I want to let you know how your prayers and financial support made a difference in North Africa this past spring. Many of you received my updates during my time overseas and have heard some of the stories and know some about the journey the Lord took me on. I have to say that my time in Africa was amazing and truly life changing. I learned not only more about myself, but more about the Lord and what it means to serve Him in another country. Sharing my time in only one page is not quite possible, but I will share a small amount and would be happy to share even more if you are interested!
During the semester, we started our time out learning more about the culture, Islam, and studying Arabic. We spent much of our time traveling throughout the country, where we saw different people groups, needs of the country, and were exposed to new things. On each excursion we went on, God taught me so much and truly opened my eyes to so many new things. Things like staying with a North African family, going out to the remote Berber villages, or spending time in the Sahara were experiences that I will never forget and have impacted my life in an amazing way.
In North Africa, we were in a closed country, meaning it is illegal to be a missionary and openly share your faith with people. This was really hard for me at first because I did not fully understand how I could make a difference or impact others without being able to openly share. The Lord quickly opened my eyes to the power of prayer and I realized that although I could not openly share, I could definitely be praying for these people and all the wonderful friends I made. The Lord is faithful and hears those prayers and it’s exciting to know that I am not the only one who is lifting these people up to Him. In His word, it says, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Although I might not get to see the change, I know great change will come in His timing, for this He promises us.
Coming back to the states has been quite an adjustment. In my time over there, I realized that this is what the Lord desires me to do, to permanently share His name overseas to people who do not know Him. So now being in the states, I am just ready to go back and do what He desires. I am however going to be in the states for a couple more years. I already have a job as a cardiology nurse at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, where I will learn nursing skills that I will be able to use to benefit those in need overseas. I am so excited for this job and cannot wait to work with the kids; it will be an amazing experience.
A page is definitely not enough to share an entire trips worth of learning and stories, so if you would like to hear more, I would love to talk to you about it and share stories and pictures! Thank you again for your prayers and financial support!
Much love,
Sara Kaiser
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Testimony from Colombia
My 2008 Colombia Testimony
Dana Van Steenbergen
I have reflected many hours on this unusual trip trying to come up with a reason it turned out the way it did. It never occurred to me that when we all prayed for us to be “broken” that God would do it in a physical way. I think we all expected to be “broken” spiritually. To have God completely turn our world upside down so we could be vulnerable and love people the way He loves us, unconditionally.
When you look at the Colombian children and look past their dirty faces, lice filled hair and filthy clothes, you see beautiful children. I mean really beautiful children. Every one of them. Children that were created in the Father’s image just like our children. They laugh like our children, they play like our children, they even argue with each other like our children! Children are children no matter where they live and in what circumstances they live in. They are starved for love and attention. They thirst for the living water and the everlasting life that only our Savior can give them. They are eager to except love and kindness from a complete stranger, which I find amazing since it is the grown ups that cause them the most pain.
When I think about how Jesus “hung out” with the destitute and unloved, the tax collectors and sinners, I remember that he loved them, too. He loves us all on the same level. He has no favorites. Neither should we. He calls us to love one another the way the Father loves us.
As I laid sick in my bunk bed on Wednesday while the team was at the farm, I kept asking God why He would send me all this way to just lay in bed. When I think back I have this picture of me and God in a room. I’m pacing back and forth with God sitting relaxed in a chair. I kept asking Him, “Why did you have the church send me here and allow me to get sick? That makes no sense to me! What are you doing??!!” He would just smile and say “Trust me.” Now, I don’t know about you, but I hate it when God does that. Just two little words with no explanation attached. That means he wants me to figure it out and learn something from it. You know what I’m talking about; we’ve all been there. I finally sat down and said, “Okay. I’ll trust you.”
I think God really wanted me to be in a place where I had nothing but Him to rely on. I wasn’t in charge. I wasn’t in control. I was simply being led like a blind man to every destination. God put me in a situation where I had to completely rely on Him to get through every minute of the day.
I firmly believe it was the prayers of all the family, friends, and students left behind that got me through that week. Many were praying I would not get sick. What they didn’t know is that those prayers kept me going. The miraculous thing is that when I left the house on Thursday morning, I made it through the entire day until we returned that evening. Considering my illness, that is a miracle! I had to trust God with every minute of the next three days.
How was the trip? Amazing! I saw children play at the farm after several years of construction and believe me that was worth the trip right there! To see the joy on those children’s faces, incredible. To see them receive the Holy Spirit, indescribable. To know their lives will be changed forever, priceless.
The trip to Colombianita where some of the children live was heartbreaking. It really put things in perspective for me. That is an image that will remain burned in my mind for a long time. I continue to pray that God will change the minds of the Colombian government so they will not tear down life as they know it and move them to the outskirts of Bogota. I have to trust God again that He is in control.
Another of the highlights of my trip was to see my dear friend, Lilliana. She used to be with the YWAM ministry until last year. She now works in a community on the side of a mountain called “Paradise” seven days a week with some of the poorer families of Bogata. She takes the bus and walks up the mountain to minister to the children and women of this small community. I was able to give her the support money I had been sending to YWAM over the past year. Since she was no longer with the ministry, they could not give her the money directly. There was some hope that she would return to the ministry, but God had other plans for her. Lilliana is full of life and is a beautiful person. As we parted on Friday, I realized that this might have been our final goodbye in person. It hit me pretty hard when she asked when I would be returning to Bogata. I told her that I did not know. We do correspond via email, but that is not the same as hugging and struggling to speak each other’s language in person!
The playhouse was another sweet time. It was a blessing for me to be able to help decorate it. I remembered that as I was sewing the curtains, table cloth and baby bed blanket, I kept praying for the children who would be coming to play there. I prayed for them to know the love of Jesus and to break the generational curses of their families. I prayed they would become the future leaders of Colombia and begin to make positive changes in their government. To see that playhouse, in all its glory, was amazing. Many American girls would love to have one like it in their own back yards!
What does all this mean for me now? I am trying to trust Him daily in all things. Maybe it is to walk in love and to leave a “Jesus hug” everywhere I go, from my students at CCA, to the children and youth at FUMC, to my neighbors, even the strangers I meet every day. Jesus calls us all to love because He first loved us. Jesus, help me to be more like you and love others the way you love me. To God be the Glory! AMEN!
Dana Van Steenbergen
I have reflected many hours on this unusual trip trying to come up with a reason it turned out the way it did. It never occurred to me that when we all prayed for us to be “broken” that God would do it in a physical way. I think we all expected to be “broken” spiritually. To have God completely turn our world upside down so we could be vulnerable and love people the way He loves us, unconditionally.
When you look at the Colombian children and look past their dirty faces, lice filled hair and filthy clothes, you see beautiful children. I mean really beautiful children. Every one of them. Children that were created in the Father’s image just like our children. They laugh like our children, they play like our children, they even argue with each other like our children! Children are children no matter where they live and in what circumstances they live in. They are starved for love and attention. They thirst for the living water and the everlasting life that only our Savior can give them. They are eager to except love and kindness from a complete stranger, which I find amazing since it is the grown ups that cause them the most pain.
When I think about how Jesus “hung out” with the destitute and unloved, the tax collectors and sinners, I remember that he loved them, too. He loves us all on the same level. He has no favorites. Neither should we. He calls us to love one another the way the Father loves us.
As I laid sick in my bunk bed on Wednesday while the team was at the farm, I kept asking God why He would send me all this way to just lay in bed. When I think back I have this picture of me and God in a room. I’m pacing back and forth with God sitting relaxed in a chair. I kept asking Him, “Why did you have the church send me here and allow me to get sick? That makes no sense to me! What are you doing??!!” He would just smile and say “Trust me.” Now, I don’t know about you, but I hate it when God does that. Just two little words with no explanation attached. That means he wants me to figure it out and learn something from it. You know what I’m talking about; we’ve all been there. I finally sat down and said, “Okay. I’ll trust you.”
I think God really wanted me to be in a place where I had nothing but Him to rely on. I wasn’t in charge. I wasn’t in control. I was simply being led like a blind man to every destination. God put me in a situation where I had to completely rely on Him to get through every minute of the day.
I firmly believe it was the prayers of all the family, friends, and students left behind that got me through that week. Many were praying I would not get sick. What they didn’t know is that those prayers kept me going. The miraculous thing is that when I left the house on Thursday morning, I made it through the entire day until we returned that evening. Considering my illness, that is a miracle! I had to trust God with every minute of the next three days.
How was the trip? Amazing! I saw children play at the farm after several years of construction and believe me that was worth the trip right there! To see the joy on those children’s faces, incredible. To see them receive the Holy Spirit, indescribable. To know their lives will be changed forever, priceless.
The trip to Colombianita where some of the children live was heartbreaking. It really put things in perspective for me. That is an image that will remain burned in my mind for a long time. I continue to pray that God will change the minds of the Colombian government so they will not tear down life as they know it and move them to the outskirts of Bogota. I have to trust God again that He is in control.
Another of the highlights of my trip was to see my dear friend, Lilliana. She used to be with the YWAM ministry until last year. She now works in a community on the side of a mountain called “Paradise” seven days a week with some of the poorer families of Bogata. She takes the bus and walks up the mountain to minister to the children and women of this small community. I was able to give her the support money I had been sending to YWAM over the past year. Since she was no longer with the ministry, they could not give her the money directly. There was some hope that she would return to the ministry, but God had other plans for her. Lilliana is full of life and is a beautiful person. As we parted on Friday, I realized that this might have been our final goodbye in person. It hit me pretty hard when she asked when I would be returning to Bogata. I told her that I did not know. We do correspond via email, but that is not the same as hugging and struggling to speak each other’s language in person!
The playhouse was another sweet time. It was a blessing for me to be able to help decorate it. I remembered that as I was sewing the curtains, table cloth and baby bed blanket, I kept praying for the children who would be coming to play there. I prayed for them to know the love of Jesus and to break the generational curses of their families. I prayed they would become the future leaders of Colombia and begin to make positive changes in their government. To see that playhouse, in all its glory, was amazing. Many American girls would love to have one like it in their own back yards!
What does all this mean for me now? I am trying to trust Him daily in all things. Maybe it is to walk in love and to leave a “Jesus hug” everywhere I go, from my students at CCA, to the children and youth at FUMC, to my neighbors, even the strangers I meet every day. Jesus calls us all to love because He first loved us. Jesus, help me to be more like you and love others the way you love me. To God be the Glory! AMEN!
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