Jungle Gibberish

The Gabonese are beautiful. I'm been consumed with that thought lately. I hope that doesn't sound creepy because it's not intended to be. It's just me realizing that everyone is created in the same image of our God. It's a wonderful and insane thought at the same time. It's not only their faces that are beautiful, but their hospitality, openness, and sincerity. Lately, I've been gathering all the memories of faces I can and taking tons of mental pictures. Yes, I'm taking real pictures too, but somehow all the pictures I'm taking don't seem to express or capture exactly what I'm experiencing.

With that thought, I have also been reminded that God longs for their hearts. It's as if He has been whispering into my ear saying, “They're mine”. God desires their hearts just as He desired and still desires mine. He wants their lives to sing of His glory. He wants their words to speak His truth. He wants their hearts to be His home. And He won't relent until he has it ALL.

No one is beyond redemption. Christ died for us all. He desires us all the same. He pursues, he chases, and he never relents.

I can't tell you how much the above thoughts have been on my mind recently. It's a beautiful thing that we are all on the same playing field and Christ desires us all the same. It's even more beautiful that he wants us in our brokenness, just as we are. It blows my mind.

Currently, I am in Bongolo. A group of fourteen of us made the twelve hour trip on Tuesday. With only two flat tires on the vehicles and the trunk popping open while driving speedily on a dirt road, we made it here safely. We are doing work projects for the Hospital in the morning and hanging out in the afternoons. Some of the girls went into the nearest town today, La Bamba. I still don't believe that I am in Africa most days as it seems unreal and impossible. Walking in the African village today just didn't seem real so I had to stop and pinch myself. I have times when I experience that reality but then in the next moment it seems as though I have been here forever, and that I could continue this forever.

However, I won't be staying here forever (not this time at least). Home is getting closer, and I am not liking the idea of leaving any more as it gets closer. I'm overwhelmed by the thought that I'll have to leave all the beautiful faces and this lifestyle in just about three weeks. I try not to think about that often.

As I'm typing this, I hear the beautiful sound of my brothers and sisters singing out praise to our Father. This is a common occurrence amongst our family and it's the simple things like this that I won't be able to get enough of in the coming weeks. I'm soaking in every moment and I can't wait to share once I return. Granted, it might take a while to get out and it might not come quick enough as some of you would like, but it will come. So be ready to bear with me. :)