i dont want to live this ordinary life

K and I eating our favourite thing, AZAMS!

This week has touched my heart in ways I find hard to put into words. God has been stirred my heart up in ways I never expected-this being a school trip. But God does work in mysterious ways. We met some people from the states today who spoke perfect English, which is unusual in a place such as this. It was nice to have conversation with people who understood everything you were saying. They are traveling with a team of 61, which seems huge compared to our team of 12 (that is slowly decreasing). They have been traveling for 10 months, and have one more month to go, each month going to a new country doing missions and touching lives along this way. After talking to them, I got so excited and encouraged, but a part of questioned myself once again. They are so full of God and are doing as they are called to do and leading people to Christ. I felt as if I was not doing what I am capable of. God is so big, and I really need to let him live through me and lead me to where he needs me to be. These guys are doing a version of what I will be doing next September. Today along with this whole experience so far has got me so excited for Rachael’s travelling and mine to come, but has also started to challenge my own life and relationship with God.

precious.joy.

so beautiful.

Us Boona Baana girls (J, K, K and myself) made pizza with the kids last night for dinner. They could not stop thanking us for this “delicious” and “perfect” meal that we prepared for them. It was so much fun to see all their faces light up as they put their own toppings on their pizza crusts (pita bread).  In order to get the coals hot enough, we had to take turns waving a bowl on top of the coals. Although the first four we made got a little crispy on the bottom, but the kids still took them with joy in their eyes and did not even complain. E was eating her pizza very slowly, which was surprising; K later figured out that her pizza bottom was completely burnt. This being so she was still saying how much she enjoyed it, and was going to continue eating it. We made her a new pizza that was not burnt. How sweet of her to still be thanking us for her pizza, that was probably disgusting, and if K did not notice or make her a new one, she wouldn’t even have said anything! We had to cook them on hot coals, which is much harder then it looks!

singing head, shoulders, knees and toes with the kids!

This got me thinking of how lucky we have it, not only at home but here. People are cooking over coals, while we are cooking with a stove. We rarely have hot water, and when we don’t people still complain. I was ready to be sleeping in huts, and washing myself with buckets of water, if at all. And here I am with a comfortable bed, a blanket, a shower, and a nice toilet. Is this life I am living here fair? I feel as if I am not doing enough. Like I should be doing something more with my time here. I know that we are helping kids and giving them love, but there has to be something more. I pray that God uses me more and he shows me what I can do.

how is this SMILE not contagious!

I don’t want this experience to end when I get home, I need God to more then anything in my life. He is what fills me up and makes me smile. He has shown me this in more ways then just the life that I have been so blessed to live, the food that I eat, the family I have but the beauty of each day-the waves crashing, the sun rising, the simple hello  from a stranger, and especially the joy the kids have, their smiles that go from ear to ear, but what comes from a smile that touches my heart.

these kids LOVED the camera just as much as the camera LOVED them

kids found a mouse with her tiny babies.

and the kids stared in admiration for at least 20 minutes.

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. And thank you to those of you who have messaged me with words that have encouraged me and spoke words that really touched my heart and have meant so much to me. I really appreciate it and couldn’t do this without God, and all of you backing me up!