J2013 is in the last community! While we have recognized that this summer is quickly coming to a close, God is clearly not done yet. He's still very much so working through and within our team. It has been a refreshing first few days back in the rural areas of Africa. Returning to this community is always like coming home. We spent our first week in Africa here, so it was refreshing to step into a community in which we've already built relationships. After a summer filled with constantly meeting new people and adjusting to new communities, it's such a blessing to be able to return to somewhere familiar.
However, with the start of a new month, there is also a new virtue to be taught in the classrooms. Initiative is the virtue for the month of July. The definition of initiative is, "Glorifying God by seeing what needs to be done, and choosing to do it". Hearing the children repeat this definition over and over again, I am reminded of the initiative it takes to build God's Kingdom here on earth. I watched as 19 interns raised support, sacrificed their time, and left loved ones at home, all because they saw what God was calling them to do, and they knew that they needed to do it. What a beautiful image of what we are called to daily!
It's been beautiful to watch each intern share with the students about the journey God asked them to be a part of. When we choose to be willing to take initiative, God uses us in a beautiful way. This summer, I've had the opportunity to watch the fruit of 19 people, who were willing to take the initiative and step into what God called them to. This week in the schools, God has used us to empower the students in the classrooms to take the initiative to encourage the people in their community. One of the ways in which they've chosen to do this is through encouragement cards. The students are writing notes to their family members and sharing with them how they have seen Jesus working through them. How good is God, that He would use our team to teach a few students about initiative, and then they would leave school, and share it with their community? I can't think of a better image of what discipleship should look like. Disciples who go out and make disciples. Praise God!
Please join us as we lavish prayer on our team. Pray that we would continue to encounter God, even in these last few weeks. Pray that we would have holy encounters with the people, and that we would continue to engage in the journey God has each of us on here.