Our Journey to Africa ... James1:27

Sometimes in all the heartbreaking stories there is one that ends happily, and shows the power of a church that cares enough to get involved in the life of a stranger.

Bonani Hadebe, a local pastor, told us the story of a 14 year old boy who found himself in a Bulawayo government hospital with 'prostate issues'. Both of his parents had passed away, and he lived with his sister in the rural areas near Kariba. He had gone to a clinic in Kariba to seek treatment, but had been loaded into an ambulance and sent to a hospital in Gweru. When they couldn't help they sent him to Bulawayo. The poor guy had no idea where he was, because he had never left his home area before. His sister didn't know what had happened to him either. The hospital refused to treat, feed or even clothe him, because he couldn't pay the hospital bill and he had no one to feed or bathe him. He was simply lying there in pain, neglected and far from home.

The church decided to cover the costs of the treatment, they clothed him and prepared meals for him. A couple of ladies from the church would come daily and care for him. They prayed for him and whatever was causing him to be unable to urinate was healed. But now the doctors refused to discharge him and wanted to proceed with surgery anyway. Eventually they conceded that there was no need and they discharged him with a clean bill of health. The church bought him a bus ticket so he could go up to Kariba where he could find his way back to his sister's home.

Sorry that reads like a news bulletin, but it's still a good story. Thank God for churches who don't just talk about doing good, they do it.

What I'm thankful for:

Since coming to Zimbabwe, I have started realize how blessed I am. I don't say this casually, not in the least. I am blessed with conveniences and luxuries, not necessities, although I am abundantly blessed with those as well. As I was sitting outside tonight, looking at the stars, it all started to come to me; not just a realization, but a humbling awakening. I pray the sting of reality will never leave my eyes, my heart, my soul or my mind. I pray I will never, ever view my blessings as something I am entitled to, but something that has been graciously granted to me. The humbling part; why me? Why not every one of these precious lives, whose hopes and dreams are much like mine? I don't have the answers to those questions. The knowledge of them is far too complex and deep to be answered or understood. What I do know is that I can never view my life at home the same. Never again.

I am thankful that I have and know my grandparents and knew two of my great-grandparents. Most children here will hardly know their own parents. Mom and dad will have died of AIDS.

I'm thankful that most of my family live in the same town. We could be scattered all over the world, but we are fortunate enough to live near each other. I know my uncles, aunt and cousins. I know my nieces and nephews. None of them have AIDS.

I'm thankful for my reliable car. I'm thankful every gas station in town has fuel; all the time; anytime. I'm thankful I don't have to travel to a neighboring country to buy fuel for my vehicle. I'm thankful that when my car breaks down, all the parts needed to repair it are available and I don't have to go and fetch a mechanic to come to my house to repair my vehicle. I'm thankful that when I need a new car, I can find one that is used and is affordable. I'm thankful that banks give loans for cars.

I'm thankful that I don't have to get up at 4am, walk to the bank and stand in line for hours every day of the week and only receive enough money to buy a few basic items; porridge, tomatoes, cabbage. I'm thankful that when I get a paycheck from work, I don't have to wait 7 days for the check to clear to even get a small amount of money from that check; all the while my family and I go hungry. I'm thankful I can withdraw 100% of the money in my bank account whenever I need it. I'm thankful that$1 today is worth $1 tomorrow. I'm thankful a loaf of bread doesn't equate to 500 US dollars and the next day cost $1000. I'm thankful I can keep my job, because it doesn't cost me more in transport to and from my job than what I am actually being paid. I'm thankful I can pay my bills by mail and not worry about the post office raiding the mail and stealing the money. I'm thankful I can pay bills on the internet if I want to, because the internet is reliable.

I'm thankful that electricity is available 99.9% of the time and I don't have to plan my life around when the power is available. I'm thankful I have clean drinking water, straight out of the tap.

I'm thankful that if and when I need a doctor, there is always one available. I'm thankful that when those I love are in the hospital, I don't actually have to bring food and supplies in for them. I'm thankful they will be cared for and not left naked and hungry. I'm thankful I can go to the pharmacy and what I need will be available. I'm thankful that as a nurse, I can actually help my patients instead of just watch them suffer. I'm thankful that in the U.S., generally the dying don't die in agony; they die with medication to make them comfortable.

I'm thankful that the store shelves are full. I'm thankful that if I enjoy a meal out with family or friends, I will still be able to eat the rest of the month. I'm thankful that I know what hunger is and it is not the feeling you get in between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner or dinner and bedtime. Hunger is when there is no food in your house and little in the stores. If there is food in the stores, the prices are far too high and if you aren't among the more fortunate to travel to Botswana or South Africa for food, you probably will starve. Hunger is when you finish your one and only meal for the day, and your stomach still aches for more. This is the same meal you have had night after night after night. Hunger is when you have a little food in your home, but your dare not indulge today, because you may not eat tomorrow. Hunger is when you set out on a journey to find food and leave your 3 little ones at home who are too weak to travel with you, only to return 5 days later to find that each of your children have died from starvation. Now, both your stomach and soul are empty. (This is a true story, folks.)

I'm thankful my eyes have seen the difficult and tragic reality of life here in Zimbabwe. I'm thankful I have truly been awakened to the fact, like I said, that most of what I have are not necessities, but convienences and luxuries. I only pray that God will show me what to do with the sights I have seen and how best to respond to the needs of the world. I pray that compassion and sensitivity for this country are forever etched in my soul and that I will not go home and become complacent and calloused. I pray that whenever I begin to become frustrated with circumstances I face at home, that I will quickly remember, I am blessed. I pray I will remember the faces and stories of those who, as Temba says, are "living miracle lives". People are truly, truly amazing here. They have so little and face the obstacles and hardships of daily life with joy, vitality and a faith in God that would bring most of us to our knees. I was awakened today to another humbling truth; I came here to encourage and teach, yet that is what I have received by each and every person I have met. I am humbled.

Dear readers, may you remember today that you are blessed. Take time this moment to thank our almighty God for the life He has given you and pray He will show you how to bless the world He loves, in return.