I've been back in the States for about 5 weeks now. The transition has been both bitter and
sweet. It's bitter for the longing of
my community life that became so much a part of who I am. I have been in contact with my team members
and I am grateful for the technology that makes it possible but it's still not
the same. We learned how to love each
other because we learned the intensity in which God loves us. It was a beautiful picture of the Body of
Christ and I will be eternally grateful for knowing each one of them. It's also been hard being home and leaving
the simplicity we had in Swaziland. Unlike the fast-paced rush society here in America, Africans are not
time-minded and genuinely take the time to invest in relationships. It's so easy to get caught up in a "check
off list", "accomplish as much as possible in as little time as possible" frame
of mind. My prayer is to become more
African in the way I go about my day. I
have to admit it's a struggle. I've
only been back a short while and I have some days where they just fly by as I'm
out running errands and didn't take the time to be intentional with
anyone. 

At the same time, being back in America has been incredibly
sweet. The God we saw move so much in
Swaziland is the same God of America and He is moving in mighty ways here! I
came back to a youth group, which has not only grown in numbers but has grown
in relationships and hunger for the Lord as well! My first Sunday back, my
church baptized over 30 people and their testimonies bring glory to the Father!
I was convicted by reading 1 John and how he starts off the letter saying his
joy is made complete by being able to share about Christ. That has been my earnest desire; that my joy
would not be made complete unless I was sharing Christ with others. God has been so faithful in opening up
opportunities to share about His greatness! People in America are hungry for
Jesus! Our neighbors, our friends, our mailmen, our cashiers, and the people
sitting next to us on the plane are all hungry for Jesus! 2 Corinthians 6: 2
says, " Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation!" I am so encouraged by what God is doing
here. I feel as if He is starting to
wake up the dead church. People are
realizing its not just about saying a quick prayer to guarantee a spot in
heaven. Being a follower of Christ
means having a repented heart and surrendering our lives. It not about becoming legalistic and doing
the "church" things because we feel we should. It's knowing the sacrifice that Christ made on the Cross for each of us
and understanding our need for a Savior. Christianity is NOT a religion and was never intended to be. The believers that I talk to around North
America are saying that there is a start of something going on in the Church...a
stirring in the hearts of believer for something more. Praise God! There is so much more than going
to church and bible study and trying to be a "good" citizen! It's not just
about heaven but Christ has come to give us abundant life here on this
earth. I didn't mean to get so excited
about this topic but I see a Mighty God moving in Mighty ways here in America
and I'm waiting in hopeful expectation with the great things that are
coming. 

I led a weeklong trip with AIM to Newark, NJ last week with
a group of youth from Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was a beautiful week and the Gospel was shared! We broke up into
three teams where one went into the school and then brought some of the kids
back to the church for a chance to love on them and dive into the Bible together.
One group prepared meals during the day and fed the homeless and the community
in the neighborhood. The last group was the construction team and completed
various tasks in the community and at the church itself. Each team member had a chance to build
relationships with the locals and share their faith. It was a week of growth in the Lord. We were stretched and
broken. God was glorified and that's
all that matters. 

This Thursday, I am leading another trip to Kingston,
Jamaica. There will be forty people on
my team from Washington D.C., Indiana, and Canada. Please pray for us as we work with children who have been removed
from their homes by the government, the homeless of downtown, and the blind
elderly on the campus where we are staying. Pray that we will be obedient servants and that we will represent Christ
in all that we do. Pray for wisdom for
me that I will lead this team through God's strength and not my own. I'll update you when the trip is over with
pictures and great stories of how God is moving in Jamaica!