Today I am having a very relaxing day…and it is VERY hot! I am sitting outside right now and the only sound I hear is the breeze and many different birds in the nearby trees. I just sit and marvel that God has made a way for me to be here in this beautiful place again. I have to admit that I think it is going to be difficult again for me to leave here. It was so, so hard last summer to leave, but my hopes are that I will leave here with an excitement and hope of returning again soon…for a much longer period of time!
Last night’s youth group time was amazing. You know the teenagers here are not all that different from teenagers in America. Just sitting and watching them, you’d forget you were in a different country. The biggest difference that I can see is that there is much more pressure for them to make good choices now. Their poor choices now seem to have a greater effect on their future. The HIV/Aids epidemic alone would cause that, but in addition to that, if their grades are not good enough in high school, they are not allowed to attend college, making their future employment prospects very bleak. Unemployment is a huge problem here. My heart goes out to these youngsters. I had the opportunity to pray with several of them last night and I was so moved by one young girl who’s prayer request was simply to grow in her relationship with God and be a more godly woman. That’s so beautiful to me! Another younger boy said he simply wanted me to pray for him because he was so grateful. I asked him what he meant and he said “I am just grateful.” God is moving here and it is amazing to see.
Have I mentioned the large number of critters I am coming into contact with here? I affectionately call the house I am staying in “The Spider House”. You can guess why….I also had a huge lizard drop through the ceiling (thatched roof) onto the floor the other day…yes, you read that right. And last night, to top it all off, in the middle of the youth service time, the youth pastor and another man had to kill a snake that made its way into the service. No doubts that I am in Africa!
No comments:
Post a Comment