Sacrifice

"At any step along the way He could have called it quits...When He saw the dirt floor of His Nazareth House. When Joseph gave Him a chore to do. When His fellow students were dozing off during the reading of the Torah, His Torah. When the neighbor took His name in vain. When the lazy farmer blamed his poor crop on God. At any point Jesus could have said, "That's it! That's enough! I am going home." But He didn't. He didn't, because He is love." - Max Lucado

Friday was an exhausting day. I played pharmacist at the clinic all afternoon. People were coughing on me, I was dropping pills on the floor and having flashbacks to "It's a Wonderful Life" where the pharmacist almost kills someone by giving them the wrong medicine. Except Jimmy Stewart wasn't with me at Chifusa Rural Health Center to stop me from unintentional homicide. It was hot-Africa hot. I didn't want to ride my bike home, I just wanted a car and air conditioning and America. I was hungry. I wanted to order Chinese for dinner and not have another bowl of rice. And you all thought I had such a cheery disposition here in Zambia!

Then, as I am standing on a termite mound trying to text my parents, I see these two children riding full speed ahead on the back of this donkey. I had to laugh out loud. Honestly, donkeys really do look like Donkey from Shrek and you have to laugh out loud when you see them. It made me think how silly Jesus probably looked riding on one into town on Palm Sunday. Except I doubt it was called Palm Sunday then. Anyway, it just reminded me of all Jesus sacrificed to come to earth and show us His love for us. I love the quote above from Max Lucado's book A Love Worth Giving. As there as so many things throughout my day that seem too hard or too much for God to ask, it is so humbling to remember all that Christ gave up so that I can have a relationship with the Living God.

So Friday was challenging, but there were also really great parts of my week too! On Monday the Independence Eve Party went awesome-we had lots of dancing (Electric Slide and Square dancing were a huge hit), played Pictionary (easier to explain than Celebrity), ate good food and just had fun together. Tuesday was Independence Day and we had a festival at the school with more dancing, singing, poems and skits. Cholwe came for dinner again on Saturday night and we "baked" something that slightly resembled chocolate chip cookies without chocolate chips. I left Chifusa Sunday morning and arrived 3 hours and 13 minutes later here in town. I am sore and sunburned but I always enjoy challenges, so I felt pretty good about making it here in one peace. This morning (Monday) at 6am I went to a women's bible study and it was great. We just got to know each other and prayed together which is something I have been missing since coming here. It is pretty awesome how God has brought people into my life here when I have so been craving fellowship!

Thanks again for your prayers and emails, I miss you all. And a special Happy Birthday to my much older sister April! Wish I were there and love you!