Two New Sisters

So instead of making this all up on the spot I'll just share exactly what I wrote in my journal today. Time to get personal...

Yesterday we had two appointments. First was with Kinzi and Adrienne to the first one and Elina wasn't even there. Did my quiet time outside in the square and got attacked by ants. But I was still pretty excited to meet with Amanda and Thandy (two 3rd years at UNZA) since they were so fun before! Me and Michelle went to Thandy's room to find them both with another girl, Audrey, and an older lady in a doctor's coat. I was confused a bit when the lady took Thandy outside for 10 minutes but when she came back and mentioned the results slip in her hand I knew what it was. This woman was going door-to-door to test students for HIV/AIDS. They get the results in ten short minutes and on a slip of paper is their future. Basically crazy to think that the life expectancy is 35ish and that AIDS testing is like a survey or even as minor as a strep test... no urgency or fear whatsoever. Amanda turned to me after the doctor left and said she didn't get tested because she knew. She knew?! So insane. Maybe I'm ignorant but seeing that yesterday opened my eyes to the reality of AIDS. It's not just a trendy campaign at GAP or affecting only tribal people in villages. It's wealthy college students! Friends of mine at UNZA who have already lived out the majority of their lives. How heartbreaking! One doctor said that over half of students tested yesterday tested positive. One man who came with Larry's church said that out of average people in Lusaka, the government found that 43 out of 50 tested positive. What?! So sad but so amazing when I think of how our appointment ended. Thandy and Amanda sat down to talk after the testing lady left. I was afraid they'd be turned off to the Gospel but when we whipped out the Bibles to give them, Amanda's arms flew up and she screamed out of joy! They hugged us over and over and were BEYOND excited!! For a Bible! This was the first one of their own that they waited 22 years for. The look of pure joy on their faces is one I hope to never forget. And that joy is what I want to strive for everyday. Joy that God's Word is available to me to grow and learn more about Him. After that excitement winded down, we went to sharing the KGP (Knowing God Personally booklet- our evangelism tool that presents the 4 points to Christianity). Not our original plan AT ALL but I just felt lead that this is what we're supposed to do and can't really explain it other than the fact that it was a God thing. We went all the way through. They responded to our questions, asked some of their own and at the end of it we got to the 2 circles: self-centered or Christ-centered. They said how in that moment they were Christ-centered and that circle meant 100% sure of spending eternity in heaven. Yet when asked personally, they responded that they were only 78% sure. Not too sure where they got that number from but I loved their raw honesty with us. I went on to ask how that can be true from their previous answer and lightbulbs went off! Their eyes brightened, huge smiles came across their faces and they shouted, "I AM 100% SURE! WHAT GOOD NEWS THIS IS!" They were OVERJOYED to realize that their eternity is with God in heaven upon asking Jesus to take control of their lives. We couldn't help but share in that excitement and in that moment I thought of just how much more God must be celebrating to have new children in His kingdom. And I thought HOW AMAZING that even after I leave Africa, I can know that I'll see these fun girls again but next time will be for forever! Praising God for all eternity! We went through the Satisfied booklet to explain the Holy Spirit and I can just tell God's at work in the lives of these precious women. They asked challenging yet honest questions and really want to know more about what it looks like to be pursuing holiness. I can't wait to meet back with them today and I pray that God will lead and change their hearts to seek holiness instead of worldliness. They're eager to grow and learn more and I'm so thankful that God chose to work through ME, spiritually awaken me and let me see firsthand His miracles of life change. This was my first time experiencing this alone and instead of feeling proud, I felt so in awe of the One who changes lives and restores joy. It's so obvious that God can do ANYTHING and warms even the hardest of hearts. So blessed to be a part of this!

That's about it for now! So excited to share with y'all all that God's doing here at UNZA! Please be praying for our meeting with Thandy and Amanda coming up at 15 hours that they'll be there and ready to learn more. Next week is our last week at UNZA already (so sad!) so please pray that we'll all be motivated to go hard, encouraging the students to be leading and pursuing God even after we return to the US. Can't believe time is flying by so quickly! Yesterday really opened my heart to the idea of a longer-term thing here but only God has it all figured out. A flu-ish thing is still taking out part of our team so please also be praying for everyone to be completely healthy as we go into our last full week in Lusaka before heading out to Livingstone. Thank you for reading and for being so supportive of everything God's doing here!

In Him,
Amy