Five years in North Africa and we still must lean on Jesus

By a mission worker in North Africa

Standing at the meat counter of the local grocery store was not where I anticipated the question to come.  

I guess I have more “romantic” ideas of how the opportunities to share light are supposed to arise. But there I was, waiting for my ground beef, when the question was suddenly laid upon me: “Do you ever consider joining us in our religion?”

Earlier this year, our family celebrated five years of living in North Africa and, honestly, I’m not sure what I thought we’d look like five years in, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t this. That’s not to say I’m disappointed, just surprised.

“There is still so much further to lean into Jesus.”

Years prior, I think I would have imagined myself more accomplished at the language, more in tune with cultural nuances, more connected to droves of local friends and more “productive” in our outreach.   

Yet here we are, five years in, surviving young parenthood, fumbling over our words at times (at least I’ll speak for myself), running a small business in a corner of the Sahara, and still finding ourselves wrestling through the ups and downs of life. And we are still longing for our neighbours to know Jesus.

“We are still longing for our neighbours to know Jesus.”

Yet in all this “unproductivity” I am overwhelmed by the grace of the Father to slowly peel back the layers of our own hearts, transforming us.  

It has been painful at times, joy-filled at times, confusing at times, exhausting at times, yet He is graciously removing the idols we hold. He is tenderly showing Himself more than enough. He is asking us to loosen our grip and lean on Him a little more. And there is still so much further to lean into Jesus.

Five years ago, I think I would have imagined a longer, more eloquent, explanation of why I did not plan to join the butcher in his religion and why I had something so much better to offer him.  

And yet, that day as I stood in line, I felt prompted to answer what is growing more and more true in my own heart each day: “I have everything in Jesus.” 

“Jesus is asking us to loosen our grip and lean on Him a little more.”