A Change Of Heart In Africa : Part 4 of 4

soccer

Continued from a previous post….

That same night, Emily and I went with Mr. Harrell to watch him coach some young boys in soccer—a ministry he and his wife Megan had started themselves.

We watched these boys play on a dirt field, with holes and glass everywhere. And yet, they were all smiles. Some of the older boys from a second team were there too, practicing and helping the younger boys.

“We’re a family; we take care of each other. Coach takes care of us; we take care of him,” said Victor, the team captain for the older boys, and the first one to join the soccer ministry.

The boys got together and sang the national anthem, and they also danced for us. They are all incredible dancers.

I never thought I had a bad attitude until I met people with a reason to have one, and didn’t.” — Ashleigh

Talking to the boys and hearing about their living conditions and family problems left me speechless. I didn’t even know what to feel. All the “problems” I had going on at home, all the selfish things I was worried about vanished. Just like that. God showed me that none of that matters. The only thing that matters is my relationship with Him. He was breaking my heart to fill it with a pure, honest love for Him and His children—for His ministry and how He wants to use me. He was slowly stripping away my insecurity and my doubts, taking away all things superficial and teaching me to trust in Him. Because that is the only way I will ever be able to make an impact.

With God on my side everything is possible. And even now that I’m back in Idaho, I know that I want to do the impossible.

I long for the day I can return to Lesotho, but until then I am praying that I will be content living here as I finish high school and actively pursue the Lord and His purpose for my life.