You Have to Choose Joy

We've said these things at so many presentations, explaining to people the basics of why our country is so hard to live in: consistently ranked the least developed country in the world, in the desert, with unpredictable rains that often cause flooding, extremely low education rates, surrounded by countries with extremist factions... etc. But as I look around at the people we know and their situation again, I am becoming more and more convinced that (outside of war zones) this place is one of the hardest in the world to live. I am not talking about our family because we have a guaranteed income and know where our next meal is coming from. But for the locals, it is more and more impossible to even have self-sufficient farming in this harsh land. Even when someone gets some resources to sell goods in the market, there is so little cash flow and so many cultural inhibitors to building up profit that it seems so few can make steps forward.

We still have many reasons to smile!

On a second note, as El Padre and I were talking the other evening I was lamenting that God called us to such a difficult country. There aren’t exciting animals, mountains, lakes, hikes, touristy things to do. Before we moved there I never heard of the Sahel on anyone’s bucket list to visit. There are very few missionaries. There is little Christian community. El Padre reminded me that we wouldn’t be there if it were an ‘easier’, more expat, more Christian community. That is the challenge that we have felt God preparing us for at this point in life. But from time to time I find I allow myself to feel sorry for myself for working here. In those moments, it's clear that you need a bigger reason to do what you do rather than just "I like it and it feels fulfilling" or "it must be important because it's hard"!

It also reminds me of the sentiments several people have shared lately that echo a Henri Nouwen quote:
"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."

-- La Maestra