Almost the end

I am starting the last week of my elective classes here in SA. But don't be to worried Mom and Dad! I am still taking three other classes. These past 5 weeks have just blown away. They all are just a pile of great laughs, tears, and knowledge.

Today is Monday, and already it has been such a profound day. This morning while trying to finish up my power point for a Bio presentation, I forgot that I still have to drop my laundry off. As I was walking out of my cottage house I noticed how beautiful today was. Have you ever eaten such a juicy and tasty apple? It was just the most succulent apple ever eaten, this morning felt just like that. The morning air was crisp and so fresh. The warm sun fighting over the night's cold was sweet on my skin. God how unbelievable You are! The whole earth proclaims Your glory. I was quieted, my heart stopped worry about my presentation for a few moments. I was just so overwhelmed at the beauty of this world.

Later in the morning I heard a couple stories from some of the nurses. They get to go out each week into the townships and work in the clinics. Just the stories they told us about was difficult to hear. There was a lady who's daughter didn't come back after one night. They searched for her at different places but couldn't find anything. Then they found her shoes and a puddle of blood in a ditch. Soon after that they found her body, ravaged and stabbed in a field.

What would I say to her if she told me this story. I thought of what my parents would do, how heart broken they would be. But she had such faith in God, knowing that everything will be OK. That no matter what life brings her, she will turn her eyes to the Lord and be comforted.

Melody, the nurse telling this story, said that she never had to grieve like this before . There is a difficult line in wanting to know God's comforting love and having to endure so much pain. She continued to say that she wished that she wasn't born privileged living in America. She wanted to switch places with this woman so she wouldn't have to feel this pain. But God was telling her something- even though the woman was grieving she was comforted by God's love. And never did she feel such comfort as the woman felt.

This is Africa. It is not just a country filled with animals and wilderness. This is a country filled with people who are broken. Just as there are people broken in America. People who live and love. People who struggle to get a day's food. People who are dying from AIDS every day. And I am sitting here in the comfort of my pleasant room- standing right in the middle of it.

Praise be to God. For His glory will be proclaimed.

I am waiting for the day that I get to speak with the people of this beautiful country. This week is the start of something bigger in my life.

D group today was awesome. I am co leading a bible study group with an awesome friend- Rachel!

We have such a great young women in our group. Tonight we finished going through the Minor Prophet Habakkuk. It was such a great study. The injustice that is not dealt with and God's answer to it. And Habakkuk himself waiting on the Lord for the deliverance of God's people. Just a great example of many who wait on the Lord for guidance during difficult times.

What a day this was.