” Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the
desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
While flying over Kenya some 3 months ago I was reminded
that I had said I wanted to come to Africa someday. And here I was some 2 hours
from landing in South Africa. I was overcome with joy and the entire squad saw
my giddiness to step foot in the continent I was so badly looking forward to
being in. I was praising God the
entire flight because He was bringing me where I had wanted to come for so
long.
Africa has flown by. I cannot believe how fast the past 3
months have gone. It seems like yesterday that I was counting how many African
sunsets I was going to get to see and now I am down to a few left.
Africa has been a lot different than I ever imagined it
would be. June had us all over the place in Mozambique, living in our tents and
taking showers in rivers and using the bathroom over a hole in the ground. It
was truly the ‘bush’ experience. July showed us kindness by living in a house
in Backdoor, South Africa. We had electricity, toilets, showers, a kitchen and
an amazing ministry partner. August saw us back in the ‘bush’ in Nyamphande,
Zambia where we lived in a house without electricity, cooked over a fire, ate
at the orphanage, showered 3 times in 3 weeks and used an even smaller cement
hole than Mozambique to relieve ourselves in.
Mozambique was the only month where a majority of the people
did not speak English. It has not been at all hot during our stay in Africa,
seeing as to how it is currently their winter. I have not heard nearly as much
as I thought I would about AIDS, although it is still VERY much an issue.
Witchcraft and voodoo are prominent and require the attention of missionaries
if you want to function in your ministry.
I am saddened to leave Africa
but I know I will return one day very soon. I feel at home in South Africa and
cannot wait to visit Swaziland in the near future. Jaco told us in our first
month of ministry in Mozambique that we would not change Africa but Africa
would change us. That statement could not hold more truth. I will not be saying
goodbye to Africa on September 3, I will be saying see you soon!
Mozambique Sunset
Zambian Sunset
Mozambique Sunset
South Africa Sunset
What can I say….I like the sunsets here!
