... But why SOUTH Africa?

Sorry, folks, I promised a blog on Saturday and didn't deliver.

I don't know why I promised one on a Saturday, apparently I had high aspirations for my motivation. Haha ohhhh silly me ;)

Ok so, to answer the question I know you're all anxiously awaiting (you probably haven't thought about much else) is why South Africa. And just know, this blog is long.

Before I give you a straight answer, let me back up a few years for a brief second.

About 8 years ago I was a freshman entering college at Georgia College and State University (if you're an alumnus and didn't sing the name of the college in your head as you read it, I'm gonna need you to think hard about your priorities.) I was involved in a ministry on campus called the Wesley foundation. Well, involved is putting it a little lightly. I lived, breathed, and dreamed Wesley. But this isn't about that. My freshman year two upperclassmen in Wesley introduced me to the appalling issue of human trafficking. An issue that holds more than 29 million people captive.

29 million.

Just sit back for a moment and let that fact hit you. 29 million people still in slavery. And a good deal of them in SEXUAL slavery.

But as much as I would love to tell you all about my heart and about the atrocities of human trafficking, I'll have to save that blog for another day. Just know that the issue captured my heart and I knew that I couldn't just sit back and pretend that I didn't care. Now that I knew, I was responsible.

So fast forward to April of 2013. I was in choir at my church and doing the normal routine. Because the choir arrives at the church around 7:45am for the first service and generally stays through the second service, most of them go back into the choir suite after getting off stage and chat through the sermon of the first service. They then will sit through the sermon of the second service in the sanctuary. But there was one Sunday that was different.

A pastor by the name of Greg Evans was at our church from his church in Durban, South Africa and was telling us about the outreach that he does to the strip clubs around his church. And I don't mean that his church all gets in the church bus and travels a couple of miles down the road to go minister to the strip clubs; his church is literally in the middle of a bunch of strip clubs.

Because Jesus loves strippers.

And strip club owners.

And their patrons.

If you don't believe me, I shall direct your attention to John 3:16, where God so loved the world. Not just the sanctified. Not just the pretty. Not just the Christians who can pretend really well that they have all of their crap together. EVERYONE. (And I think that's pretty flipping cool.)

So as I am sitting there in the choir suite, and everyone is oddly quiet and listening to this guy who is blowing apart a lot of pre-conceived notions about what living your life as a Christian should look like.

And I felt The Lord whisper into my spirit "Go."

I was so excited that I looked up plane tickets and timing of when I wanted to go. I felt like Jesus wanted me to be there over my birthday, to give up a day normally all about me to minister to others.

After the second service (which I loved just as much as the first!) I briefly met Pr Greg and told him I'd love to visit his church. He was very gracious and said that any of our church was welcome to come to Durban to work with his church.

Immediately I began to make plans to go to South Africa and really felt like the fall of 2013 was my time to go. And then things started not looking good.

First, the trip was at the end of September, not on my birthday. Ok, that was fine, I was disappointed but could handle it. And then I found out the trip wasn't going to Durban, but another church that we partner with in Nelspruit, Again I was bummed, but I figured that God knew what He was doing.

And then I found out that I wouldn't be able to take off of work. And that the money just wasn't coming in. And I was devastated.

The day that the mission team flew out to South Africa I went to the airport to see them off. I was sitting next to an amazing friend and mentor who I am so glad was there that day. Because really, when isn't it awesome to have Paula Lambert around?! So I was sitting there watching my team be excited. And take pictures. And go through security.

Without me.

I pulled my gigantic sunglasses over my eyes (because people definitely couldn't tell by my red face and quivering lip that I was crying at all) and tried to be brave. But on the inside I was so hurt and confused and angry.

And Paula turned to me and spoke words of life.

She said "Erin, do not be discouraged. You will be in South Africa next year. Look at your desire. Look at your tears. That is where your heart longs to be and God will not deny you that. He called you there and you are going."

Dear heavens I love her.

I went home and tried to be excited every time I saw a member of the team post photos of South Africa, but it was hard. I wanted to be there so badly.

For the next few months I kind of shut down the voice of The Lord and allowed myself to become preoccupied with other things to take my mind off of my hurt and disappointment. But then Jesus called me back to Himself and after an intense time of prayer I gave my desire for Africa to Him.

And then one morning I woke up and just knew that I was supposed to go, and for longer than just the two weeks. I was supposed to go for two months.

I approached my missions pastor and he was all for it. I told my best friend and my youth pastor's wife and they were all for it. I emailed Pr Greg and he was for it. Actually I received his "yes" email in my car one day during lunch at work and FREAKED out. I cried and knew that The Lord had so much greater for me than I could have ever planned.

I told my work and they were hugely supportive (although it did mean turning in my five month notice.) And my friends and family are all behind me 100%. I couldn't ask for more. I am so glad that I followed the will of The Lord and am walking in His calling, not my own.

So I'm going to Africa. And it's going to be the start of something that I can only imagine.