The last day. This is our last day is Africa. As we drive to the joburg airport, looking at the mountains and trees that suround us, my heart is full of thankfulness. It still blows my mind that I am in Africa, that i’ve been in Africa for the past month. I can’t believe God let me come here and that He put me here on this team, in this comunity, in my family. Its crazy. All the people I’ve met this month have influenced me so much, taught me so much, loved me so much. I cannot comprehend what God has done for me and in me this month. To my team,You guys. I can’t. I love...

Well, here we go, out of Africa. My experience here has been amazing, but not at all what I expected. I normally hear people say that, but what they say they didn’t expect is exactly what I expected. For example (and this isn’t anyone on my team), they didn’t expect to get wrecked by talking to locals, but I did. However, in that example is what I expected. I thought I would become attached and best friends with some people here. I did become friends with some beautiful Swazi people, but my expectations and reality did not line up. I expected to be heartbroken to leave because...

the plane has lifted from the grounds of africa and memories from this month are almost painful to let dance around my thoughts. im carrying a weight of sadness as i leave the grounds upon which god is so evidently building a piece of his kingdom. and he very faithfully aloud me to be apart of it. yet as im sitting here in the middle seat of a way-too-long flight, i am back to a place of captivation by the oranges and reds and blues that peak above the dark line of clouds we are flying above. abba brought a new day but with the same remarkable color palette as he used in the skies when i began...

how do you say goodbye to the carepoint that made you feel at home,to the smiles you saw everyday,and all the hands you shook,and the kid whose picture you took? how do you tell someone that this is it,your van will not keep coming around the corner,that this will be the last time they can wrap their arms around,that this will be the last time for you to hear their singing sounds. when the only word they know is hi, how do you teach them the opposite,do you use your hands and wave,do you form out syllables on their foreign tongue,or did you just sit in the dirt and kiss every hurt and pretend...

All my life, I have been someone who plans extensively for the future and constantly tries to decipher what is coming next in my life. I have felt the need to be in control of what is happening next. Being on this missions trip to Eswatini, we served at CarePoints where it was neccessary to be present in every small moment and be in constant communication with Jesus as I loved on the kids there. Going to Eswatini resulted in a change of mindset in my life that has deepened my relationship with God. I have learned to enjoy the small things, whether the joyful laughter of a child at the carepoints...

 Greater lessons (As our time in Swaziland has come to an end I keep on trying to think of the lessons I’ve learned and how this trip has changed me, honestly I first came to a blank but then I looked at the small things that turned out to be greater lessons. At the carepoints there were so many amazing little personalities that we hungry for love and attention and I find it amazing that I was able to give that to them but honestly I took back so much more from them than I could ever give. They taught me to be joyful and live in the moment, being kind is so valuable to other people,...