Wednesday:
Before we came on this trip, I prayed for divine moments....the kind that only God can plan. I also prayed that God would speak to me in a personal way. I so much just love to see God at work on mission trips and I also know that I very much needed to hear God’s voice. Today my prayers were answered in every way. I got to see God at work and God spoke to me exactly where I needed Him too.
Today we met Mogus who is the regional director for Young Life Ethiopia. Mogus is in charge of several ministries and clubs here across Ethiopia and also trains young life leaders from around the continent of Africa including leaders from Somalia which is a dangerous place for Christians. In meeting Mogus and hearing about the goals and vision of Young Life Ethiopia, he radiated with Jesus and passion for young people. I felt like we shared the same heart.
As he shared about the challenges of his ministry, I related. Youth ministry is a hard mission field to work in. Mogus shared that what keeps him going in Ethiopia is the kids that he loves and then he pointed to a picture on the wall that had 200+ students pictured. At that point I began to fall apart emotionally. That was God reminding me why I continue to do youth ministry at Southside Youth Outreach in St. Joseph, MO. The kids in our ministry mean so much to me and I am even missing them while I am here in Ethiopia. :)
Sometimes I get discouraged, much like Mogus, but through all the challenges and in the low times of ministry it is those individual students that have stolen my heart that keep me going in this work. My heart was encouraged by Mogus and what God is doing here in Africa through the Young Life organization. Their ministry here to teenagers is booming and growing as thousands meet in Young Life Clubs throughout the city each week. Before we left the Young Life headquarters Joey had me lead prayer for Mogus and his ministry here. I cried most of the way through the prayer as I prayed and thought about how important it is to reach this generation for the Lord....here in Africa as well as back home in the states.
On a brighter note.....Tim Chester, Sarah Gregory, Connie Thornton, Kelsey Lane, and I went to one of the Young life outreach clubs today with Mogus and Hanna (a Young Life leader). During this time other members of our mission team were at a Campaigner Club which is more discipleship focused for those who had already decided to become a Christian. Hanna’s Young Life Club was an amazing experience and much like the “rallies” and club meetings we do back home at Southside Youth Outreach. There was an ice breaker game, music, up front games and a message. Tim Chester even took a pie in the face during one of the games. Ha Ha! It was obvious that the 40 or so students there were having a blast and they listened intently as the leader gave a message from God’s Word. This is impressive considering that most of these students were not Christians.
The leader of the club asked me if I would share my testimony there. I was honored and excited to brag on Jesus and tell them about what God has done in my life. I told them how I wasn’t raised in church and how alcoholism in my family had affected my childhood and the direction I headed as an older teenager. I also shared how my brother led me (and our family) to the Lord when I was 23. I told them that I would have given ANYTHING to have a youth leader like Mogus or Hanna in my life when I was a teen. I challenged the students to consider what God has for them and to consider making the choice to follow Jesus that I made when I was 23. Afterwards four of the students that I met there at the club asked for my email and facebook info so that we can keep in touch.
So thankful to see God show up yet again today and to get to be a small part of what He is doing here in Africa. It has been an amazing week full of lots of divine moments like these. Thank you God! I have loved serving with the Brookdale/SJCS team. It is so cool to see God at work in each of the team members in different ways. Please keep the prayers coming as we head out to Trees of Glory school tomorrow. Thank you for listening to my ramblings!
To God be the glory!!!!!
Jodi Brager
Young Life entrance
Moges Berassa and Jodi Brager
Young Life Club Room
Young Life campaigner Bible study
1 comment:
Yay for Young Life Ethiopia! Yay for God reaching out to lost teens across Africa! Yay God for providing caring adults both in Ethiopia and here in St. Joseph who love young people and want them to know REAL life!
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