"What's happening in Allegue?" They ask;
Much improved, wouldn't you say?
We don't know what to say.
The sun came up, the sun went down,
But has it simply been another day?
From banging gate at 7:10
To when we went to bed again
How much was done to shine
Eternity into the hearts of men?
That's the query posed to ourselves
As we bandage wounds and restock pharmacy shelves.
A broken leg, a gash, a baby's birth---
Is this how our hands
Are our Lord's hands on earth?
To sharpen a machete, to change a tire,
To counsel a neighbor who is
walking through fire;
Making food, doing dishes,
Reaching out to hug a child;
Huddling for prayer
When the schedule has run wild;
Visiting and house calls, hiking the hills,
Getting devoured by mosquitoes,
Catching fever and chills.
Is cleaning up puke REALLY
Saints' and angels' work?
And answering countless gate knocks
When we'd rather shirk?
Dragging weary bones from bed at midnight
At the call "Emergency!"
(Though now and again we doubt the urgency!)
"Baby coming!": nurses run.
Day or night, their duty must be done.
"Power died!": mechanic scampers.
The goings-on at clinic must not be hampered.
"Boss! Call the boss": administrator smiles and sighs.
The price of this popularity is high--very high.
Yet the call, the voice, we will not, cannot deny---
A drink of water, a tool to fix,
A loan to request, a Band-Aid to apply.
Lord, help us serve as unto You,
And see this hurting, broken world
Through Your eyes.
******************
It's a beautiful rainy afternoon, and I've been thinking lately that it's a shame that this blog has been so neglected in the past months....so here are a few snapshots of various happenings from the recent past. Not a comprehensive journal, but at least a sign of life from our corner! :)
(And for you true poets out there, yes, I do realize that the above ditty has a very scattered meter and dubious rhyme...but if you think about it....so does life. :). I rest my case.)
Here's a bright spot from November...new shelves in the storage depot. Turning this mess....
...into this!
Then there was the whole scrub down of clinic over Christmas break.
.....break out the Ajax, gals, we've got work to do!
And sorting and organizing and straightening.....
Then there was the New Years fèt.....the annual church party where we get to help scoop rice....
...ALOT of rice!
From all of us here, have a great day!
A work crew of friends and relatives came in January and among other things, poured a concrete pad under the main gate. Thanks, guys!
Beautiful!
A couple of fallen trees one windy day meant firewood....which is great...but first it needed cut and stacked, so one sunny Saturday we banded together and cleaned it up.
Many hands make light work (and many minds usually make a good deal of humor, as well! :D)
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