Well friends, as you know I am leaving next week to go to Botswana Africa for four months. I've had many ask the question in the last week "are you ready?", "are you excited", etc. I become at a loss for words in that moment (hard to believe i know). I've been asking of myself (practicing self analyzing thanks kayce) what exactly do I feel.
I fell in love with Africa my freshmen year of college, before I'd ever seen an African sky or stepped on African soil.
I was in a dorm room in Chitwood on the campus of Texas Tech. My friend Randi was excitedly telling me her plans to go to Kenya for 3 months that upcoming summer. As I sat on her bed I blurted out "I'm so glad God has not called me to do stuff like that, I have no desire to go overseas". I don't remember how the rest of the conversation went, but I'm sure I arrogantly talked about my love for America and Texas! Around 3 a.m. that night I woke up with a simple but stern sentence from the Lord. "You will go to Africa".
From that moment on I was sold. I began to be burdened for Africa, I yearned for it, I prayed for it, I cried over it, I was constantly trying to find ways to go. I finally went last may to Rwanda. I had previously believed I'd be one trip and done, but while I was in Rwanda I knew that I would go back. I've since learned we are all called to a lifetime of missions, it's simply found in the great commission. Missions consists of your day to day life, short term trips, long term trips, financially supporting trips, interceding for the nations... everyday we should be involved in missions. I will go as often as the Lord opens a door for me to go.
Even though I was all set and ready to start my masters there was a little discontentment with my decision. Within 48 hours of deciding I wanted to go to Africa I had the finances for 3 months from an amazing donor and the place I was going.
So here I am one week until I fly out leaving America for 4 months. I have complete confidence that I am doing the will of God for my life.
As I read more about the internship from past interns I am a little nervous because I know that I will be pushed to my limits physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. At the same time this makes me extremely excited because I know in my weakness He will be made strong. In reality I find peace in that no matter what my emotions are going into anything I do, if God says to do it, I'm going to do it. I have struggled a little in the past few weeks with the things I will be missing while I am gone: weddings, birthdays, possibly graduations. I realize these events are small compared to the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So here I am 7 days away. I ask that you all continue to pray for me as I prepare this week and the 4 months that I will be in Botswana.
I will be privileged of having internet while in Bots and I will do my best to keep in touch with friends and family back in the states. Here are the many ways to keep in contact with me:
Skype: j-tate
Blog: jessinbotswana.blogspot.com
Email: jessinbotswana@hotmail.com
and of course facebook.
This will be my last blog on this account until I return from Bots!
Be Blessed,
J. Tate
