Pic 1- This is my South African mom...her name is Deb, and she is the cook here at the Health Care Center. She is precious and passionate about talking with patients here about the hope of Christ.
Pic 2- This is Deb's daughter Tonya and Tonya's daughter Kiara. Tonya also works as a cook at the Health Care Centre. This pic was taken a couple of weeks ago, when we had Sunday lunch at Tonya's house- with Deb and the rest of their family. It was so much fun!! What a blessing to be invited into someone's home and laugh and talk together!! We had a blast!!
Some of the many feelings that I’ve felt this week (well actually last week)…
THANKFUL…1. That being obedient to God is such fun!! I know that sounds incredibly corny, but I can’t even believe that God called me to such a wonderful place…to share life with wonderful friends, to build relationships with new people, and to experience and see God in new ways!!! 2. That I have been provided with a way to be able to serve in several different areas of Cape Town and LHCC, because He provided me with transportation and mobility to get to these places. 3. That they weather is finally starting to warm up!! Spring is here and I’m chomping at the bit to get out my capris and summer skirts—pray for warm weather ☺
FRUSTRATED…1. I got locked IN the flat 2 times this week. 2. Katie died on us on Wednesday morning. 3. Having a few plumbing issues in the flat---can’t get water to go down the drain in our kitchen, and South African Drano has not been too helpful. On Saturday morning, Zana resorted to washing the dishes in the bathtub. 3. Friday morning…once again, I was locked IN the flat 10 minutes before I had to be at a meeting that I was leading. I had no airtime on my phone, so couldn’t call out or text message…and being such a quick thinker (umm…please note the sarcasm in my voice ☺) I decided that my only option was to climb out the bathroom window. Picture this…me crawling out of a 1 ½ ft x 2 ft window. I’m sure the men out working in the yard got a good laugh out of my legs dangling out of the window. (By the way, when I arrived at my meeting no one was even there yet…this is what we call “African time.”- translation- “time” has a completely new meaning on this continent.) 4. On Friday I totally “lost my edge” with my South African driving skills and had the hardest time remembering what side of the road to drive on. I definitely turned into the wrong lane and a car was coming straight toward me honking (or as the South Africans say, “hooting.”). Fortunately, there was no one in the other lane so I could move out of the way fast and turn left. Needless to say, my heart about beat out of my chest in that moment!! And now, after telling this…the prayers from home for my safety on the road are probably quadrupling!! Don't worry, I'll get "the edge" back :)
I could go on about the frustrating things that happened on Friday, but I’ll spare you all the needless details…and if you know me, you know that that is a big deal for me because I pretty much thrive on giving ALL the details!! (right Mom?). Next feeling…
HUMBLED…In the middle of my frustrating day on Friday, I had an experience that put everything into perspective and that I’ll probably remember for the rest of my life. It pretty much made me realize that all of my frustrations or problems are needless and petty.
A nurse came in and asked Natalie and I if we’d like to pray with a patient who is terminally ill and probably does not have long to live. He has tongue cancer and had been at the HCU a few weeks ago and was transferred to another hospital. He was sent back to Living Hope to spend his remaining days there.
It was a moving experience to hear Natalie pray for this sweet man named Freddie. I knew I would not be able to hold it together to pray for him as I was a little emotional already and can pretty much cry at the drop of a hat anyway ☺ After the prayer, Freddie said to us, “God is still good…” Wow!!!
After praying, he asked us to read the Bible to him. I finished up 2 Corinthians, then continued on into Galatians. It was a pretty powerful and humbling experience to read from God’s Word to a dying man. His Word is pretty much the only thing that matters when you are at the end of your life. We are pretty good and jumbling life up with all sorts of complications, but at the end of it all nothing else matters but God and us.
Freddie was obviously a believer by the way he listened, looked, and “uh-huhed” as I read. He was constantly agreeing with the words of Truth that I was reading. How can you be in that situation and not be moved to tears when you read….”I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
At this point, I was really kind of choking up as I read. You know when you are really trying hard to hold it together…but failing miserably and your face and voice are all contorted? Yeah well that was me ☺ He could see me struggling and held up his hand and said, “It’s ok.” I interpreted that as, “It’s ok, don't cry for me because I’m about to go home.”
How wonderful that I got to be apart of some of the final days of a man’s life and read the eternal and unchangeable Word of God to him. I wonder what it’s like to know that in a short while you’ll be seeing your Savior with your own eyes, and that the cares and pains of the world are about to fade completely.
I know that I’ll remember that moment with Freddie for a long time…
So these thoughts kind of some up a week of life of LB. I could write so much more, but then you’d be bored to tears ☺
Oh yes…well another highlight of the week (last week) was when my dad e-mailed to let me know of a small miracle that had occurred last Saturday…Vandy won...Alabama won…and UT lost…ALL IN ONE DAY!! Now that’s a good day!!
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