A group of American friends visited our congregation and country, I will share stories about their visit in the next few days.

One of the advantages of having visitors is what I call “fresh eyes”. Visitors have the ability to see the ordinary in a way that locals have lost. On the way to our house, JR (the pastor of Pierced) asked me, “why are there so many people walking around?”

In Johannesburg, and actually all of Africa, people walk around a lot. Most of them don’t have the privilege of owning a car. As such they have to use the local taxi service – in South Africa almost four million people use these. The taxis don’t drop passengers at their houses.

My eyes have grown old towards these people and their plight. JR’s question gave me the opportunity to see these people through fresh eyes. Fresh eyes remind me of a popular worship song – Open the eyes of my heart Lord.

++ Lord, give me fresh eyes ++