Hopefully spring has sprung for most of you! Here in New England all we have is whispers that there is this season called SPRING! I have hope, that just as every other year, it will arrive.
I’m back from Africa….yet again. Coming and going from Africa has it’s beauty, it’s pilgrimage, and it’s mission, but I have no romantic ideas of what international travel is like. However I was fortunate to have good friend donate an upgrade to me! WOW! What a donation!!! I still have dreams about that seat and it’s comfortable leather, the elbow room, the leg room, the real silverwear, a seat that actually reclined…It’s the little things! For anyone who’s been on a commercial flight, I’m sure this resonates in the deepest part of your soul! (just had to share that!)
Upon arriving in Africa I learned that we had no running water. Ok, fair enough….it’s Africa. People have lived centuries without running water…Come on, I’ve bathed in rivers and buckets. No biggie right?! I can handle this for a few days. 3 and a half weeks later…I had a grand total of about 6 showers. Needless to say, I tried not to smell myself very much. I’m pretty sure I could feel myself ripening.
In spite of the absence of cleanliness, I think I’m coming away with a new perspective
on what we’re fighting for in Africa. Malachi 4:6 describes the Day of the Lord as “turning the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers”. To me that means that God’s idea of a good time is seeing families restored; seeing the lonely in families; the orphan in a place to belong. I found it incredibly encouraging to know that each time a child arrives at a care center and receives a hot meal, clean clothes and is able to let down their guard- that day becomes the “Day of the Lord”. God has a good day!(It’s probably more like a celebration!) What a cool thing to be a part of?! Giving some of the most vulnerable children on the planet a place to belong. That really is a good day!Much Love,
David
PS. I also want to say thanks to my friend Aleen Kim from New York, for coming to visit our team in South Africa. It’s always encouraging to have someone spend their time, money, and energy on something you believe in and walk a few miles in your shoes.
