Sunday, September 25, 2011

Thoughts..

Today is 9/11. Living overseas means one must read the US embassy notices. Advised to stay low today. So after church I did some work around the house....giving me time to think.

9/11 is very hard for many in the US. Hearts are hurting today, remembering the ones they lost on that horrifying day. I remember where I was on when it all happened, driving to high school. As I drove I just could not stop listening to the radio. My ears could not fully process what they were hearing. Once I got to school I stayed in my car, kept listening. When I finally went to class everyone was talking about it and many were in tears. Thankfully our English teacher, Miss. Mac, had us all stop and pray for a while. Some how in the confusion, news reports, and photos for those few minutes felt peaceful. The peaceful feeling of the Lord near.

Looking back, my memories and feelings of that day made me think of my new neighbors. We all have heard stories of Africa. Stories of pain, death, war, genocide, famine and more. It is true this place has seen bloodshed and pain. Many are still graving. Hundreds are in the mist of hardship right now! We in the West tend to hold on to the moments of pain and mark the passing. Looking at it I see it because seldom the West goes through these kinds of events.

For us it is not a daily struggle. We are not running into buildings praying the bombs miss us. We do not walk hundreds of miles to get water and pray we do not meet any rebels on the way. When we get a cough or fever, the first thought in our mind is not Malaria. We do not hear footsteps at night while hiding in the corner telling ourselves the LAR are not in the village.
So, when something like 9/11 happens of course it is devastating. It makes sense the world would come to a halt for us. As you take a moment and pray for everyone effected by 9/11 today...could also say a prayer for everyone in Africa? For all my friends and neighbors still living their 9/11.

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