Two Weeks & One Day
That’s the time I have been in Lome. It seems like it has been longer, but when I look at the calendar on my laptop desktop it has been exactly fifteen days. Is it what I expected? Not at all. Am I surprised? A little. Should I have been? Not in the slightest.
My brain is split in two. I want to talk about the beauty of Togo and the fun adventures we have been on over the last few days. But then I also want to write about a dear family that I have befriended. Do I give you the real? Do I share the fun? I’m confused. I have partially been editing myself because it’s really hard to put out some of my emotions out there. Part of me thought I could stay in a journalistic mode and only write about the facts and discoveries, but I’m too emotional to do so. And by now you have probably figured out that I am also an emotional writer too.
Tonight’s evening church service on the ship had the best worship music yet. The musical worship definitely was a gateway into the presence of Christ. I think for the first time, I let it go. Everything about this journey since I got here. Nothing seemed as it would have turned out to be, and since my arrival hadn’t felt quite like myself. My plans. My will. My hopes. My anticipations. My frustrations. I just let them go. It wasn’t the the 12-15 hour work days, or the two gal drive through Lome, or the 1000 live bats flying over my head in the middle of the day, or the 13 hours of sleep on Saturday, or the gorgeous full moon by the pool on Friday night, or even church on Sunday morning, it was tonight around 7:15pm. I left it all, once again, in His hands. We didn’t even sing this song tonight, but ever since service ended this is the only song that comes to mind. I keep humming it over and over in the background.
If you ever get a chance to hear Melia Mann sing it…listen…incredible voice!!!
You spread out the skies over empty space
Said "let there be light"
Into a dark and formless world Your light was born
You spread out Your arms over empty hearts
Said "let there be light"
Into a dark and hopeless world Your Son was born
You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only son for You are good
What a wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers
And how humble Your love
With a strength like no other
And the heart of a Father
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God
No eye has fully seen, how beautiful the cross
And we have only heard
The faintest whispers of how great You are
You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only son for You are good
What a wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers
And how humble Your love
With a strength like no other
And the heart of a Father
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God
You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only son for You are good
What a wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers
And how humble Your love
With a strength like no other
And the heart of a Father
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God
Today during the musical worship. It finally lifted. I did so many things to get my mind off of it all, and it just took a surrender. A surrender to Him. Suddenly, I was myself again. Not cranky. Not frustrated. Not irritated. Just me. All Him.
We ended a portion of the night munching on some snacks up on Deck 8. It’s almost a full moon which illuminated the whole port. There is a ship next to us unloading, and when I squint my eyes, it looked like we were peeking out on a city skyline. 5 girls from around the globe, G (new zealand), J (upper ny), Laura (boston), M (NYC), and me. Literally we are on this boat together, living, with so much insight, strength, courage, and compassion it’s intoxicating. I sat there while we were all chatting, and just felt so full of life. We all miraculously wound up on Deck 8, in Lome on Sunday night on this particular day, with no other intentions but to chill out. Turns out we were a strength to one another, and a break from the the everyday of life. That was God orchestrating that great conversation. I am so thankful for tonight. Thankful for these girls.
We walked down Deck 8 to 7, opened the door and walked down to deck 3. My room is towards the bow, the hospital ward near the stern. I have been trying to go down to the ward to visit my patient friend and his family. They are friends I have made along the way that have permitted me to participate in their healing story. We have met, shake hands, hugged, chatted, prayed, and listened. They have grown to trust me to the point that they let me take this obtrusive black metal image maker and take a portrait of them. A portrait so beautiful (not because of technique) but just of whom they are, that even w/out a camera their images would be burned in my brain forever. The faces. The hearts. The hopes. The stories. Countless stories. In a split second due to some illness, growth, side effect, the entire household has been changed. Hopefully this ship, and the miraculous power of our Healer will be able to give them a piece of life back that they lost or may have never known. I made many friends during the screenings, during the follow ups, during admissions, and now they are in the ward. Waiting. Healing. Trying.
Tonight, one of my lil friend was awake. I crept into the ward about 10pm and he was making a wonderful bracelet out of thread. He’s quite talented. I tip toed in to not disturb him. But he heard me, and smiled and opened his arms to give me a hug. I just melted. He wanted to stand up to formally greet me, but he is in crutches (has been since he was 7) and most of the time his daddy (a pastor) carries him in his arms. (no greater love….) I grabbed him, squeezed him, and gave him a big hug and kiss. He showed me all the wonderful things he had been making with building blocks, string, and play dough. He’s brilliant. I apologized for not visiting sooner (I’ve been hindered…long story), and promised to come and play with him tomorrow in the afternoon for a really really long time. He was happy about that. Believe me I am happy too.
It was soon time for him to get ready for bed and when he did, I noticed his dad resting near his bed. This man had been praying nonstop for his son and tonight he had a chance to rest. I just melted. Tears welled up. I went quickly to the door, and waved good-bye, and walked to my cabin in tears.
Why was I crying? Well for many reasons. First for the compassionate gift of friendship he’s given to me. The whole family has trusted me in just a few moments of us meeting to talk about some very deep things and to pray together. For the compassion his father has, that even though he is a very busy man, he still carries his lil boy with such pride. He picks him up from bed, to his chair, to the restroom, and prays the entire time he is alongside his son. For the joy on the little boys face when he has made something new. For the tears that fall in an act of prayer to a God who is and can do all for this boy. He always has and He always will.
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