January 9, 2011

Today on the way to church we were driving behind a white pick-up truck, which had about 9 people sitting in the back along with a coffin. My attention was particularly drawn to the small size of the coffin and then to the face of whom I believe was the mother. She sat at the rear of the truck, her legs hanging off the back and her arm resting on the box. Her gaze was downward and countenance full of grief. My heart went out to her as I reflected on what she must feel. What must it be like to bury your young child? I don’t even want to imagine such a thing but I full aware of the fact that many here in Africa must walk that path. As they turned down a different road I asked the Lord to comfort the family in a way that only he can. Once again I am reminded of the brevity of life and the reality of death has never been so much in my face as it is here.

In the afternoon I took walk along the all-familiar path I have traveled on an almost daily basis. I enjoy observing the different people and greeting them as they pass. Walking off to the side of the road there is a small short cut I often take that has 3-foot grass on each side. Today there was a group of 4 children gathering small snails near the grass edges and I was amazed to see close to 30 dragonflies swarming around them. One of the young girls shouted to the other children, “come quick and look, the snail has come out of its shell!” I just smile as I pass, appreciative of that pleasant little snap shot of God’s beautiful creation. I then pass the shoe repair “shop” on the corner and greet the owner. He is a young man of maybe 27 who has build a little shack and sells used shoes and repairs old shoes. Today he is leaning over a small brush fire he has made, melting some rubber from tires to repair some holes in a pair of shoes. The strong smell of burning rubber fills the air as I turn the corner near the produce market. The mud parking lot is full of large puddles from the heavy rains and people carefully walk between them as they come and go. A young mother carries a very large container of mangoes on her head and her young daughter of about 6 or 7 hurries behind her carrying a bowl of about 20 mangoes on her head. I think that has to be the most adorable thing I have seen since I have been here. I smile at the girl and she smiles and waves to me. Behind the market is a large pile of gravel and 2 young children spend their time climbing and sliding down the pile as their mothers work in the market. 3 elderly men wave to me from the shade of a small tree as I pass and approach a group of men cutting the grass with machetes, something I am eager to try. I decide to visit the apartment building where I will be living just to see what the atmosphere is on a Sunday afternoon. There are about 30 kids outside in the parking lot playing games and laughing as the mothers lounge nearby in the grass. Upon entering I notice that 2 of the 3 elevators are not working and the line for the working elevator is ridiculous. I will be living on the 8^th floor and being that this may be a common occurrence I decided to brave the stairs. Who knows how often I will have to use them, so I might as well start getting use to using them. J My legs were burning by the time I got to the 8^th floor but the views from there are amazing. I stood gazing from the windows out to the north, in the direction of the Congo, which is only about 6 miles away. The views from this height are something I do love and I have found that it is now common for me to come to the 8^th or 10^th floor to look around the city and spend time praying. It will be nice when I can do so from my own apartment.