Jan. 4, 2012 New Years Resolution
Am I really in Africa? Where the poorest people in the world are said to reside? Where the sun comes up everyday and the moon shines with the stars every night? Where the world can be seen from a whole different light because the power is off and the artificial light is not shining on everything to make you believe “all is good?” Africa has given me ears to hear a little better. The computer is our source of communication and I am so grateful for it. I am calling people on skype that I don't know I would have taken the time at home to call. I hear of their life and can hear hurts that I wouldn't have cared about in the states. The women at the bible study I am in, challenge me with the material they are using and God has placed such good books in Tom and I's hands to expand our faith and thinking. I cannot express to you how helpful WHEN HELPING HURTS by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert has been. Tom and I being here, believing our path was set out a long time ago to be here, and wanting in so many ways to be hands and feet for Christ have found this book to be a guide. We came with the mentality of helping the American way which is relief. Relief is as far as we have developed our world view because it is what we know how to do, with the least bit of involvement on our part. It is easy to mail a check, it is hard to develop a relationship. It is like the mission organizations in MN we would serve food at. I would take a team, plan, prepare, cook, set up, serve, take down go home and say “well done” yet not engage the able bodied people we were serving to assist or partake in anyway with us. In this way we robbed people of dignity by allowing them to be helpless and not engaging there skills for the kingdom.
When at church, we had a emergency fund for travelers coming through. I was a supporter because everyone that asked was given the gospel message from pastor Kevin and a conversation. Without redeeming the soul does a man have hope? NO, he is bound for hell. Without hearing the word can a man be saved? WHAT DO YOU THINK? When I attended the local pastors monthly gathering some of the other pastors were asking about the best way to handle the repeat askers for emergency help. Pastor Kevin had a chance to tell of his method of the “conversation and gospel” and to listen to the Spirit about how to help, it usually included the $ asked for. While reading this book it tells of the broken relationship the asker has with community. They are not using the gifts God gave to provide for themselves. And the next question is how can a church help develop those gifts or partner with the people asking to lead them in there own self discovery. But, that takes a relationship and that is too hard. It was convicting for me because $, I saw was not what God wanted for the long term. When Jesus came people liked him. He had relationships, he cut to the chase and went for the heart, and as believers we are called to do the same. (I know this is what got him killed for too.) I, sitting here in Africa, have time to see how poor I am. Do I really want to to develop a relationship beyond the white people I am trying real hard to get to know? Do I really want to tell the kids that stay at our house for a break from there site about Jesus when they annoy me with their personal bad habits? Do I show His love by keeping my mouth shut about his help in my life? These are my true confessions and you get to hear them because this is what I am seeing in Africa. If a Ugandan is sick and in the hospital, the whole clan shows up and stays with the sick or injured. (This is a good thing) The healthy caretakers find a relative that lives in the area and they go to their house and take turns at the sick bed if it will be a while before health is returned. I hear the Ugandans relatives complain that they eat all there food and have bad habits too and they stay too long. But they never let on, they are welcoming and engaging and understand innately that someday their turn may come and they practice DUE UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU. I have not been so good at that. So, for the new year in Africa I want to hear, be, and do the responsible, God given talent for, thing needed in anthers life to help them live out their calling. I am praying real hard about this, as is Tom, and we would covet your prayers for us. We hope to stop our enabling of ourselves and western world ideas of help and actually do what Jesus called us here for.
Aside from all this, did you know that there are white, orange, purple, and pink bougainvillea here and they have been in bloom since we came? They are wild vines and considered nuisances. The mango's here are better than almost anything I have had anywhere else. Soon they will export them. I am having conversations with 2 mango grove farmers about dehydrating on site and shipping (in a suitcase)the 100% organic fruit home to MN in winter. This will require visitors with large suitcases so make your plans now for Feb and March of next year to bring the 1st shipment back. All are welcome. Marcy
