Blog

Explore My News,
Thoughts & Inspiration

The South African leg of my journey has taught me a decent bit about myself thus far. Cliché, yeah. But, whatever. Monday through Friday we wake up at around 6:30 to start getting ready for our day. I am an assistant teacher for 2 and 3 year olds at a pre school in a local community. My days are filled with noisy children, songs, colors, running, pushing little bodies on the swings, and wiping sick noses and tear-filled eyes. Continually praying for myself, the teacher, and the students. I am very blessed to be teaching beside a woman of strong faith. Each day she challenges me with new questions about my relationship with the father and shares things with me about hers.

As much as I love these kids and Teacher Erica, I have learned that I am not as thrilled doing such routine living as I am living a less routine life. This ministry brings back feeling of high school and college. And the schedules that I never much appreciated. I’ve learned that I have very strong passions for irregular ways of living. I figured that this was the case years ago, but it never became clear really until now. I’ve been able to see God show me this passion the entire time I have been away from home. We are living in a place that feels so much like home and it’s not exactly the kind of life that I see myself living forever. Don’t get me wrong, I am so thankful for the blessings we have in our home here in Cape Town, but it’s so amazing to see how God has shown me that I don’t necessarily want to live such a comfortable life. He must have placed these supernatural feelings inside of me within these past several months. Which is only preparing me for the next step of my life.
In August I wrote a blog about being uncomfortable. That’s how I felt this trip would be. And there have been many times where it has been very uncomfortable. But to my great surprise, those are the moments that I have really loved the most.

God blesses us in so many ways. He has blessed my team with a beautiful country, beautiful people, and a beautiful home. But He has personally blessed me with a desire not for comforts. He has not “gotten me through” the uncomforts. He has made me enjoy them and given me passions for those moments. It’s so exciting to know that He already has not only my next year in order but the rest of my everything in order! Moving to Honduras for a year in the least will come with struggles, but I believe that the Lord has given me the excitement for those times. For the not so comfortable life I will be living and that I have been living. It’s loco how much blessings our God gives. I wish I could sit here and list all of the blessings that I have received just this past week, but that would take a long time. 

Karson Barefield

This blog for Karson Barefield is operated by Adventures In Missions, an interdenominational missions organization that focuses on discipleship, prayer and building relationships through service around the world.