Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
ran lots of creatures and Nessy the mouse.
The racers all tucked in their bug nets with care,
Dreaming that debrief would soon be there.
Tossing and turing in old bunk beds,
While visions of Starbucks danced in their heads.
three day old clothing and heat such a sap,
no such thing as a long African nap.
when all the sudden there arose such a clatter,
We grabbed our head lamps to see what was the matter.
We stumbled dazed by a bright head lamp flash,
Tripping over our water stash.
…
When all the sudden we heard on the roof,
A strong clanking like reindear hoof.
The we threw open the doors and what was found,
but dozens of hails stones weighing over a pound.
Okay so I am not a poet but I wanted to share our crazy experience in the African rainy season with a little holiday cheer! God often speaks to me through nature and the other night we were having a really wonderful time of worship and as we were settling down to bed after the wind and rain started to really pound the metal roof, which by the way is one of my favorite sounds in the world, but then it became deafening. We opened the doors to see out but you could only see about a foot in front of you because it was raining so hard. Then big chunks of hail started pelting the windows and bouncing off the gravel. It was a stunning display of God’s ultimate power!
Two things hit me as i journaled about the expereince later that week!
1. God’s power is stunning, frightening even! I am so thankful that most days he let’s me see through the storm of His power and see the beautiful view of creation that is before me. But I must remember not to look too far out in front of me. Otherwise He will have to send a hail storm to mar my view. During those storms I used to run for cover in things of this world and wonder why God was so cruel. On the race however He has taught me how to dance in the rain and embrace not knowing what the road even two feet in front of me looks like. Because what matters most is that his power and presence is raining down on me in that moment!
2. I thought of the huts our next door neighbors lived in. The thatched roofs that the hail was ripping through. At first I pitied them. I felt for what they must be experiencing. It was just then when the thought hit me…THIS IS WHY THEIR FAITH IS SO STRONG! Because they don’t have roofs to run under, but they have to pray for the protection they need even from God’s creation. Wow! All the sudden I became jealous of their leaking roofs and glassless windows, because the only protection they can bank on is that of their Heavenly Father!
At the end of the day that is all we need. I so often forget it though when I am worrying about providing food for my team, or lodging for ATL, or clean water to drink. I serve a God who makes the heavens open and flood the earth, why should I ever doubt that my team will have water to drink!
Now is when I would normally say something all Sunday school cheesy about having the living water, but I will just sarcastically allude to it so you can form that realization in your own subconscious! Amen?! and in Africa everyone says “AMEN!”
