So tired….yet soooo rested.

In just over 6 weeks the dental clinic will be closing its doors. After 8 months of hard taxing work we are all growing tired. We know it, our friends/families know it, and people around us know it. It seems like this year we have been the most picked team for ship works with days off to request to come spend the day with us. Most visitors start the day off by saying I am so excited to get to spend the day with the dental team. It will be so good to see what you guys do out there. And most end by saying I really don’t know how you do that day in and day out. I am so tired and all I did was watch. It seems like I am experiencing not only physical exhaustion but also emotional exhaustion as well.  The NEVER ENDING need and the realization that we can’t end that need is a big strain on the emotions.

 

I don’t say this in order to gain your sympathy; I don’t need that in order to feel satisfied. I love my job and I choose to be here, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get tired.

However God never fails at picking us back up and filling us with just enough to get the job done at the end of the day. Well I guess I can only speak for myself on this and I hope the rest of the team is also experiencing His presences as well, if not they are really missing out. It just seems like every time I get tired and every time I get in a mood God is there to pick me up. Every time I start to think are we really making a difference? God sends someone or something to turn my attitude around. I just love how he works in this way.

 For example: Last night I was sitting outside on the sea wall talking with a friend. We were in the middle of a conversation and this man kept walking by us and stopping in front of us. We could tell he was trying to get our attention but at this point in the evening we were done with the marriage proposals (which had already happened a few minutes earlier.)  As I heard Sister Sister… don’t I know you,  I looked up and saw he was pointing to me.  I almost said I don’t think so but instead I responded with I don’t know do you? He looked at me for a few seconds and said yes yes I do know you. You took my small boys teeth out.  Didn’t you. Yes I am sure it was you. I said yes I might have. He then said remember  his first visit you took out 2 teeth and then the next visit you took out 1. The front one. And then you gave him a replacement appointment.  He got it and it looks good. So good. Thank you , Thank you so much.  Thank you.  I simple responded by saying you are welcome and he walked away.

As he walked away it hit me. We are making a difference, we might not be able to tackle the dental needs of Benin in its entirety but the reality is we are making every day life better for people and actually in some cases it can be a matter of life or death. Last night God reminded me of that. He showed me how happy a small boy and his father were to have a bad tooth removed and replaced with a new one. We might only being fixing one tooth at a time but it is more than if we were not here. So just like that God used this man to bring a smile to my face and a surge of energy to my soul. 

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. 

2 Chronicles 15:7