In Pursuit of Butterflies (1)

Four years ago this November, I traveled to Africa. This had been a dream of mine since middle school. I had been to a Youth Evangelism Conference at a friend's church and they hosted a guest speaker from Malawi. He was beautiful. Not necessarily by the world's standards, but when he spoke, he radiated. He told of his country and his people, so poverty-stricken, yet so joyful. He was a pastor of a church and had only come to know the Lord 3 years ago, but his level of intimacy with Him was positively breathtaking. He invited us to join him in prayer for the people of Africa, for there were so many dying of disease, famine, and lonliness. I, however, didn't want to pray. I wanted to go.Eight years later, I went. I teamed up with a group called 4H.I.M ministries to travel to Ghana and Togo, Africa to help bring joy to kids in an orphanage and to aid in treating medical needs there. I was so excited, my dream finally coming true. I was going to see people on the other side of the world, and show my Jesus to them. I was going to love them and pray with them and give myself to them for twelve amazing days! As the plane landed in Africa, I was ecstatic!But something happenned to me as I took my first steps off the plane and onto African soil. I felt completely and utterly alone. God had taken me to a place that couldn't have been farther from my friends, family, and comfort zone. I was afraid.We traveled in the middle of the night to a private school in the country. It was there that we met our translater, Kenneth, recieved instructions for the next day, and were shown to our beds. When we awoke in the morning, we would head to the orphanage. I tossed and turned all night. I kept asking God if I had done the right thing, leaving my husband and family to come all the way across the ocean. Was it really going to make a difference? Why did I have this dream to come here? My sanity was kept intact by remembering words that were given to me by Beth Moore through a bible DVD series that I had been in the middle of when I left. "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me. Because the Lord has annointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release the prisoners from darkness. . ." I had to remind myself that there were plenty of poor in spirit and in wealth here and they needed the good news I had. It seemed like God had spoken so clearly to me in that verse through the DVD, I just wish that he would speak that clearly to me here.The following morning, we arose and met Kenneth once again. He wanted to take us on a quick tour of his private school and host a prayer vigil before we headed out to the orphanage. I'm unhappy to say that I was impatient. I was ready to go and get my mission started. I was ready to meet the children and hear their excited chatter and hold their hands and love on them. Fortunately, my Father and I are very much alike. However, he wanted to take a moment to answer my voice, to hold my hand, and to love on me.Kenneth led us to a gymnasium that had just been built. He was explaining how they constructed it, who was involved, how long it took, etc, etc. I didn't hear a word he said. As I walked through the front doors, my heart dropped to gymnasium floor. It was like someone said, "LOOK." I just stared in awe to the answer to my prayer. Written in bold letters all the way around the gym, were the words to the scripture from Isaiah 61."The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, o proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."It was then that I felt His hand on me in Africa.And as we left the gymnasium to head to the bus bound for the orphanage, I realized why God had led me to Africa. He had annointed me. He adored me, and wanted me to adore His children there. He loved me and wanted that LOVE to spill over into the hearts of the African people. I will forever know in my heart, however, that even if I weren't to accomplish any of those things there, he sent me to Africa to see the writing on the wall.I walked away that day inspired and awestruck. I walked away changed.I walked away with butterflies.