Hi. That's me. I was so happy this morning when I went to work that I wanted to take a picture for the blog in hopes that my joy would radiate off the screen and multiply itself unto you. Today I realized that not only is the bread for breakfast every day thing not bothering me as expected, I look forward to it. Because it's an experience. I wake up and ask Mamy if she passed the night in peace; she gives me money for the bread. I go to the Bitik and am greeted kindly, as I see this man twice a day. He searches for a good baguette for me and I bring it home to Mamy. Sometimes he doesn't have change, so I come back later. Mamy and I eat together before I head out.
This morning, I was wearing my new tunic, tailor-made by a friend from a fabric I bargained for and purchased myself. I got walked partway to work by a second-year university student from an island somewhere near Madagascar who was wearing an Angeline-approved man scarf, and told me I was nice instead of pretty and didn't ask for my phone number. Our Monday morning office prayer meeting focused on Psalm 27, which contains two of the verses that brought me to Senegal. I translated for Josh, who is just learning French. It was tricky because I felt like I was talking over people, but it felt good to be among God's people. I translated a performance review document from English to French so it can actually be used before getting Ethiopian food with Val and Debbie.
We ate a bunch of things we'd never had before and drank real pineapple juice with chunks of pineapple at the bottom. I paused at my desk to pray for a deeper experience of the Lord and asked His blessing on my work. I also typed a quick note on the IVCF facebook page of something I felt God speaking to me for everyone else. I went back to work and typed up a report from the Inter-Senegal mission, and noted that they had worked with Operation Smile to provide surgeries and medical care for children, and had also brought in a trained gynecologist to add to current staff. Also, several interns and medical students at the hospital got saved, as well as some of the patients, one of whom died about 6 weeks later.
I am so joyous over the work the Lord is doing!
I bid the office ba bennen, and headed home where I began to think about my day. It was certainly one of those amazing "why me?" days. The kind where you ask yourself why on earth you are the lucky one. Sometimes it really doesn't seem fair that I'm the one who passes by the little kids on the street begging for food and money and gets to go to an office, to school. Why is it that while I'm at school, there's a maid my age at home doing absolutely everything? Why do I have a surplus of the most incredible friends while others can't even find a single person to call friend? And why, why am I filled with this unreasonable joy, this awe and wonder at the fact that every day seems better than the last, when others I know struggle to make it through just today?
I have an answer for only the last question: Jesus, Lord of all.
For Christ love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 2 Corinthians 5:14
One thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Psalm 27:6
You make known to me the paths of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11
No comments:
Post a Comment