Getting up this morning was an ugly ordeal in our flat. Biana was wide awake at 4 because of some music blasting outside her window that persisted for over an hour. Adrie wasn’t feeling well and had been up and around for a majority of the night also. I woke up with a bad sore throat and was literally without a voice for a while. (It brought back many memories of Summer Safari... Thankfully I don’t lead games in Jos!) We decided collectively around the breakfast table that we would enjoy a congregation of three this week and started our service with cups of tea.
I have received a lot of news from back home over the past twenty-four hours and needed some processing time. Life gets a little crazy with the realization of three more units (Thank you Tim!), a good friend’s engagement, the joy that comes from life forming inside a person, and the sadness that comes with the closing chapters of another. Knowing these things Biana stepped in as pastor as the three of us spent time thinking through the process of life and death, the inevitability of both, and how we as children of God should think about these things. It was a beautiful time of fellowship as we shared stories of people in our lives that are not with us anymore; stories of how legacies are carried on and coming to simple realizations of what is important and what is not. Needless to say we had a good church service today and I was put more at peace with all the emotions running around inside of me.
Biana switched from pastor to cook in order to prepare her famous Leftover Stew and toss a fresh salad. We ate in higher spirits than we woke up with and the hot soup helped my voice regain some volume. When we were full Adrie and I took a walk to the Clinic to do some needed e-mailing and phone calls. I felt bad waking Josh up so early on a day he could have slept in, but sometimes a girl just needs to talk to her boyfriend! It was nice for both of us to catch up with family and friends that are far away and continue to check up on situations we are hearing about. Adrie’s big sister Abi and her husband just discovered they are pregnant with their first child, which we are all incredibly excited about, and a friend of mine just proposed to his girlfriend. Life keeps going even if you are not close enough to experience it firsthand! What a bittersweet blessing.
To close off the day we decided it was time for another trip to the Net Cafe where the five of us shared in a time of good conversation, delicious food, and, of course, the necessary dessert fix. (I have a fear I will eat my weight in chocolate once I get back to the States!) Our bedtime seems to jump forward every night so we decided to head back to our respective flats for some needed rest before heading into another busy week at Faith Alive. Mewithoutyou has been keeping me company as I get my heart and mind in order for this week to come.
“If I come without a thing than I come with all I need.”
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