Poetry

English is not A's forte So...the night before his huge portfolio I wrote this.

Walk a day in your shoes

I must go to serve and lead

my mission I shall find

what God has chosen for my life

my life I leave behind

A young man so brave and free

I cannot wait to see

How many lives that I will touch

The hearts that I can lead

But now I see that I was wrong

This isn’t what I planned

The people that I love and see

Are dying in this land

How do I walk a day in your shoes

when you have no shoes to fill

As I walk these streets the babies cries

are all that I can hear

For food they cry; somewhere to sleep

I'm suddenly afraid

So I take out the only cross I bear

And lay it upon her grave

Beauty cries alone at night

Until Lucky she does meet

He brings her back to life again

And her heart he will surely keep

A young man I feel so young and free

I came to make a change

But change it hit me right away

and suddenly I pray

I do not know which way to go

I feel you pull me in

You are the hope I hold on to

In your victory I win

It is your love

that carries me until my final day

Two sweet years have gone so fast

My time has now been paid

Within this land I found myself

A place I now call home

And when Im gone I promise you

My heart shall never roam

This cradle of life will never die

as it holds its people strong

Until I hold you once again

Africa, I won’t be gone for long

Journal Entry the Poem was Inspired after: Windhoek, Namibia November 22, 2007

What an incredible day. Today must have been one of the hottest days in Africa so far. I spent my morning emailing my family and then got to visit some game parks. This week was a special week because I had my first baptism. I met a man and his wife on the street and I was in for more than I could have imagined. Their names are Lucky and Beauty. In Africa, names have meaning and I could not find two better words to describe these people. They live in a shack with nothing but a mattress and a few pots and pans to cook on. I was able to share a meal with them. This was something the people in Africa take pride in; their food. I know they were embarrassed that they didn’t have more for me to eat, but I just prayed my stomach would stop growling so they wouldn’t feel ashamed. Although they live in absolute poverty, I have never met more joyful people in my entire life. The happiness they have for life is so full and rich, and all I can do when I think of them is smile. I do not think of how little they have, but how much they gave me by just their presence. I can only hope that I too have this joy that they shared with me. These are the days that I know I am doing the right thing. Sometimes it is hard when I hear about football back at home or my family or Haley living her life in college, but it is times like these that I remember that I am here doing the work Heavenly Father has laid out for me. I know without a doubt that I should be here. Don’t get me wrong, it is definitely not what I thought it would be; it is much much more.