Never in a million years would I have believed, even six months ago, that I would be going to Tanzania this summer. Never in a million years would I have thought our family would transplant from our comfortable home in the hills of Kentucky to the beauty of red soil, grassy hills of Mwanza, Tanzania. Nope, these thoughts were too unrealistic.
As a tender young girl I dreamt of such opportunities. Through my childhood, I drank and thrived on the stories of people like Amy Carmichael, Gladys Aylward, David Livingston, Mother Teresa, Jim and Elizabeth Elliot and Don Richardson. As I entered into the teen years, my love for the Lord and desire to give my all for Him through loving and laying my life down for the hurting world grew. People in my own life, like Emily Starr, showed me what it meant to love God through loving people. She loved all of us so genuinely, yet she had enough to spread to the neighbor down the road and the old lady at the store or the punk playing ball. Then she brought home pictures, stories and joy from trips to Venezuela. Her example helped me dream big. Then others like Aunt Carla kept listening to my dreams and encouraged them with stories of great men and women of the faith. Going to conferences like the Voice of the Martyrs and meeting people living the gospel, either in their own land or another, were all watering a greater dream.
Year 2009 was marked with the first steps into this dream of 'missions'. Aaron and Emmy invited myself to be their guinea pig for the pilot program of the School of Servanthood with Reaching the Nations International. As a sheltered, naive and nervous 18 year-old girl sporting the homemade dresses of country life and holding a heart desiring to do God's will, I moved to the 'hood. This experience matured my perspective on missions and what it means to live the gospel. It lead me back home to get 'educated'.
Being home meant learning how to love the people that looked and acted the most like myself. It meant realizing that this mission thing was not, going to another place thinking I can love people 'different' and 'pagan', and be called a 'hero' for that. It meant that truly being a Christian meant loving my Mama, Daddy and five annoying siblings. It meant caring for handicap children. It meant befriending youth in the area. It meant working on the farm. It meant learning from the people already in my life. It meant being faithful in the ordinary things. It means that being a Christian is a lifestyle and a daily experience. It is not a far-off dream in a distant land, its a daily reality.
The journey lead me to Berea College where I was supposed to get 'edu-ma-cated'. Here I have been given the privilege of building a unique community with students from all corners of the world, from all different religions and life-experience. In this academic world of studying, reading and attending classes, I learn the most from my friends. I've learned to find a beauty in all people, as they share their stories and their heart-felt believes. Or as we toss jokes back and forth, play a game of soccer or make a broom. It is my brothers and sisters from Kenya, Afghanistan, Appalachia, and Turkmenistan that have taught me what it means to be human and to live well in this world.
There are two thoughts that have challenged and taught me much this past year first, "If we realize, truly in our hearts and not simply as a matter of words, that any human being we meet (no matter what we may dislike about them) is in fact an image of the Almighty, even if unfortunately gravely distorted, then out of love for the King, we will greatly cherish the person for that reason, if for no others (from a fellow blogger)". And secondly from Mother Teresa,"We all have the duty to serve God where we are called to do so. I feel called to serve individuals, to love each human being. My calling is not to judge the institutions. I am not qualified to condemn anyone. I never think in terms of a crowd, but of individual persons. If I thought in term of a crowd I would never begin my work. I believe in the personal touch of one to one. If others are convinced that God wants them to change social structures, that is a matter for them to take up with God." Through these and other God inspired words, I have been challenged to not just talk about these things but live it. (Actually, I really probably shouldn't be writing about this because its definitely making me a hypocrite. However, I share so that you may be encouraged to fight the good fight and strive for the highest mark rather than mediocrity.)
All these thought lead me to the present, Good Friday and forty days before I board a plane to fly, fly, fly across a bit of water and land to learn from and love people I've yet to meet. Last year, my family was talking about moving to Tanzania to work with Tanzanian church leaders that are starting a Bible School for pastors who are unable to attend seminary, but need the training. Daddy had been twice to hold 6 week intensive- theological classes (or something along those lines). I thought they were joking until they told me they were getting passports for Mama, Daddy and the four youngest children. For more of their story its here on Daddy's blog -
http://www.forwardinafrica.com/2013/01/forward-along-kings-highway.html.
In the mean time, I was applying to spend a semester abroad in Thailand for study. However after hearing all about Tanzania and their excitement, I was toying with the idea of joining them. This was an impossibility, being in college and all. Plus, its not free to travel. The first weekend of February, I brought some friends home for a visit. During that visit, Daddy told me that maybe I could volunteer at an International School in which he had some contacts. One of my 'dreams' is to teach at an international school. Perfect! Right? except time and moneys.
This is when I learned about International Internships our school offers. To make a long, amazing story shorter... I learned that the deadlines for internship proposals was within the week. I was able to meet with a very busy lady, get a proposal written, get all the signatures needed, funds taken care of and find faculty sponsors by the deadline. Then I learned, I was approved by Berea College if the International School would have me. This was all before contacting the school in Tanzania.
On the Tanzanian end, we emailed and received word from them shortly that they too would have me come intern, thus finalizing the internship. Now I had/have less than three months to let it sink in that I've been given the opportunity to live within 20 minutes of the home my family will be, in a country half way around the world, working and learning from teachers and students at a school with has children from 54 nations. Mind boggling.
Why do I share these things? Why do I write these stories and thoughts down? I write them so that God may be glorified. He has done these good things. He has given me a heart for Him and people. He has given me these opportunities. I share these things to encourage the body of Christ, not to gloat about the adventurous life I have. My aim is that others may be inspired to trust God and to look beyond the horizons of life circumstances. That you may see, that God does orchestrate our lives, if we allow. There is so much good, peace, joy, fun and adventure that comes with a life devoted to God. Yes, as well as, a boat load of trails, pains, uncertainties and life lessons. God is good, loving and sovereign. I have no idea what life lessons will be learned through living in Tanzania. I have no idea what this experience means in the scope of the life of Anna. However, I do know that God knows, and that's enough.
