Somewhere in Africa

Somewhere in Africa...

...is the button for my black dress.

...you'll find 300 smiling children wrapped in beautiful quilts as they lie down to sleep tonight.

...there are resourceful people who use their limited resources to accomplish great good.

Making BUSOMA -- more on that in another blog post.

...is a hospital that continued to operate through years of horrific bloodshed.

...generous people who share what they have.

These eggs, plus two live chickens, were gifts from five widows we visited one day.

...are believers in Christ who are standing strong in the face of great difficulty.

...is a young pastor who can now play Solitaire, and another friend who is now proficient in Sudoku!

...there are perhaps more cell phones than there are people!

A popular billboard in Burundi.

...are children who love to have their picture taken.

...is a cook who can make fine cinnamon rolls.

...there is a path that is level and smooth, but I did not find it.

...the basic needs of hundreds of widows are being met through sponsorship and skills training for self-sufficiency.

...widows all over the country are moving into their very own homes.

...are widows who come to a retreat with an offering -- a bag of beans they have grown and dried themselves -- to share with the "poor."

Part of the widows' "thank offering"

...I have new friends, both African and American, who have imprinted my life deeply.

...our brothers and sisters in Christ are praying for the church in America.

Somewhere in Africa is a large chunk of my heart.