identifying E: Day 4 - Hope Home and Revival

Hey everyone - gosh it's so late...let me just tell you, today has been one to remember! We woke up for devotion again ready to start the day and unfortunately, I had probably the worst dream of my life last night. I think it was because of my malaria medicine - it makes you dream and hallucinate and boy, did I hallucinate last night. But anyways, we ate breakfast, got in the van, and rode to Hope Home to continue our construction on the playground. Pat spent the day with B and Maurice so Lauren and I took over her VBS lesson and crafts. We helped a little on the playground when we were finished but today we could only work until 1:00 because we were having to leave the hotel for dinner by 4. We left the hotel at 4:00 to go back to Grace's house in Stanleyville which is where we had breakfast on Sunday morning. She had a wonderful meal prepared for us - including some BBQ Chicken! After dinner, we went outside and played with their new puppy and watched a gorgeous sunset set behind the palm trees across the field. I am so envious of their everyday view of those sunsets - but North Carolina sunsets are pretty awesome too :)

Tonight we had the privilege of hearing God's word from Pastor Tim - in a revival-like way. I had only heard him preach one other time and that was on our commission Sunday which was the Sunday before we left for our trip. That Sunday I told him how much I enjoyed his message and really meant it - he was a great speaker. But tonight, holy moly. That man can bring it, haha! Clement asked Pat and I two days ago if we would share our testimonies during the service and of course I replied, "yes!" without hesitation. However, this afternoon leading up to it I was a little rattled about it. I always think that a testimony has to be a by-the-book story of your life being completely transformed by Jesus in a particular way or situation. Honestly, I've never really had that considering the fact that I've grown up in the church so I've always been surrounded by it all. But, Tony and Pastor Tim helped me in such a powerful way that I knew I had to share. There's never a wrong thing you can say when you talk about God. Pat reminded me of that in the van on the way to church tonight. It's so true. There is never one thing that you can say that's wrong when talking about YOUR story and what God is doing in your life. Anyways, I shared a short and sweet story about what God's been doing in my life here lately and I was at peace with it. There was much more that I could have talked about, but sometimes short and sweet is all it takes for you to touch someone, and be touched yourself. The service was filled with endless celebration and song. I don't understand why we sometimes have to travel to these countries to get those feelings. Why can't we have more nights like that back in the states? And why can't we have more faith-based conversations on a daily basis back in the states like we do on these trips? Yes, it's a mission trip so you're expected to talk about Jesus, but seriously - could you imagine if every breakfast, lunch break, dinner, van ride, talk before bed, and time in the morning was spent just talking about God? Our lives would be so different. And it's so easy for me to be saying this while I'm here and away from reality, but I'll tell you one thing, reality is going to hit me like a brick wall when I get home. The last thing I want to do right now is go home to that materialistic society that I already struggle with.

I just wish you all could've been there during the service tonight. Despite all the dance moves strictly from fighting off huge beetles, it was a service I will never forget. Worshiping with my brothers and sisters in Christ who help to make up the body.

If you could, please pray from all of us to get some rest. I specifically, haven't slept good the past two nights, especially last night. I really need some good sleep. Just pray for rest for our team so we can have enough energy to complete the rest of our week to the best of our ability! We have GOT to finish that playground tomorrow!

Here are some more pictures from today! Enjoy! Goodnight, y'all.