Perfect love casts out fear....

A quick earthquake update: here in Bukavu, we have been dealing with a second series of earthquakes. Thursday morning there was a 5.4 magnitude wake-up call around 4am...good times. Since then, with every aftershock that comes, I barely flinch in my bed. What's that shaking my bed? Oh nothing just another aftershock. However, I do remember one time I woke up to my room shaking, and it was pouring rain outside. My thoughts immediately turned to all those who didn't have a warm bed to comfort them or were leaving their houses for safety reasons. My only weapon: prayer.

This past week, amidst the renewed fear, a wise man reminded me that perfect love casts out fear. I must continue to remember this promise, and trust in Him.

Today, I had the opportunity to visit the home of Chantal (Chantal and her four children in the photo). She works at my house on Sundays. Upon arriving at her house, I was bombarded by all the neighbor children. My Swahili doesn't take me too far with the kids so I spent most of my time talking with Chantal. She is originally from Uvira, a city down south on the border with Burundi. She grew up in the bush and dreams of going back. Not only is the city more expensive, but not many have their own land to cultivate. Her husband is currently in school, providing no income. So with the $20 she makes monthly from her job at my house, she has to pay the $10 for rent (the home is no bigger than a bathroom), and $3 for her eldest daughter to go to school (she has two children old enough to go to school but can only afford for one to attend). Then she somehow has to make enough money to feed the family of 6. As often as her energy will allow, she carries cargo around town on her back; the average income for that work is 50 cents a day. It's not uncommon to see at least one hundred women doing this work as you walk around the city.

During my visit, I think the neighbors pitched in to buy me a coke, a completely undeserved act of hospitality. I could not bare drinking a coke with 8 kids watching me...so I took a sip and had Chantal partage with all the cute kids. We also played cards -- if you know the game war (I know Mom it's my favorite!), here its called combat. You can see in the picture Chantal's 9-year-old Natalie dominating at combat!

There's something about trying to understand pain and poverty and the state of our world that just takes it out of me. I admit my questions are valid; if I don't propose the tough questions, I must not be acknowledging reality. Amidst all the questions, I am coming to accept that I don't have a choice: I have to live by faith. Just as Chantal prays over her children at night, assuring them that God is keeping them safe and that He will provide, I must believe.

We live by faith, not by sight.