Best Night of My Life: Apartheid Becomes Real in Colorado

For those of you who don't know, I am on yet another crazy adventure. About three weeks ago I found out that a Navigator's program had room for me this summer. It is called the Global Students Program. There are 30 students from 8 countries here in Colorado Springs at the Navigator's head quarters for two months, to work at the conference center, grow together, and spend time together and alone with God. Here is a glimpse at the astounding plans God had had in store for me "when as yet there was not one of them" (Psalm 139:16).

Today was a beautiful day. A day that I could enjoy an aspect of God's wonderful creation that I had never experienced before; huge red rocks towering over the trees and pointing to the clear blue sky. These images are only things I saw in crazy western films, but I never imagined I would behold them myself. Yesterday I even went hiking among these huge canyon walls to a waterfall. Anyways, in the middle of my "Western Adventure", we stopped to hear from the two South Africans in our program about the Apartheid in South Africa. I thought I knew everything, but I did not. I heard a woman who is now my dear sister, tell about her childhood in apartheid Cape Town, South Africa. When she was playing in the streets with her friends, the police would let dogs out to chase them, and throw tear gas at them. These things broke my heart in a new way. Reading books and watching movies cannot do these atrocities justice. After they both spoke, we watched "Invictus" together. I got to sit next to my South African sister, hear her sing along to the National Anthem, tell me about where she lives and comment on how Matt Damon's accent was perfect.

The title "Invictus" comes from the poem that helped Nelson Mandela get through his time in prison. It says "I am the master of my fate." But as I walked back to our house with my South African sister and my friend from Iowa, in the light of the full moon, I could do nothing but praise God that I am NOT the master of my own fate. He is. Otherwise I would not be who I am, or where I am. "I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being" (Psalm 146:2).

Peace be with you all. Love Laura.