Returning

Home.  The faces, the comforts, the familiar and yet not so familiar sights and sounds are starting to replace the ones we've been accustomed to for the past two weeks.  How is it possible that we're already back in Canada? It's all so very surreal.

And, as we were advised, now the real work begins.  We need to slowly peel back the layers of our experiences, and process what we learned about what God is doing both in South Africa and also here in Sarnia. Sounds simple, but I suspect it will be more difficult than I ever imagined.

For me, I am going to start by focusing on on two things, which are in direct relation to the experiences I found most challenging in South Africa.  First, I need to rethink the way I read scripture and how I tend to interpret it through the lenses of my own culture or even my own personal realities.  It dawned on me that I am guilty of this- interpreting God's word only as it relates to my life.

Also, at first when I came face to face with extreme material poverty, it messed me up.  (It's actually still messing me up).  My heart broke for these families whose daily existence is a fight for survival, while mine is so the complete opposite of that.  My first and natural reaction was to want to start giving away my belongings, move to a different home, and level the playing field a bit.  Then, through some wise counsel and lots of tearful prayer, I came to understand that God does not ask this of me, it is put on me by myself to ease the discomfort which I was feeling.  I am starting to understand that rather than despise my life, the better response is to appreciate the life I have and to simplify.  In removing distractions, then I will be able to pour more of myself into the relationships I have and will have- building into people rather than being a slave to "stuff".

I'm probably already jumping too far ahead in this whole processing part, as our tendency (my tendency) is to want to wrap things up into a tidy little package.  I recognize already that I am changed, and I know God is working so I'll try not to get in the way of what it is He wants to teach me.

I do want to say thank you though, to our families and friends for praying us through these experiences and I ask you to please continue praying as we "unpack".

We serve a great God;  mkhulu unkulunkulu UBaba.

Angela