peace

Real peace. Peace that passes understanding. Saturday we were scheduled to go on a real safari but because of illness we had to stay home. At about 6 am we heard a quiet "hodi" at our door. The visitor was a korean mother studying swahili with us and she was coming for help for her very sick husband. His fever was high and he was vomiting. Here the first assumptuon is malaria and it is critical to act quickly. I grabbed the malaria kit, did the test and 15 minutes later read a negative result. He was so sick though. False negatives do happen and early treatment can easily be the difference between life and death. She walked over to the clinic to try a second test but the electricity was out and without it the doctor could not work. All that could be done was to wait. A few hours later levi began complaining of severe tummy pain and I went to ask my good friend from korea what I should do. I looked into the open door and she was sitting in a wooden chair witrh a bible and notebook in hand yet crying. I assumed she was worried but within a moment I realized that no, she was praying and drawing near to God in the midst of a hot day of caring for a sick loved one and not knowing what medicine is needed. She was clearly at peace. Full of it in fact! I took her son out to play with my kids and she brought out coke and we all had a nice picnic. Her husband quickly recovered without medicine despite the serious state he had been in. I don't pretend to understand all the sickness and faithfulness of GOD but I wonder if God didn't miraculousy heal him. Peace is so often felt in america...from time with family to vegging in front of the tv...from attending church in a comfy building to enjoying the great outdoors. But peace that passes understanding...that comes in the midst of the shadow of death...while your husband lie moaning on a mat on a concrete floor and you have nothing to offer, that kind has one source alone. I thank god they are here to spread the same peace among such a wonderful people...the peace of Jesus Christ.