"I came that you may have life, and that in abundance."
31 days, 28 travel-buddies, 3 countries, 1 awesome God! I was given one month of life, the source of it and what makes it a gift. The past month in Africa was one of adventure, prayer, learning, changing. And rain. Lots and lots of rain! Both physically and spiritually, drencing me in God's love and leaving me soaked and rinsed from the grime that unnoticingly covers our hearts over time, to reveal a changed, unrecognisable new person.
As the drops fell from the sky in Maasai land in Kenya, I was challenged with the invitation to live. Like Bob Goff says in Love does, we get a special invitation daily that would kill us to turn it down, yet we are tempted to ignore it every day. It doesn't come in an envelope, but in the form of a sunrise, a bird singing and the smell of coffee drifting lazily from the kitchen - the invitation to really live. I realised that by doing Global Challenge it doesn't automatically enter me in the game of life. It just gives me an even greater invitation, a more adventurous opportunity to live that I have to say yes to anew every day! In Kenya it was brought to me by 'n breathtaking viewpoint of the forest, the sound of raindrops on my tent or the bright smile of 'n Masaai lady who just wants to communicate through a sincere, deep look in the eyes when language fails. And yes, even through an optional, sometimes tiresome choice to go to church or another village visit. But that is when God throws in 'n blue butterfly or a view of the river in flood or tea in a Maasai person's home. When we accept that invitation to live I learnt that God gives a welcoming gift, and a heck of an adventure!
The bustling, chaotic city life of Kampala was quite contrary to the Bushman life we have adapted to in Kenya, but this ensured that we could experience the true jewel of the country - the people! Warmth and hospitality is their first language and we have found family and love when we were far from and longing for our own. The Bible speaks of people hosting angels without knowing, but I think angels hosted us... We did DBS Bible studies with people from all walks of life - prostitutes, drug addicts, refugees, former Street kids and ordinary people looking for life. I have learnt that every testimony has power, even when it feels that you can't associate with people at all! Turns out, sometimes all people want is a happy, encouraging story of God's power, healing and purpose in your life to give hope for the heavy lives they are leading. God isn't restricted to time, experience or familiarity, he just needs someone willing to take time to make new friends.
As we stepped out of the bus in Rwanda after our incredible travel challenge, a definite sense of God's presence and blessing was felt on the land. It all became clear after our visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. It is humanly impossible for a country to recover the way Rwanda did from the tragic events of 1994 without the intervention of a powerful and forgiving God. A God who brings restoration and redemption, forgiveness from a victims side and who takes away all divisive titles so that every person in the country is just known as a Rwandan, a neighbour, a friend. And if a God like that intervenes, 20 years later you have a beautiful, clean, plastic-free land with compulsory gardens and finished buildings. A country absolutely free of corruption and crime, whose building block is trust between all people. A country South Africa and the rest of the world can learn from! I learnt that life is a celebration with God, because he rose from the grave and is alive our lives today! We can dance and make a joyful noise like in the church we attended, where I kept on imagining God smiling and feeling honoured because these people celebrate life, theirs and His! And the even greater news is that He celebrates ours!
I was given one month of life in Africa. Not through the adventurous hikes or dodgy transport on motorbikes, the magnificent views or spreading good news, or even the people's hearts or the thousands of covered yards, but through God who makes every day worth living, no matter where we are at or what we are doing. For one day in His house is surely, infinitely beyond doubt better than a thousand days elsewhere!