As a follow up to my last blog post about Kidogo Burtha I wanted to write about my’07 Camry that is waiting for me at home. After about two days of driving Kidogo Burtha I was driving along and thinking about how I was going to kiss my car when I got home. It was then that I realized there may be a difference between going somewhere to do ministry and going as a missionary. As long as you go as a missionary you tend to stay outside the culture. Some of our conversations in the very short time we have been here have included things we miss about America, the biggest one probably being the food choices. We haven’t yet been able to become part of the culture, though being the only white people in town may have something to do with that.
Now, as Christians we are called to be a set apart community that is a light to the world. However, right now I feel separate from all of culture, not just the “non-Christian” parts. When you work in a church in the US there are certain standards and expectations that are placed upon you above and beyond the expectations of the culture and I will be the first to say that I don’t think America displays a whole lot of Christian values in mainstream culture. But there seems to be a difference between holding to a different way of life and not becoming part of the place you live (and having no intention of doing so). At this point in time I struggle with how to become part of a culture that has a different language, customs, and standards for living, but every time I think of “me” and “them” I am leaving out “us.” It takes us to be able to do ministry. It takes Anna’s help with the schools. It takes listening to Mwita and his insight into the kids work habits. It takes Michael and his understanding of what is required for a good education. It takes Frank to help us with the local government. It takes the many people I have met thus far that really have a heart for the kids at Angel House and just want them to succeed, in ways beyond what these people have been able to do themselves (all of those mentioned are Tanzanians). Anna, who is hesitant to take on high, official leadership roles, fully believes that a Tanzanian president can come out of Angel House.
So, is missing my car a bad thing? I don’t think so, but is wishing Tarime looked or felt like Cookeville, Jackson, or Medina (some of the places I have called home)? Yes, because Tarime is special all of its own accord. There is much ministry to be done here, in a way that is special to this place and these people. The one common factor is God’s faithfulness to his children, of which I have already met several. Our prayer is always to let God shine through and for us to become just part of the team that nurtures all that Angel House is. I would ask that your prayer be our ability in God to do so.
“To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might same some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
~1 Corinthians 9: 22-23
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
What is Black, Purple, Blue, Red, Swollen, and Dirty?...My Ankle!
The first day we were at MAHOTT, the girls were carrying water on their heads so I thought “how hard could it be?” Umm…much to my surprise after I had walked with one bucket about a hundred yards to the house my entire body ached. I had a headache, my neck hurt, and my back hurt! I looked like such a wimp compared to all the girls, including some of the younger ones, who had carried at least three buckets already that morning! I learned a lesson that day that apparently I needed to learn again a couple of weeks later…
One Friday night, I was impatiently waiting for Eric and Holly to come and pick me and the five little children up from MAHOTT to go spend the night at our house. We planned a fun-filled evening of coloring and a movie along with a slumber party! Well, my impatience got the best of me and I decided that I wanted to play soccer with the boys. So, in our makeshift soccer field that was recently slashed (or cut) we played a game of five on five where I was the goalie. I lasted until the other team scored twice before Joseph Charles pulled me out of that position. I ran toward the ball and found a hole instead. My ankle immediately started throbbing, changing colors, and swelling. I thought I may have broken it because every time I stepped I wanted to cry! However, after Salma (who “says” she had training in nursing) twisted and pulled and banged on it…I did not feel from my knee down! It has been over a week now and I still cannot walk without a limp.
Colossians 3:12, 13a reads: “therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long sufferings; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another.” Both of these stories illustrate how much the children have humbled me in the short three weeks we have been here. Every day they remind me of how much there is for me to learn about life and hardships. I tried to be one of the girls and I failed miserably just as I tried to be one of the boys playing soccer. I have traveled long distances to teach them, and yet in just staying home they have taught me so much.
One Friday night, I was impatiently waiting for Eric and Holly to come and pick me and the five little children up from MAHOTT to go spend the night at our house. We planned a fun-filled evening of coloring and a movie along with a slumber party! Well, my impatience got the best of me and I decided that I wanted to play soccer with the boys. So, in our makeshift soccer field that was recently slashed (or cut) we played a game of five on five where I was the goalie. I lasted until the other team scored twice before Joseph Charles pulled me out of that position. I ran toward the ball and found a hole instead. My ankle immediately started throbbing, changing colors, and swelling. I thought I may have broken it because every time I stepped I wanted to cry! However, after Salma (who “says” she had training in nursing) twisted and pulled and banged on it…I did not feel from my knee down! It has been over a week now and I still cannot walk without a limp.
Colossians 3:12, 13a reads: “therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long sufferings; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another.” Both of these stories illustrate how much the children have humbled me in the short three weeks we have been here. Every day they remind me of how much there is for me to learn about life and hardships. I tried to be one of the girls and I failed miserably just as I tried to be one of the boys playing soccer. I have traveled long distances to teach them, and yet in just staying home they have taught me so much.
Monday, February 8, 2010
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord” ~ Jeremiah 29:11
Too bad He didn’t share those plans with us!
The entire three weeks we have been here there have not been two days completely the same. Every day has a different “to do list” although you are lucky to get one thing done on that list. We usually get up around eight o’clock and try to get out and about. We have a staff meeting every Friday morning that is supposed to start at nine; however, we are lucky if it starts by ten. The staff meetings are at least two hours or more but are extremely productive because they are free to bring concerns and needs/wants to these meetings. One reason it is so long is because we have to have Anna translate everything for us. We spend every Saturday and Sunday with the children working in the shamba, playing games with the little ones, and worshiping. Monday through Thursday we meet with at least one head master and either the Minister of something or the District Commissioner about an issue. Eric works on construction stuff like getting solar power quotes or drilling quotes. We are all currently working on getting plans and paperwork done for the start of the new Secondary School project. Another thing is the finances since it is a big ordeal. Everything takes money and no one ever has any. We carry our own money as well as money for others on us at all times. We are trying to get Piki piki (dirt bike/motorcycle) licenses, so we have been getting eye exams and the paperwork done for that process as well.
The way that things go around here is that it may take you two or three times trying to do something before you actually conquer it. For example, we drove out to the Government Hospital to get eye exams and waited for a while before we found out that we had to come certain days between certain hours. So, Eric and I went the next day around seven thirty to get this done. However, we sat around until the doctor finally came after eight and told us that we had to go to another office to pay and bring a receipt. Then, after the eye exam we had to go to two other offices to get it stamped and recorded. Phew! Good news! Eric and I both passed according to their standards, although both of us missed quite a few letters and I definitely did not see any of the colors the doctor was holding up!
Anyway. Katherine has lunch on the table around noon and dinner on the table when she leaves around five o’clock. She has our laundry hanging up to dry and the house completely clean, including all of the cat hair off of the furniture! Sometimes we are back to eat lunch. We are never back to eat dinner until eight o’clock even though we try to be out at MOHOTT by four o’clock to hang out with the kids and help with homework so we can try to leave before dark hits because it is too dangerous to be driving after dark. We come home, eat dinner, and crash. Not having electricity most nights makes it much easier to just go to bed.
Goodnight.
The entire three weeks we have been here there have not been two days completely the same. Every day has a different “to do list” although you are lucky to get one thing done on that list. We usually get up around eight o’clock and try to get out and about. We have a staff meeting every Friday morning that is supposed to start at nine; however, we are lucky if it starts by ten. The staff meetings are at least two hours or more but are extremely productive because they are free to bring concerns and needs/wants to these meetings. One reason it is so long is because we have to have Anna translate everything for us. We spend every Saturday and Sunday with the children working in the shamba, playing games with the little ones, and worshiping. Monday through Thursday we meet with at least one head master and either the Minister of something or the District Commissioner about an issue. Eric works on construction stuff like getting solar power quotes or drilling quotes. We are all currently working on getting plans and paperwork done for the start of the new Secondary School project. Another thing is the finances since it is a big ordeal. Everything takes money and no one ever has any. We carry our own money as well as money for others on us at all times. We are trying to get Piki piki (dirt bike/motorcycle) licenses, so we have been getting eye exams and the paperwork done for that process as well.
The way that things go around here is that it may take you two or three times trying to do something before you actually conquer it. For example, we drove out to the Government Hospital to get eye exams and waited for a while before we found out that we had to come certain days between certain hours. So, Eric and I went the next day around seven thirty to get this done. However, we sat around until the doctor finally came after eight and told us that we had to go to another office to pay and bring a receipt. Then, after the eye exam we had to go to two other offices to get it stamped and recorded. Phew! Good news! Eric and I both passed according to their standards, although both of us missed quite a few letters and I definitely did not see any of the colors the doctor was holding up!
Anyway. Katherine has lunch on the table around noon and dinner on the table when she leaves around five o’clock. She has our laundry hanging up to dry and the house completely clean, including all of the cat hair off of the furniture! Sometimes we are back to eat lunch. We are never back to eat dinner until eight o’clock even though we try to be out at MOHOTT by four o’clock to hang out with the kids and help with homework so we can try to leave before dark hits because it is too dangerous to be driving after dark. We come home, eat dinner, and crash. Not having electricity most nights makes it much easier to just go to bed.
Goodnight.
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