...sometimes its the small things...

When you must buy milk in a small bag because you don’t have a refrigerator to keep it from spoiling and must then boil the milk before it is safe to drink…you realize that milk is a treat.

When you must walk to fill up a 10L jerrican and then carry it back to the bathroom in order to rinse the red dust off your feet…you realize that water is precious and you become excited for the rain.

When you must walk for 30 minutes before reaching home…you learn to go slow, to enjoy the free exercise and take in all the sights and smells. 

When you must take time to sift through the rice and remove small rocks, fill the stove with charcoal, get the fire going and put it on to boil before eating supper…you realize that food has been grown and cultivated and should perhaps be eaten slowly.

When the power is off…you take time to look at the stars, to enjoy the people who are sitting next to you, and maybe learn a traditional dance when others can’t see you well enough to laugh too hard :)

There have been beautiful moments here when I stop complaining, take time to slow down and am overcome by the realization that I have everything I need and even abundantly more than I need.  Don’t misunderstand the above statements- they are not complaints- I have come to see these things as treasures, as blessings from the Lord.

But here is the beauty of it… you don’t have to go to Africa for a semester in order to recognize these things.  You don’t have to run outside and get water for your shower from the hose in order to be thankful for clean water. You don’t have to hope that the power goes out in order to be awed by the beauty of the stars.  You don’t have pick rocks out of rice in order to enjoy your food and be thankful for it as one of God’s good gifts. 

Great is your faithfulness.  Morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed your hand has provided.  Great is your faithfulness, Lord unto me.