"Atwooki, Bye!"
Araali's call resonates through the house, signaling the end of the work day. Our compound becomes only ours for a brief respite of time.
I hasten through the food prep eager for a moment outside. During this fleeting moment.
This perfect time of day.
The noisy hordes of school children have passed our fence and found their way home. Dinner warms in the oven. The boys explode outside for a few final hours of running and energy spending in the coolest hours of the day.
Evening.
The sun begins to lower dramatically over the mountains that sit majestic guard over our town. The sky displays the spectrum of colors our Creator is choosing for this particular evening. Oranges, red, purples, blues. I am awestruck at the visual and breathe deep of the ever cooling air.
6 PM.
In our first year of life in Ft Portal, 6 PM poured loneliness and despair into my soul. The early evening triggered the impulse to meet with others ending their day of work in our home culture. I missed my parents, our friends, restaurants, malls, Mexican food.
In my first year of adjustment to a completely new and uncomfortable way, 6 PM ushered me into enough stillness to remember all that was left behind.
I cried often, then.
And I prayed. Pleading prayers, asking God to make this my home and comfort my soul.
Somewhere around year three of our sojourn here, I realized that my mind was anticipating the evening hour, not dreading it.
My awareness of this miracle shaded over me much as the shifting colors of the sunset. Gradual. Breathtaking. Awesome.
And now. I long for 6PM. I find my walking path, fill my ears with praise music and drink in the abundance of this place and this life.
His plan and purpose for me. All day, I settle quarrels and hug sweaty boys, encourage math prowess and pray long over ministry. I cook food and clean and organize and plan.
But for some minutes as the sun falls, I walk in the cool air and am embraced. By the arms of my Father who designed this painful, healing time, just for me. Because He knows.
The boys scheme grand adventure and ride bicycles around and around. Sweet girl revels in the quiet house and conquers one more chapter of a book. Too, embraced, by a Creator Who loves them well.
Hungry tummies beckon and darkness drives us into the light of the solar bulbs. Fully loved. Fully known.
A perfect moment.
