Niger's Next Top Models

It has become very obvious to me that I am surrounded by natural beauties. No make up, straightened or curled hair, no perfume or expensive clothes…Walking around in the heat and the dust makes it very difficult to look put together, in fact, you don’t even try. And yet, I find myself with some of the most attractive women I have ever met. They glow. Yes, it starts on the inside, but it radiates all the way to the outside. I literally can see the beauty from their hearts on their faces. I didn’t even believe it worked that way.

It’s in the way they live, the sacrifice is obvious, from the climate to the simple living to the far away families…But what is more captivating is their every day interactions.  When I see a certain woman here, she always asks how my day was; and the way she asks tugs so deep inside that I realize what I actually think about my day and feel so welcomed to share it with her. Another woman greets every child here with such compassion and joy that I know their entire morning has been brightened. The doctor walking through the hundreds of hospital beds can still notice a young girl’s newly braided hair. Busy with a million things, a wife turned around and walked all the way back to help me buy fruit at a stand she had just returned from, and another took the only restful part of her day to show me around the compound.

Their laughs spread warmth not just comedy. Their basic practices of hospitality and honesty have power. It's not that they aren't busy or tired...because they are so busy and so tired. But somehow their hearts don't beat for themselves but for others. And in wanting to imitate that type of purity, I realize who I am really imitating is my Savior.

All that to say, bring on the wrinkles and the gray hair because I can not WAIT to be as good looking as these desert ladies.

…and I also hope to dance like an old crazy at weddings and absent mindedly say a lot of shocking things at dinner tables …but that will come later...and they don’t do that here.

Those who look to Him are radiant. Psalm 34:5