September

This month we were awed again by the sacrifices those around us are willing to embrace. Over two decades ago one of our dorm girl's father gave up a $500,000/year heart surgeon position to raise their own support and work at a mission hospital in East Africa. The motivation comes from where God needs them. As their daughter related the story, it centered around how much they have here and how little those around them have. When we asked where her parents would be in 10 years after she, the last of their 5 children, have graduated RVA, she replied, "Oh they will still be in Africa.  America doesn't need more doctors, Africa does. My parents are filling such a need."

One of our other girls matter of factly stated, "Where we live in Africa, we haven't had an oven in 10 years." As we asked follow up questions, we learned they have no refrigeration either and make all their food on a two-burner camp stove and once in a while a dutch oven over the fire. This is a family of six with a father who had a very successful IT career and are parents that have the same desire to nurture and spend time with their kids that we have. This underscores the importance of telling the story of Christ and his revolutionary love.

Most of the 300+ boarding students at RVA are asked to make rather hefty sacrifices as their parents work all over the continent to do work they know in their heart is vital. The real wonder here is, how does the action and words of a teacher that lived about 2000 years ago inspire such selfless living?

On the other hand our cat, Moshi, hasn't given up much at all.