Wednesday, January 26, 2011

In Light Of Eternity

The weather lately may as well play on the way this week has been going. Just note that what I am going to write about is not in a complaining way at all. As Christians we need each other for encouragement and prayer. With that in mind, I tell you things that aren't going so well in hope for prayer and encouragement :)

I came here best I could prepared for the fact that these kids are sick and some may die while I'm here. Of course one can only prepare for difficulties in so any ways and still not be sure how to deal with it in reality.

Boutimelio went to the hospital on Monday. He had been there for 3 months last time so I don't know how long it will be this time. He has meningitis again and is in a lot of pain in his head. He also has skin cancer which I mentioned in a past post which they can't treat due to the fact of his AIDS.

Every Tuesday at lunch time we have a management meeting and each person takes a turn providing the meal. We have items for discussion and items for prayer and after that each person prays for one of the items. It was quite a discouraging list this week of death and suffering among the staff. All of us gathering to pray from different countries Ireland, London, Switzerland, South Africa, and the US...praying and agreeing together, trusting in God... has a comfort in it's own way. I prayed for Boutimelio. God is Sovereign. He holds Boutimelio in His hands. He has a plan for His life on this Earth or in Heaven.

So I was already trying to hold myself together from that morning when Kokesto just started crying in school. I don't know why and if I had done something to make him sad. Lyn said that he did that last week too, so I felt a little better that I wasn't the cause. I saw pictures of Kokesto yesterday when he first came to Lambano and it's astonishing that the 9 year old boy I teach every morning was a picture of skin and bones, literally, not long ago. The hospice had him on an IV.

So with the the emotion of Kokesto and Boutimelio on my mind it was time for the school run. I was driving and Valerie was with me. We hadn't even got onto the main road when a small dog came out of no where and ran under the wheel...

Safe to say that was not the best day since I've been here. I know that those kind of days happen and that I can make it through them to the next day by cling on to what I know. This isn't all there is...

I've been challenged more to live and make decisions in light of eternity. What does living life to the fullest for the glory of God look like? How can I be on mission with the gospel in my every day routine? Some of these kids might not make it to college, get married or have a family of there own...could what I do with them today not matter tomorrow...? NO, it will matter if I am spending time with them and teaching them having the mindset of looking to eternity.
What would matter to them in the long run....
the Gospel!

3 comments:

  1. Your thoughts are in the right place, RayRay :) You're in a difficult situation, but you're handling it admirably! Just keep the mindset you have, keep your nose in the word, and keep on talking with God. There will be highs, there will be lows... it's how we handle them that determine who we are :)

    Gotchya in my thoughts and prayers Rachel Marie, stay safe! :)

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  2. This post gave me goose-pumps...

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  3. Hi rachel,

    Really enjoy reading your post about your daily experiences, especially " In light of Eternity". Thanks for serving our king in this manner. Hope all else is well with your soul. Let me know if you need anything.

    Mike Bushy

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