“Live a lovers’ life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.” -Philippians 1:10-11
Zambia is constantly reminding me about how amazing and heartbreaking this world is. I can see it in the skillful way a woman balances a basket full of fruit on her head while also carrying a baby on her back down the busy Livingstone street, the way an 11 year old orphan girl laughs with me while i struggle to sing a nursery rhyme, despite the fact that she has no reason to be joyful because of the tragedies she has endured, or the way 8 widows gather together in a school to study their way through the bible when they could be at home grieving for the loss of their spouse.
If I could describe Zambia in three words, I would use raw, real, and devastatingly beautiful (that extra word was free of charge). When I first heard the 8 voices of the widows singing from their small tattered hymnals, I was immediately captivated by the rawness AND sincerity of their worship. They sang together not in harmony or in “Sunday morning choir etiquette” but in unity to the God they serve. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced.
Africa is so unique and genuine not only in their worship, but also in their faith. In the U.S, we say we have faith and we try our best to convey it to the world, but compared to Africa, we are just one small drop of water in a gallon pitcher . Most people that I have encountered on this trip have next to nothing. They don’t just believe in God and have faith that he will provide for them, but they RELY on him and truly exemplify what Paul and Timothy described in Philippians 1: . I came on this mission trip to serve others and to let the people of Zambia know that there is a God who cares for them and loves them. Imagine my surprise when I realized that they were teaching me those things! Of course there are some here that still don’t grasp the concept of a loving and infinite God but we look forward to the day that we get to tell them.
It is a very humbling experience to travel to a third world country. Many things, like the poverty level or the amount of orphans left on their own, are devastating. But what isn’t devastating is the love Jesus has for all these people and the amount of joy he gives them in life. The whole team has done an amazing job of loving those around them like Jesus loves them. At the end of the day, we are all just striving to fulfill the plans God has given us while making “[HIM] attractive to all”.
