Friday, September 6, 2013

No storm could overtake the love he knows...

Let me first assure you that I am doing well here in the Congo! I'm sorry for the delay in posts. I'm having lots of difficulty posting pictures, and it's hard to give you a 'tour' of the ship without them! As far as work goes, this first week was good. Each day is full of emotions, so I am still processing much of it, but when I wrap my head around it all I will post it all!

This has been a huge adjustment. Each day I feel more comfortable and settle in a little more. Though my roommate is leaving tomorrow, so things change yet again. I am beginning to see for myself that this is the way of life here.

Each day has also been full of reassurances that a) I am supposed to be here, for such a time as this and b) that I am not alone in my struggle to adjust. I have been encouraged by people here and people from home that relationships and adjustments take time.

Wednesday night Dr. David Levy, a neurosurgeon who is here operating, spoke to us. First, about the surgery and care of encephaloceles. Second, about his faith journey in his practice. He is the author of the book Gray Matter, next on my very long list of books to read. It is about how he started asking his patients if he can pray for them before he operates on them.

He said several things that stuck out to me that night. He admitted that, even as an accomplished neurosurgeon, this is a hard life to adjust to and he feels like crying once a day. So many of us newbies are right on board with that :) But he also said that each of us has been through difficulties just to get here, and we are not alone. Never alone. May we never forget that though we don't always understand why or what's next, God is leading us each a step at a time.

Faith has brought me here. And I believe it will keep me here. No turning back. For this season, I will awake each day not asking 'why?' but 'what do you want me to do with this chance I have been given?' No turning back.