I have only a few hours left on camp, before I head to Accra for the night, then I'm off in the morning. My time in Africa has been equal parts frustrating and rewarding. I wish I could stay longer, especially now that I have settled into life here and made truly fantastic friends...but such is life.
I know I am taking away more from the refugee camp than I could possibly leave behind and I have learned more than I have time to write on this blog. Some days I had to force myself out of bed and off to work- feeling like I am swimming upstream in shark-infested waters- but there have been moments that made it worth the frustrations...
Teaching my adult literacy class in the afternoons made everyday satisfying. Women in their 30s and 40s who want to read and write for the sake of reading and writing; and always so gracious. Yesterday, they closed our class in prayer. They have taken to calling me 'Felix' because my name is simply too hard for pronunciation. The women gave thanks to God for me coming and teaching them so much...they thanked God that they learned the alphabet. Finally, they asked for God to 'please bless our special teacher because we love her. And God bless Felix!" To all the naysayers: yes, my time here was worthwhile.
And oh, the children. Yesterday, I walked around camp to find my very favorite family of orphans...six shorties whose parents were killed during the war in Liberia. What did I find them doing? Sitting outside their mud home with a chalkboard, teaching the little neighborhood children spelling. I could not have asked for a better way to leave here than with that tiniest glimmer of hope...
After days in the feeding program- having bony babies with distended bellies thrust into my arms, having some of those very same babies dying within days- I know what Africa has taught me, above all things: a heart that breaks, is a heart that is whole. A heart that hurts is a heart that feels, that beats...
So to Africa, I thank you. I thank you for showing me that mine is a heart, very much alive.
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2 comments:
I love you Bobbi! Have missed you and been praying for you daily still. :-).
Some days I had to force myself out of bed and off to work- feeling like I am swimming upstream in shark-infested waters---AMAZING metaphor. That is exactly what it is like walking from the hotel to work. White lady, come here, I want to talk to you!
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