Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. -Ephesians 5:15-16
Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working."
-John 5:17
It is no secret if you know me at all that my heart beats for Africa. More specifically, my heart beats for a tiny little country in southern Africa known as the Kingdom of Swaziland. Since I was 13 years old, I have had the opportunity to travel to Swaziland on 7 different occasions. The Lord has used this country and the Swazi people to radically change my heart and my life. In fact, I have chosen to pursue a career in medicine because of my previous experiences in Swaziland. Swaziland currently has the highest HIV rate in the world (estimates of 35%) with the lowest life expectancy in the world (approx 31yrs for men). My heart literally aches for the Swazi people as they battle HIV/AIDS. Since I applied to medical school, I have been praying for the Lord to open doors so I could work with Baylor University in the HIV pediatric clinic in Swaziland. One week from Thursday, I will step on a plane to fly to Swaziland to do exactly that. PTL. It has been 2.5 years since I've been to Africa, and I miss it terribly. Plus, this is an incredible opportunity to serve the people that I love so deeply.
While in Swaziland, I will partner with the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (www.bipai.org/swaziland) and work in their clinics for 4 weeks. Following those 4 weeks, I will join a medical mission team from First Baptist Washington and serve with them for 2 weeks. We will fly home on March 6th, and 2 weeks later, I will find out where I will be doing my residency for the next 4 years. It's about to be a busy semester...lots of changes, lots of new adventures, and lots of opportunities to trust Jesus. I know His plans and His ways are so much better than anything I could ever plan for myself. So for now, I will rest in those promises. [Isaiah 55:8-9]
There's one more thing I want to share so you can know how to be praying for me. About a year ago, the Lord placed the word "thrive" on my heart. In that process, He made me very aware of the fact that I spend a significant amount of time preparing for what is next and sometimes miss out on what He is doing right in front of me. As a result, I have spent this past year being very intentional about fully investing where I am now and in the people around me. I could literally write for hours about what God has been teaching me through the word "thrive," but the main point would be straight from Ephesians: Make the most of every opportunity. Invest where you are. Look for where the Lord is working and join Him. A lot of these opportunities have been right here in North Carolina, but I have also had some pretty cool experiences while traveling around the country interviewing for residency. More stories for another time, but hopefully this gives you an idea of how you can pray for me. Pray that during my 6 weeks in Swaziland, I make the most of every opportunity. Pray for opportunities to speak Jesus into people's lives. Lastly, pray for the Swazi people as they continue to lose family and friends to HIV. Pray for healing and restoration.
Thanks for your support and for joining me on this adventure!
In Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ever ask or imagine,
Hunter
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