"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
who bring glad tidings of good things!"
Romans 10:15
I haven't even been back in the states for twenty-four hours and I'm already aching to go back to Africa. The Lord used this trip to show me SO many things. Including that while I anxiously await to return to Africa I need to use my time in America for His glory. A major thing I need to be preparing for in this time of waiting is how to witness to Muslims. Sierra Leone is 80% Muslim and it's difficult to share the Gospel with someone when you don't have a clear understanding of their religious background. When talking to a man named Abraham about Christ, it was discouraging because he said he was a Christian and he was so on target with certain things, like believing that there will be a judgment day, that there is a Heaven and Hell and that Christ is the way to Heaven. But as we talked I came to realize that Abraham believes Jesus is a way to Heaven not the way. He had a Muslim background and it seems like he was blending some of the Muslim faith along with Christianity. I shared my discouragement with Reverend Samuel, who was born into a Muslim family, his father had 6 wives and 23 children! When he was 17 he came to know Christ and now he is one of the most passionate believers I've ever met. He told me "to learn all I can about the Muslim faith, that's the best way to prepare." That is my game plan for the next 2 years!!
Me and Abraham!
Ten days in Africa changed my whole life. I thought I knew Gods plan for me: move to the bush of Africa and share Christ with tribes. But after this past week I think God has something else in store for me. On Thursday (October 6th) we visited New Era School which has a lot of orphan students. Walking through the classrooms and meeting the students was like coming home, I felt like I was exactly where I belong. I wrote in my journal:
"We just left the New Era School and I wish I had six hands so I could have held more kids. I loved them. I definitely want to teach in Africa. The kids are so in need of love. They will love Jesus as soon as someone takes the time to tell them how to have a relationship with Him. I feel so needed here and don't want anything else but to share Christ's love with these needy children. I don't care what luxuries I'll never have. It's worth it if they come to Christ. My heart is broken for Africa. The kids are so precious. They flood you, you are being hugged and grabbed at all angles and it's beautiful, precious and wonderful. I loved them so much! One little girl looked at me with a big smile and said "Chinese!" I laughed and said "No, white!" Another little boy came up and was rubbing my arm with a huge smile saying "white, white." This was the best day of my life. The kids just grab and pull on your arms, I love it but I want them to look past me and see Christ. There is a language barrier so mostly all I could say was my African name, Isata, and I'd ask their names but unless they had an American name I normally couldn't say it. I learned how to say "Glory to God" in Krio, it's "Tell God tankie" So I said that over and over."
Precious children at New Era School
Another blessing and impacting moment was when we went to Fresh Hope International, it is a baby dropping center combined with a school. As we were walking in I broke off from the group went into a side room, it was a classroom with students but no teacher. Even without a teacher present the kids were sitting quietly in their desks, working diligently. I sat down on the dirt floor in front of one girls desk and was looking over her work. I was so touched at the beautiful spirit of these kids and their eagerness to learn that it brought tears to my eyes. Here's what I wrote in my journal after leaving the school:
"Perfection! We just left Fresh Hope International and it was a life changing experience. I'm so excited because I was able to teach a group of kids! Ah, it was the closest I'll ever get to Heaven on Earth. The kids were so precious and I loved it and felt SO at home. Like I'm right where I need to be. I loved it so much it makes me want to cry. I can't wait to come back to Africa. I wish I could stay right now! The kids were so smart, well behaved and trying so hard to learn. They were very excited but still so well behaved and very respectful of me. I stood at the chalk board and we worked on addition, subtraction a bit of very basic algebra and subject/verb identification. After we finished I had them all step out from their desks and we played 'head, shoulders, knees and toes' they were excited to be able to get all their wiggles out after sitting in a desk all day!"
Some of the students after we finished "head, shoulders, knees and toes!"
Another part of Africa that broke my heart is the prostitution.
I understood where the women were coming from though, Donald, the director at the Hope Center, said a lot of young girls were raped during the war and now they are left with children and no husband. With few job opportunities they have to find a way to make money so they don't watch their children starve. I was devastated and so frustrated all week as I tried to think of a way to help them. I couldn't come up with anything until our last day in Africa. Kerry, Christine and I woke up at 5:19 to watch an African sunrise and afterwards I sat outside on the porch to read my Bible and pray. After a great quiet time with the Lord I was still seeking His will on how I could help these women. God is just so awesome and I'm so in love with Him! He has given me a B I G vision and I know that on my own I could never make a difference but through His power anything is possible! My dream is to have compound or really large house and bring prostitutes to live with me. I want to shower them with God's love and show them the forgiveness He offers through Christ's blood. But I can't just provide them with a place to live I also need to help them find a livelihood so they don't have to fall back on prostitution. This is where it gets tricky, because unlike in America they can't just go and apply for a job at a mall, library or steakhouse. What God laid on my heart is to open up a small restaurant and train the women to be managers, waitresses and cooks. That way they will be able to make money in a respectable way. Eventually I want to be able to expand and have more restaurants so there will be more jobs to help women get out of prostitution. I can't stop thinking and praying about this and God just keeps showing me more and more things! I'm even prayerfully considering changing my major to Business so I can learn the skills needed to operate a restaurant and then getting an Alternate Teaching Certification that way I will be able to teach in the schools. Please pray alongside me that God continues to reveal His plan to me!
The woman with the striped shirt is named Futmah, her father left her and her 2 sisters at a young age to fend for themselves so they became prostitutes because there was nothing else for them to do. One sister died of STD's at age 25. The Hope Center gave Futmah a micro-loan and now she is running her own stand, which we are standing in front of. She has had her stand for a month and has been a Christian for six months!! Praise God :)
Precious.
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