Last Friday afternoon I was volunteering with an organization and, as we were working with the students and chatting amongst ourselves, I noticed someone pull out a Bear YoYos fruit snack. A few minutes later, as students and other volunteers began eating them, I heard people saying things like, “I got Chile!” and, “Well I got Rwanda!” In each fruit snack, as they explained, was a “country card” that described one of 80 different countries and territories from all 7 continents on the globe. Chuckling to myself I thought, It would be crazy if I opened one and pulled out a Botswana card. Dismissing the absent-minded thought, I continued handing out food and talking to other volunteers.

I finally decided to try one of these fruit snacks, and was excited to see which country I would get to learn about (I love learning, so things like this are really interesting to me!). I opened a box of strawberry fruit snacks and pulled one out. Opening the package, my mouth dropped wide open as I pulled out the card:

I was dumbfounded — I didn't even know that Botswana was an option as a country card, and the likelihood that I would have pulled a specific card out of all eighty was 1.25%! I just started laughing, smiling and praising God. For me, that was a gracious, unexpected confirmation that the Lord is sending me to Botswana.

But the He didn’t stop there.

The following Monday night, my roommates and I were hanging out in our room, washing our faces and doing homework, when another roommate came flying into the room.

“Kerrington, Kerrington!!”

Oh goodness, what’s going on? I thought to myself. She sounded frantic.

“My computer isn’t working!! It’s spazzing out, and it’s opening different tabs randomly and—“

I was about to inform her that I was likely going to be of little help when she thrust the computer in my face, showing me what was on the screen.
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“I literally didn’t touch anything,” she assured. “This tab just came open on my computer screen and I knew you were going to Africa, and I thought it was crazy!”

Google Maps had been opened, and pulled up was the Okavango Delta, which is WHERE I’LL BE GOING IN BOTSWANA. At this point, I started freaking out, too. It was INSANE. God did NOT need to do that, and yet He confirmed for me, yet again, that this is actually happening.

I must say that, for a period of time, I was disappointed that He didn’t want me to go to Texas last summer (I wrote a blog post about it: http://www.kerringtonmaner.com/home/see-ya-later-alligators) and that He asked me not to turn in my study abroad application for Spain in the fall. In each of these specific ways I trusted the Lord but was reluctant to surrender the plans I had to Him because what He wanted for me was so much more different than from what I wanted for myself. But in a period of 4 days, He confirmed two more times to me that this trip to Botswana is what He wants me to do and that His will and my will are aligned. This confirmation was not anything that I felt I needed, as I was already in the process of raising money and making preparations for the trip. However, the Lord knew that this confirmation would be helpful for me, and I’m so appreciative that He was willing to do that for me.

Several weeks ago, I received an email that told me that my spot for the trip was going to be sold and that the only thing I could do to keep it was to confirm my booking by putting down a 20% deposit before somebody else did. I was surprised and slightly concerned — I wasn’t sure how much 20% was going to be, and I didn’t have an exact number for how much I had been given so far. Long story short, the Lord had given me just more than enough to make the full deposit and to cover the fees that accompanied the transfer. Hallelujah!

I’m still in a place of patience, trusting and expectation with the Lord -- there isn’t an ounce of doubt that He will provide the full expenses needed. I still have a balance of $5462 left on the trip, excluding the cost of the flight. I’m praying for the money by April 1st (which is tomorrow), but I trust that the Lord will provide it on His timing. If you feel led in any type of way to continue to support me, please do! I continue to need support in finances and prayer, and both are equally important.

If the Lord had not made it so clear to me and to others that I would be going to Botswana this summer, I would never have pursued this opportunity. But literally all I can do is trust the Lord and be obedient, expectant and patient over this plan He has for my life.

My fellow small group leader and trusted friend Kyra once shared from a devotional the definitions of vision and mission as they pertain to a relationship with and a calling from the Lord: vision is your purpose here on earth and mission pertains to the way(s) you walk out your vision. Personally, as I see it now, the vision for this life of mine is to spread the gospel of Jesus with as much intentionality as I can, especially throughout the scientific culture, and to encourage people to lovingly preserve the Creation, and all of its inhabitants, that God has so generously blessed us with. As this perception of my vision has long been shaped and molded by God, and will continue through that process, different missions of mine have come and gone. From openly talking about Jesus and my faith to fellow biology students and professors to sharing my testimony with a Muslim friend to approaching a stranger in a restaurant to remind him that the Lord loves him, my mission has always been deeply rooted in the desire to make the King known throughout my world. The Lord has recently tasked me with a new mission, one that is sure to greatly expand the horizons of my world as I know it.

In September, I came across a unique opportunity to go to Botswana, Africa. I was scrolling through Instagram when an ad appeared for Okavango Guiding School. That’s cool, I thought as I clicked on the picture. What was presented to me was the opportunity to attend the Okavango Guiding School for a month, learning how to nature guide and trail guide in the African bush. Checking the prices, I excitedly realized that this trip may be one that I could realistically afford and manage. I pitched the potential idea to my mom and, hesitantly, she agreed that it would be an amazing experience for me. I quickly stopped myself from becoming too excited and emotionally committed, however, remembering Gator Country and that, despite my excitement and desire to go, the Lord had asked me to stay home, ultimately because He was aware of the ways that He both was protecting me and had something better in store for me (If you want to read more, here’s the link to my blog post about it: http://www.kerringtonmaner.com/home/see-ya-later-alligators). After praying and speaking to a friend, I decided that I would ask the Lord for confirmation through listening prayer.

Later the next day I returned to school in time for Kyra and me to lead our small group, which consists of my roommates and several friends. At the time, I was beginning to disciple one of my roommates, Katie, who had recently recommitted her life to the Lord. Towards the end of our small group we were all practicing listening prayer and just trying to hear from the Lord about different areas of our lives. I felt prompted by Him to ask Katie to listen for me. As I hadn’t mentioned anything to any of them about Africa yet (this is important to keep in mind), I thought it would be a cool way to allow the Lord to move if He so decided.

I asked Katie, “Would you mind asking the Lord if He wants me to take the opportunity that has been put in front of me?”

“Sure,” she excitedly replied. The Lord had already been speaking to us in several ways, and I hoped that He would do so again. She closed her eyes for a few moments, and I waited in anticipation of what would be said.

Opening her eyes once more, Katie turned to me and shared what the Lord had showed her while she prayed:

“I saw you sitting in a field, surrounded by a bunch of animals. They were all circled around you and you were just, like, in the middle petting a tiger. Somehow — I don’t know how — I just knew you were in Africa, and it felt like you were at home. I felt very much like you were at peace and at home there in Africa, surrounded by all of those animals. And then I saw an image flash before my eyes. From the glimpse I got, I could see that it was an airplane and a sunset. That’s what I saw! Does it mean anything to you?”

I smiled, nearly disbelieving that the Lord had just revealed this to me through Katie. He hadn’t said just a simple yes or no; instead, He chose to confirm for both Katie and me that we were talking about the same thing and that, yes, He was commissioning me to go to Botswana.

“I intentionally didn’t tell you this,” I started, “but that was confirmation for me. The opportunity I told you to ask about was me going to Africa. The Lord just confirmed to me, through you, that I’m going to Botswana, Africa this summer.”

I then explained the previous events that had led up to that event, and both of us were amazed by how the Lord had moved. We started laughing and rejoicing that the Lord had chosen to reveal Himself to us in that way. I was hesitant to believe that this was confirmation, solely because it meant that I was really going. However, it’s safe to say now that I trust the confirmation that the Lord gave me.

While I’m incredibly excited for the experiences that lie ahead in Africa, I can’t help but feeling that the Lord is calling me there for more than just learning how to nature guide. I don’t believe in coincidences, and the Lord has brought up a couple reminders that have led me to believe that He’s sending me there to do His work. Throughout my whole life, Africa has always held a very special place in my heart, even moreso than Australia, which may be hard for some to believe. I’ve always felt the need to go, to be apart of the land, to interact with the animals and the cultures, to just be there. And for some reason the thought of Africa has always stirred in me feelings of desire and of being called home. I feel that these feelings have been innately instilled in me by the Lord with great intention. I believe the Lord is allowing me to go on this trip so that I may begin to understand His reasoning for calling me to this amazing continent and get my first taste of what He’s got in store for my life.

Secondly, He has instilled in my heart a desire to be a witness to those in the scientific world. This calling was defined and confirmed with me as I watched a TedTalk for one of my online classes at Southeastern University,

“Our new mission field is the scientific culture,” the speaker fervently explained.

Having written it down years ago, I feel that serving in this mission field is a way that I get to live-out the Lord’s calling for my life. Being drawn to science, I’ve always welcomed the difficulty that accompanies it for a Christ-follower. I deeply feel that the Lord is sending me on this trip to Africa to be a witness of Jesus, not to the local tribes or cultures, but instead to those who may put their trust in science rather than in God. The Lord is tasking me with this upcoming mission, and all I need do is trust Him and be faithful over what He asks of me.

I trust the Lord’s provision for and over this trip, including the financial aspect. If after reading my story you feel at all compelled or prompted to support me in any way, I will welcome it greatly, whether it be through prayer or through finances, one of which is more important than the other (hint: it’s prayer!!). You can help by spreading my story, by praying or even by giving financially if you feel led to. I am also selling original drawings for donation, the ideas of which were inspired by the Lord (check the Fundraising page on my website for more information). I thank you greatly in advance for your support, whether it be through prayer or through finances.