I live a rich life! I am so aware of this every time I wake up, and God has given me yet another day to live and to work and to be with this wonderful, diverse community in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. There is such a richness in diversity here that I adore. I know God delights in our differences because He created us so unique, each one of us! And we all make up the body of Christ!
Even when I crave solitude and need it desperately to be refreshed and restored, I'm thankful for a community that understands those needs. :) I guess this is my apology for not having blogged for so long too! :) I've realized that I've unintentionally let the world's chaos and busyness come find me here in Africa too! But now I'm intentionally trying (with a ton of grace) to be quiet right now...quiet inside..and to do more listening. For no other reason, except I feel like I need to be quiet and LISTEN right now...time to find a quiet space. (This was supposed to be a blog about community, but somehow solitude is a theme here as well! Ha! Anyhow, I'm so thankful for my communities near and far where I can rest and be filled!)
The view at sunset from my neighborhood hill! I sometimes linger along this ridge after an evening run...breathtaking!
I love these sweet boys!
I love looking out at my students and
seeing different faces and unique glimmers of Christ in each of them. There’s
Inge from Portugal , Ineza from Rwanda, Christian from Hawaii, Gitau from
Kenya, Haba from Uganda… ..and each face uniquely shines the light of Christ!
Walking home from school in the afternoons, I hear the traditional Rwandan
drums echoing from our church, and I stop to listen and appreciate the dancers
and drummers practicing for an upcoming dowry ceremony.
Then it’s time for Fitness Club with my
gorgeous array of young ladies, representing multi-faiths and nationalities. I
love seeing them dance, run, and sweat, as we all use our bodies to honor and
glorify God, and pray for each other as a family.
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Afterwards, I run down the
dirt path overlooking the green, lush Rwandan hills to Kagugu village to teach
Kang-Hee. I enter and take off my shoes, and slip on the traditional Korean
sandals, and I’m welcomed for tea and Korean soup as we sit on the floor mat
and begin his studies.
Finally, I’m home to greet Beatrice, our lovely house
helper, who tries so tirelessly to teach me Kinyarwanda, and we break out the
French/English dictionary so we can communicate with each other and I can try
to learn Kinyarwanda! Three languages
just to learn one! J These are just a few of the ways each day I
am so blessed by living here in such a diverse community of friends and fellow
lovers of Jesus. I love that here I can experience so many different cultures
and communities just by interacting with my neighbors. Christ is Lord over all
of us. No matter where in this world we live, or what our skin looks like. He
made us all so unique, yet made for each other! Made for community and
relationships! We are created to worship and live and do life together. All of
us. It’s really just a small world after all…
"There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace and ultimately no life without community." ~Brennan Manning
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