A year ago today I did not want to turn 18. I did not want the inevitable change to come or the title of “adult.” I preferred to stay my 17 year old self, content to be a kid forever. Reluctantly, I accepted my new age, wondering what this new year would bring. Little did I know, God had big plans for my 18th year of life.
I got to be a part of my church's Easter Pageant, one of hundreds working on the production…complete with live animals! (Trust me it's a big deal!) I graduated high school, and forever said goodbye to sitting in a classroom for 7 hours a day. In the summer, I went on a week-long Bible conference with CIY Move that we called Bible & Beach. I spent my fall semester in Kenya on another AIM Passport trip. I got to check a few things off my bucket list. And now I'm in Nicaragua!
Me (middle) with some friends after graduation
This year, I'm not just celebrating my birth. I'm celebrating all of the wonderful things that God grew in me my 18th year. Through all of these amazing events, God has taught me many lessons. The story of Christ came alive for me in the Easter Pageant when I had to hurl insults at the actor playing Jesus every night for weeks, just playing a part in a play. I had to accept change, something I've never liked, because I couldn't stop it. I learned more about the Bible and new passions grew in me.
My sisters and me (2nd to left in costume and makeup) after the Easter Pageant show
In Kenya, God taught me how to evangelize to people who have never heard the name of Jesus before. I told Jesus' story to someone for the first time, and God used me to bring that person and many others to Christ. I developed a deep love, a passion for Kenya. One that is God-breathed and is calling me back there one day. I experienced real Christian community and learned about the importance of communication and the power of prayer. God can work miracles! I know this because I witnessed them and was a vessel through which God used to bring about miracles. God spoke to me clearly, and for the first time I recognized that it was His voice calling me. He gave me a plan, a purpose in life. He healed me of wounds that ran deeper than I imagined. I found my identity in Him!
Left: Paraku, the 1st woman that God brought to Christ through me
Right: the 2nd person brought to Christ minutes later
Telling the story of Jesus to a crowd of 300+ kids, most hearing it for the 1st time
with my Kenyan friends Ellen and Grace
Some of the school kids I taught in Kenya
getting a big hug from Elizabeth, a Kenyan friend
Team Kenya, fall 2011
Now in Nicaragua, I'm growing stronger in faith and deeper in love with God. God is teaching me how to build genuine relationships and love people whose language I do not speak and whose culture I do not understand. He's teaching me how to disciple current believers into true followers, a skill that I will need in the US. God is breaking down fears that I carried about my future and affirming what He spoke to me in Kenya. God is working miracles here and fulfilling promises He's made me in the past. I'm diving deeper into the Word and truly developing a love and understanding for the Bible. I am following Him as He prepares me more for the future.
Today, I was shown extraordinary love and generosity by my Nicaraguan friends. Though by standards in the US the people are poor, they have a deeper understanding of what it means to give unselfishly. At the village, I was showered with birthday greetings, cards, and gifts. My young friends were overjoyed at giving me jewelry or trivial objects that most Americans would consider junk. To my Nicaraguan friends, that “junk” was treasure, treasure that contains far more sentimental value than monetary. Today I learned that it is not the monetary value of a gift that has meaning, but the intent behind giving it. I learned of incredible generosity, even if that generosity was reflected in a simple song or shared Bible verse. Today I realized that the love I feel toward my Nicaraguan friends is reciprocated, evident from the many pieces of jewelry that adorned my body as we left the village for the day.
So, tonight as I blew out a match signifying 19 candles, I wasn't just celebrating turning 19 years old. I'm celebrating the amazing memories of my 18th year and the ways that God has grown and matured me. I no longer mourn growing up and leaving childhood behind but embrace adulthood! I've learned that I can be an adult and still keep my joyful, childlike spirit, one of my best attributes (or so I'm told).
I'm also celebrating this next year of my life and the many to come. I'm celebrating being here in Nicaragua and entering my next mission field: college. I'm no longer afraid of college, the responsibilities, or the academic, social, and spiritual challenges because now I'm prepared to go! I'm looking forward to medical school and discipleship training. I'm anticipating moving back to Kenya to be a doctor to a forgotten tribe. I'm hoping to run an orphanage and serve the poor. I'm excited for change, for God to speak, for life to happen. Happy Birthday Allegra! I know it will be a good life!
