Hey everyone,
I apologize for the tardiness of this post. Life has been so busy and I have been working diligently, and contemplating life daily so that I could write this post. The title of this post is to describe the past few months of my crazy, beautiful and unpredictable life. I have gone through quite the "pruning" process. I say this as a metaphor as if I was an apple tree and the dead branches or branches that were not needed were being cut and pruned until I was ready to bear fruit. These past months have been trying for I have been tested and I have undergo a gradual transformation.
Here is an update:
For the past few months I have been praying about an incredible opportunity: Being an ambassador for Brock University and Canada in Ghana, West Africa for 3 months (well 83 days to be exact) through the Global Transitions Program. I was offered the opportunity back in march and I had to decide whether or not I was going to apply. After further contemplation, I decided to take the risk and I applied. Surprise to me, I actually was accepted! Out of all the students at Brock University I was chosen to be one of the 11 people to be accepted. It was quite humbling to know that I passed the interview, and the tiring application process and to find that the leaders of the program thought I was ready and the right person for the program. I never imagined such an opportunity to be dropped in my lap and all I had to do was accept and apply. But of course, hesitation set in especially once I saw the cost! It was not going to be easy to accumulate the funds, find a summer job, prepare for the trip and do all of this while battling depression. But when God says all things are possible through Him (Christ Jesus) in me, he wasn't lying. I had to first pray about it and when I felt peace I then told people about the opportunity I had been given. Some people were excited for me and some were not. I realized pretty quickly after no luck at job searching in St. Catharines, that it wasn't going to be easy to accumulate the 2000 dollars I needed to pay the final payment of the program fee. But when God makes a way he makes a way!
Short story: My dad knew my lack of success in acquiring a job in St. Catharines. So while searching on kijiji for computer parts (his hobby), he decided to check job listings for my brother and I. To his surprise and mine, he found a job add that we both knew was a God given opportunity: To do laundry at a special needs camp in Parry Sound. Remember: God always has a plan. And the doors he often opens are usually not ones we were expecting. Sure enough I applied and got the job a few days after. So off to camp I went two weeks after.
Now understand doing laundry was not what I had in mind for my summer, however I was grateful to get the exact amount I needed when I finished my contract so I continued working diligently. I was even blessed with a christian laundry partner for my first month. I got to mentor some kids in the evening too and make some great relationships. I struggled being away from my Christian support for so long, and I felt so tempted due to all the temptations that existed being a non-christian camp and all. I made mistakes and found grace. However, little did I know it would just get harder. Sure enough after a month of exhaustion but of great times with my laundry partner, she decided to quit. All of a sudden I was without my partner and friend stuck with a ton of work to do. She was my only support and I was losing her. Looking back, I believe that God turned an awful situation and taught me how to trust him.
All I could do was go to him. I felt alone, hurt, rejected, and just cast aside. Everyone treated me different when my laundry partner left. They treated me as an outsider and it was because I never left the laundry room due to the pile of laundry I was left with daily to do by myself. I didn't understand but I knew somehow that God had a plan I just didn't know what he was up to. Sure enough a new laundry attendant was hired and she was nothing like the previous one, especially since she was an atheist. God has a sense of humour, because she and I couldn't be anymore different. She loved heavy metal I was a worship leader who enjoyed some acoustic, country, pop and rock and obviously God-centered music. So to make the best of it, I prayed for her on my own time and risked getting hurt and rejected and I shared my life and testimony with her. It brought us closer and all of a sudden we were listening to christian music together. I truly believe seeds were sown that will one day be harvested.
During the last month, I decided to join a bible group with a few of the christian counselors that God had divinely placed there. We all grew stronger in the Lord and suddenly we all craved more and more of his spirit and his presence in our daily lives. Temptation still existed and I still made mistakes, but I was loved and constantly reminded of it and I was set free from condemnation all because of his grace. So I was able to press on and finish the two months despite what the enemy threw at me. And boy did they try to hurt, wound, and destroy my faith and me. Praise God I was victorious and the Lord and I just grew closer and the enemy lost the battle. It was a leap of faith from the start and I am glad I decided to go to the camp and trust God because I learned so much and became so much stronger.
When I returned home, I was anxiously awaiting the two week countdown for Ghana. I had gone to an orientation during my days off from camp and I got to meet all the people I would be going with and I got to find out what I was to expect within the upcoming weeks. So of course, I researched Ghana in my free time at camp and tried to prep as best as I could. However, there was still so much to do as I was awaiting the departure date. A few of them being: vaccinations, acquiring a visa, getting anti-malaria meds, shopping, and of course packing. I also visited with people and catch up with friends and family which was more fun than my errands but still required my time and energy. I enjoyed catching up with people but it was bittersweet because I was reminded that I will be away from all of them for 3 months. It made me sad and anxious. But I remembered the Lord will have placed people there in Ghana for me to build relationships with and skype is always good to use to keep in touch. Sometimes I love technology!
Honestly, this is my longest trip out of the country so far and that can be a little intimidating. I got nerves but I also have excitement so it balances out. I leave for Ghana in 10 days (September 12th 2012) and I will not return till December 3rd 2012. This is my leap of faith this year. I am leaving everything I have ever known to go live in and experience another culture which is very different from my own. I will be without the comforts of my home, with people I don't really know and even strangers. I will encounter dangers I am sure. I will encounter beauty and lots of beautiful people and places. It will be an adventure start to finish!
Please pray for me that I will be safe, healthy, and bold so that I can be a light and share Jesus through my actions and behaviour. Thank you to all of you who have been a part of my journey thus far and I thank you for those who have encouraged me in this season of my life. I will be posting updates through Facebook and Tumblr. Here is The link: http://obruniwithinghana.tumblr.com
Now you can share alongside me in my journey and learn more about Ghanaian culture.
With love,
Chantal
