House Guest: “Get off the bed. No, do not stand on my pillow!” The score: The Neighbors Chicken = 1, John Michael = 0. But JM is now armed with a broom; take note chicken.
Third World Entertainment: Matt bought fly paper and took bets on how many flies it would catch. This satisfied conversation for at least an entire day. Yeah, an entire day.
Drawing the short straw: “Chappas” are the Mozambican mini buses we take to get around Beira. Normally we try to fill rows three and four of four with the eight of us. The other morning we failed.
Amaris and I piled into row two with me right by the sliding door. Quickly, I assessed my seat was broken so, with no other recourse I asked, “Um, will you hold me?” Team building at its best. I laid my backpack on her lap and myself across it. I balanced my lower half on one foot and kept my weight shifted in the van by gripping the seat in front with my free hand.
My inner dialog, “Lord, please get us there without turning left and thank you that they can't fit anymore people in; I am squished.”
Good news, we did not turn left. Bad news, apparently you can always fit more people in. A teammate snapped a pic from the back of the bus and I'd post it if you could see anymore in the mess of bodies beyond the bun on top of my head. Ah, Africa!
These are just a few of the things that have amused me in the last week and they are welcome outlets to contrast the intense week we have experienced. As a team we have participated in a large youth conference with participants from Mozambique, South Africa, Ghana, various countries in Europe, Israel, Brazil, and a myriad of states in the U.S.A. The theme was “Arise and Shine”. I am still pondering what all I heard, saw and experienced. It was good. Challenging and very, very good.
Bottom line, the child whose birth we celebrate this week, that precious babe, is very much at work assembling His Kingdom in the lives and hearts of those who will soften themselves to Him.
Be soft precious ones and reach back to the delicate hand of a Holy Child; you will be blessed.
