Real Sacrifice...

Rare are the days, if ever, have I really felt like we are making a true sacrifice by living in Zambia. 
 We are truly blessed.   We are blessed by wealth beyond understanding.  We are blessed by relationships that are so sweet and true.   We are blessed by the gift of children, and many of them!  We eat very well, and have some to share.  We have access to basic medical care.  We are blessed! 
Today, though, I feel the realness of sacrifice.  The past 3 weeks have been shared with my parents and 2 teenage cousins.  It's always a blessing to be with family.  I'm pretty horrible at communicating (as you've noticed with the terribly neglected blog) with many from home.  However, when they are here, it is sweet. It is nice to have someone come and live in "our" world, and have a better understanding of the way things are here in Zambia: both the beautiful and the difficult.  I've just walked them to the van, where Shane will drive them to Lusaka (6 hours away) to go back to the USA.  I try to keep myself together.  I try not to cry as the big hole left by them is so apparent.  It is difficult to see my kids miss their family.  I try not to think about how life would be if I lived on the piece of land designated for us. I try not to think about how much "life" I've missed, and how much they've missed of mine. I try not to think about how, as much as you try, when you live in 2 completely opposite worlds, it creates a gap... unintentionally of course... in mindset and relationships. 
Watching family drive away through the dust... is sacrifice.  
While I want to lay down and cry for a few hours, the life we know awaits.   The to do lists continue.  The noise is there.  And so is Jesus... and the wonderful life HE has called us to.