Lost in the jungle

The past two weeks have been packed to the brim, I feel as if I have said that same phrase in almost every blog update so far, haha! I was making good record with keeping up on the once a week update, so my apologies friend, time did not permit the past week and a half. 

Last week, as an entire squad of 41 people, we gathered together at the end of our time in Indonesia and boarded a plane journeying to Sri Lanka for the next month. This was such a joy filled time, reuniting with friends that are starting to feel a lot more like family in some ways. Upon arrival to Sri Lanka-as a group of 41 + our heavy packs, we managed to ride on 2 big buses to a rustic hostel, hidden within the Sri Lankan Jungle. The hostel location itself was amazing, walking distance from sandy beaches of the Indian ocean and incredible views overlooking a harbor. Breakfast at the hostel was even included, eggs, toast & an incredible homemade curry.

While so much of the hostel living was great, there were a few details of living conditions that I cold have lived without. All the more, it makes for some memorable times. The mosquitos were relentless-by the 2nd morning of our stay it looked like I had the chicken pox, no exaggeration! As much as I had enjoyed seeing the cute lizards on the walls of my room, it also intimidated me a bit that one might slip into my sleeping bag. Though I do love the rustic feel, the thousands of ants I saw marching up and down the wall in the room, made me wonder if they would be crawling on me at night along with the lizards too, haha! The biggest surprise of all for me, was waking up at 2:22am feeling something tug at my hair,like small nibbles. The partially eaten chocolate bar we found later that morning proved that there was a great possibility, a small animal was adventuring around in our room. After that night, we were all more careful to make sure no food was in the room. Hahaha! Oh, how I will never forget to laugh about that night!

Anyways, all 41 of us stayed at the same hostel for about 6 days, in effort to rest, re-connect with each other, and participate in what the World Race organization plans out, called Debrief. What does a time of Debrief look like? For the squad, it looks like resting, reflecting, sessions on new teachings from World Race staff, community worship, community meals, community living & plain fun within it all too. Some mornings I would wake up and go on a walk to the beach, spending some one on one time with God, and other days it would be playing soccer with friends & locals, making new friends, catching up with teammates, and here and there eating some tasty Gelato too.

As one of the logistics coordinators for the squad, part of my role during debrief was to find a space to have meetings/teachings/worship nights with the entire squad of 41 people plus our awesome coaches & squad mentor who traveled from America to spend time with us. Being in the jungle of Sri Lanka & knowing that is was going to rain almost everyday, we needed a closed, private space to meet each evening. Upon arrival to the hostel, through a connection we made, someone shared with us that there was an old church & priests house right next door that maybe would be willing to let us meet there on the evenings. Little did we know, we were in for a treat of meeting some of the most precious Sri-Lankan humans out there.

Father David, a priest & Juliet, his wife graciously allowed us to meet in their home every evening. They even joined us every night for session, with kind smiles & big hugs to greet us every time. It was an answer to prayer. The last evening that we met, Father David & Juliet provided bananas and crackers for us. In return we had a small gift for them & had the opportunity as most 41 of us, to gather around, lay hands, & pray over them. Several days later, it was time for us to leave the hostel & say our goodbyes, so I decided to go say goodbye to Father David & Juliet too. When I arrived to their home, sipping on chai tea, we chatted for a bit & then they mentioned something that struck me.

They shared that ever since they have lived in this home, they did not like to use the main kitchen because there was a “dark spirit” that would reside there. They had moved all their kitchen belongings into a separate room so they would not need to go back to the kitchen spot where they believed a dark spirit was. They also mentioned that each morning when Juliet prayed, she would experience a scary image in her head that she couldn’t seem to block out. Yet as we were talking, both of them went on to say that the other night after we had all prayed for them, something happened in their home. They did not feel the fear that they had been sensing all along before. They went into the main kitchen they hadn’t been using, showed me that they had moved all the kitchen supplies there & shared with me that there was no more dark spirit anymore. Juliet explained to me that after we prayed the next morning when she got up to pray, she didn’t see the picture of the scary dark face anymore whenever she closed her eyes. I don’t quite understand what all this means, but it sounds like the power of prayer did something for sure! I could see it on their faces & with the multiple thank you’s they shared, that the atmosphere had changed in that household after we prayed all together. Wahoo! Praises going up! & shout out to Father David & Juliet for being so cool! 

During debrief time, we also had a day of rest, sabbath. Having been feeling pretty “peopled out” from 24/7 community, I was ready for a day of solitude. From walking around the town, to dipping my feet in the ocean, to sitting on rocks overlooking the ocean, it was almost a perfect day! I decided to walk back to the Jungle beach hostel & to take a new route, a path I hadn’t yet walked to get back. Only problem was, it was starting to get darker & time was running out. On this path I passed by a house with several women standing outside and they asked me where I was going. I explained that I was trying to get back to the hostel before dark & that I would run the path to get back quicker. In their broken english & they said goodbye & I started running. But as I kept running, the path was getting smaller and smaller. Then this path turned into hiking, then it turned into woods where I couldn’t see 5 feet in front of me. It was so dark out & my phone was dying! With that, I got the scaries in me & came to my senses that it was probably best to turn around and figure out a plan b. So, being the silly girl I am sometimes, I sprinted back to that house fast as I could, and walked into their house, short of breath. Humbly, I said “i need help! i’m too scared to go home by myself in the woods” haha! With so much kindness, they invited me in, gave me a warm tea to drink, & delicious food to eat. Along with that, they drove me home in one of their Tuk Tuk cars (which if you have never seen what a tuk tuk looks like, please look it up because they are AWESOME!) Not only did they drive me home, but they asked me to come over the following day for a traditional Sri Lanka Dinner. This reminded me of the heart of Jesus, always inviting us in, going the extra mile to share the love.

The following evening they dressed me in a saree, fed a friend and I some amazing food, & gifted us with coconuts & bananas. I sat there dumbfounded by the generosity of their hearts. Through broken english, a friend & I were able to pray over each of them doing our best to speak life & listen to what the father had for them to say. We prayed for healing over the grandmothers health, for favor upon their new businesses, and that divine encounters would come to this family to encourage them, bless them, share the light of Jesus to them & experience the love that I too experienced from these people. It was really cool & I felt as if my heart was going to explode for them.

Several days ago, a small group and I left for the town of Ella, a place up in the mountains. With that we hired a driver and big van to drive us. Through the 4 hour ride to Ella, we had some awesome conversations. I learned about his appreciation for Sri Lanka, the beauties of this culture, he shared with me his spiritual beliefs, & I did the same. We had the opportunity to pray over this mans Mother, who is currently in the hospital fighting cancer. I am believing and asking for a miracle in that she would be free from cancer!

Today, was really cool too! As a friend and I went to grab dinner at a cheap resturant nearby where we are sleeping, we entered into a conversation with the sweet cook there. She shared with us that she was struggling with a health condition in her lungs from the years of teaching and the breathing in the chalk from the chalk board as she taught. My friend and I had the priviledge to pray over her and ask God for a new pair of lungs for her, fully restored. She is going to the doctor tomorrow for an examination & I am believing & asking God that she & the doctor will be pleasantly surprised by a miracle, for God’s heart is for restoration & healing!

Right now I am feeling full to the brim, thankful, grateful, and learning to walk in more and more freedom. On the daily I am speaking truth over myself, as personal reminders of who I am in Christ, because I realize that it is doing such a disservice to myself and others to believe anything less that what God thinks of me. Somewhere it talks about the renewing of the mind in the bible, & I humbly admit for myself, that it is true! I have noticed a tangible difference in the way I view myself & the fruit of it has only been freedom so far. Sometimes we just gotta speak it until we believe it!

For the next 3 weeks, I will be in Sri Lanka with a new group of friends that have been assigned to travel around and serve with. It is an all women’s ministry month & each morning we are waking up starting the day with worship, a bible study/house church type of deal, and from 11-? We are asking God to lead us wherever we are meant to go for that day & are also hopeful about partnering with some ministry hosts in the area.

As I sit here reflecting on what Abba seems to be laying on my heart, a couple things come to mind. One is stepping out in more boldness. I am yearning to experience the depths of God’s love for me more, and with that the depths of God’s love for all people I cross paths with. What does it look like for me to step out in boldness? For me it means to stop for the one in front of me. It means to pray for the one in front of me, with audacious prayers, for miraculous prayers too. It means to share the good news of the gospel. It means to go the extra mile in helping to make one feel noticed. The other thing that has come to mind is to ask. In Mathew 7:7-8 it says “keep on asking & you will receive what you ask for, keep on knocking & the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. & to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

I don’t know the entirety of this text and it’s context, but what did come to my heart is that God desires for me to ask for the simple & the bold things of life. Raised with a mom & dad whose hearts were to take care of me to the best of their abilities, I could ask them for needs & wants, & in their discernment they would make decisions out of love for me. Sometimes I received what I wanted & other times I didn’t, but I learned to trust that they were doing what they believed was to be best in that time.

In my understanding, how much more does the Father of light & creator of this universe want to give to His children. I’ve got nothing loose but to ask. So I will continue to ask for a new boldness to “step out” & a new boldness to simply make my requests known to the Father of all that is good & right in this world. Wahooo! 

For all you prayer warriors, my prayer request is this: To see what Abba is doing & to speak life into the situations, people, & places we come into contact with. A new boldness to step out, & a discernment within that comes only from God, the good father. To remember to just ask, & to stand in the gap for others through prayer. & anything else that comes to your mind! My heart is ready to receive, oh it really is!

Thank you for supporting me, thank you for your kind words & love that you share. Thank you for taking the time to invest in my life & the adventure God has me on for His glory. I promise you, it is an investment that will never go wasted.

Another update will be on your way soon, & for now, so much love sent your way!

With gratitude,
Kailey