Jeffreys Bay!

Hey guys! I’m so thankful for each one of you who have followed along with me and have prayed for me and my squad throughout my time away. You all are so special to me, and the way you have loved me through this has been super meaningful to me.

This week was our last week here in J Bay, our last week overseas. We left this morning (Sunday) to start our adventure back to the states! The last few days have been bittersweet, as we have all said lots of goodbyes. We’re all someone in between: We can’t believe we’re leaving already and We can’t wait to see our families/friends back home again.

I was still sick for the first couple days of this week, but I started to recover (slowly but surely) and was able to go to ministry starting on Wednesday. So I was able to be at Beats and Books for our last three days there. We enjoyed our last few days spending time with the kids and loving them through helping them with academics, aiding them in their music lessons, talking to them about their day, or just giving them a warm hug. It was super special each day when the kids would come up to us with a smile and greet us with a hug. They were always excited to see us, just as we were excited to see them. Before we left on our last day, the leaders and students surrounded us and prayed over us. Beats and Books was a special place to be during our time in J Bay.

We’ve had some memorable times as a squad in our final week here. One night we had a braai. We love those because that means we’re getting MEAT to eat. 🙂 Another night all the girls went to the beach for the sunset. It is beautiful there, and it was sweet being there in the evening. The peace and joy that I experience from God through being with Him in His creation is amazing. I made sure on my last day to get my feet in the sand one last time! Another night our leaders from Global provided pizza for us, so that was a special treat. The community at Global has definitely treated us well, and it has been such a privilege getting to know them.

Our time in J Bay has been wonderful, and it definitely is an experience I will never forget. There were certainly many highs and many lows, but I can look back and see so many things that I am so grateful for. During this trip in general, I have learned and experienced that when I lean on God with all my weight, He comes through every time. I’ve experienced more of who God is as my Father and as my friend, and it has been so special. I’ve never ran to Him and He not be there for me.

It’s hard to believe I will be back home in less than a week. We will be traveling the next couple days and will spend around 4 days in Georgia for our final debrief. I’m very ready to see everyone, but I’m also going to be sad to leave the people I will have been with for 105 days! Again, it will be full of bittersweet moments.

God has been so good and so faithful, and I’m looking forward to reflecting on the past 4 months over the next few weeks! I know His goodness will come up time and time again.