The Beauty

South Africa is the most beautiful place I've ever seen in my life. And I expect I might always feel that way no matter where I go.

When we first landed in South Africa we found ourselves lost in the massiveness of Johannisburg Airport, surrounded by stores and food courts that looked exactly like the ones found in our OWN airports.

Not incredibly beautiful to say the least:) In fact, it was a little disappointing. Especially since we were stuck there for hours.

But soon enough we were picked up by a taxi and taken to a bus station, where we had to wait for hours again. Thrilling. Needless to say, the landscape at this point was less than impressive.

Next, we were picked up by our friend in the field who had arranged for us to be there. He drove for a while through the city streets, with me stuck in the bed of the truck with a couple of guys. Lovely.

Then:)

Then my faith was rewarded the moment we left the city. We got out on the freeway, which was basically a two-lane road winding through endless seas of tall grass blowing and swaying in the wind. We could see for miles.

Before I continue, I want to point out that there was something beautiful about the airport and the bus station and the city, but it wasn't these places themselves.

It was the people. These people, with their ebony skin and piercing eyes and crazy hair, were so beautiful. That was something I won't forget about those awful places:)

Ok moving on. We arrived at the village we were to live in and I discovered that all the roads are dirt. Not that surprising right? Except it was red dirt. Everywhere. I actually walked around taking pictures of the roads. It's not like I didn't know dirt could be red. But to walk on it and see it in front of me was awesome:) it's just crazy unique.

Then we met the kids. OH. my. gosh. Gorgeous.

You talk about adorable and any other word you can think of to describe cute and that was them.

We would frequently go on walks as well, either as a team or with our host families, through the countryside. We would go when the sun was setting on the horizon, and the horizon was miles and miles away. It almost seemed that I could see the curve of the sky it was so far. We saw giraffe and zebra within 30 or 40 feet. Giraffe are absolutely huge when you're that close.

I would often times just stop walking and stare. Dumbstruck. Completely at a loss for words. I remember one time climbing over a small butte and suddenly everything stretched out before me like a canvas. The sun was brilliant, reflecting off the grassy fields that never seemed to end, with the trees casting shadows everywhere. So green it almost hurt to look. I remember all I could say was ".....oh God....", followed by digging my jaw out of the dirt where it had dropped. The sky was bluer than I've ever seen a sky. It seemed to me that heaven must look similar.

It was in this place called Africa that I began to realize something profound.

God made this. And how much more beautiful than the creation must the Creator be!

I felt then that I had begun to discover a new facet of God. His incredible beauty. A beauty that steals my breath away and causes me to be at a loss for words. I can't wait to see Him someday.