Never will my prayer life or my relationship with God be the same . . .

Africa--
Beautiful, yet dangerous
Friendly, yet fierce
Faces are downcast
Eyes brim with tears
Plentiful harvests
Yet some aren't fed
One day sick
The next day dead
Wonderful rain
Brings disease
Working hard
Brings no ease
Praising God
As He takes away
Tired and weary
They end each day
Sickness in sunshine
Sickness in rain
Old women dying
Children in pain
Still there is dancing
Still they laugh
Still they are thankful
for the little they have
Still they come Sunday
And humbly they pray
Still these people
Find a way

These people don't deserve the life they have and bad things happen even when they are faithful, even when they work hard and even when something is meant to be good. It's frustrating and it's hard to watch sometimes. I see people day after day working their finger to the bone to feed their family for that one day. One day of work equals one day of food. One day without work equals one day of hunger.
It never ceases to amaze me when I see children making kites out of plastic sacks and old string, running up and down the roads and laughing happily. They might not have eaten all day, but it's okay because isn't it neat how the wind blows the kites? Isn't life good? It's amazing. It's the same thing when I see poverty-stricken people put their offering in the collection plate or a couple who just lost a child come to church and praise God with all they have. How is this possible? Is this an example of how God is all you need? How God gives people hope and something to look forward to? How true faith really looks? In a way, these people are truly blessed. Nothing stands between them and their love and loyalty to God just as nothing can separate us from His love. It's exactly as it should be, and I have learned a lot from the locals. Never will my prayer life or my relationship with God be the same as it was before coming here and witnessing the commitment these people have to Him. I want to be like that.