So today was yet another adventure in Africa. We started out the day at 7 when I woke up to say goodbye to the team that I have been staying with the last few days. It was actually rather emotional as these people have been such an answer to prayer and have become almost family to me in 2 days. Last night before going to bed all of the women on the team just surrounded me with prayer and continued to encourage me. It was a great time of prayer, God really knew what he was doing.
Anyways back to today, so we ended up actually getting on the road around 9:15/9:30ish and started out adventure to Bamako. Once again there were 12 people in the van including 5 children all under the age of 4. About 2 hours into the trip we arrived in Segou. This is where we did some touristy things such as painting mud cloth. This is really cool, they have a special kind of fabric where you paint mud onto it and then wash it and it turn the fabric different colors. Its really neat. After painting we then went to order our food and began to go out to the market for souvenirs. This is always really intimidating to me because I hate bartering but the missionaries helped and I got some great things to take home. After shopping we ate some lunch and then packed back into the car to start the next 4 hour trip home. Well we only wish it took 4 hours to get back. About 2 hours after we left Segou, we were driving and all of a sudden we heard a loud popping noise. Yep it was our tire, so we try to pull to the side of the road. Well some how on our way down a hill the front of our car hit the dirt and stopped, we couldn't move it so now we had a flat tire and a car that was stuck in the dirt. We pile out and I tried to round up the 5 children and took them back into the bush trying to find shade. I'm pretty sure all of the Malians who drove by just laughed at us American's saying how many American's does it take to change a tire, well the answer to that is 4. Finally a car full of Malians stopped and tried to help. They were trying to coach the missionary through trying to get the car at least unstuck from the dirt, but they just finally told him to get out of the car and then a Malian man proceeded to drive the car out...with no problem...you might of had to be there but it was hilarious. So now we could finally start working on changing the flat. An hour and 4 American's later we finally got the tire fixed. We started on our way again trying to find a place to get a new tire. We stopped in another little town and our care was bombarded with African children. They were so interested in us, but I kind of felt like a fish in a fish tank as they all crowed around the car staring at us. By the time we left this town is was going on 6pm. This is a bad thing here in Mali because the sun goes down at about 6:30pm and apparently it is illegal to drive on the road at night because they are so bad. The next 2 1/2 hours consisted of hungry kids yelling and crying and puking. Yes, the roads are bumpy here which doesn't really mix well with a 2 year old's stomach and so he started to get car sick. We all were trying to scramble around and clean up the mess all with the light of a lap top computer screen. Finally we have made it to Bamako and everything is good:). It was quite the adventure.
Now I am sitting in the same room where I began my journey two and a half weeks ago. It really did go fast, but I have learned so much in these past few weeks I wouldn't change this experience for anything. I have been challenged and stretched farther than ever before in my life, but because of this trip I have fallen deeper and deeper in love with my Savior. He is such an incredible God. I look back at all of the things I went through and all of the things I have experienced and all I can say is Praise Jesus. Last night as I was praying with my new friends one of the girls was talking to me about my experiences and she said something that really hit me hard and I honestly had not thought about it. Satan has been working, the minute I stepped in the car to go to Koutiala he started attacking. He knew just where to strike and he did so by making me feel inadequate for this work. This whole trip I honestly was beginning to question my call to missions.I felt like God had made a big mistake calling me to come on this trip. It's hard work to be here, and I felt like I was failing miserably, but I look back and I see that was Satan attacking. God doesn't make mistakes and I know that he placed that call on my life to serve him overseas. Satan was scared,he wanted to make this trip as miserable as possible for me so that I will turn away and not share the love of Christ with others. All I can say is my God is so much bigger and better and WE have won this battle. I choose to stand in Christ, no matter what obstacles stand in my way. I will patiently wait on the Lord as I still am not sure where he wants me, but that will come in time.
I want to share with you some of the little ways that God has been working while I have been here. One of the biggest things that I was dealing with before leaving on this trip was fear. I don't like to be by myself and I don't always like to meet new people when I'm all alone. I had so much fear of the unknown before coming. I learned to lean on Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." When I stepped on that airplane in Cleveland the fear was gone. I even lived in a house by myself in Africa for 2 whole weeks without any fear(I was the only person on the whole compound for a week during new years). Now if you know me, then you would know that I have never even stayed in my house in the US by myself(I know once again shameful).I would always call a friend to come stay with me because I hated being by myself and honestly I was scared(I know I'm 21 years old but still). I usually have a lot of fear when it comes to staying by myself, but God truly was holding me the whole time and the fear has been gone. I'm telling you we serve such a MIGHTY God.
I thank you so much for all of you who have been my prayer warriors while I was gone. I have felt your prayers in so many different ways. God is so wonderful. Tomorrow is my last day in Mali as I fly out at 10:30 tomorrow night. I will try to keep you informed of my journey home. God Bless!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment