JOY!

“Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing—sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war or even death—can take that love away.”

The words above by Henri Nouwen resonate with my soul. The thought Nouwen so eloquently expressed resonated with me because it is knowing that I am unconditionally loved which causes me to daily seek joy. After just being here in Cape Town for a short time, I am quickly realizing that JOY overflows here.

On Saturday night, I had the privilege of going to my first South African bar-b-que known as a Braai with all the long term volunteers. While we were all gathered around eating delicious food, we started sharing the corniest of jokes. If you know me then you know I LOVE a good corny joke. Be prepared for when I return because my jokes repertoire has now quadrupled after Saturday!! Needless to say, within minutes we were all erupting with laughter that lasted well into the evening. As laughter filled the air, I thought, “This is JOY. This is what life is about. Enjoying one another, laughing uncontrollably all the while knowing that we each are unconditionally loved by God.”

After Saturday night, I really wondered how the weekend could become any more joyful, but it did!! I first felt joy as I was able to talk with my mom for a good bit. As I listened to her speak of home and life, I realized, “I understand the importance of joy because she is JOY!” I am truly blessed with the mother I have. This fact hits home more and more every day because I continually run into girls my age who do not have a mom to show them joy. I am SO blessed that I do. Not only am I blessed that I have a mom who shows me joy, but I have a mom whom I experience joy with.

Once I got off the phone with mom, I went to an ordination service for the new pastor of Capricorn Baptist Church. This was a HUGE day in the life of Capricorn because there is great need and great sadness within this township. Living Hope, therefore, decided to start a church plant 18 months ago in Capricorn. Within the past 18 months, this church has grown at a rapid pace and is teaching on the unconditional love of God to the people of Capricorn every Sunday. In turn Capricorn Baptist brings joy to the community. As I was participating in the ordination, listening to the prayers, rejoicing in the singing, and looking at the faces of everyone present, joy abound in that space. I hope and pray that I am lucky enough when I am ordained, my ordination will be one of great joy filled with a community of people who love me like yesterday’s service was.

Then today at Kids Clubs, some of the girls at Mountain View wanted to play with my hair. As they were playing with my hair I remembered all the countless times I’d ask to play with my babysitters’ hair. I thought back how in childhood playing with another person’s hair really made me happy and filled my soul with joy. I hope and pray that as those girls tiny hands platted my hair, joy was resounding somewhere in their souls. Also, as I played the game “Horse, Knight, Chariot” with a little boy today I hope he found joy. I know I did as we laughed and smiled the entire time. JOY overwhelmed me in those moments.

All of this to say, JOY is important. JOY is alive here. If there should be any place where people would not expect joy, it should be South Africa. I mean, a majority people here live on less than $2 a day, do not have adequate plumbing, suffer from malnutrition and are personally impacted by HIV/AIDS. Yet, JOY overflows here. Why? Because they GET IT!! They get that there is nothing as wonderful as the unconditional love of God. I pray that I may continue to understand and accept this unconditional love which is bestowed upon me. Upon all of us.

A friend once told me, “Molly, I want to be in the ministry of JOY. I want to live each day where I can say at the end of the day, ‘I brought joy to someone today.’” I am the one here ministering, and I hope that I am bringing JOY to those I come in contact with, but I probably fall short. I do know, however, that the people of South Africa, Living Hope, and my community of family and friends are in the ministry of JOY. Because the JOY around me both near and far reminds me that nothing separates me from the love of God.