Esther

This is the perspective of Esther Byington, a current global intern serving her 16 months in Kenya, Africa. Esther is a deep thinker, and an equally deep writer. I’ve asked her to write something for us in light of her experience as an interning missionary in Africa. Thanks Esther.

The Islamic call to prayer has finally stopped. The birds have finished their welcome song to the new dawn. The morning is quiet. After a year of living in this desert, why am I now just noticing the beauty here? Soft morning rays stream through the open windows, and a welcome breeze flutters through the curtains, bringing back memories of my many trips to the Indian Ocean last year. I tiptoe through my early routine, trying to capture the beauty of the unbroken morning before the bustle of town comes to life, and every man and woman’s thought is bent on how to feed their family today. I hold my breath, not wanting to wake my five housemates, as I gather a few necessities: my Bible, my journal and a pen, an iPod, and a cup of herbal tea. God has seemed quiet as well the last few days, though I never seem to lose the sense of His nearness anymore. Whispers dance around me, though I cannot grasp their meaning. Will God answer my longings today? Wait. A little longer.