Africa - Day One

***We did not have Internet access while we were in South Africa, so I'm going to post my journal as individual daily blogs now that I'm back. I hope it gives you an accurate picture of what this trip was like for us.***

"Anyone then who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." - James 4:17

The first 24 hours on the ground here has been a series of adjustments. When we arrived last night, we realized that the only form of "heat" that we will have are blankets and hot water bottles. (The temperature is below freezing.) Joey and I sleep in multiple layers - I even wore a stocking cap and the hood up on my hoodie. But in the end, we were warm enough and, most importantly, we slept.

Eating and drinking will be another struggle. They served us coffee when we arrived last night to warm us up. Since I don't drink coffee, I thought I would just fill a cup with hot water to warm my hands. I wasn't encouraged to see random dark-colored floaties in my cup. Ridiculous of me? Yes. But an internal comfort battle I will fight while we are here. Breakfast was French toast. Innocuous enough, but still hard for me to choke down all the same. Things are just different. Their eggs smell stronger I think because they are fresher and the syrup they use really isn't sweet. I felt bad for wasting what I left. I'll have to be more careful of the portions I take this week. They did have store bought yogurt and I brought a limited supply of bottled water, so I will have nourishment even if I can't overcome my issues. However, lunch smells really good right now so maybe it won't be an issue after all.

The bottom line is I'm frustrated with myself because I am spoiled rotten! With all of my luxuries - heat, abundant food, clean living conditions, even bottled water. I act as if these things are base rights rather than blessings I don't deserve. I find myself wondering if I would be as quick to praise the Lord if all of these things were removed from my life. I know I wouldn't be content because I haven't been in the last 24 hours. Maybe I'll find that place of contentment before I leave Africa.

I could go on . . . I could tell you about my first shower here and how I stood teeth chattering, on the brink of tears about 3 inches from the water that was scalding trying to figure out how to get the soap out of my hair. Or about how we drove an hour last night from the airport in a van (a Comvee) that blew FROZEN air out of the vents and then one of our kids threw up in the van . . .

But I'm sure you get the point that I'm in major need of adjusting. We have a laid back day here at Camp Eden today - cultural training and a movie about the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Tomorrow we will begin our work.