After 10 months of waiting, it’s finally here. By God’s grace I have made it to Africa. I won’t return home for another 11 months. It all seems surreal.
It’s day 10 here in the Ivory Coast. We’ve only seen a small portion of the city but my heart is already overwhelmed for the people here. They have a passion that is truly unmatched. They are desperately hungry, and most don’t understand where to go to feed it. There’s plenty of opportunity surrounding us. I only hope that I have a spirit bold enough to seize every one of them.
The local kids have been my favorite part of the race so far. It’s easy for me to see why God favored the little children so much. There are two kids in particular that I’ve fallen in love with. Mitka and David. Although the only French I know is “how are you” and “hello”, we’ve managed to bond over taking selfies and swinging in my hammock.
One particular story comes to my mind when I think of the kids here in Abidjan. Paul speaks of the Macedonian’s remarkable grace in 2 Corinthians 8:1-4, 8.
“Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been give in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints…I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.”
The people of Macedonia, though they were impoverished, were overjoyed at the opportunity to give away anything and everything they had. This type of genuine love could only be a gift from God.
The children here have next to nothing. Some of them have literally nothing. But whatever something they do have, they want to share it with you. They want you to partake in the joy of their small something. Mitka and David only have their time and hugs to give away. But they are not stingy with these precious things, often spending the entire day with us swinging in our hammocks and cuddling with us when they grow tired of playing.
I relish these moments with them knowing that in just a few weeks I will leave and they will not understand why.
Although I am not sure if Mitka and David have an understanding of the Lord’s love for them, I know that their pure joy can only be a gift from above. Because love is an overflow of joy in God that gladly meets the needs of others. And these two children are more than happy to give their joy as a way to meet the needs of those around them.
Whether it be leftover balloons from a wedding or pushing tires down the bumpy dirt road, they are able to find absolute joy, a joy that can never be extinguished.
I can’t help but think this is how we should be with our Heavenly Father. He gives so much to us that I often think I have nothing worth giving back. But Mitka and David have reminded me that I have something very precious to give. My love and joy. It may not seem like much, but I know that it is all I have and that in itself it is everything.
