Runs, Mangos and Waves

I fear I sometimes come across on here as if things aren’t good and I am really struggling- I am but I also desperately try to find ways to be balanced and renewed. This weekend I found a little slice of Heaven here on earth. On Thursday after bringing some visitors to the airport Laura and I and 2 other friends headed for a beach retreat! We returned back to the mission this afternoon with sweet memories of eating too many mangos, too much seafood, too much sun, and lots of laughs. It was so refreshing. I was also able to get out and go for a few runs- always healing to my soul. For a few moments, I forgot where I was. It was refreshing!
Here’s a photo of the desolate beach we were on. It is just gorgeous, with wild waves of the Indian Ocean to play in!





Here’s our cute little house we stayed in…



And Laura and I…



Tomorrow starts another week, I am clinging to two bits of advice that I have receive recently.
First- Even though I may feel like I am going through “the valley of the shadow of death, I am just passing through- not camping within!”
And- as Psalm 11:4 says, “the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven.”
No matter what the circumstances I experience (or any of us), the Lord is in his holy Temple! Feel free to remind me of this if I sound as if I have lost this focus.
Thank you so much to those who send such encouraging words! Prayers are keeping me going. Bless you.

Finally, as I struggle to share the depth of my experiences here, Hands at Work has made some videos that may show a bit more vividly, what I am doing. The links are below. I haven’t actually seen them yet but I trust that they will really help you understand the heart of Hands at Work.

One by One- George Snyman (founder of Hands at Work) telling the story of H@W
http://vimeo.com/1920449

My Hands – A variety of Hands at Work volunteers telling their stories
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp9pdebZddU

Seasons

Since I have returned from Ghana, Mozambique has entered a new season. It’s a season I have never heard of. A season I have never dreamt of. I have heard of deer season. I have heard of mosquito season. I have heard of pumpkin spice latte season. I even look forward to mango season but now, I am told, we’re in hungry season. Hungry season? Hungry season! Can you imagine? Can you imagine a time of year when you plan that you'll likely be hungry? Maybe you’ll even wonder if you’ll have enough food to survive and make it through this “season.”
Since I have been back I have been busy with other things and haven’t been out doing a lot of home-based care but even sitting in my little house on the mission we’ve seen effects of the “hungry season.” Saturday there were 4 of us sitting around discussing budgets and the vision of Rubatano. There was a gentle disturbance at the door. I answered and greeted the young man in Portuguese. After the typical greetings he continued on. He wasn’t looking at me. He seemed ashamed, head hung low. I have seen this man around the mission before but I don’t know him. As he continued I learned that he was coming asking for money. His children are hungry and they haven’t eaten for 3 days. This man was embarrassed that he was having to come to us to ask for money for food.
I was disturbed by this visitor, I kept thinking about him the rest of the weekend. I came to realize that no man wants to beg. No man with children wants to tell anyone that he is unable to provide for his family. God didn’t wire men that way. God made men to be a provider. For this man to be to this point of desperation he probably does feel shamed. His ability to provide has been shattered.
On Sunday morning I had to get up in the middle of Church (here at the mission) and step outside. When I did, I saw the same man that had been on my mind since Saturday. He again started speaking, rapidly this time- not looking at me, never making eye contact. I then noticed his arm. He was favoring it and it was extremely swollen. He was speaking Portuguese so fast I couldn’t catch it all. All I knew was that his arm was in pain. I told him to sit here and after Church I would find him with Carlos and we could see what we could do for him.
A brief time after this Carlos and I approached the man. As Carlos translated for me I could hardly believe what he was telling me. Yesterday after he left our house he went to buy maize for his family. He was walking home (not far from us at the mission). When he got to the waterfall, there were 2 men there. They asked him to stop and wanted to steal his maize from him. He refused to give it to them; he took off running, slipped, fell and hit his arm on a rock. Today he can’t move his arm and he is in visible pain. As usual, I looked to Carlos to know what to do in this situation. After a bit of discussion we decided to give some pain medicine and follow up with the man in the next couple of days to let us know how he is. It’s Tuesday night and I haven’t seen him yet. When I gave him the medication, I prayed for him. I prayed hard for him. I begged God to do a miracle in this mans life- to be his provider and sustainer.
I wonder if his family is still hungry? I am sure the men that wanted to steal the food from him also have hungry family members. It’s just another “hungry season” I guess.
As I struggle to wonder how I myself will make it through this “hungry season.” I am reminded of a song Ali Rogers sings. I need to regularily remind myself to have hope:

Hope is strength to walk along,
and music to my song.
I’ll be redeemed.

I am never knowing,
I’ll be holding onto hope…

If I wait until light is shining,
I may never find the day.

Hope, I’ll be waiting.
I’ll be holding onto…

I am never knowing,
I’ll be holding onto hope.

I'LL BE HOLDING ONTO HOPE this hungry season.

How many worlds are in ours?

Slowly I have had a bit of time to process things of the last few weeks. Slowly I say, because nothing I experience lately is easy. I rested in Ghana, I laughed, I ate well. It was a wonderful time. It was exactly what I needed. I was rejuvenated- somewhat.

What I can’t seem to comprehend is the three worlds I traveled through to get there. I left Mozambique- desperate, hungry, sick. I flew to Johannesburg, South Africa. Suddenly I was in another world. I browsed through shops. I drank coffee. I was in the Western world. Then I remembered my 3 months in SA. It’s not like this. Beyond these walls they too are desperate, hungry and sick. I was in 2 completely different worlds in a matter of a few hours.

Onto my final destination, another world.

In Ghana, life is good. The city is becoming more and more Western. As we drive hours from the capital, it gets more rural. You feel like you’re in Africa. When I stay in the village- it’s Africa. Goats, sheep, chickens make there melodies at all hours. There’s no electricity. Children haul water containers on their heads. The villagers work in their farms while the women spend most the day preparing their dinner (from the products of the farm). Here the people aren’t as sick. In my mind they have very little but it's okay. What they do have is priceless. The children have a deeper desire to learn than I have ever seen. They are hungry for knowledge. It’s another world.

My life in America- yet another world.
Four very different worlds.

All with their problems.
All with their strengths.
All with joy.
All with struggles.
All with desperation.
All in need of hope.
All in need of more of the Lord.
All making me think.

What is my part in the larger world?
What is our part?
What is yours?

I guess I haven’t processed much. As I have been trying to write this for a couple hours now, I can’t find a way to conclude. Again, I have no answers. Again, I have more to think about. Again, I am challenged. Blessed, but challenged. I don’t know if this make sense. I don’t know if it is worth posting. I can’t express all that I think and feel- this is my feeble attempt.

There’s a lot out there…
God is bigger than it all…
Please pray!

Holiday Overview

Do you remember the school I helped teach in last year? The new school is now complete and it is beautiful!! (and so are the dear students that attend!)


Here I am helping harvest cocoa.


Oh, sweet little Eric's lamb!



Here Praise and I are enjoying the beach. The last night with them Christine, Praise and I enjoyed at a beautiful beach resort. Many thanks to all of you who encouraged me to take the time to go to Ghana. Also, for you who helped us be able to spend this time at the beach. Thanks not only from me but also from Christine and Praise as we all thoroughly enjoyed our time. Thank you so much!


Christine, Praise and me enjoying dinner on the beach. A couple days of admiring the majesty of God at the beach really reminds me of His greatness and His power. A God who can tell the waves where to stop and has more thoughts for me than there are grains of sand- that is worth standing in reverence!

I love Ghana!

Hi all- just a quick message to touch base. I am in an internet cafe in Ghana and will be starting my trek back to Mozambique tomorrow. I will write a more indepth message when I have time to think, process my time and better articulate my thoughts. Let's just say that I have daily praised God for allowing me to have this time- time to reconnect with friends, students and the village people, time to rest, itch LOTS of bug bites, read and reflect. If nothing else (and there is more but if this were the only thing I get from this time) I have realized what a gift it is that I have been give this opportunity to have relationships with people who live in a rural African village. God has allowed me to see a larger world (outside of the States). I now respect a different culture, a different people group. Not only do I respect them but I care about them, I love them. I have spent time in the last 2 weeks with children and young people that I really want to see be blessed. They are young people with hope, with dreams and a desire to live big, and well. They are children that have touch my heart deeply and that I have to fight off tears when saying goodbye to them. What a blessing and gift this is- to have even more wonderful people in my life. Thank you God!
Gosh, all this and I haven't even mentioned the example, friendship and inspiration of Kirk and Christine! I have a lot to share with you! For now, know I have had a wonderful time, I am doing well and look forward to heading back to Mozambique and "finishing well!"
I just made my return flight arrangements and will be arriving back in Phoenix on February 13, 2009- it really is coming quickly! Blessings and please email me...my inbox has significantly decreased the last couple months. I do apologize that I don't personally email as often as I would like- but I do love hearing from you. Miss you!