrating, exhausting, and it can leave you feeling like you're on empty, like you've got nothing left to offer. Joe's right when he writes his post. These are the things we, as missionaries, don't want to share with everyone else. Just like teachers, pastors, nurses, business men/women, we want to appear like we have things under control (especially when we feel like much of our financial support depends on it). The truth, though, is that we're human too. We need the Lord's help just as much as anyone else, even when we know beyond a shadow of a doubt we are doing the work He has called us to do. And the truth is it's silly for us to try and hide these parts of our lives. Instead of hiding behind fake facades and pretending we're thriving when we're really just scraping by, how much more beneficial would it be to share the reality of our situations and come together to support one another as the body of Christ, as the Church? My hope and prayer is that Joe's blog, and other resources like his, will encourage us missionaries to be more transparent about all the aspects of our ministries with those who are supporting us. And I hope it will provide our supporters and donors with more meaningful ways to understand our situations and, therein, be able to support us even better and more holistically than they already do.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
And We're Back
Wow! Time sure flies when you're having fun! And when you're surrounded by 70+ amazing children on a daily basis. And when all of your mothers are constantly making sure you're taken care of. And when you're watching Chuck into the wee hours of the morning with your best friend and his wife. And when you're abseiling down a 670 foot waterfall. And when you're holding a lion cub. And when you're sitting in the mall listening to a lecture for your online class. And when you're on your knees in prayer at the end of your rope. Time sure flies when you're living life.
I can't believe how fast this last year went. I can still vividly remember getting off the plane in Lesotho last September. I can still remember the details of my first day on campus at Beautiful Gate. Now it seems as if I've blinked and my yearlong commitment is done and over. Now I've already been back in the States for a week and it's time to reflect on that just a little bit.
I think it's important that I begin by saying that my last week being home (well at least home on this side of the ocean) has been really good. No one was expecting me back until next week, so it's been so fun to surprise my family and friends. It's such a blessing to be reminded of how many people love me and how many people have been supporting me throughout my year at Beautiful Gate. I was worried I'd find life back in the States to be really overwhelming, but so far it hasn't been too bad (okay, there was the anxiety inducing experience of going into the Apple store, but let's be real, that place is overwhelming all the time). For the most part, though, readjusting hasn't been too difficult.
The one major readjustment I've definitely noticed, however, is trying to keep up with the pace of life here in the States. In Lesotho life is slow. There's really no other way of putting it. Sometimes that can be frustrating from an efficiency point of view, especially being American. In general, though, I loved being able to dial it back and experience life at a more leisurely pace. When I wasn't going at full speed all the time trying to accomplish the maximum amount I could in a day I began to notice and appreciate the little things God does for me on a daily basis. When I wasn't always thinking ten steps ahead I was able to fully enjoy each present moment. It was as if I'd gotten off the highway and was driving through a residential area. Now that I'm back in Michigan, though, it feels like I've gotten back on the highway. I've hardly sat still since I returned. There's always people to see or something that could get done. I've got meetings and presentations and deadlines that need to be met. So, though I wouldn't say I've been feeling overwhelmed, I would definitely say I feel exhausted.
Overall, being back is good. I missed my family. I missed my friends. I missed the variety and options living here offers. I missed free refills of water at restaurants. It truly is good to be home. But at the same time I miss home too. I miss my kids. I miss my mothers. I miss my Africa family. I miss the peace and calm and worry-free environment. And that's the biggest readjustment, really; knowing I'm not fully readjusting to life in the States. The real challenge now is learning how to live when my heart is in two places. The next four months will be challenging and beautiful and exciting and difficult. I have to figure out how the Basotho Tyler fits in the context of American life and when I go back to Lesotho I'll have to rediscover how American Tyler fits in the context of Basotho life. As I reflect on this last year and look forward to new adventures I think to myself that this definitely isn't the life I would've chosen for myself. It's tough and scary and unknown. But it's the life God has called me to so I know it will also be exhilarating and rewarding and fulfilling. And when I remember that the hard parts don't seem so hard after all. When I remember who brought me to this place and who called me to this life I know I wouldn't change a thing.
I can't believe how fast this last year went. I can still vividly remember getting off the plane in Lesotho last September. I can still remember the details of my first day on campus at Beautiful Gate. Now it seems as if I've blinked and my yearlong commitment is done and over. Now I've already been back in the States for a week and it's time to reflect on that just a little bit.
I think it's important that I begin by saying that my last week being home (well at least home on this side of the ocean) has been really good. No one was expecting me back until next week, so it's been so fun to surprise my family and friends. It's such a blessing to be reminded of how many people love me and how many people have been supporting me throughout my year at Beautiful Gate. I was worried I'd find life back in the States to be really overwhelming, but so far it hasn't been too bad (okay, there was the anxiety inducing experience of going into the Apple store, but let's be real, that place is overwhelming all the time). For the most part, though, readjusting hasn't been too difficult.
The one major readjustment I've definitely noticed, however, is trying to keep up with the pace of life here in the States. In Lesotho life is slow. There's really no other way of putting it. Sometimes that can be frustrating from an efficiency point of view, especially being American. In general, though, I loved being able to dial it back and experience life at a more leisurely pace. When I wasn't going at full speed all the time trying to accomplish the maximum amount I could in a day I began to notice and appreciate the little things God does for me on a daily basis. When I wasn't always thinking ten steps ahead I was able to fully enjoy each present moment. It was as if I'd gotten off the highway and was driving through a residential area. Now that I'm back in Michigan, though, it feels like I've gotten back on the highway. I've hardly sat still since I returned. There's always people to see or something that could get done. I've got meetings and presentations and deadlines that need to be met. So, though I wouldn't say I've been feeling overwhelmed, I would definitely say I feel exhausted.
Overall, being back is good. I missed my family. I missed my friends. I missed the variety and options living here offers. I missed free refills of water at restaurants. It truly is good to be home. But at the same time I miss home too. I miss my kids. I miss my mothers. I miss my Africa family. I miss the peace and calm and worry-free environment. And that's the biggest readjustment, really; knowing I'm not fully readjusting to life in the States. The real challenge now is learning how to live when my heart is in two places. The next four months will be challenging and beautiful and exciting and difficult. I have to figure out how the Basotho Tyler fits in the context of American life and when I go back to Lesotho I'll have to rediscover how American Tyler fits in the context of Basotho life. As I reflect on this last year and look forward to new adventures I think to myself that this definitely isn't the life I would've chosen for myself. It's tough and scary and unknown. But it's the life God has called me to so I know it will also be exhilarating and rewarding and fulfilling. And when I remember that the hard parts don't seem so hard after all. When I remember who brought me to this place and who called me to this life I know I wouldn't change a thing.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Seasons Change
Just a few weeks ago I spent the days bundled in several layers of clothes trying to keep warm in the winter cold. I slept with blanket upon blanket upon blanket. I held Beautiful Gate children close to me during play time just to share some of their warmth. Now, seemingly without warning, the cold season is waning. Back home in Michigan I get a visual clue that winter is leading into spring while the snow slowly melts. Here in Lesotho, though, it just kind of happens. I'm putting fewer layers on in the morning and at night. By midday the sun is high and it might as well be summer. Though I know the seasons inevitably change, it never ceases to remind me of God's faithfulness. When the heat of summer starts to feel like it's becoming unbearable the Lord, in His providence, gives us a reprieve in autumn and winter. And then, after the break, once we begin wishing for that warmth to return, He allows it to. How good He is to us, especially in the little things that we take for granted so often.
But it's not just seasons of weather that God keeps in His perfect control. He is faithful and active and present in the changing seasons of our lives. This is a blessing I've been experiencing very clearly over the past few months. As I'm only about a month away from completing my one year commitment at Beautiful Gate (yeah, I don't believe it either) a lot of people have been asking me what is next. When I was planning to come to Beautiful Gate people told me to be careful because Africa gets in your blood; it becomes part of who you are. They were right. For many months now I've felt quite certain that my time at BG wasn't going to be limited to this one year stint. Why? In short, Africa has become part of me. More specifically Beautiful Gate has become my family. The children here have crawled into spaces of my heart I didn't even know were vacant. I think David Platt says it best in his book Radical: "[O]rphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes." A year ago I didn't know I had a heart for Africa or Lesotho or orphans because I didn't know Amohelong, Potlako, Thato, Karabelo, Relebohile, or the 68 other kids I get to love and do life with every day. Now that I do, everything is different. I can't un-know what I know now. I can't un-see what I've seen. I can't un-feel what I've felt and what I feel. Before it was easy to ignore because I didn't know. But now I know. So what's next?
Well, as I said, for a while now I've felt in my heart that my journey with Beautiful Gate won't be finished come September. The problem was I didn't know what the next season was going to look like. That makes it difficult to answer the "what's next?" question. A few months ago, however, I was approached with an opportunity both excited me and reassured me just how intimately God is involved in the seasons of our lives. Now, after a few months of preparation, prayer, and making things official I'm able and eager to share what God has laid before me for the next season of life. Beginning next year I will begin a year-long transition into being the North American Ambassador for Beautiful Gate Lesotho. In short, this position requires that I spend six months of the year fundraising for BG in the U.S. and Canada and six months hosting teams and serving at BG in Lesotho. I will spend the next year training with the current Ambassador as she transitions into what God has planned for her next. After that I will spend the next few years serving the BG community and sharing my passion for BG with my own communities in North America. I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity! God knows the plans He has for me and I'm so grateful for the blessings He's placing in my life.
As I look forward to what God has planned I can't help but also reflect on what He's done in this past year. One of the greatest and most evident ways I say His hand at work has been through all the people He's placed in my life who have supported me on this journey. To all of you I want to say thank you with all my heart. Whether it be through prayer or finances or words of encouragement, God has used you in a big way to help make this possible for me. Thank you for helping change my life for the better. I have no doubt that God will continue to place incredible people in my life to help support me in the season to come.
As I look forward to that time I ask that you might join me in prayer now with these requests:
- Pray for Beautiful Gate. Pray for the children, the staff, and the volunteers. Pray that God will continue to support and sustain this place as long as it needs to be here.
- Pray for me in my last month or so of my commitment. Pray that I remain present in the work God has called me to this year. May I finish this chapter well even as I anticipate the excitement of the next.
-Pray for my transition into the North American Ambassador position. Pray that God may equip me even in my weakness for the work He is calling me to. Pray that I will receive the support I need to be able to do that work. Pray for me as I begin fundraising again when I return home in September. Boldly I ask that you might prayerfully consider financially supporting me if you are able.
-Pray that as I seek God's face and aim to do His will that I will be protected from the attacks of the evil one. Pray that I will be able to resist his tricks and temptations. Pray that I will remain on the path of righteousness, being salt and light in all that God calls me to do.
Thank you again for your support. Even reading this blog and informing yourself about the things God is doing in this place is a way of support. I appreciate it. I pray you will continue to walk this journey with me. I look forward to continue sharing with you the ways in which God is working in my life and the lives of all of us at Beautiful Gate.
But it's not just seasons of weather that God keeps in His perfect control. He is faithful and active and present in the changing seasons of our lives. This is a blessing I've been experiencing very clearly over the past few months. As I'm only about a month away from completing my one year commitment at Beautiful Gate (yeah, I don't believe it either) a lot of people have been asking me what is next. When I was planning to come to Beautiful Gate people told me to be careful because Africa gets in your blood; it becomes part of who you are. They were right. For many months now I've felt quite certain that my time at BG wasn't going to be limited to this one year stint. Why? In short, Africa has become part of me. More specifically Beautiful Gate has become my family. The children here have crawled into spaces of my heart I didn't even know were vacant. I think David Platt says it best in his book Radical: "[O]rphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes." A year ago I didn't know I had a heart for Africa or Lesotho or orphans because I didn't know Amohelong, Potlako, Thato, Karabelo, Relebohile, or the 68 other kids I get to love and do life with every day. Now that I do, everything is different. I can't un-know what I know now. I can't un-see what I've seen. I can't un-feel what I've felt and what I feel. Before it was easy to ignore because I didn't know. But now I know. So what's next?
Well, as I said, for a while now I've felt in my heart that my journey with Beautiful Gate won't be finished come September. The problem was I didn't know what the next season was going to look like. That makes it difficult to answer the "what's next?" question. A few months ago, however, I was approached with an opportunity both excited me and reassured me just how intimately God is involved in the seasons of our lives. Now, after a few months of preparation, prayer, and making things official I'm able and eager to share what God has laid before me for the next season of life. Beginning next year I will begin a year-long transition into being the North American Ambassador for Beautiful Gate Lesotho. In short, this position requires that I spend six months of the year fundraising for BG in the U.S. and Canada and six months hosting teams and serving at BG in Lesotho. I will spend the next year training with the current Ambassador as she transitions into what God has planned for her next. After that I will spend the next few years serving the BG community and sharing my passion for BG with my own communities in North America. I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity! God knows the plans He has for me and I'm so grateful for the blessings He's placing in my life.
As I look forward to what God has planned I can't help but also reflect on what He's done in this past year. One of the greatest and most evident ways I say His hand at work has been through all the people He's placed in my life who have supported me on this journey. To all of you I want to say thank you with all my heart. Whether it be through prayer or finances or words of encouragement, God has used you in a big way to help make this possible for me. Thank you for helping change my life for the better. I have no doubt that God will continue to place incredible people in my life to help support me in the season to come.
As I look forward to that time I ask that you might join me in prayer now with these requests:
- Pray for Beautiful Gate. Pray for the children, the staff, and the volunteers. Pray that God will continue to support and sustain this place as long as it needs to be here.
- Pray for me in my last month or so of my commitment. Pray that I remain present in the work God has called me to this year. May I finish this chapter well even as I anticipate the excitement of the next.
-Pray for my transition into the North American Ambassador position. Pray that God may equip me even in my weakness for the work He is calling me to. Pray that I will receive the support I need to be able to do that work. Pray for me as I begin fundraising again when I return home in September. Boldly I ask that you might prayerfully consider financially supporting me if you are able.
-Pray that as I seek God's face and aim to do His will that I will be protected from the attacks of the evil one. Pray that I will be able to resist his tricks and temptations. Pray that I will remain on the path of righteousness, being salt and light in all that God calls me to do.
Thank you again for your support. Even reading this blog and informing yourself about the things God is doing in this place is a way of support. I appreciate it. I pray you will continue to walk this journey with me. I look forward to continue sharing with you the ways in which God is working in my life and the lives of all of us at Beautiful Gate.
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