By Steve

I hit my middle finger with a hammer today. Hard! Not that it matters, but it was an accident. It took only seconds from the blood to start flowing from the tip of my finger and just seconds more for me to start hopping around in pain...hopping helps.

Water from the faucet rinsed away the blood as my mind went to work. I was remembering the story I've heard numerous times about the man who knew what his pastor was like on Sunday mornings, what he wanted to know was what his pastor was like when he hit his finger with a hammer. I could hear my dad's version of swear words leaving his mouth if it would have been his finger (ratfink and cockroach). I was thinking about how ridiculous it was that I was thinking about these things as my finger bled.

I stopped thinking and began laughing. I found a bandaid and finished my little project without further incident. I didn't really stop thinking.

I was thinking about my new friends in Africa, Stephen, Gabriel and Girard. Each time something happened that would frustrate me and most of my friends, they laughed. They didn't throw out a swear word. They never once complained. They laughed. They laughed at all 3 flat tires we got on one trip. They laughed when we ran out of gas. They laughed when we ran over someones foot. I did not see the humor that they saw in everything, but I did enjoy the perspective they had. It was so wonderful to hear no complaining or whining. It was so peaceful to have no one get angry. It was fun to laugh.

Many have asked me if our experience in Africa was life changing. I hope so. I hope that I become more like my African friends, and not allow life circumstances to rip off my joy. I hope I can find laughter often. And I hope I don't hit my finger again, but at least it got me thinking.