What I want to be doing…this blog has some of my frustrations in it
Let’s start out by saying that I am tired and I have no idea why. I am not building anything, my days aren’t as jam packed as they have been. I think the answer is in the fact that this is month eight of traveling. We have just spent four months in Asia and now we are in Africa. This is such a different culture. They have no concept of time, which is actually nice in the morning because we get to take our time. The problem with this occurs when you are ready to go home because when we say we want to be home at 2 we aren’t home until 4. Their concept of distance is also different. I ask them if the house we are going to walk to is far because I hurt my foot and they say no it is just over there…over where, the rainbow? Thanks for making me want to break my foot off!
A day adventure we had, but we walk to see the people, look how far apart the houses are
I am just exhausted because of the many changes here. We are in Kenya, the people are so relational…relational to the point of inviting themselves into your house to sit for hours when all you want to do is be alone or sleep…I am writing about my current situation, three African friends (actually I don’t know one of them) invited themselves in and are just sitting with us (talking amongst themselves) and all I want to do is not have to feel like a host and REFUEL my heart, mind, and strength.
These kids no longer invite themselves in, but were loud company at one point. Now we get their parents
The food here is new (carb overload) and they love to make sure that you eat more than you want. They say ‘the journey is long’ or ‘it is just an addition’ (an addition to my thighs). Ministry is new since we are constantly encouraging and praying for people, which is so draining. My freedom this month feels almost non-existent. I cannot go anywhere without another person, preferably a male. There is NO WHERE to escape to for some real alone time (you always hear people and music), and our days are not our own. I always thought I knew what being a servant of God was like; well I have a new idea of it.
It is doing things you don’t want to do, pushing yourself outside of your comfort, giving when you have nothing to give, smiling and saying you will do something when you just want to scream and run home, dying to yourself to the point of tears. It is not fun, but being a servant is all about serving and pleasing your master, and my Master is AWESOME! He would not give me what I cannot handle and He even rewards us and blesses us throughout the day to encourage us forward. An example was the day with my foot. I came to a woman’s home (who I didn’t want to talk to) and she encouraged me, I was given an orange by one of the pastors, God took the tears from my eyes, strengthened me, and put a smile on my face by the end of it all! It is now one of my most memorable days becauseI literally felt God carry me through the day.
I was carried down this road by Poppa God
Prayer requests: complete healing of my left foot (I did something to it and it hurts to walk on so I am teaching at a school while my team walks around the villages). Also for daily encouragement to help me press in and keep giving, for a new sense of freedom, and to feel refreshed and so clean clean!
