Hurdles

I have never liked hurdles. 

 In eighth grade I used to run track and once during a hurdle race I had a bad fall that tore up one side of my face and knocked 2 of my front teeth out. I still have some scars from it today. Not a good memory! 

A Hurdle race is tricky to run. I watched a couple of races during the Olympics, and cringed every time someone jumped, hoping no one would fall. You either confidently jump over them, or you hesitate ...and most likely will trip and fall. I usually just rather avoid them.

Coming to Congo this time has felt like a "hurdle run".  Hurdles are pretty much a norm for Africa. Some of them these past days were very concrete…like having no electricity last night or internet when I wanted to connect with my family or driving down the streets of Kinshasa dodging pot holes, broken down cars or piles of trash in the middle of the road on our way to taking my African colleague’s wife to the hospital to get a malaria treatment. Other hurdles are more mental and emotional. Mine these days were finding out that two of my colleagues were refused entry in to Congo and that I am now here alone and responsible for doing the teacher training we had planned to do together.  My initial reaction was ..and  I did, to call Phil, cry a little and tell him I want to come home. I really didn't want to be here and do this alone.

That is what I felt like doing! But a strange thing is happening tonight and I can only explain it as “Christ living in me”. I  all of a sudden have peace….yes, the one that passes all understanding that we we about in the Bible. And after reading dozens of emails, What’sApp and facebook message that came in from good friends encouraging me and saying they were praying for me. Tonight I don’t feel alone.

So I’ve decided and I am going to take those hurdles straight on with confidence and courage….because…,

“He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world”

 Yesterday morning while sitting in the Addis Ababa airport on my way to Congo. I read these verses. They came just at the right time. I Just wanted to share them with you. Maybe some of you are running a kind of hurdle race right now. Go for it!

“The Lord you God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing-

Zephaniah 3:17