Mandy and I just experienced our first trip guiding on our own and it was awesome! We survived! It was my second trip guiding but first time without someone holding my hand through everything. God has literally brought me to my knees in the past two weeks. I’ve experienced the craziest, most stressful days of my life – but also the best. The preparations began the day before the team arrived. Mandy and I flew from Harare to Livingstone and met up with Andrew, same driver from last trip, and set off to buy groceries, clean up the truck, and prepare for the trip. Well it took a few hours for us to cross the borders and we also had a huge search for diesel – every gas station was out of diesel. We arrived at the waterfront in the early afternoon, had a quick late lunch, and then set off to buy some groceries (grocery stores close at 6pm). Well grocery stores in Livingstone are terrible – they didn’t have anything we needed and the few things that we managed to work with were more expensive. We went back to the waterfront where we were camping and cleaned out the truck and made our big shopping list for the following morning. We got up extremely early because we were told the stores opened at 6am - we arrived to find out that the stores did not open until 7:30am. Shame. We were running around crazy trying to get the groceries and supplies we needed and we still had cooler boxes to wash out, food to put up, and equipment to rearrange in order to make more space for suitcases. We rushed to the airport at around 11:45am because the team’s flight arrived at 12:30pm – with bags of groceries still strolled around in the truck. As soon as we arrived at the airport Andrew realized he forgot his cell phone at the waterfront. So he dropped us off and went to go find his phone. So at 12:30pm when the team had arrived and was fetching their luggage, Mandy and I were standing at the front of the airport waiting for them with no truck. So we stood there and prayed continually for God to bring Andrew back quickly. Having to explain to the team that their transportation was not there for them and that they would have to wait doesn’t make the best first impression. A little over a minute after we were praying the truck showed up. Hallelujah! So Mandy ran to the truck to move the groceries and I waited outside of baggage claim, holding my sign that read, ‘Randy Presley’s group’. They went through immigration and saw me waiting for them. It was great to see all of their smiling faces. It was especially great to see Randy’s face – he is my old youth minister who led my first trip out of the U.S. as well as my first trip to Africa. So everything was thankfully going according to plan… other than the fact that we still did not have all of the food we needed. Boy, were my nerves going crazy at that point! And of course none of them must know what all we went through to get to that point. No worries, all smiles! So I feel like I was good with keeping calm but on the inside my nerves and thoughts were going crazy.
We ended up getting the rest of our food in another town the next morning while the team was having orientation. Thank you God! So the bush-camping experience was pretty luxurious. The girls stayed in the missionaries house (one set of missionaries we were working with is from their church in Arkansas and they live right next to the campgrounds) and the boys camped out, along with the interpreters and me and Mandy. We had a kitchen, eating area, and an incredible view of Lake Kariba. The campground was amazing – we were seriously warned of snakes, crocs, and hippos. We saw a couple of crocs and we had a few snake issues – Black Mambas which are serious snakes – a dog died from that type of snake just a few days before we arrived. Cool.
Okay so we bought groceries and planned menus for 19 team members (pax), 3 crew, 2 missionaries, and a couple of interpreters which would be around 27 or so people. Well as it turned out, we ended up cooking for 36 people. Adding another missionary family and more interpreters than expected, we were a little anxious. We prayed through every meal as we prepared it and each time God provided. We cooked spaghetti, steaks, potatoes/sweet potatoes, grilled chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, banana bread, cheeseburgers and fries, chili, beef stew and rice --- the works! And if you know me you know I have very little experience cooking the big meals so you definitely should know that it was all God. I really was impressed with the way the food turned out. God was revealing things to us from memories because I was remembering things my mom did that normally I promise I would not remember – random things. And at the end of every day we had a little food leftover. God is so good.
The ministry was absolutely incredible. We had discussion time every evening after dinner and it was amazing to hear the stories of how God worked – how we worked in the peoples’ lives and how he worked in the members’ lives. Also during the discussion time every night a few individuals would share their testimonies. It is always a blessing to hear how people come to know Jesus and what all he’s doing in their lives currently. It was such an amazing blessing to me to just think about how amongst all of the stories you can see God behind the scenes, working out intricate details in so many people’s lives. It’s mind-blowing to think about that while he is working on me and showing me so much, he is also working on Mandy, the missionaries, the team, the interpreters, the Tonga people, all of our families back home, etc. It is so wonderful to serve a majestic God who loves us unconditionally and knows everything about us. And I will praise him in the good times as well as the bad times. There were definitely hardships to deal with on this trip. In the middle of the week I found out that my grandmother passed away. She had been back and forth in the hospital for so long so it was expected. But even when you are expecting something like that you still do not know how you will react. I am so thankful that my mother was able to contact Randy, who took me aside and told me and I could surround myself with things to do and people who cared about me. I could have found out when I was alone and riding down the road or something but God made sure I was surrounded by people I loved. I was heartbroken and I hated that I could not be there for my mom --- but I knew that God’s plan is perfect and his timing is perfect. He needed me to be here and not home. Then the next morning as Mandy and I were preparing for breakfast, I walked outside and watched the sunrise, and God gave me a peace that passes all understanding. The water was completely still, breathtaking, peaceful – unlike every other morning when it was really windy and the waves went in every direction. It was like God put his hand on my heart and comforted me. I knew everything was going to be okay – more than okay.
God was moving in everyone around me – and for me one thing he was teaching me was humility. There were times when I was running around trying to do everything myself and each time I had to stop and ask someone to help me. During those times I was thinking, “I am going to do this all by myself,” – not in hopes that everyone would see me but so I could prove to myself that I was capable. Well God showed me multiple times that I needed Mandy, I needed the team, and ultimately that I needed him. One afternoon I had a little break so I went and sat by the water. I just looked out at his beautiful creation and I felt overwhelmed with his love for me. I was simply awestruck – at his beauty, his majesty, his love for me and how unworthy I am. I felt like that was a glimpse of his love for me – only a glimpse. He has so much more to show me. An entire lifetime of things to show me. But I can’t just sit back and enjoy the show. I must seek him and pursue him with all of my heart. That doesn’t mean he reveals himself or his plan to us all at once – we must seek him and pursue him. Spend time with him. Our relationship with God is ultimately the most important relationship of our lives. We give so much of ourselves, our time, love, and effort into our earthly relationships – oh we should be giving SO MUCH MORE to our creator. The one who never leaves or forsakes us.
At the end of our beautiful week, our truck was having some problems and it broke down. Our alternate transportation had only enough room for the team, their luggage, and the tents – barely. We had to leave behind all of our food, equipment, eating utensils, chairs, etc. There was literally just barely enough room for everyone and their luggage. The transportation was an open safari truck along with a regular truck and a trailer. When those two vehicles pulled up Mandy, Randy, and I looked at each other and laughed. So it was an interesting few hours driving to Livingstone. Mandy, Andrew and I were in the regular truck, Randy in another truck with the missionaries James and Marci, and the team was bundled up in blankets and sleeping bags on the overland truck with tents and mattresses under their feet. The entire ride there Mandy and I were communicating with people trying to figure out the plan for food and transportation once we arrive. Those two trucks were hired just to take us to the waterfront where we were camping and then dropped off. At this point the team blew us away with their good positive spirits and their flexibility. The one driving our truck was Australian and Mandy and I had some deep conversations with him about God, Christianity, other religions, Africa, missions, etc. He basically believed that we all luckily evolved here on earth and that humans exist simply to live life and die and that’s it. Wow. It was awesome to see how God worked that out for his glory because Mandy and I got to share with him. It was so cool because the times when I wasn’t sure what to say or how to explain something, Mandy would jump in and dominate. And Mandy told me later that it was the exact same for her – when she didn’t know how to respond was when I would jump in. It was so cool! So we ended up living off of sandwiches, chips, and fruit for the next couple of meals – only during breakfast and lunch though. We went out for dinner both nights which was great. By the time those three days were over, everyone at the waterfront knew my face – from the ones at the reception desk to the workers in the activities office, cleaning staff, kitchen staff, and the guy running the internet café (I was checking the internet constantly for contact numbers, etc). They all knew us for sure because we were running around borrowing dishes and supplies, calling taxis, finding bureaus to exchange money for the team, organizing their activities, etc. It was quite hectic. But as for me – I was on cloud nine the entire time because step by step God was providing the way and working everything out. We had to fully rely on him and let him pave the way for us. And he did! The team had a fantastic day of activities which included game drives, jumping off bridges, and shopping. Unfortunately Mandy and I were not able to join them because we were running around shopping for food, exchanging money, sorting out transportation to the airport, and watching camp. But God faithfully worked everything out one step at a time and it was awesome. We went to the airport the last morning and said our farewells. Wes and Laurie took Andrew, Mandy, and me for ice cream and then to the border. We said our goodbyes to Wes and Laurie and then took a taxi to Hunters Lodge, African Encounter guesthouse. We crashed there for free, which was so awesome because we had power, hot showers, and comfy beds! Mandy and I said good night to Andrew and crashed as soon as we got there. It was about 5:00pm. Mandy was out within 20 minutes and I tossed and turned for a few hours and then finally drifted off around 8:00pm. It was so great to rest and to not think about 28 other people! I was just in the zone because I was so exhausted and so amazed at the same time. We had made it through our trip. Considering the stressful and unexpected situations that continually came our way, I thought we handled it pretty well. God is great! I feel like throughout the past two months he has been gradually revealing to me his unimaginable sovereignty and his unfailing love for me. He definitely showed me a lot during this trip. I am so grateful that he chose me.
Well we are currently spending our last days in Harare, saying our farewells to everyone and then we are off to Capetown, South Africa for the last week of our journey. Thank you so much for your love and support. Please pray for the people here. I am excited about returning home but I am also so heartbroken because there is so much here that needs to be done.
We ended up getting the rest of our food in another town the next morning while the team was having orientation. Thank you God! So the bush-camping experience was pretty luxurious. The girls stayed in the missionaries house (one set of missionaries we were working with is from their church in Arkansas and they live right next to the campgrounds) and the boys camped out, along with the interpreters and me and Mandy. We had a kitchen, eating area, and an incredible view of Lake Kariba. The campground was amazing – we were seriously warned of snakes, crocs, and hippos. We saw a couple of crocs and we had a few snake issues – Black Mambas which are serious snakes – a dog died from that type of snake just a few days before we arrived. Cool.
Okay so we bought groceries and planned menus for 19 team members (pax), 3 crew, 2 missionaries, and a couple of interpreters which would be around 27 or so people. Well as it turned out, we ended up cooking for 36 people. Adding another missionary family and more interpreters than expected, we were a little anxious. We prayed through every meal as we prepared it and each time God provided. We cooked spaghetti, steaks, potatoes/sweet potatoes, grilled chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, banana bread, cheeseburgers and fries, chili, beef stew and rice --- the works! And if you know me you know I have very little experience cooking the big meals so you definitely should know that it was all God. I really was impressed with the way the food turned out. God was revealing things to us from memories because I was remembering things my mom did that normally I promise I would not remember – random things. And at the end of every day we had a little food leftover. God is so good.
The ministry was absolutely incredible. We had discussion time every evening after dinner and it was amazing to hear the stories of how God worked – how we worked in the peoples’ lives and how he worked in the members’ lives. Also during the discussion time every night a few individuals would share their testimonies. It is always a blessing to hear how people come to know Jesus and what all he’s doing in their lives currently. It was such an amazing blessing to me to just think about how amongst all of the stories you can see God behind the scenes, working out intricate details in so many people’s lives. It’s mind-blowing to think about that while he is working on me and showing me so much, he is also working on Mandy, the missionaries, the team, the interpreters, the Tonga people, all of our families back home, etc. It is so wonderful to serve a majestic God who loves us unconditionally and knows everything about us. And I will praise him in the good times as well as the bad times. There were definitely hardships to deal with on this trip. In the middle of the week I found out that my grandmother passed away. She had been back and forth in the hospital for so long so it was expected. But even when you are expecting something like that you still do not know how you will react. I am so thankful that my mother was able to contact Randy, who took me aside and told me and I could surround myself with things to do and people who cared about me. I could have found out when I was alone and riding down the road or something but God made sure I was surrounded by people I loved. I was heartbroken and I hated that I could not be there for my mom --- but I knew that God’s plan is perfect and his timing is perfect. He needed me to be here and not home. Then the next morning as Mandy and I were preparing for breakfast, I walked outside and watched the sunrise, and God gave me a peace that passes all understanding. The water was completely still, breathtaking, peaceful – unlike every other morning when it was really windy and the waves went in every direction. It was like God put his hand on my heart and comforted me. I knew everything was going to be okay – more than okay.
God was moving in everyone around me – and for me one thing he was teaching me was humility. There were times when I was running around trying to do everything myself and each time I had to stop and ask someone to help me. During those times I was thinking, “I am going to do this all by myself,” – not in hopes that everyone would see me but so I could prove to myself that I was capable. Well God showed me multiple times that I needed Mandy, I needed the team, and ultimately that I needed him. One afternoon I had a little break so I went and sat by the water. I just looked out at his beautiful creation and I felt overwhelmed with his love for me. I was simply awestruck – at his beauty, his majesty, his love for me and how unworthy I am. I felt like that was a glimpse of his love for me – only a glimpse. He has so much more to show me. An entire lifetime of things to show me. But I can’t just sit back and enjoy the show. I must seek him and pursue him with all of my heart. That doesn’t mean he reveals himself or his plan to us all at once – we must seek him and pursue him. Spend time with him. Our relationship with God is ultimately the most important relationship of our lives. We give so much of ourselves, our time, love, and effort into our earthly relationships – oh we should be giving SO MUCH MORE to our creator. The one who never leaves or forsakes us.
At the end of our beautiful week, our truck was having some problems and it broke down. Our alternate transportation had only enough room for the team, their luggage, and the tents – barely. We had to leave behind all of our food, equipment, eating utensils, chairs, etc. There was literally just barely enough room for everyone and their luggage. The transportation was an open safari truck along with a regular truck and a trailer. When those two vehicles pulled up Mandy, Randy, and I looked at each other and laughed. So it was an interesting few hours driving to Livingstone. Mandy, Andrew and I were in the regular truck, Randy in another truck with the missionaries James and Marci, and the team was bundled up in blankets and sleeping bags on the overland truck with tents and mattresses under their feet. The entire ride there Mandy and I were communicating with people trying to figure out the plan for food and transportation once we arrive. Those two trucks were hired just to take us to the waterfront where we were camping and then dropped off. At this point the team blew us away with their good positive spirits and their flexibility. The one driving our truck was Australian and Mandy and I had some deep conversations with him about God, Christianity, other religions, Africa, missions, etc. He basically believed that we all luckily evolved here on earth and that humans exist simply to live life and die and that’s it. Wow. It was awesome to see how God worked that out for his glory because Mandy and I got to share with him. It was so cool because the times when I wasn’t sure what to say or how to explain something, Mandy would jump in and dominate. And Mandy told me later that it was the exact same for her – when she didn’t know how to respond was when I would jump in. It was so cool! So we ended up living off of sandwiches, chips, and fruit for the next couple of meals – only during breakfast and lunch though. We went out for dinner both nights which was great. By the time those three days were over, everyone at the waterfront knew my face – from the ones at the reception desk to the workers in the activities office, cleaning staff, kitchen staff, and the guy running the internet café (I was checking the internet constantly for contact numbers, etc). They all knew us for sure because we were running around borrowing dishes and supplies, calling taxis, finding bureaus to exchange money for the team, organizing their activities, etc. It was quite hectic. But as for me – I was on cloud nine the entire time because step by step God was providing the way and working everything out. We had to fully rely on him and let him pave the way for us. And he did! The team had a fantastic day of activities which included game drives, jumping off bridges, and shopping. Unfortunately Mandy and I were not able to join them because we were running around shopping for food, exchanging money, sorting out transportation to the airport, and watching camp. But God faithfully worked everything out one step at a time and it was awesome. We went to the airport the last morning and said our farewells. Wes and Laurie took Andrew, Mandy, and me for ice cream and then to the border. We said our goodbyes to Wes and Laurie and then took a taxi to Hunters Lodge, African Encounter guesthouse. We crashed there for free, which was so awesome because we had power, hot showers, and comfy beds! Mandy and I said good night to Andrew and crashed as soon as we got there. It was about 5:00pm. Mandy was out within 20 minutes and I tossed and turned for a few hours and then finally drifted off around 8:00pm. It was so great to rest and to not think about 28 other people! I was just in the zone because I was so exhausted and so amazed at the same time. We had made it through our trip. Considering the stressful and unexpected situations that continually came our way, I thought we handled it pretty well. God is great! I feel like throughout the past two months he has been gradually revealing to me his unimaginable sovereignty and his unfailing love for me. He definitely showed me a lot during this trip. I am so grateful that he chose me.
Well we are currently spending our last days in Harare, saying our farewells to everyone and then we are off to Capetown, South Africa for the last week of our journey. Thank you so much for your love and support. Please pray for the people here. I am excited about returning home but I am also so heartbroken because there is so much here that needs to be done.
I look so forward to your posts because it is exciting to hear about God working through and in you. Thank you for taking the time to answer God's call, and then to share it with me through your blog.
ReplyDeleteDavid