Sunday Worship with Mama Grace's Family

Written from the hammock


Saturday night Jim told us that two of us could go to worship with Mama Grace and her family on Sunday. It would be about a 30 min. ride. The rest of the team would worship locally with the other two Joy home families. Liza and I were the lucky two to go. Sunday morning a car arrived to pick us up. Mama Grace, Liza, myself and the kids piled in. We drove a short way down a rugged road then we stopped. By mistake one of mama Grace's children had gone with the other families to the local church and we stopped to pick him up. It reminded me of losing track of my own children when they were little and I only had four to account for not seven. Now we were all together and on our way.

As we drove I thought about how important a faith community can be in your life. I was really thankful that mama Grace could continue to worship with her faith community. As we arrived at church this community of believers seemed to love and nourish these children from the Joy home and also supported Grace in her calling as their mom. 

I felt like a mother hen during worship with one chick under each wing. What a blessing to put my arm around and love these two beautiful children who've experienced so much hardship in their short lives. We sat in front of Ruth's (Ruth oversees the Joy Home) husband and children who made me feel so welcome. What a privilege it was to worship with this faith community. After worship Liza and I were invited into the pastor's office for tea. His desk was covered with snacks that we shared as we visited with him, his wife and Ruth's mother. I was blessed to experience so much of the love of Christ while I was in Africa.

Ruth