Hey!!
My lovely supporters it has been so long!! I owe you all a recap on the race, where I am at now, and what’s to come. It seems like everyone has the same questions, so I figured I’d just write them all on a newsletter for people to read!
Ministry in Eswatini:
Throughout our 2.5 months in Eswatini, our squad did kids ministry 3 days a week. We worked with 2 different Adventures in Missions’ after school feeding programs called “Care Points.” Every day, we would spend time with around 200 hundred kids ranging from the ages 1-18. These kids were so eager to just spend time with us, sit on our laps, do our hair, play games like “Do you love the Lord, do you love the Lord?!?”, play soccer, and etc. I love these children. There was no hesitation in their pursuit of us and desire to be with us. Many of us on our squad said that we learned so much about the father’s heart towards us through the ways that these kids pursued us with full boldness. He desires that we do the same to Him!! It is such a blessing when you receive from a ministry when your initial goal was to be there just serve.
The other 2 days of the week, we went into the city and did street evangelism. There was no particular schedule to evangelizing, we would just prayerfully go into the city and follow the Lord’s leading. My friend Baylee and I had the opportunity to talk with a muslim man named Ishmael every week about his religion and begin sharing what we believe with him. The Lord taught me a lot about praying without ceasing through our relationship with Ishmael. It would be easy to get discouraged in conversations with him when he did not receive the Gospel, but the Lord continued to remind us that it is Him that sows the seed that we plant in the soil of his heart. It was a blessing to form a relationship with such a kind man despite the fears I had before talking to him. Another man we formed a relationship in the city was (NAME). He was SO HUNGRY for the Gospel!! Baylee, Michael, Ethan, Mandie and I talked to him for hours, sharing whatever the Lord put on our hearts to speak to him about the Lord’s goodness in our lives. We each were filled with such boldness during that conversation that Arnold so evidently saw through our excitement about the Gospel. It was so encouraging that the Holy Spirit used each of our testimonies to encourage this man who was so hungry for answers about the Lord. He did not make the final step of salvation that day, but we were each so confident that he was going to soon. Please be praying for Ishmael and Arnold!! Pray that the Lord would continue to tend the soil of their hearts and send more people who will lead them to the cross of Jesus Christ!!
There are many more testimonies about how the Lord used us through street evangelism and kids ministry while in Eswatini, so if you want to hear more please reach out!! The Lord is moving in ways that we do not see. Even if we don’t see radical transformation in someone’s life on the spot, it does not mean that what we did was useless. The Lord calls us to love the people in front of us. And if I learned anything while on the race, it’s that this will almost always look different. Not everyone needs to receive the same thing from you, or hear or a radically life-changing message to be loved. Sometimes it looks like letting the kids do your hair and make it frizzy and knotty for hours, and sometimes it looks like praying for that person that you unexplainably feel a Holy Spirit pull towards. It is so important that we follow the Holy Spirit’s guiding and trust that He is doing a good thing through us no matter what it is!!
Ministry in Ft. Myers, Florida:
Then, we did 2 weeks of disaster relief in Ft. Myers, Florida. My team of girls worked with the Harry Chapin food bank- bagging produce, packaging dry food goods, and delivering food to peoples’ cars. It was a fun opportunity to do a new type of ministry that we hadn’t done before on the race. Some of us got to talk to other volunteers about the Lord and form relationships with them while working in the food bank. The Lord truly used our lives as examples to the many different volunteers who were working with us. Many were unbelievers, so it was important for us to remember that our lives are examples. We also did some church services at the local Walmart at night, and a worship night on the beach!! A large Spanish speaking community lives in the Ft. Myers area, so it was really cool to be able to use the Spanish we learned while living in Nicaragua in the US!! God truly is working in all the details. He is moving in the US just like He is moving in Nicaragua, Eswatini, and all around the world. I often find it difficult to be bold in my faith in the US, which discouraged me a lot in Florida. But the Lord continually reminded me that His grace is sufficient and His grace is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He is the same God here, as He was for me around the world, and I need not forget that. Again, it is important that we are just loving the people in front of us.
What Now?
After a week of debrief back in Gainesville, Georgia, we all went our separate ways. I got to spend a few days with some of my squamates in Tennessee and then headed home. Home has been sweet! Honestly, it was not too difficult for me to leave the race because I already had to do it in January because of my mom. Right now, the Lord has placed lots of emphasis on the fact that my family is my ministry. I’ve spent my time watching my siblings while my dad is at work, and then seeing friends when I can after he gets home or going to my church’s services on Monday and Wednesday nights. I’m pretty settled into routine at home, but find myself missing the slowness of Eswatini, living with some of my best friends, and random worship nights while on the race. Life at home is different, but that isn’t a bad thing. My constant prayer has been that the Lord would keep my heart tender. That distance or feeling misunderstood would not cause my heart to grow cold towards the people around me or the Lord. That my life would be a witness of the Lord’s goodness, even if that looks different than what I expect. If you want to hear more personal stories about what the Lord taught me while I was on the field or since being home, please ask!! I would love to share specific stories about the Lord’s goodness in my life through this experience that He gave me. He gives us testimonies to share and I want to make sure that I am being a good steward of His faithfulness in my life.
What Next?
In the fall I plan to find a job once my siblings go back to school. I will be helping with Serve Team in Gainesville for 2 weeks in September. This involves cooking, cleaning, praying, and stepping in wherever help is needed at the next World Race’s training camp!! I’ll get to be with some best friends who will also be in Gainesville for those 2 weeks and I am so excited! I am still praying about Spring plans, but it potentially looks like going away again!! Keep me in your prayers as I seek the Lord’s wisdom on where He wants me this next coming Spring (either the Middle East, Kenya, or somewhere else I don’t know about yet). Wherever I end up, my prayer is that God be glorified and that I would seek His will above my own.
THANK YOU!
Thank you SO MUCH to all of you who have supported me throughout this World Race journey. It is so much more than a cool opportunity to travel and see the world. While gaining new perspectives on cultures and seeing beautiful places was amazing, I was truly changed by God’s constant pursuit on my heart. Your financial support and prayer support made this all possible. Thank you for generously giving what the Lord has given you!! None of this went unnoticed by me and I am seriously SO ENCOURAGED by the body of Christ who is so willing to step in where help is needed. Thank you to those of you who have stepped in caring for my family as we have navigated the loss of our mom, both while I was home and away. You all are a part of my hundredfold! Be encouraged that serving the Lord is not about physical location, but about the location of your heart. Your willingness to give of your time and your resources has blessed us tremendously. I love you all, and thank you again! Please be in touch if you want to know more about my time away!
Love ,
Ryann
Also, here’s a link to a Swaziland video I made!! You should for sure go watch. If you want to see more pictures or details comment and I can send you my newsletter!
