The River Chapel was overflowing with volunteers, Beautiful Gate staff, government workers, house moms, and two families holding two healthy Basotho boys clinging to their new parents for an adoption ceremony. Even though it was a chilly morning in Lesotho Africa, the room heated up quickly as the festive celebration began. The housemothers, those who helped raised these two young boys, began the morning with songs, prayers, and of course dancing. The joy was contagious in the room, as the Beautiful Gate Staff knew these boys were going to godly homes where they would be nurtured and loved for the rest of their lives.

At one point house mom Ma Judith, who helped raise one of the adoptive boys from birth, shared about the blessing he had been to the Beautiful Gate family. It was a bitter sweet moment as she reached out her arms to hug the young child but he held tight to his new parents who he had just spent the week with. How hard it was for Judith to let go but as she turned around she led the ladies in another dance around the room rejoicing that the boy has already adapted to his loving home.

As I write this blog 10 days removed from the adoption ceremony I can still replay the scene in my mind in vivid detail. It truly was a spiritual experience for many reasons. First of all it was a God honoring day for the Beautiful Gate staff whom daily sacrifice to take care of (Matthew 25:40). It was God the Father saying, “well done good and faithful servants.” You could almost hear Heaven cheering in the chapel that day.

Secondly it was a day where a river of love flooded the room with powerful emotions of the Father’s love. As I leaned against a sidewall I watched tears flowing generously from volunteers, staff, and the families that were adopting, as well as several from our own team as we sat as bystanders. This is what happens when “true religion” takes place and God’s Kingdom breaks forth with joy that goes beyond words.

As both parents took pen in hand and signed the official papers making the long and costly adoption final, I pondered what my Abba Father did for me. How as an orphan child separated by my sin, shame, and a sickening spiritual death, he reached out to me through His only Son Jesus and purchased my life through His perfect, costly blood. The words from a song kept going through my mind during this ceremony, “I’m no longer a slave to sin but I am a child of God.”

That Friday morning in Lesotho Africa my soul was once again awakened to my own costly adoption and with great joy I joined in the singing and dancing giving praise to a good, good Father for His perfect love given to me His son.

“In love He predestined us to be adopted as his son through Jesus Christ …to the praise of His glorious grace,” Eph. 1:4-5.

Despite the fact that Tim has traveled to Africa more than twenty times, I am experiencing Lesotho for the second time, however two years in a row. The fact that I was the last to set foot on the soil of Lesotho in our family of five was because Tim and I both felt that experiencing life from a different cultural perspective was important for our kids and so we offered the opportunity to each of them. Apparently our three kids were up for the challenge as each of them was able to travel with Tim to Lesotho, our oldest daughter even studied for a semester in South Africa during college. Our youngest daughter has been to Mexico more times than Tim and I combined and not sure if it counts but our son is currently spending the summer in Iowa and a semester in Chicago next year.

“ONE THING I ask of the LORD this is what I seek that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple,” (Psalm 27:4)

As far as I can tell dwelling in the house of the Lord can happen in any country, virtually in any place and any time. Dwelling in my opinion is being, BEING aware of God’s presence wherever and whenever, sure the church building may be a wonderful place to find God’s presence, but truly it goes beyond that. Dwelling is experiencing, it is relational, it takes time and energy, in many ways it is BEING STILL and knowing I am God. Although on Sunday the team we are traveling with joined the local congregation and sang that song with a lot of volume and action, it was a long way from a peaceful and quiet chorus, however it certainly could be categorized as focused, engaged and being very aware of God’s presence.

What about the newly arrived infant, barely a month old that came to Beautiful Gate Care Center on our first night arriving with the team. The fifteen of us had a very different journey of packing, planes and changing time zones. This precious baby girl had a journey that included being left who knows why and where? Could the presence of God be evident in such sadness? This baby tightly wrapped in a warm blanket and lovingly placed in the arms of workers at the care center has a new home and much hope. Each student had the privilege of holding this little one and gazing into her eyes before she fell asleep. The loving arms of our Savior held this little one and without a doubt revealed the presence of God.

What about the sunset at the top of Lancers Gap? Hearing the wind amongst the barking dogs and honking taxis was the presence of God there as sheep wandered past on the hilltop and echoing voices could be heard in the background? Yes, yes the scene was breathtaking as the sun dipped below the mountain and the sky changed colors and the temperature dropped. Yes, God’s presence was evident in such majesty.

I could go on with other specific examples of my time here in Lesotho, but those of you have opened your heart and life to others whether that be across the street, from another age group or religious affiliation knows what I am talking about. Those of you who have traveled to Israel, Africa or even Lesotho to visit, no rather “experience or BE” apart of Beautiful Gate can attest to dwelling in the presence of God. You don’t have to travel to Lesotho to know what it is like to experience God, but consider yourself invited if you ever decide to come!

May you DWELL….BE….EXPERIENCE….KNOW GOD at this moment, wherever you are and whatever life may hold at the moment.