I am blessed!

I realized I hadn't talked much about what I've actually been up to recently, so here's just a glimpse of how I get to spend my days:

- I'm in Worcester Primary School from 7:10am-1:30am every day, usually with grade 7.5 but sometimes filling in in grade 6 or grade 5 classrooms. The "form the corn, form form the corn" song is quite a hit.

- I've taught cheerleading in three different places so far...to the rhythmic gymnasts of Elite Gymnastics at WPS, to the grade 7 leaders of the Blue house for Worcester-Oos (Oos = East) Primary, and in the community to basically whoever wants to learn. I definitely did not think cheerleading would be a skill I used in Africa, and while I'm missing my Tiger ambush each time I teach I really LOVE getting to spend this time with the kids!

- On Thursdays (and some other days) we head into the community and have praise and worship, Bible teaching, and food distribution. The kids are so willing to teach me Afrikaans and so patient when I can't say anything right. They demonstrate the Acts church idea in such a real way by making sure that the littlest ones are cared for and they share everything. They are always waiting with open arms to be thrown in the air and hugged and kissed. My heart has been captured by the beautiful children there...pictures and words will never do justice to what God is doing in that place, in my heart, and through those beautiful, beautiful kids. I LOVE THEM and I can't imagine leaving them!

- I've gotten to pray with patients and parents in the children's ward of the hospital, which has been really powerful and a sweet time of communion with Jesus.

- On Tuesday mornings we get to lead Bible studies in WPS. Yes, we get to preach the Word FREELY in school! This is an awesome chance to share truth and my heart with the kids, and their worship is so refreshing. There is nothing like African harmony, that is for sure!

- I live with the two cutest girls in South Africa, I'm pretty sure. Simile and Halo are so precious and they can always make me laugh! Simile tells everyone that we're best friends...it's true. She loves looking at my pictures and naming all of my friends and family. I love the sweet time we get to spend together.

- I've also gotten to spend time traveling in the Western Cape, which has been so great! We have been to Cape Town, Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope, Hermanus, Muizenberg/Fish Hoek, Wellington/Stellenbosch, and I'm sure more places that I'm forgetting. This really is SUCH a beautiful country!

I know I'm leaving things out, but I just want to give you a glimpse of what God is doing here. THANK YOU for your prayers and support, without you this would NOT be possible! I cannot express my gratitude for all of the love and encouragement you guys have been pouring into me...through emails, letters, packages, and prayers! You are AWESOME and you are such a huge part of what God is doing here in my heart and in the lives of others. The Kingdom that we are building is unshakeable...praise God! (Heb 12:28) THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Eph 4:15-16

clinging to the cross

You are MORE, You are MORE than my words will ever say.

You are Lord, You are LORD! all creation will proclaim.

You are here, You are HERE, in Your presence I’m made whole.

You are GOD, You ARE God, of all else I’m letting go!

These lyrics have been ringing in my heart over the past few days. This is what God brought me to Africa to teach me...IT’S NOT ABOUT ME. I know I’ve said it before, but sometimes we have to preach these things to ourselves over and over, to remind ourselves daily of truths like this. And my teacher friends can stand by me and agree that repetition by EXPERIENCE is the best way to learn something!

Next to the sticky note on my mirror that says “Do not forget in the darkness what you’ve been promised in the light” hangs one that says “Cling to the cross!”.

I have heard this and surely preached it to who knows how many of campers over the years, but I have never known what it truly looks like to actually cling to the cross, to put my hope and my assurance in the hands of my Maker, to look at God and say “I know I can’t, but I KNOW You CAN!”. And that is precisely what I am learning here. There is SO much need, so much hurt, so much that I want to fix. And it is here that I have been humbled to realize that I can do nothing. ONLY Jesus can bring healing, hope, and restoration. I can offer myself, this life I’ve been giving, as a sacrifice to the Living God and say “Use me!” but even then, it’s still nothing of me. Nothing I can do or say or give or bring can heal a single person, can raise a life, can save a soul. BUT. I know the One who CAN, and in that there is POWER!

So, I write to say that I truly desire to lay me down. I lay my independence and attempts at self-sufficiency, my ambitions and dreams, my heart and my hands at the cross. I’m NOT saying this to glorify myself, or so that you’ll think “Wow, Sara is such a great missionary, she’s doing such great things.” I’m telling you, it’s NOT about me. It’s nothing that I’m doing. I’m just responding to what I read in the Bible when Jesus says to feed His sheep (John 21:17) and I hope that you are doing the same, wherever you find yourself in this season.

I am thankful that God is compassionate towards me, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness (Ex 34:6) as I learn these lessons. I am thankful to be learning these lessons! I am thankful to be in Africa, to live out dreams and have new ones breathed into my heart by our Creator. I am thankful to have a fresh start and learn what it means to keep in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25). I am thankful that when I ask, God is willing and gracious enough to give me more of His heart. I am thankful, most of all, for the cross, which calls us to come and die, to lay down our lives so that we may find LIFE.

the windy city

Whoever said Chicago was the windy city clearly never came to Worcester. My gosh! In just a matter of minutes the wind can go from a light breeze to a gale force blast. I LOVE IT. It is a constant reminder of the power and awesomeness of our God. Whenever He pleases, He just stirs up a mighty wind and blows it through the mountains and into our lives. I don't know about you, but I haven't been stirring up any hurricanes or anything lately....God is SO much bigger than our tiny little minds can even begin to comprehend!

The wind also reminds me that God is always doing something new, something fresh. Last night I fell asleep just as the wind was picking up, and I was reminded that a new day was coming; a new chance to tell people that they are loved and valued, a new chance to shine light into darkness, a new chance to live for a purpose, for the God of the universe and His mighty plan in this place.

I have been reminded this week that I am a child of God - Gal 4:4-7 - and because of Christ I have received full rights as a daughter of the King! I can rest assured that God knows my heart (because He created it) and is constantly moving and working. The more I delight myself in the Lord, the more of Himself He reveals...and THAT is becoming more and more the desire of my heart! Funny how we take that for granted sometimes, eh? HE IS who His Word says HE IS, and He is FAITHFUL to do what His Word says He'll do! Hallelujah!