Why a tree of life?

For many years now, I have felt a tugging on my heart to go to Africa, to experience a completely different part of the world, and to serve God there. Yet the time has never seemed right, and when it did finally seem that I had an opportunity to go, that fell through. Proverbs 13:12 says - "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life".

Finally, after years of dreaming, I have the chance not only to travel to Africa, but also to experience nursing there.

One neat fact: the Moringa oleifera is a tree which is cultivated in many parts of Africa, and is sometimes referred to as the "tree of life", as it is arguably the most nutritious source of plant-derived food discovered on the planet, and has been considered by some as a possible solution for the treatment of severe malnutrition and as aid for those with HIV/AIDS, both of which are major issues in the area to which I will be travelling.

I shall have to keep my eyes peeled for Moringa trees :)

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Worlds Apart

Hello my friends!

I'm so sorry it's taken this long to post... lesson number one from this trip: do not rely on internet access in rural Africa.  It turns out that the internet access we had was at the local high school, involved a minimal fee, and took about half an hour just to check one or two important emails.  Furthermore, blogger was in German and wouldn't let me post.  So I apologise for the lack of contact, and will do my best to post a couple times in the next few days and then again more frequently when I get home.

We flew into London on May 30, and I will be flying out for home on June 5.  I'm loving London, but in many ways it feels about as polar opposite from Zambia as you can get.  Adjusting to a busy, aloof city is difficult after spending two and a half weeks in a laid-back, friendly mission compound, where showing up 15 minutes after the projected starting time is considered early, and not greeting virtually everyone you pass is considered rude.

I only have a few more minutes of internet time remaining, so I'll leave you with that for now, and a plan to update again in a couple days, when I should get more internet time.
Twalumba,
Cayla
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