Rejoice!

Funny story of the week:
I am taking doxycyline everyday to prevent Malaria. I'm greatful to it because I haven't gotten Malaria yet. But, one of the side effects makes my skin ultra sensitive to the sun causing sunburn. Well, I have been hiking and outside quite a few times and I haven't had anything happen to my skin so I figured I had nothing to worry about. Not so. I got just about the worst burn on my face I've ever had even after growing up in Florida. When I showed up to my class of Africans on Monday, they were shocked and slightly embarrassed at the sight of my face. They didn't understand why Miss Macks face is so red! "Wipe it off Miss Mack!" I couldn't. The next day it was very itchy and they asked if I had mosquito bites. No, its something that happens to white people when they're in the sun for too long. The third day my face was speckled from the peeling. I looked like I had a skin disease. This brought the biggest reaction from everyone I passed in the halls. I heard many comments and questions concerning the texture and color of my face, but my favorite was from a couple Malawian girls who stood outside my door looking at me through the open door unaware that I knew they were there. "What is it?" A girl asked. "It's what white people get when they go in the sun." "Man, I'm so lucky I'm black!" And off they ran. I'm happy I can help people feel better about themselves.

Other News:
I got petrol! WOOHOO! That means I'll be able to go to the village this week and get my students Christmas presents (thanks to the women at Hammock Street Church)! Thank you all for your prayers and support! Only 6 more school days until Christmas break! I can't believe I've been here almost a whole semester! Time flies when you're having fun.
It's funny how I tend to worry about things that don't seem to be going my way. They usually aren't even things that should matter that much in the grand scheme of life. And even if they are, all the more reason to give them to the God that supplies all of our needs right? I was reminded of this at staff Bible study last night when we sang

"O Love That Will Not Let Me Go."
O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life i owe, That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer fuller be.

What's there to worry about? When I lay my petty little worries and fears down, I am amazed how much lighter I feel. Rejoice!

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crops fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18

Pray for our Christmas program this Wednesday night! Two of my classes are dancing and my first graders are "stinky shepherds."
Pray that I get a plane ticket home at the end of the year. They are all booked June-July due to the World Cup.