Rooted & Rising: Growth from the Greenhouse
Welcome to the Greenhouse! Join Denise each week as she has conversations with women who have experienced God’s power in their lives. We'll cover everything from relationships and parenting to running a business and building up our communities. We hope these stories inspire and enable you to make an impact in your world.
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Rooted & Rising: Growth from the Greenhouse
About Baptisms, Brothels, and Blessings: Paisley's First Major Mission Trip
What happens when a young woman says "yes" to God's call to missions? Paisley Jackson's extraordinary journey from her hometown to the shores of Lake Tanganyika reveals the beautiful chaos, divine appointments, and life-changing lessons that await those willing to step out in radical faith.
Fresh from her first major mission trip to Africa and preparing to depart for Mongolia, Paisley shares stunning testimonies that would challenge even seasoned missionaries. On her very first day in Burundi, she witnessed twenty people give their lives to Christ during fishermen ministry and personally baptized a young convert—a powerful beginning that set the stage for weeks of ministry across both Burundi and Congo.
The adventures ranged from comical cultural adjustments (eating whole fish despite her aversion) to genuinely dangerous situations (a 24-hour boat journey where men repeatedly tried to separate female team members from the group). But the most profound moments came through unexpected divine redirections. When planning to minister at a local brothel, God clearly instructed Paisley to stay behind and pray instead. While interceding, she received a specific name—Deborah—only to discover later that her teammates had ministered to a woman by that exact name, confirming her prayers had direct impact.
Physical hardships proved unavoidable when Paisley and her entire team contracted malaria despite taking preventative medication. Through extreme weakness, IV treatments, and weeks of illness, she discovered God's faithful provision for medical care and developed a deeper trust in divine protection. Now she's heading to Mongolia with enough faith to go but not yet enough funds for a return ticket—a testament to her core lesson from Africa: "God doesn't care about the results of what he asks us to do, he just wants our simple yes."
Have you been waiting for a clear call before stepping out in faith? Paisley's story reminds us that God speaks clearly when we simply ask and listen. Follow her journey and consider what your next step of obedience might be, whether across the ocean or across the street.
So I'm here with my granddaughter, paisley Jackson, and she just got back from her first mission trip major mission trip to Africa, and just wanted to have a conversation with her and share that with you so you guys would know what she's doing and how God's using her, because God wants all of us to be used vitally in the land that he's given us, and in her case it's a little bit more extreme than than most of us, but it's wonderful and so, hey, welcome Paisley glad you're here, uh, just for a little while.
Paisley Jackson:Right, you're getting ready, uh, this week to leave again to Mongolia?
Denise Jackson:Yes, to do what To work with the YWAM base there and serve them the best that we can, as well as help pioneering a prayer room hopefully.
Paisley Jackson:I love that pioneering. There's some pioneer spirit in a lot of us.
Denise Jackson:Yes, yes, a lot of pioneering in these last couple of seasons.
Paisley Jackson:So let's talk about, uh, africa, you, you flew into burundi. No, you flew in to africa and you went to burundi, yes, yes, and in burundi, one of the things we got really excited about is, like you were there a day and you baptized somebody yes, yeah, we're on our first day.
Denise Jackson:We just went down to do fishermen ministry and we were with the fishermen and shout out Benji, my teammate. He is a fisherman from Norway, so he preached to these guys and then he was like does anybody want to give their life to Jesus? And a few of them did about 20. Wow, more than a few. Wow, yes, about 20 people there, like the angels were really. They say that angels rejoice. I know, I know that's I could feel it.
Paisley Jackson:I could feel it.
Denise Jackson:That's awesome and then um three young teenagers. I think they're like teenagers. They said they want to get baptized and I think it was really awesome because a lot of people in Africa want to get baptized with their church, to be under a church and they were just like yeah, I want to get baptized, like I gave my life to Jesus and get baptized. And so we went ahead and baptized them. I got to baptize my first person, and it was a little girl, and oh, my god, so precious.
Paisley Jackson:And what's her name? Do you remember her?
Denise Jackson:name? I don't it's really fast, yeah, yeah it's also so many african names it's hard to remember all of them, so but wonder if it's hard for them to remember paisley.
Paisley Jackson:Yes, yes, they called me Paisley Paisley. I love Paisley, but that's true. Like you go to another country and another culture and what's easy for us is really hard for them. And the opposite is true what's easy for them is really hard for us. That's so interesting.
Paisley Jackson:I still remember her face. Oh, that's awesome. That was a great gift that God gave you because he knew you were going to walk that path. So you and I talked when you were in Hawaii at training and you had all these expectations. In fact, one of those expectations that I exactly remember is that you said, no, I'm not going to eat any weird food. And I just said, okay, now tell me how that changed when you went to africa.
Denise Jackson:I ate some weird food um, they're. One of their favorite dish is um ugali, which is the white stuff that you take with your hands and you roll it up and you dip it in sauce, and they love to pair that with fish sauce, and I'm not a fish eater, so. But they live right by a lake, so, especially in congo, like they just catch their fish and right there eat it. So I had that, which, unfortunately, my team was not able to eat. We all got a little sick and they had to stop making it. But I did eat a fish like this big, oh, just the whole just the whole fish bone, I everything, but you were hungry.
Paisley Jackson:Yes, I was so hungry yeah, yeah, so we can do things that we think we can't when there's a need. Yes, so that's a that's a great lesson to learn too, because it makes us really I don't like appreciate so much more than we have. Yeah, we have an excess in this country. Yes, but it it really we don't even know it because we're used to it. But then you come back. How's it been to just have chick-fil-a?
Denise Jackson:so good I I do think that I miss the simplicity of like knowing I'm going to have beans and rice for lunch and dinner. Breakfast was a little different. We just had bread, but like beans and rice for lunch and dinner, and maybe a little add in of cassava and beans or some cabbage. All these different things, but just knowing like, okay, this is what I'm eating. So now I'm going to be be like what do I want to eat?
Denise Jackson:and it's not just the clean, simple beans and rice it's been a little rough making decisions, but it's been so nice well, those kind of decisions, because you were making decisions yes tell me about some of the decisions you made each day, oh, um, where to go on.
Denise Jackson:Ministry was a big one. Like. We did a lot of door-to-door visits. So knowing, like asking the holy spirit, should I go back to somebody that I went to the other day, or do we go to a new house and meet somebody new? Um, should I stop and talk to these people walking on the side of the road on our way, even though we had a plan to go to this house? Like, do I stop? And then, when I get that feeling to just obey and do it, my hardest decision was um, we got an opportunity. So for the whole time we've been there, um, in the congo, we were there for about five weeks.
Paisley Jackson:So you went from Burundi to the Congo? I forgot to mention that.
Denise Jackson:Yes, from Burundi to Congo. And you went across the lake yes, about 24 hours in a boat. It was a nice little boat, though, with a lot of people, a lot of people On the way there. It was so overcrowded it was crazy.
Paisley Jackson:And you know right after you got back over crowded it was crazy like and you know right after you got back there one of them not in the same exact area, but on that same leg. Yeah, a lot of people drowned. Yeah, like, so you know you had protection, god knew what you needed to do, but it was a scary situation.
Denise Jackson:Yeah, it was especially because we're what? Like the only white people on this boat. So where we were staying wasn't like the only white people on this boat. So where we were staying wasn't like secluded and a lot of people were coming trying to talk to us, look at our bags and try to steal stuff, and a lot of people, a lot of men, asked to take us girls and our boys were very strong with being like no, that's my wife. And as soon as they heard that, they would back off. But there are a few incidents of like men coming up and asking if they could take us and that was different, huh, super different and scary, just to know, like and it's overnight so I didn't sleep, I was up all night watching all my team, but, um, I like it was just a little scary, but it was so fun to experience that yeah to to know that God could carry us through those things, even through the worst things you know.
Paisley Jackson:But it is hard.
Denise Jackson:And especially because A lot of things did happen on the boat, it wasn't just a travel day for us. One of our teammates did a DBS, which is a Bible study method that we do with people that we meet. Deductive Bible study or discovery Bible study yes.
Paisley Jackson:Discovery Bible study.
Denise Jackson:And they got to do that with a man on the boat who just came up to them and asked what they were doing and they were reading their Bibles. So he got to sit down with them, who just came up to them and asked what they were doing and they were reading their bibles, so he got to sit down with them. Me and two of my teammates got to pray over a man who was, um, having trouble walking and um, just reassure his faith and cover him.
Denise Jackson:And then we met the woman who gave us her building space an apartment building to translate the bible. So we were on that boat and never met her and got that space to do that.
Paisley Jackson:That's so good, okay, so now you're in the congo and you were just about to tell me something really big yes, um.
Denise Jackson:So the last week we got the opportunity to go to a brothel and for about two weeks before that I've been having dreams about it and waking up at 3am with my leader, margo, and interceding for things in the congo, and that's one of the things, and so we're just asking god to give us this opportunity to go to the brothel and meet these women and we don't have the same like I don't have the same stories as them, but with impurity I can relate. So I was really feeling that like I just came out of feeling dirty and not worthy to be in god's presence and they're in that, and so I was so excited I was like I can go minister to these women and we got the opportunity to go. We're on the way and we got to church to meet our contact and we're sitting there praying before going and just hear god say stay back and intercede, and I was like no, I know we hate to, but thank god, he like gives us clear.
Paisley Jackson:Yes, he really does. Like I'm just saying to you guys God speaks, he does speak and he speaks now.
Denise Jackson:Yes, that's it. A lot of people wait on it, but if you just ask, like God speaks in that moment. So in that moment I was. I called my one of the leaders over and I was like, hey, can you pray with me about this? Because I heard this, but I'm not sure you're the leader. This, but I'm not sure you're the leader. Like I fall under your submission. So, whatever you think, she prayed and immediately heard yeah, I need to stay back with one of our other teammates and we need to intercede. So we stayed back and we interceded and, um, it went really well. We're just rapid fire praying for these things. A little bit of worship, just two of us. And then my team came back and they were telling us testimonies and I specifically prayed for this woman, deborah. I got a name and I prayed for her, and as soon as two, because they had broke off into twos to go throughout the brothel and a group of the two they're like going at this lady named deborah and I was like wow and so, oh, I love it.
Denise Jackson:Thank you, father gosh. It was so cool to sit there and I mean I was super disappointed to not be able to go and meet these people like these women myself. But I was like this is so much better.
Paisley Jackson:Everything I prayed, almost everything I prayed for they were just saying they're like and this is this and this, and I'm just so thankful for the ability to know that it's big. But I also feel that I just need to say to you guys uh, people deride prayer, they act like it's no big deal, and some people say I'm going to pray and they don't pray. But I want you to know, prayer tumbles mountains, yeah, and we need some mountains tumbled all across the world. Some of the stuff that we think about in our country is so little compared to what's going on in the rest of the world and what people are dealing with, and our prayers matter, so I hope we pray. Yeah, okay, so you got malaria when you were over there? Yes, so so let me tell you, I went to Mexico this summer.
Paisley Jackson:That was my first mission trip. And what about with Riley? Yes, with Riley, and we had a great time serving. But I also came back damn, you know tired, exhausted and sick. So that was hard. You know it's taken me a while to say, okay, I'm ready to go again. Lord, not that long, but it did take me a little while. But you came back. I want to know about the malaria. But you came back and you were like, okay, where am I going next? Yeah, and you're not going to an easy place. No, it's mongolia, but um, I just want you to talk about that malaria, because that was like not a little thing with you and your team yeah, um, all of our team got malaria.
Denise Jackson:Some got it twice. When I got it and we were taking our medicine, it's just mosquitoes were really bad in Congo and, um, no team has gone to Congo from our school so they weren't fully prepared like weren't fully prepared for how many mosquitoes there actually was, and wearing like clothes to protect that night and stuff um, and two of our tvs had to go to the hospital because they were sick and they got ips and treated and stuff.
Denise Jackson:Came home and they were still sick. So the doctor came to us. And that's when I was sick and so kind of the doctor to actually come to our house. So we have to go and yeah, and be exposed to other things in the hospital, right, yeah, and so got IV packs at home, which was crazy.
Denise Jackson:I was like no, they put a needle in my hand and I left a little port thing in for like 24 hours is so scary because infections and stuff and I was so scared but thankfully we got to get off that and got onto pills that made us all better. Um, but that was really hard because I'd experienced symptoms while we were out doing ministry and I was like our favorite quote quote was just press in. If anybody from my team sees this ever, just press in.
Paisley Jackson:Well, and God says press in to Him right. Yes, even in the midst of that.
Denise Jackson:So we were pressing in and I was like, oh, I don't feel great, but it's probably just sinus infection. I get those a lot, it'll be okay. And then my whole body just goes weak and I almost passed out and we had to send me home on a motorbike with sam, and so that was really scary because I was like never have been that close to like passing out. My body's never been in that physical condition, being soccer and stuff. I've always been in good shape and strong and strong. So that was weird to feel like super weak and I was scared that I was going to pass out on the motorbike and fall off and thankfully sam was there and he was protecting me now.
Paisley Jackson:Those two boys really stepped up.
Denise Jackson:They were mighty men of god, younger than all of us, I know, and it was just the same thing.
Paisley Jackson:When I met sam, I was like my gosh, he's a baby, because he had a birthday when we were there. Right, right yeah 2018.
Denise Jackson:Yeah, and it's funny because when we first all met each other. We did like, gave each other words about what we heard God say. For them and for him it was tender protector.
Denise Jackson:Oh I love that and he really is just the most tender hearted protector. And so he was protecting me and I got home and was sleeping for a little bit and then threw up and I mean non-stop diarrhea. And Benji, non-stop diarrhea for two weeks. Our whole team like we would we wouldn't be able to be out too long because if we were, we'd have to rent a bathroom or a bush or something.
Paisley Jackson:Oh, my gosh bless your heart so um, does that worry you as you go back out again, that there could be other things, or just I don't know how you feel not really, I don't, I don't know. I think it's the blessing from the lord, but I don't get too worried about like am I gonna get?
Denise Jackson:sick. What happens if I get sick? What will we do like all these things, just kind of if it happens? I know that he'll provide like he especially after going to africa and then just showing how he does provide um for medicine and I didn't even have to pay. It was incredible, and so I know that he'll provide and so I'm not too worried. I do. Just after the malaria, it still stuck with me for like a week of like not being able to go out to the ministry because I was feeling lightheaded or my heart wasn't working right.
Paisley Jackson:Were you having like an arrhythmia or something, something Racing heart. Yeah, you might have inherited that, but it's not a big deal, it just makes your heart stronger, perfect.
Denise Jackson:That's what I'm proclaiming over you, because I know mine is really strong but so it was hard after that to be like week out of ministry, even though I wasn't like having insane symptoms, it was just I couldn't go long distance and we were walking everywhere. So that does worry me of. If I get in a place where I don't have a lot of time to minister to people and I get sick, yeah, then feel like I'm missing out on ministering to them.
Paisley Jackson:But sometimes you have to have rest. Yes, so he knows that too. Yeah, and he's training you up. You know you're just at the beginning, yeah, so so, um, I want to just bless you in Jesus' name for this trip that's coming up. God has you in the palm of his hand, he speaks to you and we listen, so the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart are pleasing to him which is powerful, because then what comes out of your mouth is the word, and so I just bless you in Jesus' name with safety and might.
Paisley Jackson:Only be strong and courageous, and do not fear.
Denise Jackson:For the Lord your.
Paisley Jackson:God is with you and he fights for you. And I know that Paisley is so excited about your next trip to Mongolia and right now you're going really on faith because you've got enough to go.
Paisley Jackson:but you don't have a ticket to come home, yet so we're praying for that and I'm sure that God will provide. He always provides, but I love that you're stepping up in such faith with the help of our filmer here, her dad. Hey Dad. So what's like? Do you have any partying words of wisdom for young women who are growing up in the same time?
Denise Jackson:Yeah, I think that I could go a lot of words in different ways, but just something that I learned being out in Africa, from my leaders and just from God and the holy spirit, is that obedience over results. God doesn't care about the results of what he asks us to do, he just wants our simple yes. And so, hearing from him and just obeying and saying yes, lord, like you spoke, so I'm gonna do it, even if nothing happens, and, um, I have a little testimony of that yeah, please, I.
Denise Jackson:We were in a village in burundi and it's called kayenza and I was praying we're all praying over this blind woman and I felt the lord say spit in the dirt, make mud and rub it on her eyes and I was like, oh god, you're crazy because I can't do that. What, um? And he was like, no, just do it. And I was like okay. So I built up courage to collect dirt, spin it, make mud, and I rubbed on her eyes, read the story out to her and, um, we washed off. And she didn't, she wasn't healed. But that night I God like he just wants our obedience and to step out in faith. And if that woman can see how much I can step out into faith for a stranger in something crazy, then she can step out into faith and believe that she can be healed.
Denise Jackson:And so the rest of my outreach was really just me obeying and trusting and loving that over the results of the way he asked us. So that's my encouragement to you all. Thank you, I love you. I love you.
