Time with the Team

Members of Resonate International Mission, our partner organization, arrived on Friday night.

Luka, Dad and I took multiple hikes with other Resonate members. The first was Baboon Rock, Saturday morning. A deer decided Luka needed help tying his shoes before we left :)

We enjoyed chilly wind, then marched on when rain began, never letting the weather deter our trip.

Dead and live ferns, mixed together, grew along much of the path. Reminds me that I am dead to my sins but alive in Christ! The life I now live I no longer live for me, but for Him who died and rose again.

Vibrancy

Baboon rock: the highest bump on the rise in the center of the picture.

Life vibrantly exuding color and joy

Beside death, crisping to inability

No division here to employ

A stark picture of unfiltered reality

Tension, feeling need to decoy

Flee without accepting liability

To cease fitting things into neat box

Despite uncomfortable paradox

Lately, the evil poisoning the world has weighed on my heart. As I see a proposed law by the UN to decriminalized sex with minors, read stories about the Rwandan Genocide or WWII POW's, learn of the thousands of women and children trafficked around the world, learn of the fatal persecution Christians face in Muslim countries... I cry. I cry and come to God with anger, grief, deep sadness that words cannot capture. I wrestle with Him, asking, "How can You allow evil to hurt innocent children and Your spiritual children?!"

I'm still wrestling. I don't understand. I never fully will know how to comprehend God's sovereignty and His goodness at the same time.

Yet the Lord is compassionate and gracious. He's reminding me that He too cries for each child, woman, man marred by evil. He reminds me that He is good, and His goodness is never diminished by darkness' blackness. Through the above photo, He also teaches me that- compared to the vastness of His holiness- all the evil in the world's entire history will die. Like a dead tree, it will fall. The Lord is the victor of the spiritual battle taking place on earth!

Hope

Not ample

shiny

or easily

spotted

Rather

delicate

but with

certainty

and

promise

of new

life

The rain clouds rolling in

Behold, the Lord who made all the landforms of the entire earth with one word

Luka, a German gentleman and I made it to the top first. While sitting on a rock, I watch others arrive or mill around.

May I always be awed

Looking up at God

His vastness and

Unblemished holy hand

Also, let me rejoice

Learning His voice

Whispering, to Him

The world grim

Seems small, and He

Rules for eternity

Our director and friend, Uncle Mike, with his youngest child, Stella.

My Dad consistently makes me stop and thank God for the way he reflects His heart! On the way up, Dad helped a young girl climb, bearing her slow speed and constant chatter with grace. 

Shaardas at the top...

Until the guide comes up and informs us we're not quite there :)

Life

surviving

rocky

barrenness

owing to

roots

reaching

deeper

Making our way to the actual baboon rock (see the baboon face shaped rock watching Luka and Dad hike?)

Steep drops.

"When I said, 'My foot is slipping', Your love, o Lord, supported me." -Ps. 94

God is truly the master artist! I cannot get over the way this photo looks like a painting!

A withering protea flower, still proudly representing its country through fringes of fiery orange. You may not have much to offer; offer it to the One who will not snuff out a smoldering wick. He will embrace you, show you the depths of His love, and fan your flame.

A whole pack of baboons!

"He made rivers into a desert,

flowing springs into thirsty ground,

and fruitful land into a salt waste

because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

He made a desert into pools of water

and parched ground into flowing springs.

He brought the hungry there to live

and they founded a city where they could settle."

-Ps. 107

Rusted 

Drained

No water

Still

Holding

Life

In awe

Holding

Delicate

Life

As the leaves turn

towards the light

May you learn

amidst your plight

Turn to the Son

He sets you free

Emalai finding a new way to enjoy outdoor chess.

Us teenage girls enjoyed a game of badminton, which Makai attempted to join.

Emalai and two of her new friends, Nora and Sarren.

A wedding occurred one night during our stay. Our director's wife, Auntie Megan, found a flower left behind and kindly gave it to me.

Bride made ready

folds neatly stacked

Gaze level, steady

Above carpeted track

Eyes fixed with love

On her Maker above

Unusual, fascinating plants

You can't see it well in the picture, but two deer decided to take a stroll up the steps :)

Sunday morning hike. Destination: Mushroom Rock

Completely opposite of Baboon Rock, this hike found us sweating profusely under the morning sun.

My father enjoying the Creation of his Father.

Almost there!

We made it!

We then hiked on top of the rock to appreciate this stunning view.

Dad and I wandered a bit farther, enjoying the ability to see a 360 degree view.

Dad's "yoga pose" ;)

Makai loved riding the horses! The hotel staff was amazed by his confidence. He grabbed hold of the reins and declared himself a cowboy!

More "residue" from the wedding. How fun!

Sunday we attempted to create placemats under the instruction of two hotel staff who weave flawless baskets and placemats most days of the week.

We weren't great, but had lots of fun laughing and teasing each other. With help from the staff, we even succeeded making decent placemats!

A chapel that takes one's breath away. May each time we think of our Lord have the same effect!

"I am the Vine, you are the branches. If you remain in Me and My word remains in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from Me, you can do nothing."

A new perspective of the cross.

Makai trying out a coworker's, Barbra, cane.

We gathered for worship Sunday evening.

The teens created rivers to represent their lives, then shared with the group.

Makai, always excited for mini golf, took me down the court our last full day for a game.

Luka, Grace and I preparing for our horse ride Monday morning.

We were joined by a lovely British couple. The husband was quite nervous, as it was his first time on a horse. He decided it wasn't his thing :)

Our guide proved a clown, constantly making sarcastic remarks or dropping puns.

Luka on top Joko

Grace riding Pepsi

My mount, George

Monday evening, Dad, Bronwyn (a fellow missionary kid) and I hiked to Fern Forest.

We had to a cross a river twice. Dad laughed when I fell, saying I'm the only one he's ever seen fall into a river and keep her backside dry.

The first hike through a rainforest.

We made it to the hidden pool, marking the end of the hike

Our Lord never misses a detail!

Although it wasn't the hardest hike, the scenery was gorgeous!

So we have to fly???

We made it back minutes before heavy rain began to fall.

Emalai and another friend, Gwen, crafting.

Thulli, a friend of our director's family, kindly came along to do a children's program for the little girls.

Back to Uganda. We were extremely blessed by our time in South Africa!