God spoke something so fresh to me on Saturday.  It happened while I was up at Mount Washington .  I was sitting on the chair slowly climbing up to the top of the mountain when it began to snow.  Earlier that morning the sun had peeked it's welcome face out from behind the clouds, and I thought for a moment that we may get 'the perfect day'!  (You have to see life from the top of Mount Washington on a sunny day, it's truly awe inspiring.)  The view, the warmth, the soft snow… I'm sure I was surrounded by people who joined me, cheering on the sun as it fought to break through.  It didn't happen.

A half hour later it was obvious that the clouds had won the battle.  Visibility would be low, the snow would cut our faces as we rode, and the combination of fog and precipitation would keep us colder that anyone had hoped.  It was as I sat on that snow blown chair that it hit me… I'm loving this!  I was overcome with the realization that though the day was not as perfect as I would have liked, it beat the alternative of not being there at all.  Sure, it wasn't sunny and warm, but I was sitting 30 feet off of a mountain with a board strapped to my feet.  The simple fact is I was excited to be there even though the day wasn't 'perfect'.

Often life is not as we had dreamed, planned, purposed, and believed it would be.  I'm sure many of you, like me, have had days when this is shockingly obvious.  I guess I'm learning that life comes in all shapes and sizes.  Sorrow is as much a part of it as joy,  satisfaction as disappointment, Wonder and mystery as knowing and reason.  When and where we began to believe that life is meant to be a 'perfect day' is not known to me.  In fact, I wonder who could with integrity teach that lesson to a child or a friend.  I am seeing that the greater truth lies in the invitation to "live life to the full" JN 10.10.  It is when we embrace all that life is with honesty and integrity, that we find joy, peace, patience, contentment, freedom, rest… and many other things that come only as we allow Christ to walk us through the reality of life as we live it.

In December I did up a blog entry called Africa – I Hear You .  Since then, God has not let Africa slip from my thoughts.  I mentioned in that earlier blog entry that one of the main things that connects me to this great continent (having never personally been there) are the inspiring journey's of friends who have.  Two of those friends are Tandela and Mark Swann.  Their story is mind blowing to me, and I don't say it that way to create drama (their story needs to added drama, HA).  

The story takes place in Uganda, a country that has been deeply touched by the evils of war.  Like many African countries, Uganda has a huge number of orphans.  Children who have lost their parents to war and disease.  The number of orphans in Africa is alarming, and to be honest, the situation leaves me feeling helpless and overwhelmed every time I here of it.  Mark was one of the orphaned.

Tandela on the other hand has great parents, and is in many ways a typical Canadian girl.  That said, she is in many ways far from typical (this is seen especially in her inability to control her laughter in the face of my humor!)  In a more real way, the difference of Tandela's life was seen when she left Canada for the orphanages of Africa.  Through a wild series of events, Tandela ended up at an orphanage in Uganda.  It was there that she met Mark, and it was her relationship with that little baby that would change both of their lives forever.

Tandela's heart was really drawn to Mark.  When it came time for her to head back to Canada, Tandela figured it was nothing more than her love for Mark that didn't want to leave him alone in that orphanage.  Days of prayer and counsel from parents and friends began to reveal that this desire to take Mark home to Canada had as much to do with God's heart as with Tandela's.  This is the where Mark and Tandela's story begins to blow my mind.  It is also where I begin to find a fresh sense of hope for Africa.

First, there is the incredible way God chose to rescue Mark.  Many of the boy soldiers in Africa are from Uganda, and while this was not inevitable for Mark, it's obvious that his adoption into Tandela's life has changed his future immensely.  When I've hung out with Mark, worshiped with Mark, and played with Mark I've heard a bit of God's heart.  I believe Mark was chosen with a purpose, and to be honest I stand in awe when I see God in him.

Tandela is no less an inspiration to me.  I will never fully understand what it felt like for a white single woman from Canada to take on the responsibilities of parenthood.  She has given up much, and in that heart of sacrifice I see Christ yet again.

Finally, those of you who also know of Tandela and Marks journey this past year, will I'm sure agree that their story continues to be more about God than about them.  Tandela and Mark traveled back to Uganda in December to finalize Mark's adoption.  My stomach turned inside out whenever I thought about the fact that the government there may reject the adoption.  Many prayers turned our hearts to Africa, and to Tandela and Mark as a family.  God worked things out in what I'd call 'Bible Story Fashion', and now Mark is officially Mark Kirab Swann.

I'm not sure what God is stirring in me as it concerns Africa, but I pray that one day soon I will have a chance to go.  I feel that through people like Mark and Tandela I've connected deeply with Christ's heart for this place.  I may often feel overwhelmed by the stories I hear about war and aids, but I know that their is hope.  Christ is the hope of Africa, and I pray that He will continue to break into it's countries, cities, refugee camps, orphanages, homes, and hearts.  God bless Africa.