Thinking about truly living one's faith

I'm not usually one at a loss for words until I have to speak from the heart and then I become a slobbering sentimental fool. Such is how I felt yesterday as I tried to thank the Hospital community for there kindness over the past 2 weeks. Liz and I have shared many meals with folks here mostly in their homes but also in our cottage. Truly the folks here humble me in a way no other trip has.  The members of this community give of themselves selflessly. The docs are on call every 2-3 nights, the surgeons even more often and like boarding school everyone has other jobs to keep the community emotionally and spiritually healthy.  But despite the endless demands and less than ideal working conditions they persevere.
Yesterday morning Liz and I went with 9 others to a bush church.  For 17 years the pastor and his family have offered Sunday church services in a small community about 10km from the hospital. More often than not its just he and his family and a few folks from the hospital that attend and yet he continues to prepare meaningful messages with the hope that he will make a difference. That's faith that humbles.   The Sunday Liz and I were in Niamey waiting to fly here to the hospital we attended church services at the boarding school where the older missionary kids go. As the guards opened the gates to let our vehicle in we drove what was essentially an obstacle course, snaking around barrels before reaching the straight portion of the drive to the building where the service was to be held. In a predominantly Muslim country there are of course groups that are not happy to have Christian missionaries around and so the obstacle course serves as a deterrent should would be extremists decide to attack.  While there were health and safety risks with other mission trips this is the first one where I have come to better understand the courage it takes to practice one's faith.
Two hymns from yesterday that really struck me were Blessed Be the Name of the Lord and He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, songs I've sung many times before and yet here, surrounded by these people who truly put there faith into action you can't help but feel moved in a unique way. I still want that coconut drink though.