It started with a sad goodbye to the red team girls, which was followed by what I guess was the fastest jog I've had in years if not ever! Why this agony you might ask - to go buy yummy goodbye bread and have it back in time before their bus leaves. Praise God that I made it just in time and could pop the bread through the window as the bus pulled away, one can only imagined what this day might have turned out to be if I had to run down the alley ways of a Chinese town for nothing!
The team decided to plant scriptures in town. We all wrote down something we wanted to leave behind and then walked around dropping/ planting/hiding it wherever we felt it should be left. In my mind it was like lighting little candles and planting them all around a very dark place to give some light and hope. Somehow Reynard and I ended up together and did our walk. As we moved through town we prayed aloud for the people around us, the little kids running in front of us, the friendly shop owners we passed, the streams of fresh water flowing between the houses, the young girl pulling a plough, the temples we passed and before we knew it we had walked up a mountain, across town and into the outskirts of our now beloved host town.
This was the Saturday after Good Friday. The Saturday after the Lord brought the whole team together to celebrate Easter in a special way. The Lord did something big that night, believe me when I say the devil and his little evil friends got quite a scare and were in hiding! People all around us were shining with love, kindness and friendliness. It was clear that somewhere something big has happened, there was a change in heart and a door was opened. By this we were blessed as we made our way back to the bus stop hotel we called home for those few days. Just seeing the people's changed attitudes was more than enough to ? if I should ever doubt God's love, confirm it in a loud and clear way. With every step I could answer the question Jesus asked in John 21:15-19 with a loud and resounding YES! Yes Lord I love You more!?
To top this off God did not put a cherry on top, oh no?Our Lord is much more creative and extravagant! Why would He use a cherry when He could give me a western toilet?! We came upon a beautiful hotel, in what we presume are more the touristy part of town. I now remind you that we stayed in the bus station hotel ?this is the South African equivalent of staying in a taxi rank motel! Our toilets were eastern, which means you squat and toilet paper gets through into a bin next to the whole in the ground. This gets cleaned once a day. Our loo was so smelly that Reynard, off all people, decided to clean it! With his pink gloves and mouth guard he did a pretty good job.
But still a clean western toilet is quite the treat for a city girl like me! And this was not all! Reynard decided that one cannot visit China without having some local lamb so off we went to order him some lamb. After they presented us with Chinese menus and the most divine green tea (with dried flowers, some kind of seeds, sugar cubes and tea leaves resembling dagga) Reynard played pictionary and charades to explain he wants the one the goes "mee" All the while I was all rosy cheeked and giggly - it might have something to do with the tea, we're still not quite sure.
To top it all, the big extravaganza, the huge finale, the drum roll please? Margot wanted to go for a jog and I willingly went along. Now please breath, I did not volunteer to go with for the physical exercise part. The path she wanted to jog runs next to the river and can be viewed from the coffee shop. So yes, you know me well! Zylna, Reynard and I took it upon ourselves to keep a watchful eye over our jogging friend from the coffee shop with a strange, yet incredibly tasty pastry in the one hand and a lovely cup of coffee in the other and a view that would make any girl's knees weak...
After such a day what can one say but thank you?!?!?! What a pleasure! What a joy! What a privilege! Thank you Jesus for spoiling me with the BEST life has to offer. Thank you that even if I call a minus 5 star hotel home you treat me like your queen. Thank you for making my life a better life to live and thank you for loving me. I LOVE YOU JESUS ?MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY!
Until next time,
Jana