Bonnie's Impressions

I asked some of the other members of our mission team to give their impressions of our trip for me to put on my blog. So today you can see another perspective as expressed by my friend Bonnie Shores. When you see the pictures, she's the one with purple in her hair! :)

I didn't know what to expect from Africa. In many ways, it was exactly what I thought it would be and completely different at the same time. I didn't expect the landscape of Swaziland to be so beautiful. The endless mountain ranges, dotted with random rock formations, framing tiny mud huts bring conflicting emotions to mind. On one hand, you praise God for the beauty of His Creation; on the other hand, you are angry with the Swazi government for not utilizing the land's natural resources to better the lives of the Swazi people. The Swazi people--their character exemplifies hope. "

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame...". Most have lives so difficult that, even though we saw it with our own eyes, we still can't imagine what it would be like to live in a one or two room hut with a dirt floor, no toilet or electricity or refrigerator or tv or stove or sofa or lights or books or food. "...for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." I will do my best to remember what I saw when I begin to complain about anything. I truly believe that lives will be changed by our (The OC) efforts to support the care centers. If we will simply sustain these beautiful children with food and medicine, provide a basic education so that they are able to see beyond the limitations of ignorance, and teach them of God's love by our actions, there is no limit to the things they will be able to accomplish in their own lives and the lives of others.