Church Bells or Hell’s Doorstep

My mom recently sent me this quote by a Doctor who works in Bangladesh with Samaritan’s Purse, and it’s stuck with me since:

“Some yearn to live within the sound of a church bell.  I’d rather run a rescue mission within a yard of hell.“

Wow! Can this guy read my heart or what?!?

As most of you know, these past months have been difficult for me.  I’ve been honest with my struggles, even blogging about some of them.  Life, no matter where you live, or what you do, isn’t always easy.

But, here’s a little secret: I wouldn’t trade mine for anything.

I can’t tell you the last time I actually heard church bells, or anything even close.  I hear the call of prayer at mosques more than often, and as far as living within a yard of hell….well, mine’s more like a meter.  AND it’s right where I’m meant to be!

I can relate to this statement with every breath I take.

So through thick and thin, the good and the bad, the beauty and the ugly…I have to admit… I still choose life within a meter of hell than life within the sound of a church bell.

It’s where I’m meant to be!

Top 10 Memories of Africa

I am already being asked by many what my favorite or most memorable Africa experience has been.  As I sit and reflect back, its difficult to just pick one or two. There are so many wonderful, incredible things that happened, so I decided to pick my top 10.  I have blogged about some of them, but feel free to go back and enjoy the memories with me again.  Here goes… Letterman style:

10. My trip to Cape Town:  Mountains, Ocean, Beaches, Penguins…awesome!

9. Grocery shopping with Rishelle for Teen Mania.  500 loaves of bread, kg’s and kg’s of rice, mealie-pap,  and lots and lots of shopping carts.  We had some great laughs. 

8. Safari’s: elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras…I never get tired of seeing these amazing creatures.

7. Easter Conference in Namibia: traveling with youth on a mission trip…you’re only asking for awesome memories there.

6. The houseworkers asking for Bible’s: I will never forget the look on their faces and the bond we experienced that day.

5. Hungry, Hungry Hippos:  If you don’t remember the story, click here.  Personally, I will NEVER forget it!

4. My time at the Refugee Camp in Dukwe:  It was my first experience at a Refugee camp, and one that changed my heart for refugees.  

3. The summer of breakdowns:  From the outreach trucks to R2, there wasn’t a moment that someone wasn’t on the side of a road out in the bush; while sleeping there in the middle of the migration pattern with Teen Mania kids had to top it off…. which leads me to #2

2. Rat in the gastank:  This has to be one of the all time great stories of breakdowns.

1. Samaritan’s Purse Day:  An image that will stay with me forever.  Seeing thousands of kids opening up their shoeboxes filled with small tokens and the smiles on their faces.  Priceless!