Posted in along the journey by Jacinda Koziara on 3/2/2012
I met with a married couple from my home church this morning and wanted to share with you a nugget of wisdom that they gave me this morning.
Thought of the week . . .
Failure is your success.Our success is defined by the evaluation of our failures. 
[Photo Credit: Claire from Creative Commons]
God creates something beautiful from our brokenness.
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Posted in Kingdom Dreams by Jacinda Koziara on 9/22/2011
W h a t a W h i r l w i n d. I've now been in the States for 10 days. 9 days ago I was in Scotland for Grace's wedding. 22 days ago I was in New York City saying good-bye to S-squad. 24 days ago I was in India for S-squad's final debrief. W h e w ! It has been quite the j o u r n e y, and it is not over yet. This is just the beginning of my life story. I'm entering into a new c h a p t e r , but this one will be greater than the last because of the change that I've experienced through Jesus Christ. His love is so great for each one of us. For the past 8 days, I've been in Gainesville, GA at the Adventures in Missions (AIM) headquarters. This weekend I attended the Awakening, a reunion for World Race alumni to remember what the LORD has done, is doing, and will do. I stayed at AIM to attend Searchlight, a workshop organized by Kingdom Dreams, a new ministry of AIM. Searchlight provided me with several tools to start debriefing my World Race journey, facilitate my dreaming process, and evaluate where I was in my life journey. During Searchlight, I received personal coaching, gleaned wisdom from speakers, and interacted with other World Racers. I was impressed by the caliber of Searchlight and the Kingdom Dreams staff. They desire to partner with you and help you move forward not only in your Kingdom Dreams, but also in your life journey with the Lord. (Commercial break: Attention T, U, V squads, Searchlight will be an amazing resource for you when you come off the field. All previous WR squads: you can come too).
This week at Searchlight has been packed with great information, and I'm excited to explore all the lessons that I've extracted at both Searchlight and the World Race. The Lord has confirmed through this week and weekend that I am entering into an intentional season of rest and sharing my story. There are exciting opportunities ahead! Please join me in prayer as I prayerfully consider my options and debrief my journey.
A u R e v o i r for now!
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Posted in along the journey by Jacinda Koziara on 9/15/2011
Written on September 12 from yet another airport . . .
Wow! What a whirlwind it has been within the past few weeks! On August 31, I flew back to NYC with my squad after our final debrief in South Asia. I spent a day in NYC with Alexandra, a close friend from college, and on September 1st, I traveled to Atlanta to see my parents and repack my bags for Grace's (a lifelong friend) wedding in Edinburgh, Scotland. Literally I was in airports 5 consecutive days.
5 flights in 4 countries in 4 days.
 [Dad and I]  [Mom and I]  [Grace and I reunited after 3 years]
Needless to say, my processing environment after the race has looked a little differently than I expected. If you would have told me that I would have my initial processing post WR time in airports and in the UK, I would not have believed you. However, I've seen God's sovereignty in this process. HE provided in major ways for this trip in forms of transportation, lodging, food, and new ministry connections. My time in Edinburgh was blessed. The theme of my week was encouraging the local church and being encouraged by them. God showed me yet again that He is the same everywhere. He is the same God along the dirt roads in Lwamata, Uganda as along the cobblestone streets in Edinburgh, Scotland. Worldwide there is a hunger among God's people for more (future blog about this). Through my travels, I've noticed that the church is craving for change and is yearning for people to experience God's love and power. They want to see their communities transformed for the Kingdom of God.
There is a m o v e m e n t.
The church is rising up out of the ashes and wants to bring life to the hopeless, the walking dead.
Now is the time for the question of the hour for readers, “Jacinda, what is next after the World Race?” I am preparing to go to Gainesville for a few days for the Awakening, a worship conference and reunion for WR alumni. We are gathering together to remember what the LORD has done in our lives, what He is doing, and expecting greater things for tomorrow. After the Awakening, I am attending Searchlight, a retreat designed by Kingdom Dreams for World Racers who just returned from the field. The Kingdom Dreams leadership's vision and desire is to help World Racers process their experiences from the WR, identify their dreams for the Kingdom of God, encourage them in their passions, and challenge them to take steps of action. Over the next few weeks, I am going to reveal my heart on what I've learned from my World Race journey, and open the blog for questions. Please post any questions you have in the comment section below. I will answer these in a future blog once I return from Gainesville. One lesson that has been highlighted this past week is that August 31 was not my final day on the World Race. My journey is just beginning. I view the World Race as a launching pad to my lifelong pursuit of seeking God on how to use my passions and talents for His Kingdom. Re-entry prayer requestsThe LORD has given me a few words on this season: whirlwind re-entry, rest, and trust. Please join me in prayer as I seek the LORD on clarity for the next steps. I've sensed for a while that the LORD will use the Awakening and Searchlight to bring clarity on the next steps. - Awakening: September 15-17
- Searchlight: September 18-23
- Clarity on next steps
- Vision for Southeast and South Asia and more understanding of my role there
- Wisdom and discernment
- Financial provision
- Rest
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Posted in South Asia by Jacinda Koziara on 8/29/2011
. . . and neither are you.
5:00 pm Saturday I witnessed one of the most challenging situations of my World Race journey. It is one thing to hear accounts of sex trafficking, but it is another ordeal to see men barter with women for temporary pleasure. As I mentioned in my previous blog, "A to Z," Team Pneuma was entrusted with the renovations of Z house, a project to help CSWs come out of their industry and to share with the women the hope found in Christ. Last Saturday, Rachel accompanied me at the Z house so that I could finish the scripture for the mural. We worked alongside SFI staff members nearly all day to complete painting projects and installing a bathroom at the house. Rachel and I finished our work for the day and were waiting in our vechile for the workers to complete their day's work. We typically leave this area by 4 pm because "work" for the women begins in the late afternoon hours. As Rachel and I were waiting, we observed heart-wrenching circumstances.
[Z house site. Photo credit: Sutesh]]
The scene: The sounds of construction buzzing in my ears. Through our tinted windows, I see young children walking around the streets half naked. I desperately want to pick them up, bathe them, and clothe them. A young man in his 20s pulls up the street on his motorcycle. He strikes up a conversation with two women and pulls cash from his pocket. There seems to be bartering in the process as the young woman signals the price. Then, in a flash (I didn't observe this, but Rachel saw this process), the woman takes the cash from the man and hands it over to an older woman sitting against the run-down building. The young man and young woman disappear into the first room while another woman brings change to the first room. Meanwhile, two more men stroll by and start conversations with women waiting for customers. I witness a similiar situation as Rachel observed earlier: hand motions signaled for the price, hestitant laughter exchanged, and flirtatous words shared. One of the men walked over to our vechile and gazed at his reflection in the window before returning to the women. Throughout these events, Rachel and I were interceeding in the vechile. Tears sprinkled down my face as I prayed for the men and women that they would discover their value. As difficult as it was, I prayed a lot for the men that they would come to Christ. My heart was deeply burdened for the injustices that I witnessed. Although this experience was emotionally and spriritually exhausting, I am thankful that I had this experience. This Saturday afternoon demonstrated the urgent need for the Z house. I then understood more fully how Z house will be a light in the darkness. Through witnessing the darkness, I was propelled to bring light and to help transform this area.
[Street view. Photo credit: Sutesh]
Last Tuesday we opened and dedicated the Z house. It was one of my favorite days of the race. A local pastor and the Z house staff, invited many women to the ceremony. Jessica and I both shared brief messages to the women to encourage them that they do have value. My message was centered around Isaiah 43:18-19 "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not percieve it?"
[Neighbourhood children. Photo credit: Sutesh]
The LORD is doing a new thing in both my life and in this city through His people. While we were renovating the Z house, the LORD illustrated the spiritual transformation through the physical process. During the intial days, we scraped off the layers of old paint. The LORD reminded me that this is what he does in our lives: he takes us just as we are with all our filth and starts a beautiful work in us. This process takes time. Sometimes we endure hardships (my WR example: Malaysian bamboo farm), but these hardships are within a larger context and could/ most likely will contain a nugget of wisdom. I am still processing why some people endure more hardships than others, and this is a concept that I don't know if I'll ever reach a concrete conclusion. However, I can personally testify that my most challenging moments of my World Race journey were used to form and shape the woman of God that I am today. It was worth it. Literally all the sweat, blood (leech bites), non-ideal living conditions, insanely long travel days are worth it because of what the LORD has taught me along the journey and who I am in Him today.
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6
[Rachel. Photo credit: Sutesh]
For the next step, we primed the walls. Every inch of the battered walls were washed white. The Lord spoke to me about purity. Our Father takes us as we are and washes us white as snow.
"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:18
"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 7:22
[Matt. Photo credit: Sutesh]
For the final steps, the team painted the walls and woodwork with fresh paint. I designed and painted a mural on the walls and painted Zephaniah 3:17. Through this long process, I saw how often transformation is a process. Just as the LORD has used my World Race journey to transform me into the woman of God that I am today, the LORD worked through Pneuma and SFI staff to transform a run-down building into a beautiful work. Transformation takes time. Refining processes can be painful and difficult, but they are worth the effort. God is continually working in and through the lives of His people. This is just the beginning of His work in me and in you.
[Mural. Photo credit: Sutesh]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
[Krystle and I at Z house opening. Photo credit: Sutesh]
The Z house project was an illustration of a redemption story. If you are not part of this story, there is a redemption story waiting for you.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
You have been bought with a price. Christ's blood was shed for you. He loves you and has always loved you. You were worth every moment of pain and suffering.
[L to R: Josh, Bri, Krystle, Matt, Rachel, Jessica, and I cutting ribbon at the Z house opening. Photo credit: Sutesh]
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Posted in South Asia by Jacinda Koziara on 8/24/2011
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[After long flights from Tanzania, we finally arrived to South Asia! We were greeted with roses by SFI staff members at the airport.]
This month we partnered with SFI, a non-profit organization based out of South Korea. SFI has a number of different projects under their umbrella such as nutrition baskets for families diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, children's homes, medical camps, mircofinancing projects for CSWs (commericial sex workers- AKA prostitutes) and widows. During our stay, Team Pneuma was entrusted with helping launch a new project, Zephaniah House (AKA "Z house"). Zephaniah house is located in the heart of the red light district and will be used for job training, counseling, and tutoring for CSWs and their children. Most weekdays we, "the work crew," (SFI staff members and Pneuma) traveled in an ambulance through the congested streets. Dodging cows, rickshaws (local transport), motos, and passerbys was the name of our game. The precarious route to the Z house is not the unique aspect of this story; Pneuma, a group of foreigners from the US, was the wild card. We were the first foreign team to enter this district. SFI leadership presented the Z house project to us within our first week. They had received Z house, and it was in desperate need of renovation. The team and staff prayed about the Z house project and decided to proceed with the renovations and opening of Z house this month.
[Team working on renovations at Z house. Photo credit: Sutesh]
This was one of my favorite ministry projects as a team because we physically left a mark in a city. It is interesting because many times this month I have pinpointed bookends of my journey. One of the bookends specific to Z house is my mural project. In Guatemala, I painted my first mural, the world map, in our contact's basement. This month, I designed and painted a mural for the Z house. It was a joy to use my creativity again on the race. In a bizarre way, my month in Guatemala was prophetic over the entire race. There were many things that the team experienced month 1 that occured many times throughout the race. I don't believe that is by accident. This a testimony of how the LORD prepared my team and me for future situations that we would encounter along the way. Through my race journey, I see His astounding sovereignty and His beautiful grace. The race was not easy. I've tried to convey the nuggets of wisdom along the way because I believe that even in the most difficult moments of this year, the LORD was still working in my heart and preparing me for the next steps. It was all part of the process, and HE was always with me.
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[Mural in Guatemala]
[Mural in South Asia. Photo credit: Krystle Wilcox]
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
In this season- my World Race chapter coming soon to a close, I am continuing to proclaim these truths over my life: The LORD is always with me. HE will never leave me nor forsake me wherever I am in the world. This morning during worship, the LORD spoke two words to me when I was praying about next steps: Trust and follow me.
[Team photo on Independence Day. Photo credit: Sutesh]
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Posted in Tanzania by Jacinda Koziara on 8/24/2011
I don't know how else to summarize my experiences last month in Tanzania without sharing my famous quote from the month: "I now understand why pregnancy is 9 months because 10 months is just too long." Tanzania was personally my most challenging month due to the aggressive culture, spiritual atmosphere, and the strenuous travel (30+ people in a 15 passenger vechile is not my idea of travel). In retrospect, it is interesting that I was ready to go home last month. Praise the Lord that the race continued! My Father had greater things in store for my team and me. Today I find myself praying for more days in Asia. I'm savoring every moment in India, a land that I've quickly grown to love (more on this later). I have one week left on the race. There were numerous moments on the race when I didn't know when I want to share a short message with current or future racers: When you feel as though you can't go on anymore, think of your first love. Remember why you came. Spend time in prayer and worship; you will be renewed. My times in Tanzania where I turned to the LORD in prayer and worship were my most blessed times of the month. You cannot do this race on your own strength. You must depend on HIM. Keep pressing onward. Don't give up. The LORD has greater things for your journey- not only your World Race journey, but also your life-long journey with HIM.
Here is a little glimpse into my month . . .
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[1st photo of my weekend trip serving with Ashley in a small village 3 hours away from Iringa. Yes, these chickens were my travel buddies. At one point, the chicken's claws were 1 inch from my face].
[Me and Ashley]
[The local church in the village]
[Emily, AKA "Miss Toles," and I at a youth outreach]
[L to R: Emily, Me, Krystle, Annalisa, Rachel, Lindsay, Ashley, and Jessica]
[At Neema Craft: my place of refuge for the month. Neema Craft is an incredible ministry in Iringa. They provide job training and jobs for the disabled. Neema has a cafe, hostel, craft center, gift shop, and physical therapy program. I spent all my off days here. Future WRers may come here for ministry!]
[Employee making recycled paper necklaces]
[Asante= thank you for your patience for me to post this blog!]
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Posted in Uganda by Jacinda Koziara on 6/30/2011
Meet Wilson.
[Wilson leading a prayer service for children at the local school]
He is the village's "patriarch" and one of the most genuine men of God that I've ever met thus far. Wilson is our contact's father-in-law and the man who connected Brian and Jan to Agnes. When we were constructing the mud house for Agnes [a widow in the community nearby our hostel] and Viola [her orphan granddaughter], Wilson pointed to the reed framing of the house slathered with mud and declared, "This is the Gospel! This is the Action Gospel." Later during the ride home with Brian and Jan, the Aussie couple that we partnered with this month, Brian shared this quote, "Love has feet." Both these quotes resonated with me. Here I was in Uganda getting my hands and feet dirty- literally [check out the video] with my definition of the Gospel being reframed. This project emphasized that the Gospel is going and demonstrating Christ's love. After all, the church is Christ's body. We are His hands and feet.
[Me and Viola on the very first day that I met her]
My last day building the home for Agnes and Viola was my favorite ministry day of the race. Brian and Josh had completed the roofing on the house, and Jessica, Jan, Bri, and I had completed a majority of the 1st layer of mud on the walls of the home [Shannon and the rest of Pneuma were doing community outreach in another town that day]. Don't worry. The house will be completed. Brian has arranged for some locals to finish the remaining work and to place the 2nd layer of mud and dung once the 1st layer dries. Wilson and some onlookers from the community were present watching the muzungus [Eastern African term for foreigners] finish our workday. Then, Wilson gathered everyone inside the house to hold a brief dedication ceremony. He shared both in English and Ugandan why these Americans and Aussies have come to serve Agnes. He explained that we came because Jesus told us to love her. Wilson then proclaimed, "The Lord is doing a new thing." I stood near Viola as she smiled brightly. She was simply radiant with joy. Wilson looked directly at Agnes and shared the Gospel with her in Ugandan. Agnes accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior right there. My eyes were brimming with tears, and I turned to Viola and whispered, "This is one of the greatest days of your life thus far. Your grandmother just accepted Christ." Viola smiled in return as the Aussies and the Americans were moved by the effect of our labor. In this moment, memories from the past few days flooded my mind. All the struggles that we had throughout the process were worth it. During our work week, we had locals come and demand money for the work that they gave willingly, we had locals laugh at us and try to tell us in Ugandan how we "should" build the house [Brian is a well-experienced alternative housing architect in Austriala], and our vechile got stuck in the mud for 2 1/2 hours on our first day of work [we had to chop down trees to move onward]. I saw these physical challenges as an illustration of the spiritual battles that we face daily as believers. The enemy doesn't want Agnes or anyone to accept Christ so he tries to discourage the church from moving to action. He wants to tell us that it is too overwhelming to address the needs around the world. I share this illustration with the church to encourage you to not give up. Let us rise up and accept the call to action. The Gospel is worth taking risks for and worth fighting for.
[The mud house]
Wilson thanked Brian, Jan, and every member of Team Pneuma present. I told Wilson, "this is just the beginning of greater things. The Lord will use you in mighty ways in this community and in Uganda."
Like Wilson said, God is doing a new thing all over the world. The LORD is working and ever present. Yes, the needs worldwide are extremely overwhelming. At this point, I am growing weary of seeing the injustice on this earth. In this season, I am learning how to depend on the Lord for strength because I definitely cannot complete the race without His strength. Within the past week, I have grown tired of my environment constantly changing and traveling. However, I know that the LORD has called me to this for this season, and my prayer remains to be constantly renewed with purpose and vision for month 10 in Tanzania, month 11 in India, and post World Race. I want to share with you a theme verse for me during the past 3 months. Isaiah 43:19 has appeared at critical times while I was in Cambodia (in Chasing Daylight, a book that I was reading), Kenya (on a random billboard), and in Uganda (through a dear friend in Birmingham who knew she needed to share this passage with me when she read it a few days ago).
Isaiah 43:19 "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? . . ."
Team Pneuma's WR chapter in Uganda is closing tomorrow. We are leaving for Tanzania tomorrow. Month 10 is here!
Check out this video that my teammate Matt Williams put together about the mud house:
Uganda Mud House from Matthew Williams on Vimeo.
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Posted in Uganda by Jacinda Koziara on 6/20/2011
James 1:27 "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
Month 9 had a little bit of a slow start, but it contains one of my favorite team community projects. Team Pneuma is partnering with Brian and Jan, an Australian married couple in building a mud house for a widow who cares for her granddaughter [who is an orphan], Viola. I call it “Project James 1:27.” Here is a glimpse into our project . . .
[On right: Viola by the newly constructed framing for her new home. Her current residence is in the background]
[The widow who cares for her granddaughter Viola]
[Photo from inside Viola's existing home made from corn husks and timber]
[All photos by Jacinda]
I'll keep you posted on Project James 1:27! Keep us in prayer as we finish the house this week.
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Posted in Uganda by Jacinda Koziara on 6/20/2011
[Welcome to Uganda.]
[Bri and Josh and the kids at church]
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Posted in along the journey by Jacinda Koziara on 6/20/2011
I'm guessing “Spraying bullets” will stir up some questions among readers. I want to provide some materials to get people started in their understanding of their role in this spiritual battle. For Brook Hills people, you'll be familiar with these resources. While in Kenya, I used excerpts from Angels, demons, and spiritual warfare and scripture to preach a sermon on spiritual warfare during the adult Thursday night service and teach my Sunday school class (9-11 yr. olds).
Materials used: Angels, demons, and spiritual warfare
The Church of Brook Hills
Dr. David Platt
secretchurch.org
• A reality exists: there is a kingdom of God and a kingdom of Satan.
“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
John 18:36
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the way of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is not at work in those who are disobedient.”
Ephesians 2:1-2
• The battle between these two kingdoms has existed since the beginning of time. We have evidence from Genesis to Revelation.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?”
Genesis 3:1
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”
Matthew 4:1
“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth " Gog and Magog " to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.”
Revelation 20:7-8
• Our weapon: The Word of God
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
2 Corinthians 10:4
• “Satan has two primary objectives: 1) To destroy God's people and 2) To defame God's glory.” " David Platt
• “The scope of this spiritual war is universal. It involves every language, every people, every nation, every tribe, every life.”- David Platt
• There is a distinct contrast in what the God of heaven and the god of this world desire for a person's destiny.
“The God over this world wants people to be saved.” " David Platt
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9
“The god of this world wants people to burn in hell.” " David Platt
“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 20:14-15
• There is good news . . . We know the outcome of this war. Satan has been defeated and will be destroyed.
“And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown in to the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Revelation 20:10
• “We do not fight this war for victory; we fight from victory.”
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
Revelation 11:15
If anyone struggles with “Why is there pain and suffering in this world?” [I've asked], then I encourage you to think of these issues within the framework of this battle between two kingdoms.
I'm 23 years old and traveled to 24 nations, and I've seen a lot of brokenness in this world. I've asked so many questions along the way . . .
Why are 1,000s and 1,000s of children trafficked in Southeast Asia? Why are there so many orphans worldwide? Why so many people who are malnourished in Africa? Why is prostitution such a large industry in Bangkok, Thailand? Why is there a mansion next to a wooden shack in Cambodia? Why? Why? Why?
These issues are all evidence of the great battle that is occurring. The battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Lately, I've been asking the Lord to allow my heart to break for what breaks His heart. I don't want my heart to become callous and numb to matters of injustice. The enemy would want me to believe that it is just too much for me to make a difference. As the church, we don't have time to twiddle our thumbs. We need to be moved to action. Our actions stem from love. Agape love. Yes, the unconditional love, the unnatural love. As the church, we don't have to look long to find people to love and opportunities to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. You can probably take a few steps from your door wherever you are in the world.
[Krystle loving on one of the kids in a village]
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