to the interns

This one’s for the interns at Impact Africa.

To Johnny, Dawson, Eve, Rebecca, Jordan, Efra, Bethany, Sallie, Aleena, Frenisia, and Luke:

When we came to the base at Impact Africa, we didn’t know what to expect. After two months of being pretty off the grid, and honestly I think we were all just tired. In spirit and physically, we were tired.

Entering the base, I felt like I was dreaming. It was beautiful, but also, those washing machines were the most beautiful sight after two months of hand washing.

A few of you came right up to the house, helped us carry bags, and I traduces yourselves. There was no weird gap of learning who you were. You just invited us in and invited us to run with you, chasing people and teaching the gospel and learning who we all were ourselves.

We went to the main house and you showed us your rooms and we met the rest of the girls, then at dinner met the guys.

Through the course of our time there, I heard a lot of your stories. I heard a lot of pain, a lot of hard times. But I heard a lot of redemption, and I saw a lot of joy.

When I got to be partnered with interns for ministry, I got super stoked because you guys carry SO MUCH ENERGY. You love people hard and well, the way we should all love. It’s evident that the love you carry to the communities is Jesus’ love because it’s a powerful love, and people see that. They’re drawn to you because they see that you’re different.

A lot of you are pretty young in your faith, but you’re more on fire then most people I know who have believed for years. And I hope you only grow in that.

Gen Z gets a lot of criticism for being selfish and not caring about other people. But you guys gave up everything to more to Africa for a few months just so you can spread the gospel there. That’s amazing and brave.

While we were there, I read the book, “A Million Miles In A Thousand Years” by Donald Miller. He talks about life as a story and about God and us writing our stories. He talks about how characters in good stories face conflict with courage and that those conflicts lead to character development. I want to leave you with this last encouragement: you are characters who have and continue to face conflict with courage. You’re loving amazing and meaningful stories because of it.

I’m thankful God write our teams of characters together for a brief time, and I’m glad I got to hear some of your stories. Thankful to be a part of them for a short time.

I love and miss you all TOO much. I wish we could have stayed. But God wrote our stories separate for a time. We have different conflicts to face. But I know you all will continue on, facing every conflict with courage, because you know that God is writing better stories with you than you could write on your own. Keep trusting that. You’re making an impact.

Your fellow warrior,

Vicks