Something about Zimbabweans you should know is they very much love to sing and dance their worship.
THE STORY: (Thought) Man it is really hot . . .Okay I've got this whole list of Shona words and I've translated all the names of the books of the Bible. Oh! I bet they would love these American worship songs translated as well! - Jeska sat on the couch with her zip up, duct taped Bible. Some of the older orphan girls had told her it was very smart. Smart meaning good looking. Holding the set of praise and worship music sheets in her hands she began missing her worship band brothers who were all in Texas. (Thought) They would love it here. They would die from so much happiness! They would completely forget about some of the things that are daily mental trials in America.- The living room was getting warmer and warmer as noon approached. Quite frankly it was on the edge of boiling hot. So she decided to gather her papers and her Bible and go do her translating work in the great African outdoors. She was about to step outside when the silks fell off the couches. (Thought) Oh fiddle sticks it happens everytime! Okay um, the coffee table, I'll set everything down here. I dont know why they use silks. They are so slippery! - They were small amber colored squares that were not big enough for seat covers but the people liked them because they were pretty. She picked them up off the floor and replaced them onto the couch seats and backs. They slipped off again and she repeated herself more then once before getting them to stay put. Laughing at the silly situation she resumed going outdoors and gathered her things back off the coffee table. Slipping past the curtain in the front doorway and skipping past the pile of sandles on the ground she smiled in delight at being able to remain barefoot. There was no need for shoes because all there was on the ground was plain, flat, dry dirt. She gaurded her eyes from the sunshine with her hand as she scouted the cluster of boulders for seating options. It was like the hottest Texas summer day but much more dry then what she was used too. (Thought) Hmm, no trees there and none over there either! . . . Ahah! I see my spot! I have found you my beautiful African trees! How they manage to grow right out from between the rocks is beyond me! - She headed out to a cluster of boulders with trees growing out of and over them like a mushroom providing perfect shade. Climbing the boulders with one arm full was quite a challenge. She managed to get up without dropping anything. She greeted the tree saying "Hello my unbrella like friend!" then she couldn't help but laugh at herself a little bit. She loved to laugh. She leaned against the trunk of the tree sinking into the precious shade. (Thought) This must be God's version of air conditioning. Could I get some wind Baba? - She looked up and at the sky through the branches waiting for an answer. She saw the leaves start to sway and smiled in a little suprise but immediately remembered there is no reason not to expect such things. She lifted her eyes to the sky and smiled upward knowing Baba knew she was saying thank you. She got up to do a happy dance and catch some of the wind . . . losing herself in thought she leaned into the wind and threw herself into a balet like twirl. All of the sudden she could faintly hear giggling and singing from close by and she lost her balance trying to see where it was coming from! Catching herself she heard the giggling get bigger and bigger and little high pitched giggles letting her know it must be some of the youngest orphans out playing nearby. A few yards out she saw some of the 3, 4 and 5 year olds with one of the dorm mothers, Beatrice. They all climbed up onto the boulders and joined her. (The youngsters always left her speechless with their speedy climbing skills). "Kutamba! Kutamba!" they shouted! She thought for a moment and then replied "Do you mean like this?" She shuffled her feet from front to back and side to side. All being pleased they clapped and she smiled big at her success in understanding what they wanted. Then she told them "You try!". They all gave her a confused look when Beatrice stepped beside her and whispered in her beautiful, African, accented english "You have to teach them and I know you can, I will help you". Jeska proceeded. "Okay Fatumah! Tafadzwa! Johnson! Gloria! and Tino! Come and line up! She continued to teach them and they were trying hard to learn but she simply could not help herself from giggling at their clumsiness and neither could Beatrice. Little Tino was the smallest and kept tripping over his own ankles. The look of frustration on his little three year old face very much in serious concentration and unbareably adorable. By the end of it all the roles had switched and the kids were teaching her how to dance like a "true Zimbabwean". As she bagan trying to take it all in, the sound of their feet beating the ground gave a beat to her soul. The sound of Beatrice's voice was beautiful and rich and faded into the background as Jeska faded into thought. (Thought) Wow, just watching this is like a movie from the outside, I don't think I can bare to seperate myself from this. - She began to feel her heart take on the beautiful burden of love. It was the greatest thing she could feel within her and at the same time it was the most terrifying thing. The words she had most deeply feared and respected? "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away". Someone was pulling at her hand and she realized as she had sunk into thought she must have stopped dancing at some point. "Kutamba!" Tino said to her. He looked up at her with huge eyes and a big smile. She jumped back into the dance taking Tino up into her arms in a spin. He giggled and leaned back letting his arms out straight to fly and as he gazed upward his dark brown eyes filled with the blue sky's reflection. END.
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The meaning behind the Beacon.
1. Freely give: Agape love. Archives
January 2015
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