The Road

At least five times a week, I drive into town for a plethora of reasons and to get to town there is basically one road to take. Yes there are back roads that we call "adventures" but 95% of the time you take one road. Depending on what time you are on the road your journey is different. No matter what time, you will hear load honking from taxis "calling" to their passengers letting them know they are have room. Most of the time the road is passable and you can get through with no issues. There are a few hours in the morning and at night though when the road is PACKED with people either going to or leaving work. People, thousands upon thousands of them, walking down a two lane street. Some are purchasing goods to take home from the many tuck shops lined along the road. Some are dodging in and out of traffic to cross the road and get to where they need to go. As they walk their faces are all different. Some are joyful and laugh and joke with their friends (these you need to watch out for because they like to push and shove each other in the road like elementary school boys on a playground.) Some just keep their eyes fixed not the road and walk. Their blank faces tell a story of long work hours and a long journey to and from work all done on their feet. They are tired and worn out. It seems like nothing for them is easy.

On Friday, Tyler was driving and I was riding in the car as we passed through the heavy traffic to get to our destination. I found myself looking longer at people this day and my mind was filled with questions. You see, Thursday was a full day at Beautiful Gate. In the matter of a few hours we received three children in three separate incidences. As we drove through the crowds of people, I thought to myself, was it this person? Could it be that person or that one? Did one of these people leave any of these children? I looked at their faces differently that day and instead of seeing light hearted people, I saw pain. Pain from the journeys they have been on. Pain from the poverty. Pain from the disease. Pain from just being tired. Their faces reflected a different look to me. I no longer was overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle of the commute at that time of day, but more curious of the individual stories each of these people represent. Were they themselves an orphan, either abandoned or due to death or choice? Was their life filled with love and encouragement or one of hard work and sacrifice? Do they push and shove and joke with their coworkers, because they didn't have the opportunity to go to school and do that on the play yard? Do they buy goods every day, on the walk home, because their house does not have a refrigerator to keep food? Did they just leave a newborn close to this same area?

And then I have to ask myself the hard question...How many times did I drive by an area where a child was and not see them? How many times did I not look at their pain but continue on with my drive and complain about how they were not crossing the road nice?

I have come to a point where some of the stories of the child's abandonment no longer shocks me. It saddens me yes and deeply at times, but I no longer feel shock. More than anything I feel numb and keep going with my day, kind like the people walking on the road to town. Sometimes the events of the days and feelings in your heart create nothing but numbness. The thing that hurts me the most is that that numbness then affects the lives of precious little babies who did nothing wrong.

Please join me in boldly praying for Lesotho and it's people. Life here is tough. But there is hope. A few weeks ago we celebrated resurrections day and the last I checked, the tomb is still empty!!!!

Reflections

This past week it has been great having a team from Haven Church (Michigan, USA) at Beautiful Gate. Haven has been my home church for 16 years and it is always nice to have them here. The Haven team marked a few transitions points for me.

First, it was the first team that Tyler lead and I supported him. I found many moments throughout the week that I just stood back and was so proud of the way he was leading. Once again it was very clear that me stepping away from BG was God's plan so that Tyler could step into the North American Ambassador role.

Also, my first time ever in Lesotho was on a team from Haven in October of 2009. It was a great experience then and the Lord has continued to show how love and faithfulness to me throughout the past seven years. As I watched the leaders of my first trip, Keith and Lori Kroll, continuing to do what they always do with teams, which is give people opportunities to experience our Abba in Lesotho, I remembered the moments of my first trip. I remember being nervous, excited, apprehensive and ready to soak in what the Lord had for me. (Yes in Lesotho it is normal to experience every emotion, even opposite ones all at the same time.) This year's team went to the same places we did in 2009 and there were many moments when I had to catch my breath because I saw God's path come full circle for me. One of those places we went to was the village of Semonkong, but the journey was different. On my first trip we never made it to the Maletsunyane falls. Since 2009, I have had the privilege of being at the falls on different occasions, but Lori and I always joked that we needed to redeem the first trip and go together. As I sat watching the water pour over the top of the fall and making the 630 foot drop to the bottom, I thought about the overwhelming feeling of having God's faithfulness pour over you. When I sit back and think about the past seven years and the journey the Lord has had me on, that is the one word that I can use to describe Him...faithful.

I know that in the next 3 months I will have many experiences like with team, when I see God's plan and path clearly laid out. I see the joyful and the sorrow. I see the brilliance and the diminished times of His presence. Over all I see His amazing mercy that has poured over me and will continue to pour over me no matter where the path leads after December. I am so humbled and honored that the Lord chose me, a sinful woman, to walk this journey and worship Him through it.