Thoughts after a restful weekend

After a really busy week, it's been nice to have a pretty relaxing weekend. Friday night we had a Girl's Night at our place with the other female missionaries and volunteers. We had strawberry cupcakes and watched a girly movie and did pedicures! Yesterday Angela and I mostly just chilled and watched movies but this afternoon we were very productive. We made strawberry jam! My first time – I'm learning lots of things here in Africa! You have to be really creative here because there's so much you can't get. Tonite we made an Italian dish and it was really good! We were talking about how good garlic bread would be, but the Ghanian bread is sweet so it won't really work. How I miss my padaria (bakery in Brasil) and all the tasty bread we used to get!

I've been thinking and praying a lot this week about finding a balance of work and play here. The work is never-ending at the hospital and the lines of sick patients seem to grow longer week after week. How do you find time to rest and relax when there's always people that are in desperate need of your care? Where is the balance between taking care of them and taking care of yourself so you're able to continue doing the work? How do you get away and relax when you're in the middle of Africa and to go anywhere means traveling at least 2 tiring hours on a dirt road? In Rio, I had the beach, massages, friends and Sharon, who always gave me a day off when she thought I needed it even before I would ask. But here, everyone works 7 days a week and the permanent doctors work even longer and harder hours than I do. How do they do it? I was talking with another volunteer about how there's no way you can continue on in a place like this were it not for God and the sense of His calling to do His work. I can't imagine where I would be if God were not real and always present in my life. I praise Him for all that He has done in me and through me since I've been here. Please continue to lift me up in prayer and specifically for His wisdom to find that balance and for His strength to continue on day after day.