Hello everyone! It’s official. This mission trip has concluded. I am home. So, this is my final update to you about this year before I see you again face-to-face.
Here’s where I left off: Lesotho. My second to last country. Lesotho was a month full of evangelism and discipleship. The discipleship was my favorite part. I learned that there is discipleship in everything that you do when done with another believer. Whether it’s morning walks, house visits, gardening, or bible studies, true discipleship happens when believers do life alongside each other with the goal of bringing each other closer to Christ. I saw a lot of that this month in my team and in the locals. In fact, I was deeply moved and inspired by the faith of the teenagers that we got to spend some time with. Faith is for everyone, and so is discipleship. Never discount what you can learn from someone just because of their age.
Lesotho was also a month of obedience. The Lord really came in and checked me on this one. He had me do some things that I was previously NOT willing to do. However, in His grace, He took me back to Panama when I had surrendered to Him everything that I held onto. He said it like this, “Zachary, I’m not asking you to give up everything you hold dear. I’m just asking you to be willing to.” This month, He wanted me to show Him that I am willing to. So, I did. The immediate results were as follows: tears, anger, frustration, confusion, hurt. The end results: faith, growth, firm foundation, solidified relationship. Obedience is hard, and it requires sacrifice, but it is ALWAYS the best thing you can do.
Moving right along to my final country: South Africa! This was a great month of ministry. My team lived in the northern part of Johannesburg with one of AIM’s partners, Impact Africa. Impact is a fantastic organization that operates in a few different ministries throughout SA. One of these branches is called Impact Baby Rescue. This ministry focuses on getting babies off the street. It’s a very difficult reality to experience. There are countless mothers who abandon their babies, literally dumping them on the streets, because they have no way of taking care of them. Most of their pregnancies are unwanted and, far too often, they are the result of rape. For this ministry, we walked the streets to spread awareness of the organization. We handed out flyers to let people know about free parenting counseling, free baby care, as well as baby safe locations. It blew my mind how many people I handed a flyer to who said they knew someone who needed help. It was deeply heartbreaking, but that’s why the ministry was so important and impactful.
The other ministry we took part in was called Outreach. This is when we went off in small teams, with national staff/translators, and knocked on doors. We shared the gospel with countless people. Those who already knew it, we helped with work around the house and got to share an encouraging word. Heck, often times we were the ones who got to receive an encouraging word from the people we visited. One of my favorite things to do while evangelizing is to pray. As we walk the streets, I love to pray in the Spirit over the area and over the people we are being led to. I say this because, in this particular area of outreach, witchcraft was rampant. It seemed like we saw what they called “natural healers” around every corner. Natural healers are people who pray to their ancestors for healing. This is witchcraft. At first, I wondered why there were so many of them, but quickly I realized the answer. So many people do this here because IT WORKS. Yes, that’s right. Witchcraft works. It’s real. You can pray to “ancestors” and get what you ask for. Why’s it bad, then? Because you aren’t talking to who you think you’re talking to. Simply put, there are two spiritual forces in the world. Light and dark. Heaven and hell. Angels and demons. God and devil. That’s it, just two. So, if you aren’t praying to God, you’re praying to demons in disguise. I say all this to emphasize the importance of our prayer over the area. When we were evangelizing, we weren’t just sharing the gospel with people. We were also breaking down spiritual strongholds.
So, if your question is, “what’s next for you?” Well, it looks like working at Target. It sounds like just trying to get a paycheck again. It feels like manual labor. But what is it from Heaven’s perspective?
Thank you, again, to all of you. None of this would have happened had you not been faithful to support me and to support what God has been doing in me. Your finances sent me when I thought I wouldn’t be able to go. Your prayers propelled me forward in the moments when I felt I couldn’t continue. Your encouragements gave me confidence in the moments when I felt hopeless. You showed me that I have a family beyond who I grew up with. A family that I can rely on and call on in times of need. A family that I can do life with and share in God’s goodness with. Thank you for being that family.
