Wrapping up....

Hello ...

I feel like it has been so long I am not even sure where to start. Well we are finishing up our last week here in Tanzania. I can’t believe how fast time flies! We are coming to the end, starting to say goodbye to people, and trying to wrap our heads around the fact that we are really leaving. There is a huge part of me that just dives into the African culture and will have a hard time leaving. The beauty of the people, the land, and their hearts is inspiring. There is defiantly a hope and childlike faith that this culture so easily grasps that teaches me how easy trusting in Jesus can really be.

We finish up our last week at the hospital this week. We will work three days this week, saying our goodbyes on Wednesday. I wish I could say that these last few weeks have been easy, full of health, and not as much warfare. I think that is the opposite of what has happened. It is a battle until the end, and even after we leave it will still be a battle. One that God is never done with. He spoke words to our group about the virgins waiting for their bridegroom.(Matthew 25) The wise ones who kept extra oil so there lamps burned all the way through the night and when the bride groom called they were prepared. This was so encouraging for pushing through these last few weeks. It is so easy to give up and coast through these last weeks. Giving up a little bit of the fight so that it is a bit more comfortable or less exhausting in the end. We as a school were commissioned off to prepare the way of the Lord (Isaiah 40), to keep our lamps burning so that we would be prepared for the bridegroom (Jesus). This has brought me a new excitement, and love for this place. The Lord is coming, and is still at work within me to see His kingdom in all the glory, be brought one step closer to becoming reality in this place and hospital.

I had a conversation with a doctor this week about her faith. She pulled out a Bible looking through her purse one day at the desk in the hospital. As I needed to talk to her about a patient, I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to ask her about her faith. I am become more comfortable these days with plainly asking, do you believe in Jesus. She smiled, a big smile and said “yes”. I told her I saw her Bible and was encouraged. That she was loving these women like Jesus loved her. That He was using her to love and provide for these women. Her smile and the reaction in her spirit and appearance was amazing. God is encouraging, uplifting these workers here that are believers and He is greatly shaking the foundations of the ones that aren’t! It is exciting and it will have lasting impact on this hospital.

It is bitter sweet getting ready to leave. I am sad but I am super excited to head to our next locations. We are having an unusually break in our outreach. Usually the BAS outreach goes for nine months and does not return home (to Perth) until the end. (Random side note - I just realized out outreach is nine months, that is how long it takes to have a baby. haha.) Anyways, this year, it is YWAM’s 50th year anniversary and YWAM Perth’s 25th year anniversary. So we will be heading back to Perth in 7 days. God is amazing and has provided a way for my mom and little brother to head over to Perth to come see me!! SO in 9 days I get to see my family who I haven’t seen for a year!!! I am so excited and anticipating a really good 10 days with them! God is amazing and speaks crazy dreams that can come into existence when He is apart of them!

SO I hope everyone’s new year is starting with God’s dreams and hopes for this new year. Throw New Year’s resolutions out the window and ask God what He has for you this year. I think you will have a lot better hope of seeing that come to be than trying to loss ten pounds! =)

You are blessed to be a blessing!