We were not made for comfort.
Sometimes, God calls us to step out of our comfort zone and into a path of trusting Him. And for two groups of Hillside members, they did exactly that this past summer as they traveled across the world to serve alongside our global partners, Empowering Lives International and Living Room Ministries International.
What a privilege it is for us to partner with God in sharing His hope with others around the world. We know God clearly tells us through scripture to go out and be a part of mission work.
“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” Mark 16:15
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Daphne Riedel and Trevor Baker are two of the members of the teams that traveled to Africa this summer and saw firsthand how God is at work in areas that desperately need hope and healing.
For Daphne, seeing the stories of transformation and redemption, of God rewriting stories, had a profound impact on her heart.
“From the reformed brewers experiencing complete life transformation, who are now becoming conduits of Christ in their own villages… to visiting the kids of ELI in Ilula and Kipakaren – who have not only been provided with shelter and food, but with a family and a forever home… to witnessing His hand of grace and spiritual healing in the lives of those receiving care at the Living Room, even in the midst of a dying body,” said Daphne.
Trevor said his brief time in Africa was life changing and strengthened his faith in ways he wasn’t expecting.
“This experience above all showed me how to love like Jesus did,” he said. “Through this experience I saw the way that God provides when we need it most and the way that He calls us to love.“
While she was in Africa, and in the weeks after her return, God affirmed to Daphne that living in a posture of complete surrender to His plans, His purposes and His timing can allow us to experience God in profound ways.
“The extent to which He can work and move will be hindered by nothing when we fully place our lives in his hands and firmly fix our eyes on him,” she said. “Seeing Him at work in the lives and communities reminded me of His great love for the people of Africa and of His desire to give each one of us life, and life to the fullest.”
What surprised both Trevor and Daphne the most was seeing the JOY radiating from the people of Africa, even despite their circumstances and the poverty that surrounds them.
“The way the Kenyan people love with all they have is what convicted me the most,” said Trevor. “We saw people who were in the most severe poverty that I have ever seen, yet they are laughing and playing in the midst of these terrible circumstances.”
“It was so counterintuitive to our western culture,” Daphne said. “Where we try to find happiness in things and financial security, they find joy in the people around them and their personal relationship with the Lord. A phrase they would often say upon greeting us was ‘God is good’. Regardless of what their story was, they truly stood upon the truth of His goodness.”
As Hillside prepares to start planning for it’s 2018 Africa trip, Daphne and Trevor both encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone and into the work God is doing across the world.
“It forced me to lean upon Him in ways that I might not have otherwise,” said Daphne. “Having the opportunity to move beyond my community and see with my own eyes the work of His hands and the beauty of the people of Africa will forever hold a piece of my heart.”
Empowering Lives International desires to empower the poor in Congo, Kenya, South Sudan and Tanzania with knowledge, confidence, and measurable growth that impacts their spiritual and economic life so that they become an example that others will be drawn to imitate and surpass. Click here to learn more.
Living Room Ministries International provides quality palliative care services to adults and children living with life-threatening illnesses in Kenya. They are caring for a person— physically, psychosocially, and spiritually. The goal is to achieve the best quality of life for individuals and families facing advanced disease. Click here to learn more.