Who or what owns your heart…?

There have been a jumble of thoughts going through my mind these past few months of life here in Zambia.  There are so many mixed emotions and issues that both Dave and I have been grappling with since landing in a developing country.  It is certainly one thing to hear about poverty, read about it and maybe on the odd occasion give towards it – but it is another thing to live amongst it.  It's confronting!  At the moment I find it almost impossible to put into words.  Sadness, joy, desperation, relief, immense generosity, immense poverty, death, birth, hunger, illness & healing - we’ve seen it.  It has caused me to ask the question – why was I the one born in Australia?  Although all of the things listed above are also present in Australia in one way or another, it is certainly a very real reality here in Zambia. 

Life here has really caused me to think a lot about where my true love lies.  Is it in comfort, money, safety, the latest clothes, facebook, food, travel, health, safety of my children, the security of a job, marriage, the 5 year plan, the holiday at the beach when we get home, status, education or being surrounded by family and friends? – Or am I content to give my ALL to trust that Jesus knows and will ultimately do what is best for my life when I am fully surrendered to him?  I am sad to admit that at times I have put these things in a higher position over my love for Jesus.  How often I need to be reminded that HE is the Creator of the universe, is all powerful, in total control, working all things for the good of those that love Him, and that one day He will make all things right.

We recently downloaded a CD by Sanctus Real (hooray for a great internet connection :P)– and one of the songs was, “Dear Heart”.

Dear heart,

Do you belong to me

Or do I belong to you

Just look at all the trouble

You dragged me into

I’ve heard it said

To follow your heart

But I’m starting to wonder

If it’s gone too far

Oh heart, you let me down

Chasing love, where it can’t be found

Heart, we’ve fallen out

All of your emotions have led me to doubt

Tell me who’s gonna save us now?

Dear heart

You’re in the wrong place

Looking out for yourself

No matter what I say

And I know

That you’re holding me back

And it’s time for a change

So I’m giving you away

Oh heart, you let me down

Chasing love, when it can’t be found

And heart, we’ve fallen out

Cuz all of your emotions have led me to doubt

Tell me who’s gonna save us now?

Heart, you let me down

Chasing love when it can’t be found

And heart, we’ve fallen out

All of your emotions have led me to doubt

Only Jesus can save us now

________________________________

Psalm 86:10-11

For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.  

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

It's pool time!!

There's cause for great excitement in the Lean household this week.  For the past 15 weeks we have been living in the "pool house" and have now discovered why this is such an awesome thing.  The pool is now full of water and ready for swimming.  Last Saturday the crazy people some of the missionaries and children had their first dip in the freezing cold water.  Since then the Lean boys have been jumping in each afternoon for a cool off.  - m

Our house behind the pool

The new (bamboo) modifications to the pool fence to make it child-friendly

It looks warmer than it is!!

Toby has been enjoying strutting his rolls along the side of the pool

Toby with one of his Mukinge aunties - Thanks to Bridget - Mary didn't have to get in!!

Zeke loving being in the pool and pretending that it is not cold!

Good runs and bad runs...

First, the good. It has been great over the past couple of months to get back into running. I think running was probably the main reason I first got interested in Africa, with the Kenyans and Ethiopians always dominating the distance events in the 90s. So it’s a real privilege to now be actually running in Africa!

One of my first runs here was with one of the male paeds nurses. He decided to take me for a “short” 10.7km run at 6am one Sunday morning. Back in July the mornings were still freezing cold here, however it quickly became apparent that this was a special time to be on the road. Starting in virtual darkness, we ran along the hospital road, before turning onto the main road into town. By now there was something of a glow on the horizon, as we made our way past numerous large termite mounds and thatched roof houses. After running through town we turned again and headed for home, this time running on dirt tracks. We ran past the soccer field at the local orphanage – complete with goals that looked like they were made from old mosquito nets. By this time, the sun was just about to pop over the horizon, however we ran behind the hills surrounding the hospital, obscuring what I’m sure would have been a spectacular sunrise. After a short run up the banks of the river, we were back at the mission compound (freezing hands and all).

Recently I’ve borrowed a running pram from our good friends the Tompkins, which has been great. I have never done this before, but it has quickly become quite a hit with the boys. My first encounter with pram runners was the 12km Bridge to Brisbane in 2004. I had done a full season of soccer training and was feeling quite fit. I thought I was running well in the race until I got to the 11km mark, and just overtook an absolute tank of a man pushing a running pram (I later found out that this guy had finished 3^rd in the pram-running category, so I had been beaten by 2 prams!) Anyway, we are enjoying the opportunity to get out in the afternoons and see some of the surrounding countryside. The sunsets here at the moment are quite special, and Zeke is getting good practice at greeting the locals (“Byepi mwane” – how are you?) that we pass along the way. It’s certainly a great way of exercising and spending time with the boys (Zeke keeps asking me why I’m puffing so much!).

And now for the bad runs. I became professionally acquainted with Entamoeba histolytica during my microscope time in the lab at the trop school in Liverpool. This nasty little parasite causes amoebic dysentery (bloody diarrhoea) and can also form abscesses in various body organs. It also has a fairly interesting life-cycle which makes it readily transmitted between people by poor hygiene.

Anyway, 3 weeks ago we became personally familiar with Entamoeba when Zeke started to have the runs. The bad kind that are profuse and bloodied. The poor little guy was really quite miserable for over a week, and lost quite a bit of weight. Fortunately the hospital lab staff were great and were able to see the amoeba under the microscope (example picture below). It still took a long course of antibiotics, patience and prayer but Zeke is now doing much better.

  

Well, that’s a bit of a run-down (pardon the pun), on a bit of what we’ve been up to recently. Hopefully the runs over the next few months will be more of the pram kind and less of the parasitic variety. - D

A special couple...

A beautiful sunrise - September 1, 2012 - Kasempa, Zambia

Well today, the first day of Spring marks a very special day in the Lean family.  Today we are celebrating the marriage of Josh (Dave's brother) to Janelle Hingston.  It's wonderful to be welcoming Janelle into our family.  This couple is not only our family but also our very dear friends. We are so grateful to God for the way that he has brought them together and for the way that they joyfully serve God, wanting Him to be the focus in all.  

Whilst we have especially missed home today, we were so grateful to be able to watch the ceremony live via the web here in Kasempa - a special treat indeed! It was a challenge to witness the vows and be reminded again of our need for Christ to be the centre of it all.

Watching the service via the net  at 5am local time - thanks CNBC tech crew!   Talk about being under dressed!

The wonders of modern technology

The kiss...

Introducing - Mr & Mrs Lean!!  

Josh & Nels - we love you guys heaps and are so excited for you today!  May God bless you in the steps you take together in the days to come.