The Lesotho Chronicles

Lesotho, a country I hadn't even heard of before this trip, much less knew how to pronounce (it's Lesutu🙂) has been an eye opening experience for me. I came here thinking I wasn't going to enjoy my time here, as it involved farming, and I'm not a farmer. I have never been happier to have been proven wrong! God has taught me so many valuable lessons here. On the drive in alone, I learned how amazing of an artist God is! The landscape here is nothing like I imagined it would be.

The mountains, with all their beautiful shades and tones meet the sky with it's phenomenal hues and absolutely magnificent sunrises/sunsets. Then, after the sun has set, the stars come out and there are so many more than I'm used to seeing! It's hard not to get lost in staring at them.

Another thing God taught me is that our way as Americans isn't the only way or even necessarily the best way. Working at Growing Nations with Farming God's Way is hard work, and it's different from how most farms in America would do things. But here in Lesotho, the Basotho people are learning about sustainable agriculture to help reduce soil erosion and repair the land. I've learned different ways of doing quite a few things, from greeting people, to card games, to music, to getting from A to B, there are other ways of doing things than what we as Americans are used to.

In my home stay, I learned that I can live without my phone, and I don't need television to entertain me. I also saw an awesome family who worked together to help each other and really loved each other in good times and bad. I saw a society that I wish we had in the United States, where people from the village just show up at the door and are welcomed in. I see a community where people help each other out.

After the home stay, my team got to know the missionaries at Growing Nations better, and their stories of how they came to be here. This has really helped me with some of the questions I've been asking God about regarding His will for my life. I certainly don't have all the answers and the future is still uncertain, but I know God is in control and He will lead me where He wants me to go.

Finally, I love how God can humble us. A week after we got back from our home stays, the team climbed Snake Mountain. Some of us continued to Mohale's Hoek to use wifi, and we all made it down just fine, aside from a teammate losing their cellphone I the way down. Then, a week after that, I decided to go for a run and ended up soloing Snake Mountain.

Probably not the smartest thing I've ever done, but apart from a couple scrapes, I got up and down just fine. But then, as I  was basking in the thought of how manly I was for doing this, I started running and tripped over a rock. In fact, I hit my knee on it hard enough that I had to sit down and collect myself after. When I did stand, I was limping.

Just before it happened, I had been thinking about going up a third time with teammates who wanted to go up again, but right then, I got the message loud and clear: I'm not going to go back up Snake Mountain again, at least not on this trip. But that's alright, God gives and He takes away. It isn't a major injury that will end my running forever, it's simply a reminder that He is the One who gives me my abilities and I wouldn't have any of them without Him. 

During my time in Lesotho, I had a variety of foods, served with pap, samp, or rice. The second to last night in Lesotho was definitely an eventful one, as I discovered an owl in the house the team was staying. We eventually scared it out with no harm done to us or the owl, but not before it made it's way around the whole house, scaring most of the team(and probably the owl)in the process! 

Now, as we prepare to continue on to Namibia, I pray that God will continue to show Himself to me and that He will show His will for after the trip.

Why am I here?

I don't know if this is something anyone else has asked on this trip, but it's something I need to remind myself of every once in awhile. What we usually do in South Africa during the week is pretty simple: we meet at the church first thing in the morning, we go to the school, where we help out with the various classes there.

Partway through the day, we break for devotions with the mentors. It's a good part of the day and we've all learned some great things there. From there, we help with the school's after school program. We play with the kids, help with the lunch, do the dishes, dance with the kids, or help them with homework. Friday's are always a nice change when we don't have the after school program, so instead we visit the disability center down the road.

 These kids are so cute! There's one boy who always asks for everyone's hat and glasses, and then proceeds to put them on and take them off for the next two hours. There's another who always came up to me and smashed my hands together a few times and would get the biggest smile if I said, "owie!" There was another who pulled himself up by my shorts and then let me walk him around, until he decided to fall backwards, when I'd have to find a soft place to lay his head!

Sometimes things happen to make the weeks go by super fast and other weeks have dragged by. We're entering into fall here and there have been several thunderstorms, which bring lots of rain and sometimes even hail! I think most of us enjoy those, as some of us list those as a highlight to the week! The kids always find a way to have fun in every situation. We had them taking shelter from the storm in the classrooms and they started singing, dancing, and playing games. But then it hits me like a pile of bricks: We're leaving for Lesotho next Saturday and Wednesday is our last day at the school.

That's when it pops in my head. Why am I here? What have I done? The school and the township of Olievenhoutbosch are both pretty much the same as they were when we arrived. But then I leave the class at the end of the day and the whole class gets up and hugs my teammate and I goodbye. I get the same hugs from the mentors.

And when the students find out that we're leaving next week, they start asking if we're ever coming back. The love I feel from the students and faculty at the school is amazing. It's then I remember why I'm here. I'm here to live, not just do. I'm here to form relationships with the people here. I'm here to understand the way they live, not try to impose a middle class American lifestyle on them. I am here because God called me to be here.

My Time in New York

Well, it's that time. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be flying to Johannesburg, South Africa, by way of Atlanta. It has been an amazing time of serving in New York, and it seems like ages ago that my team first arrived. I confess that I initially thought of this part of the trip as a very short prelude to the "real mission experience."

But throughout the time here, I realized a few things. I realized this was over two weeks, which is longer than any mission trip I've been on before. I also realized how much needs to be done in the U.S. I've learned how to minister to the poor by getting to know them and forming relationships.

During my time in New York, I've been taken out of my comfort zone in many situations and I've grown as a Christian and as a person.

The first week, I served at the Harlem Temple Salvation Army, where I helped with the soup kitchen and after school program. I was able to sit down with the people who came in for the soup kitchen and have a real conversation about what they're going through. One man was living in a closet after being laid off, another was concerned about finding shelter for the large snowstorm coming. Something that surprised me was how many of them were educated, well traveled, and just like many of us. They just had some bad breaks, or made a few mistakes that led them to this point. It was then that I truly saw them in a way I believe Jesus wants me to see them. I saw people just like me, I saw how easy it would be for me to end up in the same position as them. 

The second week, I served at the Manhattan Citadel Salvation Army. I helped pack and move some of the things they had there to the new location. I also helped out with a prayer booth during the soup kitchen. I was able to play guitar during that, but also talk and pray for several people there. I also got more comfortable working with kids while I was at both locations and by the end, they loved me!:)

As I go to bed now, preparing for a full day of travel tomorrow, I'm excited for what God is going to show me in the next five months! I do still ask for your prayers for safe travels and for my relationship with God to grow deeper.