Well, it’s
official. I’m headed to South Africa this summer.
But even though
I found out my summer plans about four months ago, this is a journey that has
been a couple of years in the making. Ever since sophomore year when I heard
about International Service Teams, a program offered through the School of
Leadership Studies at K-State, I was hooked. This program sends teams of three
to five students to various sites around the world for eight to 10 weeks in the
summer to be immersed into a new culture and meet a community need in that
area. For multiple years, the program has sent students to sites in Mexico,
Brazil, and Kenya.
My heart has
always had a desire to travel to Africa, so I was set on traveling to Kenya
during the summer after my junior year. But when I started to go through the
application process, there was an unsettling feeling deep inside me. I wasn’t
sure why, but it was clear: God did not want me to go to Africa that summer. In
an effort to surrender to God’s will and out of respect for IST, I knew it
would be my best option to withdraw from the application process and pursue
other options for the summer if my heart was not fully invested in this
program.
I then spent the
next few months frustrated, almost angry, with God because of the change of my
summer plans. I started thinking that maybe Africa isn’t where God wanted me to
go. Was I mistaken? Was I not successful at discerning God’s voice in my life? Why
would he put a desire on my heart for Africa and then lead me away from it? It
just didn’t make sense.
But, little did
I know, God had something bigger planned for me.
“In their hearts human beings plan their course, but the
Lord establishes their steps.”
–Proverbs 16:9
My withdrawal
from the application process turned out to be a blessing. The spring of 2012
was my busiest semester at K-State yet: I was still trying to get my feet under
me as a first year resident assistant, I was helping lead the K-State Proud
campaign and I was drowning in the 30+ novels I was required to read for my
four literature classes. It would not have been humanly possible for me to
balance all of that with also preparing to travel internationally for the first
time mere weeks after the semester ended. I’m still praising God for protecting
my sanity that semester!
Additionally, it
provided me with the opportunity to stay in Manhattan for the summer (something
every K-State student should do). Here I was able to finally have some physical
rest, spend time in fellowship with my new and old friends from Christian
Challenge, work at First Presbyterian Church about 10 hours a week, and prepare
for the upcoming school year.
But then I had
several friends who traveled to Africa during the spring semester of 2012. I had a friend who traveled to Ghana in
January to serve at an orphanage for a couple of weeks and another friend who
traveled to Ethiopia to spread the Gospel to a local village at the end of May.
After reading his blog and hearing her stories, my heart was on fire again.
So, I started
praying. Praying for any opportunity to go to Africa. Praying that IST is what
God wanted me to do the summer after my senior year. Praying that my heart
would align with His plan for me, Africa or no Africa.
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." -Matthew 21:22
When October
rolled around this past fall semester, I felt that God had given me peace about
applying again for IST. And I thought that I would preference Kenya as my top
site and be done with it. God had something better in store though.
International
Service Teams had created a new site for this year’s program. They would now be
sending a team to South Africa, where the students would receive a more
individualized experience. Instead of working as a team to meet a community
need, the students would be placed in various non-profits in the area according
to their strengths and passions. If I were to be accepted to this program, I
could have the opportunity to work with youth and education in a low-income
area. This site was even more appealing to me than Kenya.
But the
application process this time around was far from perfect. I realized 36 hours
before the application was due that I needed two letters of reference instead
of just their contact information like I had previously thought. Also, the week
of my group and individual interviews I was faced with two extremely
emotionally taxing situations with residents. My heart was heavy, my mind was
burdened, and my sleep was low. If I was going to get through this application
process, it was not going to be by my own strength.
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
--Philippians 3:14
In November I
received the invitation to join Team Ubuntu. This came within the same
four-week span when I was studying South African novels in my African
literature course. It was then that I realized God’s perfect timing. It wasn’t
that he didn’t want me to go to Africa, it was that he wanted me to learn
patience; to wait for an experience that was bigger and better than I could
imagine on my own.
That has
continued to become clearer to me throughout the course of this semester. This
experience more closely aligns with my future career aspirations than the
community project in Kenya. I am passionate about the country and its history
because of the background knowledge I gained in my African literature course
this past fall semester. And my team is incredible. We are constantly on the
same page and share a common vision for this summer.
But I want this
to be a shared experience. So, with less than two months until I leave, I
invite you to join me on this journey. Check back for regular updates about my
preparations for the trip and throughout the summer as I continue to strive to
see God’s work in my life.
Team Ubuntu: Me, Lindsay, Stephanie, and Lindsy
