The weekend

Thank you all for your prayers for peace and security here. We had an uneventful end to the week and a calm weekend as well. I can't say the same for the people in Chile. My heart just aches when I hear the stories, and I just wanna go there and help! And so close to the Haiti earthquake! I just wanna go help in some way so badly. Do you ever feel that way? And sometimes I feel so helpless. But I know we can pray, if we can't help in another tangible way. I sometimes forget how powerful prayer is. When I spend that time, and take that time to really let everything else go and focus in, it's so powerful.

I like to talk to God when I run, and I had a LONG time to talk to Him on Saturday. A friend convinced me to go on a long run, without telling me how long, OR the fact that he enjoyed running up mountains for fun! So I'm still trying to decide if I will train for this race in May, so I joined him. Whoa! We literally ran up a mountain...for 13K! Ok, half of it was running DOWN the mountain, but still! He was gracious and stopped and walked with me on the steepest parts, cause I'm just not there yet! But it was fun, winding our way through village after village, jumping a swollen creek, stepping into huge mud piles, and ending up back in town on the main cobblestone roads. I think we provided much Saturday morning entertainment for many people not used to seeing mzungus in short shorts with mud streaked on them, panting and sweating through the village. And....the BEST part of the run....I got to eat GRITS afterwards! Yes, REAL SOUTHERN GRITS! They were amazing! And totally worth the long effort to get them! :-)

On another note, I want to tell you about a man I met Friday night named Ian. We just happened to be at the same house, with loads of different people from all countries (and walks of life,) and I got to chatting to Ian, an older man from Scotland. He's here with his Ugandan wife, and they have just adopted Danny, a 2 year old boy who was left on their doorstep when they lived in Uganda. Danny turned out to be his wife's nephew, and the parents were unable to take care of him. Ian told me how much joy Danny has brought into his life, and his wife's as well. We talked about many things Friday night....Ian struggles with alcohol, and it is having an effect on this second marriage of his. And the conversation turned to faith while he was sitting there sipping on his gin. We discovered that we both lived in the same neighborhood, about 2 minutes walk from our houses. The church is in between us. He started telling me how he used to go to church in Scotland and Belgium, but he never felt welcomed and he never felt good enough to be with "all those other people in their nice clothes." Ian is very simple and is the kind of person that would give his shirt to you off his back if you commented that you liked it. He said what I've heard before...that he never fit in in church, and he blamed other people in his life for what he thinks about church now. But he kept coming back and saying to me that when he looks at the stars he knows God is there and He believes in Him. He said his mother should have died many years ago from cancer, but that is the last time he prayed, and He really believes God heard him cause his mom is still alive. He said, "I think my faith is still there. I really want to believe, and I think I do." He's a real simple fellow, and struggles with sin, just like the rest of us. I invited him to church this morning...since it's right down the street from his house. I could tell he was seriously considering, and I was excited to welcome him. He didn't show up at church today. But he has been on my heart and my mind all weekend. I know God put us beside each other Friday night for a reason. Please pray for this guy, Ian, that God continues to place people in his life who encourage him and that the Holy Spirit will continue to work. I know the Spirit is already working!