Africa. . .FINALLY!

So, I know I've been back from Africa for 2 months, but I finally set down a few weeks ago to put my thoughts on paper. The following post is what I shared with our church family when we shared about our trip. . .

In training for this and previous trips to Senegal, I have shared with teammates and other teams this verse: "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." --Ephesians 1:18-19. My prayer for the Sereer people has always been that. That their eyes would be opened to the truth. Preparing for this trip was completely different than any other mission trip I'd ever been on. I was preparing to bring the Gospel to people I knew, people I had grown to love and had a growing burden for since my previous trip last summer, people like my namesake, Wolimata, people like the very old Chief Samba of the Thies Noon village, people like Jason's very good friend Citi, who was very close to death this year after contracting malaria. These were people who were so hospitable, who loved me unconditionally, people who are literally dying and spending eternity separated from God because they don't have a relationship with Christ. Before leaving for this trip, I was so overwhelmed with a sense of urgency that they have to hear the Gospel and that nothing else matters but that we go and tell, regardless of our safety, comfort, convenience, or financial means; because all of those things are meaningless and don't impact eternity. God's command is clear and His promise remains true: we GO and He is with us. That's all we need to know. My prayer for out entire church family is that we are so overwhelmed by the "lostness" of the people who we are ministering to in Africa that nothing will stop us from doing what God has called us to do. On my first day in Senegal, I wrote this in my journal: "My heart breaks for these people. I want to tell them and for them to understand. As I am here, I am overwhelmed by the task at hand. The conversion of these people is a slow process, but the Lord is definitely at work. I can't wait until the day when we see the people here come to know Christ!" Not only was I completely overwhelmed by the spiritual well being of the Sereer people, I think it finally hit me that our church has to be in this for the long haul. While I know God is big enough to have many people come to know Him on the next trip we take, the reality is that the people in Senegal are very slow to convert. This is mainly because doing so means being completely outcast in a society that is all about relationships with others. This reality really sank in as I held a 20-day-old infant in a village one day. Philip, Kyle, and John (an IMB missionary) were sharing with the men in the village and I was with the women. I was unable to communicate with them, so as I sat and held this tiny baby, I began to pray silently and boldly over him. I prayed that God would place a hedge of protection around this baby, and that through that specific child, change would come to that village. As I prayed, I was overwhelmed with the thought of two things: 1. It is quiet possible that this child could be the first person in that village to accept Christ, and that could be many years from now; 2. This child could quite possibly die before the next trip we take. That was certainly eye-opening for me! I wrote this in my journal that night: "I look forward to watching him grow up and hopefully one day seeing him accept Christ!" The task at hand seems impossible. It won't happen overnight. It might not happen in the next year, or even the next five years, but we are seeing an openness to the Gospel that we MUST take advantage of. God has called our church to this place with these people for such a time as this. We have the awesome privilege and responsibility to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Let us now grow weary in doing what God has called us to!

As some of you know, our flight was delayed overnight in Washington, DC. We rented a car and drove to see some of the monuments. While we were all very disappointed that we would miss our entire first day in Africa, God used the time in our nation's capital to remind me of something He taught me on my last trip to Senegal. As I stood and looked at the Lincoln Memorial, I was reminded of the Emancipation Proclamation that Lincoln penned, and I immediately thought about this journal entry that I wrote last year after my first trip: "I saw an island on the reality show The Amazing Race where all the slaves in Africa were held prior to being shipped off to other countries to be enslaved to someone. That was several years ago and I remember being moved to tears as a young African American girl wept while standing at the "door of no return" where the Africans would walk through on their way into a lifetime of slavery. On our last day in Senegal, before catching our flight, we were able to go to this exact spot! Again, I was struck by the harsh living conditions these slaves were forced into, as they were treated as property, not humans. As our tour guide explained the history of it all in broken English that I could only catch about every third word of, God reminded me of the slavery He saved me from when He sent His Son to die on the cross! I was bound by a yoke of slavery far greater than any that a human could impose. . . the yoke of sin. He willingly sent Jesus to die for my sins so that I could be free! What a glorious day when the slaves in America heard the news (though very delayed) of the Emancipation Proclamation and were free! What a glorious day when Jesus overcame death on the cross to proclaim emancipation for the captives! It is our job to proclaim that freedom today! "The Spirit of the sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." Isaiah 61:1
That is why He has called me to Highlands and the ministry He has here for me. That is why He called me to Mexico in 2002, to Haiti in 2005, and to Senegal this year for what is the beginning of a long relationship with the people groups there. That is why He'll continue to call all of us as Christians to step our of our comfort zones and serve people! Not so I can go on another cool mission trip, but so I can proclaim freedom to the captives! "SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED!" John 8:36"

Breaking the 400 Year Silence

Have you ever read a story that you've read thousands of times and notice something completely new? God has done that for me this year with the Christmas story. It started as we were rehearsing for Praise Team. We have been practicing to sing "Emmanuel," which was recorded by Chris Tomlin. One verse of that song says, "What fear we felt in the silent age, 400 years, can He be found?; but broken by a baby's cry, rejoice in the hallowed manger ground." I have been mulling that over in my mind, then we went to the Chris Tomlin Christmas concert last night and Louie Giglio spoke on that very thing. Do you ever stop and think about what transpired in that time represented by the single blank page in your Bible between the Old and New Testaments? It was 400 years of silence from God. God's people didn't hear His voice for 4 centuries! Now, I know I feel all out of sorts if I go days or weeks where I feel distant from God. I can't fathom a 400 year silence. The most amazing thing about the story? (this gives me chills!). How did He break the silence? It wasn't a loud trumpet or from a mighty king on an earthly throne, or even a deep voice from heaven. It was the precious cry of a baby. Whoa! I have attended thousands of deliveries in my job as a nurse, and there is nothing like the anticipation of a baby's first cry. The world had been waiting 400 years to hear the cry of Emmanuel, God with us, the Word made flesh, the one person who ever chose to be born. With the cry of a precious newborn infant, God set a plan into motion that no power could stop. A plan of redemption and mercy and grace. A plan that saved me out of the pit of sin and allowed me to live in Christ's freedom. A plan that is for every person. A plan that God has called each of us to proclaim to the nations! I'll close this post with the lyrics to a song I'm hoping to sing next Sunday morning (as long as my voice cooperates!)

A seed, it grows;
and somehow becomes a life.
It moves, she knows
that her baby has arrived.
She's so scared, but she's so blessed.
She lays down her fear
for the hope at her breast.

For she knows,. . .
One million chains could never hold back this moment in time
One thousand dreams could never dream what this moment truly means.
Heaven and Earth, they cradle the infinite Joy born on this night.
For it only takes One Child to forever change the world.

He stands beside her,
He share her pain if he only knew how
He whispers, "I love you."
As he gently strokes her brow
He's so scare, but he's so blessed.
There's a thundering pride pounding deep in his chest.

For he knows,. . .
One million chains could never hold back this moment in time
One thousand dreams could never dream what this moment truly means.
Heaven and Earth, they cradle the infinite Joy born on this night.
For it only takes One Child to forever change the world.

Christ is born!
We are blessed!
Every knee's gonna bow and every tongue shall confess
That we know, . . .
One million chains could never hold back this moment in time
One thousand dreams could never dream what this moment truly means.
Heaven and Earth, they cradle the infinite Joy born on this night.
For it only takes One Child . . .

This baby cries,
And for the first time, the world hears the voice of God weep.
Mary sings a lullaby as the Hope of the Nations gently falls asleep
She knows this is that One Child to forever change the world.

It's been way too long. . .

Oh my goodness!! I have been horrible at posting to my blog. It has been an absolute whirlwind since I returned from Africa. I posted a few pics while I was there, and I'll post another blog specifically regarding that trip, but I just wanted to catch everyone up on what's been going on. My first evening home from Africa was spent in the Emergency Room. I pretty much knew by my last day and half in Africa that I needed some serious medical attention, but tried to ignore it and hoped it would go away (they say nurses are the worst patients!). Starting on the third or fourth day of our trip, I had an irritation in my esophagus. The only thing I could really trace it back to was taking one of my malaria pills without water. By the day we left to come home, I couldn't even drink water without being in tremendous pain, so I headed to the ER. They diagnosed me with severe esophagitis, which is pretty much an ulceration of my esophagus. After one night of medicine and a day or two to eat and get my energy back, I was as good as new! Which was good, because I had exactly 1 week to move out of my house.
I sold my house and bought a new one (well, new to me) on October 30th. I had to move out of my house and move in with my parents. Getting the house ready has taken much longer than I expected, but I hope to move in this weekend. . .we shall see!
The last 3 weeks have been so busy! I have been working alot at the hospital as well as working on my house. As if I didn't have enough to do, I helped plan a huge benefit for 3 of my co-workers who are battling breast cancer. We decided to do this event with only 3 weeks to plan! What a crazy time! But it was well worth it. . . we raised around $13,000!!! We were totally overwhelmed by everyone's generosity!
I will spend tomorrow helping to renovate our student ministry area at church. Saturday morning, my little cousin, April is graduating law school, so I'm going to her graduation to celebrate! Saturday night, I am looking forward to the Chris Tomlin Christmas concert. Maybe I'll slow down just in time to celebrate Christmas! Thanking the Lord that I am healthy and happy and have the energy to do all of the things He's called me to!! I am truly blessed! Merry Christmas to all!