Well it’s been another crazy week at Impact. It’s hard to believe that it is almost Thanksgiving. I have been learning so much lately. I have had convictions and times where I have just had a truly humbling experience. I’ll share with you how the past week has looked. We went to a place in Alabama called SIFAT (Service In Faith And Technology). Their website is www.sifat.org. The first night we were there, we learned what it was like to live in a third world country in a rural village. They had multiple styles of huts set up from Nigeria, Nepal, Guatemala, Bolivia etc. I was able to stay in a mud hut with a thatched roof in Nigeria. They took everything away from us except the clothes we had on our back and a sleeping bag. Even then, we had to take off our layers and only wear a shirt, pants, and one extra article of clothing. I of course chose a sweatshirt. That night, it was in the low 40s I believe and was raining all night. It was probably the worst sleep I have gotten in a long time. My back and neck are still hurting from sleeping on the ground. We cooked our dinner which was a little bit of rice and beans over an open fire in a tin can. When we sat down to eat, I genuinely thanked God for the food. I have gotten in the bad habit of just saying a prayer before I eat a meal out of obligation. It should not be this way. After our night in “Nigeria”, we learned about something called appropriate technology. This means using the resources you have to meet your basic needs which are food, shelter, and water. This was a great experience. We learned about different ways to purify water, how to add extra nutrients in food through crushed up leaves, and many other things. Around 7:00 that evening, we were told that we would be taking part in “The Slum Experience”. We had to fight for our food, water, and shelter. Even though it was just a representation, it felt like life at one point. I was not expecting it to seem that real to me. Poverty is a vicious cycle and we are called as wealthy people in this world to alleviate that as much as possible.
I am growing so much here and I don’t want that to fade. Although, I am growing, I have so much more to surrender and let go in my own life. Thank you for all of the prayers.
Seeking Him,
Rachael Krouse