What happened with Africa?

I thought you were going to live in Africa with all the babies… So did I. 

What happened? That is the question that is asked daily. 

 

When I was in Swaziland, Africa for two months, the Lord really started to reveal Himself to me. I was living the dream. I was doing the thing I had always talked about doing since I was sixteen. My team and I lived on the orphanage property, taught in the orphanage school, held orphan babies, and taught them about Jesus. Literally, I had dreamed of that since I was sixteen. I believe the Lord did place that dream on my heart. I believe He had a lot of fruit come out of it. He taught me a lot about Himself as my father, friend, and lover! 

During the beginning of that trip, one of my friends jokingly said, “You are going to go to Southeast Asia, actually you are going to go to Cambodia.” She said that to get under my skin because she knew how much I loved Africa and orphans. Throughout my time in Swaziland, the Lord was just really gripping my heart and teaching me about identity. I know… God had to completely remove me away from home for me to fully understand who He is and who I am to Him as best as my human mind can comprehend. 

Throughout the trip, Cambodia kept coming up whether it was in my prayer time or just walking around the orphanage. I became so confused because I really believed the Lord was leading me to move full time to Africa to work with orphans, but why would Cambodia keep being brought up especially since my friend was just kidding about the whole Cambodia thing. During that time as well, the Lord kept putting women on my heart which I was totally resistant too because women make me uncomfortable.

One night towards the end of the trip, we had a worship night. I was praying and seeking the Lord about Cambodia. I said to Him, “Lord I need a sign because this is so confusing that Cambodia keeps getting brought up. If this is from you, I need you to give me peace. If this isnt, then please remove all these thoughts!” My heart longed for the answer to be that Africa was where He wanted me… literally longed for it! Well, that same night after worship, I was sitting in a room with two of my friends which neither knew that I had been praying about Cambodia. Well, one of them was digging through her bookbag looking for who knows what, and she ended up pulling out Cambodian money.I started thinking, “alright, that is just a coincidence God!” She then proceeds to hand me the money and say, “You are going to need this in Cambodia.” That same night, my friends and I were playing a game on a nook. The game showed a piece of a picture and you try to guess what the full picture is based off the little portion you see… the picture shown was Angkor Wat, the largest temple located in Siem Reap, Cambodia… the exact city I am moving too! It was in that moment, that I felt a rush of peace come over me that the Lord is leading me to Cambodia. 

After that moment until now, I have been asking the Lord for a reason and why did Africa have to change. I still love Africa. I still love babies. I do not think that will ever change. Something that the Lord did reveal to me was that I worshiped Africa more than the Lord. Africa does not make me uncomfortable. Children do not make me uncomfortable. If I were to move there full time, then honestly I would not rely on the Lord like I should. I could do alot out of my own strength instead of seeking Him to get me through whatever He has. I believe the Lord used Africa and those passions to prepare me and move me to Cambodia. Cambodia is exciting, but it is also very uncomfortable. I have never been to Asia. I have only worked with women a few times. Everything about it makes me have to lean on the Lord. I never thought I would be doing this, but there is so much peace that this is the Lord. 

Over the last few months, the Lord has confirmed it even more. My parents are totally on board. The funds continue to come in. I went to a Cambodian Buddhist Temple and literally fell in love with each person I met. But the love I felt was not my own.. It was the Lord’s love for them. There is so much more that I could say about how God is leading me, but I hope this gives you more insight into what the Lord is saying and doing!

Live Fearlessly Friends.