This past summer was my third time serving at Camp Pinnacle and I had the amazing privilege to be the Unit Leader for Unit 1. This summer we focused on Tete, Mozambique which is in the southern part of Africa located along the Zambezi River basin. As a unit leader this summer, I was able to teach girls how to carry water basins on their heads,practice wearing capulanas as skirts as well as tying babies (or stuffed animals) on their backs just like a true Mozambican woman. Through learning about the Mozambican culture, we became well aware of the fact that there are many people of all ages who have never heard the name of Jesus. Throughout the summer we partnered with the Nalls Family, full time missionaries in Mozambique, in order to learn more about the people there so that we could pray specifically for lives to be saved as well as for the work that people were already doing to make disciples and share the gospel.
Each week at Camp I was able to lead the girls in a prayer experience station focused on intercession or praying on behalf of someone else. Each week I would read a passage of scripture from 1 Timothy 2:1-4 which speaks of the importance of praying for all people, because God wants all people to come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. I would tell the girls how this was something we could do no matter where we were; even if we couldn’t go across the world to share the gospel, we could pray for others to be saved. The Lord began to convict me of my own selfishness in the fact that I did not practice these things in my own life. I did not have a true desire to see the lost come to know Jesus, and my heart was not open to the idea of living out the call of the great commission in Matthew 28:19 to GO and MAKE DISCIPLES.
Through my connection with the Nalls family, I became aware of an opportunity through the International Mission Board of a program called Hands On. This is a semester long missions program that sends college age students all across the world to share the gospel with different people groups. Hands On was in need of 2 students to come to Mozambique and serve alongside the Nalls and other missionaries from January 12th through May 27th of 2016. Through the Lord’s conviction and leading, I knew this was something that I needed to pursue. I applied in hard obedience and surrender, and I am so thankful now that I chose to follow Christ in this way.
As I have been here the Lord has changed my heart so much. I have become more aware of how desperate people are all around the world to hear the hope that the gospel can bring to their lives. The Lord has given me boldness to share my faith which I know will change my life forever. I am so blessed to see the heart changes that are taking place here in Mozambique, and even more so that my own heart is changing as well. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it is that while obedience is hard and painful at times, it is totally worth surrendering and following where the Lord is leading. There is nothing better than the peace and joy that come with surrendering everything up to the Lord.
-Paige Knox, former staffer
