Hello,
I wanted to
write and share a few simple things. Sometimes I sit at the end of the day and
wonder why I am so tired and often it is because of simple things, not anything
big. I have been starting plants in 5 gallon buckets, peanut butter jars, oil (vegetable)
bottles, etc. I cannot put them in the ground yet because the ground is
supposed to be leveled out. This was supposed to happen next week for the last
2 months. Every day I hear “Mama Chris your plants” Most of the children know
that no one is supposed to hurt them, so they call me when someone does, but
some of the children just can’t stop themselves. This morning as I watered the
plants I noticed that someone was trying to be helpful and wrote Mama Chris on
every potted plant in creole, they also spelled my name wrong and wrote Christ
instead of Chris. I just sighed and asked who had tried to help. Most times it
is something like that. Other times they know what they are doing and know they
shouldn’t and still do, like locking a younger child in the kitchen. They are
kids and kids do things, like wonder what happens when you stick your finger in
the hole of a pencil sharpener? I do my laundry by hand in cold water, two of
my older children help me now, but hands get tired after hand wringing laundry
for 7 people, think of sheets, bath towels and jeans. So next my laundry is
sitting in tubs waiting for me to hang it on the line. All of the sudden I have
half a dozen little dirty hands wanting to hand me clothespins and wet clean clothes,
some of them white. The children also
have a hard time going around the line of wet clean clothes, instead of just
through them. In the process some of the longer items, like the bath towels hit
the dust, literally. Sometimes one nanny comes and asks for lotion, soap,
toothpaste or something else. Then they all think it and I have a steady stream
every 5 minutes for the next hour. Just try and get anything done, like
homeschooling for 5 kids. In the beginning it was new and no big deal. After a
while it was frustrating. Just the past couple of weeks it has finally become
just part of life here. I am trying to learn to walk out my day with less
frustration, lower expectations and more joy. I have an extremely strong passion
in regards to justice versus injustice and right from wrong. And right now I am
being put to the test not only daily, but sometimes minute to minute. Steph,
back in Washington likes to say something is a 1st world problem
versus a 3rd world problem. I read about a lot of 1st
world problems on face book. So when I wake up in the morning and find a pipe
has broken somewhere in the children’s village, and because of that there is no
water, which in turn means there is no food, I think that ranks as a 3rd
world problem. It is a little bit more life effecting then 1st world
inconveniences, but the bible says I still have the same choice to make. Will I choose to find joy? Our walk is full of choices and sometimes they
are easier to make then others. Bottom line I do love it here and this is where
I know we are supposed to be. But God is using daily, no minute to minute
circumstances to sharpen me. I have been reminded of a quote by George Muller “Faith
does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in
that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.” I do not
have the power myself to choose joy, I need God to help me make the choice, in
spite of the circumstances, to choose joy. Some moments I can see this and some
moments I just cannot. I guess that is where faith comes in no, I know that is
where faith comes in. Trusting in Him to finish the work.
Love and
blessings,
Chris
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