How do you write a blog about Africa when you’re not in Africa anymore?
My name is Amber Blankenship, Africa is my dream, and I’m the one that got sent home. I got sent home because my body was having a hard time adjusting to all the dust and smells, and the only way my body could convey that was through multiple asthma attacks. So how do I write about Africa, my dream, when I was sent home?
This is how. Just writing on the Swaziland blog is courageous. Getting up every morning without 22 guys and girls telling me “good morning!” creates strength. Living my life in Georgia without the big support system I had in Swaziland takes faith.
I went into this trip knowing this was were God was calling me. I knew God had a plan, and being in Swaziland in the summer of 2014 was part of God’s plan. What I didn’t know was the intent of His plan. God lined everything up the whole time I was in Africa to get me ready to leave. I left because that was God’s plan for me, not because the enemy intervened.
A lot of people have false accusations on what made me leave Africa. And truth is God had His hand on me the entire time. I’ve actually never felt closer to God now than I have my entire life. So I know that me leaving was because God has a bigger plan than I could ever fathom. My leader, Emma, told me that we couldn’t physically handle everything God has set out for us. We couldn’t fathom it. But God has a promise to us, He will never leave us nor will He forsake us. God hasn’t left me even though I’ve left Africa. In fact He has placed things in my path so that I remember He has never left me and He never will.
I don’t know why I’m home, but I know God has a reason. I know God will protect my team every day because He says He will in Psalm 91. I know God is doing great things everyday through every person that is living in Swazi right now. I know God will continue to do great things through my team even when they get home. And that is where we come in, as their friends and family, We have to support them when they get back. He have to pray for them without ceasing because returning to the states is a very difficult thing to do. It’s hard to come back, so as their support we must keep loving on them days, weeks, months after they’re home. Everyday I think about Swaziland and the boys and girls I got to love on, and everyday I grow a little sad because I’m not there anymore. I was only there a month, think about my team who stayed the whole time.
God is doing great things in Swaziland and America. God is changing us. God is using us. No matter where we are or where we will go…
We are world changers.
