Dear Friends,
Here's the long-awaited update! Most of you already know my big news, some of you don't (and no, I'm not engaged...why does everybody ask that??). The news is this: I am going to Swaziland, Africa for 6 months with YWAM (Youth with a Mission) beginning in June (till mid November). So, I will not be at Moody for the fall semester, but I will pick up again in the spring. The nice thing is that it won't really put me any farther behind in school. When I transferred from Hillsdale, I got knocked down a little (between my class and the class below me) and so this semester will just put me in the class below me, so I will graduate with all my friends at Moody. The school is really good about sending students out to do various things during their 4 years. Whether it be ministry related (missions, etc), work, or for a wedding, they are really great about allowing you to leave and come back. I will not have to reapply or anything (such a blessing!).
I am so excited about this opportunity! What I am doing is called a DTS (Discipleship Training School). For three months I will be in Mbabane, Swaziland at a base taking classes while working with the local missionary family (a young couple with two super cute kids!) on various projects (this is called the "lecture phase"). After this, we will have three months of outreach. The students are placed into teams of 10-12 and sent out to various locations. For this DTS, the possible outreach locations include local outreach in Swaziland, as well as outreach into South Africa, Mozambique, and possibly Nigeria. The school I will be attending is small--probably only 10-15 students total. The director of the base has told me that I am one of three from America and there are a few from South Africa and Nigeria (so far). I am excited to see how God brings the students together (and from where!).
Swaziland is a really small country (hardly bigger than New Jersey) and is surrounded by South Africa. Swaziland has the highest HIV/AIDS rate of any country in the world--40 percent of the nation is infected. It has been said that in a matter of years, it will be a nation of orphans. Much of our local work will be with those infected with AIDS as well as with the many left orphaned as a result of the desease. I am excited about working with children. I won't know until later what my outreach will look like. The location isn't decided until we've been there for a while.
You're probably wondering at this point how God brought me to this? I don't have one right answer to that question...God has been working really powerfully in my life this past semester, especially this past month. Moody has been so great for me. I can't even express how grateful I am to God for allowing me to be here. He has placed incredible people in my life who have challenged me like no one has challenged me before, and who encourage me to fight the good fight and live radically for the Lord. Long story short, a group of friends and I were challenged by the pastor at our Church not to be complacent. He asked the question: "Are you living or are you existing?" This question really got to me and was on my mind and heart for a long time. God wrestled with me a lot this semester--challenging me to live, not for others, but only for him. He has placed on my heart an urgency to spread His love--among all peoples. He has also placed on my heart the need to wake up, and to wake others up, to the call of Christ. Through all of these things I was (and am) learning, I changed my major. I am now an International Ministry major, hoping to work overseas someday. This opportunity so serve with YWAM will be, I think, a good introduction to the work of overseas missions, as well as a chance to get a firsthand look at what it is like to do a life work overseas. My desire is not to do short term missions but to commit my life to the work of the kingdom long term. I am excited to see where and how God will lead me, and how He is going to use this short experience to prepare my heart for future work.
Exciting things lie ahead! Scary things lie ahead! I rest in the knowledge that God is sovereign. He holds my past, present, and future in His hands. I am eager to follow the leading of the Almighty. I am in awe of Him and all He has taught me this semester. I am astounded at how much the Word has come alive to me, and how much God has used it to grow me. It truly is the Living, breathing Word of God! I am also incredibly thankful to Him for placing people in my life who have a vision for His Kingdom. Wow. This life I live is not my own--He has poured out grace upon grace.
This is a whole new step of faith and I find myself learning more about trust than I have ever learned before. It seems that there are a hundred details that need to be figured out...and you all know that the perfectionist in me sometimes tends to freak out. I have a lot of travel details (passport, visa, plane ticket, etc.) as well as financial details (raising support!). I would greatly appreciate your prayers! One thing God has been teaching me is how absolutely beautiful the Body of Christ is--and what a pleasure and responsibility it is to love and care for one another (through prayer, encouragement, etc.). I ask that you would pray with me and for me, that you would encourage me and stand with me. Ask me questions and challenge my thoughts. Let's join as His body to grow toward him together!
I love you guys. As I have been sharing my heart with some of you, I am blown away by your love and committment to me--as a sister and friend. You have NO idea what it means to me to know your thoughts on this, your willingness to listen, to hear your excitement for me. Wow. This is so exciting. I feel like my life is going to change so much. Sometimes it just hits me--how much I am going to be stretched and how much I am going to learn. I am eager.
Write back with questions or thoughts! I am on spring break right now, spending a week in Philly with Jay and Kristen and then my second week in Harrisburg with Hallie. I would love to hear from you. I am going to be working on a letter soon, so I can start building up a prayer team and a financial team. You get to be a part of this with me! I hope that's an exciting thing for you :) It sure is exciting to me!!
I want to leave you with a verse. I'm not sure which one because there have been a number that have really been on the front of my mind and heart right now. But I think I'll leave you with Haggai chapter one. It's a tough passage. Obviously I won't write out the whole chapter here--you can go read it :) The book of Haggai is about the rebuilding of the temple--and how it symbolized God's restored presence among His people. So here it goes, I'll share a few of the verses that really stand out to me.
"Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?" (1:4)
"Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Becuase of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house..." (1:7-9).
This is such a convicting passage. As I think about building God's house, I think about building His kingdom. Israel had busied herself with herself...she had forgotten her purpose in God. I busy myself with myself. I forget about the mandate Jesus gave--to preach his name and live his love to all people. I so often lose sight of this eternal perspective (and this means a vision for God's work in my future but ALSO his work in my present, here at Moody). Lord, don't let it be so! Teach us to Follow you! Teach us to be true Seekers of You and your Word. Enlarge our hearts, God. Widen our love for one another and for You.
Thank you all for being in my life! I love you and look forward to what the future holds. Life in the Almighty is RICH!
In Him,
Andrea
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1 comment:
I would LOVE to be on ur mailing list :)
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