Dust on my feet

This place has a way of getting to you…a way of making you never want to leave. I heard once that when you get the dust of Africa on your feet, you will never get it off. I never knew how true that was until now. The people here are so beautiful. The way they give, even when they don’t have. One day I went out into the village, we were looking for orphans to bring into our children’s’ home. This one lady had next to nothing, but she was so excited to see us that she gave us each a bunch of bananas. That’s probably all she had to eat for that day, but she insisted, that we, her guests, take them. I’ve also seen some hard things, some things I wish had never happened.
Amongst the pain and poverty, there is much beauty though. The smiles on the children’s faces, they way the people worship at church and the sunsets as I sit on the water tower and watch the stars. It’s everywhere really; sometimes you just have to look for it.
This Saturday our kids come to live in their new home. There has been so much work, but now we see our end in sight. This is what it is all for. We are expecting about 300 people. We are killing a cow, having plenty of rice, soda etc. These things are such treats for most of the people around here. Though I eat rice almost every day, for most people it’s kept for holidays. This place is busy…it’s dark and 8 o clock and the workers are still building. We have to be ready for the kids.
Soon the generator will go off, the skies will release and the rain will fall on the tin roof and I will fall asleep knowing all is well. That I am supposed to be here, and that the God I serve loves Africa like I do…and even more.