Wildlife

 
My roommate told me that I'd regret taking this picture. My Rwandese friend said that this picture will make him vomit. I won't tell them I'm showing the rest of you.

In my imagination, Africa is full of lions and elephants, enormous snakes and bugs beyond comprehension. I don't doubt that they do in fact exist, and even are sharing this massive continent with me right now. But they forgot to come to Rwanda. Our most frequent pests, or pets, depending how you view them, are geckos. I really appreciate them generally, because they keep down the misquito population that otherwise likes to attack en masse. Occasionally we're visited by little friends like this guy, but even more often the animal population in my neighborhood is restricted to roosters, dogs, and an occasional goat.

It's nothing like I would have expected.

And such is life, isn't it? The friends we make and the friends we keep are often surprising. The places we end up are rarely the places we had mapped out for ourselves. The blessings often become the curses, and vice versa. At least that's the way it seems to go in my world, but here I am in Africa, so perhaps my experiences are extreme.

Today, at work, we had an unexpected victory. After what has sometimes felt like the ramming of one's proverbial head into a wall, we were all surprised by our ability to come together and accomplish something; something that made a difference in someone's life. Two weeks ago we couldn't have pulled it off.

I never cease to be amazed at the way that God continually works in my life and in my world. And then I wonder how I was so quick to doubt that He would, after He has done it so many times in the past. I think it's to do with how God doesn't use my plans...doesn't indulge my imaginary world, and so I feel disillusioned and disappointed and sure that nothing could ever work out. But somehow reality, though often more painful, confusing and scary always wins. And by the grace of God it's better.

Like frogs instead of lions. Maybe someday I'll learn.