I’m trying to think of lots of clever things to say, but all I can get out is . . . “why the heck couldn’t I sleep!!???” I intentionally stayed awake over the duration of both our flights – starting at 9 pm in California (9 hour 46 minutes flight to Heathrow) until we arrived in Nairobi at 7 am (8 hours from Heathrow to Jomo Kenyatta) Sunday morning. The best I can figure is that “Saturday” for us only lasted 4 hours while we were in London. At Jomo, smiling, giant white-teeth John, the hotel’s driver, greeted us. Walking to the van, we were accosted by several men trying to wrench luggage out of our hands to “help us.” They were greatly disappointed at (1) Sherry’s vise-grip on her carry-on bag, (2) I carried my own luggage and (3) when one finally grabbed my large backpack and threw it into the van during the millisecond I set it down, I only gave him $1. John just laughed.
Arriving at the Heron Hotel, Sherry showered and went straight to bed. The staff here are wonderful. The desk clerk arranged for a new cell phone, which we’ll use whenever we’re in Africa – he assured me it would even work in the US. If you need to reach us for the next couple of months, the number is (254) 071 706 0345. I finally gave in to the need for a nap, and so slept from about noon to five. We wandered around the hotel for a bit, sat on the terrace enjoying the cool breeze and trying not to be grouchy at each other because we were so tired. By about 8 pm I could barely keep my eyes open.
I was sure that a tall Tusker (African beer) and 2 melatonins would do the trick and I’d wake up cheerful, rested and ready for the day . . . at about 7 am. So at around 9 pm, I climbed into our very comfortable queen-size. No dice. Awake every two hours or so and at 3:30 am I was wide-awake, listening to a mosquito dive-bombing my ear; I finally caved at 4:30 . . . and so here I am. Thanks for being interested enough to read this far!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Sunday, March 08, 2009
The Lost Boys of Sudan
Since many have indicated a desire for a bit more information about the "Lost Boys" of Sudan, I thought I'd do a quick primer . . . I also have to insert a bit of editorial disclaimer here; these are no longer boys - and not very lost. Those I've met are incredibly intelligent, articulate, gracious, generous, passionate men, willingly leaving comfort and relative prosperity in the US to return to Sudan. They plan to invest their own resources, indeed their very lives in an effort to see a decimated country flourish once again.
In what has been called the second civil war in Sudan, north fought south from 1983 until the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed in 2005. During this war, nearly 2 million southern Sudanese were killed and more than 4 million driven from their homes.
Nicknamed “the Lost Boys” by several aid organizations operating in Sudan, most of the boys were orphaned or separated from their families when government troops (from the North) systematically attacked villages throughout southern Sudan killing many of the inhabitants, most of whom were civilians. When villages were attacked, girls were raped, killed, taken as slaves to the north, or became servants or adopted children for other Sudanese families. Consequently, relatively few girls made it to the refugee camps. The younger boys survived in large numbers because they were away tending herds or able to escape into the nearby jungles. Orphaned and with no support, they made epic journeys of hundreds of miles (some over 1,000 miles!) and lasting years across Sudan’s borders to international relief camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. It was a miracle they survived thirst, starvation, wild animals, insects, disease, and one of the bloodiest wars of the 20th century. Experts say they are the most badly war-traumatized children ever examined.
In 2001, about 3,800 of the Lost Boys arrived in the United States. Since then, many have received university education and in some cases, gone on to pursue graduate degrees. It has become Sherry’s and my privilege to be invited into the lives of a handful of these now grown young men who are passionate about returning to Sudan and investing in the lives of their people and country.
You can find many resources, but I've read or watched these and know they're good:
- Dave Eggers, What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng. A novel based on the story of Valentino Achak Deng, now living in the US
- John Bul Dau and Michael Sweeney, God Grew Tired of Us: A Memoir. The life story of John Dau, who was also chronicled in the 2006 documentary God Grew Tired of Us. ISBN 978-1426201141
- Judy A. Bernstein (ed.), They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky. The true story in their own words of the 14-year journey of Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng and Benjamin Ajak, now living in the US.
In what has been called the second civil war in Sudan, north fought south from 1983 until the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed in 2005. During this war, nearly 2 million southern Sudanese were killed and more than 4 million driven from their homes.
Nicknamed “the Lost Boys” by several aid organizations operating in Sudan, most of the boys were orphaned or separated from their families when government troops (from the North) systematically attacked villages throughout southern Sudan killing many of the inhabitants, most of whom were civilians. When villages were attacked, girls were raped, killed, taken as slaves to the north, or became servants or adopted children for other Sudanese families. Consequently, relatively few girls made it to the refugee camps. The younger boys survived in large numbers because they were away tending herds or able to escape into the nearby jungles. Orphaned and with no support, they made epic journeys of hundreds of miles (some over 1,000 miles!) and lasting years across Sudan’s borders to international relief camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. It was a miracle they survived thirst, starvation, wild animals, insects, disease, and one of the bloodiest wars of the 20th century. Experts say they are the most badly war-traumatized children ever examined.
In 2001, about 3,800 of the Lost Boys arrived in the United States. Since then, many have received university education and in some cases, gone on to pursue graduate degrees. It has become Sherry’s and my privilege to be invited into the lives of a handful of these now grown young men who are passionate about returning to Sudan and investing in the lives of their people and country.
You can find many resources, but I've read or watched these and know they're good:
- Dave Eggers, What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng. A novel based on the story of Valentino Achak Deng, now living in the US
- John Bul Dau and Michael Sweeney, God Grew Tired of Us: A Memoir. The life story of John Dau, who was also chronicled in the 2006 documentary God Grew Tired of Us. ISBN 978-1426201141
- Judy A. Bernstein (ed.), They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky. The true story in their own words of the 14-year journey of Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng and Benjamin Ajak, now living in the US.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
6 days to Africa
That's right. We leave in 6 days. So today, the itinerary looks like this (but this is Africa and things are always subject to change):
*March 13: Depart LAX and arrive in Nairobi on March 15th
*March 16 or 17: Fly to Juba to meet Mamer Ajak, then travel to Bor and present the Ag plan to the governor of Jonglei State.
*First week in April: Attend the dedication of the Werkok Hospital (site where Sherry will volunteer)
*April 6th or 13th:(depends on transportation availability, since there will be lots of visitors needing transport from Werkok at one time), travel to Nairobi
*May 20th: (depending on schedules) meet up with Jerry & Kathy Moser and Daniel Akech Thiong, another of the Lost Boys from Sudan. We will be visiting Sudanese students who have been sponsored by Daniel, Jerry & Kathy and others.
*June 15th: to Europe for debriefing (okay—maybe for a little fun too!)
*June 30th: HOME from London
More updates to come . . .
*March 13: Depart LAX and arrive in Nairobi on March 15th
*March 16 or 17: Fly to Juba to meet Mamer Ajak, then travel to Bor and present the Ag plan to the governor of Jonglei State.
*First week in April: Attend the dedication of the Werkok Hospital (site where Sherry will volunteer)
*April 6th or 13th:(depends on transportation availability, since there will be lots of visitors needing transport from Werkok at one time), travel to Nairobi
*May 20th: (depending on schedules) meet up with Jerry & Kathy Moser and Daniel Akech Thiong, another of the Lost Boys from Sudan. We will be visiting Sudanese students who have been sponsored by Daniel, Jerry & Kathy and others.
*June 15th: to Europe for debriefing (okay—maybe for a little fun too!)
*June 30th: HOME from London
More updates to come . . .
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Hunting Jesus
"Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do; He reveals to you Who He is." - Oswald Chambers
Too often I'm concerned about what I want God to do, either in my own life or in the lives of others within my sphere of influence. Chambers nailed it; it isn't about what he's going to do, its about who he is. Sherry and I are preparing to head off again to Africa and I'm constantly praying, asking what he wants me to do and how he wants me to do it. I'm always wondering what it should look like? The "it" in this case is whatever task or job might be lining up for me. Chambers hi-jacked me with his statement; it dawned on me that what I do or don't do is secondary to apprehending just who this Jesus is I've sworn to follow. The doing must always follow and be informed by the apprehending! Seeing and recognizing him becomes the platform from which I can see what the doing must be.
Speaking of doing . . . Here's a good video on the plight of the pygmies in SW Uganda. It underscores some of the difficulties they face as they attempt the transition from hunter-gatherers to agriculturalists. It also highlights the challenges we face as we seek to encourage them towards animal husbandry with goats as a potential pathway towards sustainability.
Too often I'm concerned about what I want God to do, either in my own life or in the lives of others within my sphere of influence. Chambers nailed it; it isn't about what he's going to do, its about who he is. Sherry and I are preparing to head off again to Africa and I'm constantly praying, asking what he wants me to do and how he wants me to do it. I'm always wondering what it should look like? The "it" in this case is whatever task or job might be lining up for me. Chambers hi-jacked me with his statement; it dawned on me that what I do or don't do is secondary to apprehending just who this Jesus is I've sworn to follow. The doing must always follow and be informed by the apprehending! Seeing and recognizing him becomes the platform from which I can see what the doing must be.
Speaking of doing . . . Here's a good video on the plight of the pygmies in SW Uganda. It underscores some of the difficulties they face as they attempt the transition from hunter-gatherers to agriculturalists. It also highlights the challenges we face as we seek to encourage them towards animal husbandry with goats as a potential pathway towards sustainability.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Wells, Pygmies and Goats
This has been a wild year! Gotta confess that we've been bad . . . real bad at staying in touch. We truly hope to do a better job communicating in the year to come.
This year saw both Sherry and me complete our Master's degrees - Sherry in Nursing and me in International Development. For both of us, it was the culmination of many years of full-time school. Now is when it starts to get really interesting . . .
I'm leaving for San Angelo, Texas on the 13th of March to train with a man who invented a technology for digging wells, each of which costs around US $100. After the training week in Texas, Sherry and I, along with a young man named Mark Ukleja, will head off to Burkina Faso (in West Africa, near Ivory Coast) with the hope of initiating a project team we can train to dig these wells throughout the country.
After 2 weeks in Burkina, Sherry and I will head down to Uganda, to the same hospital ministering to the Batwa pygmies, where we spent the summer of 2005. When we returned after our first trip, I wrote a grant, asking for funds that would bring clean water, sanitation and some goats to the pygmies. The grant was approved and funded this past summer by Rotary International, to the tune of just under $300,000. Sol Henson, a hydrologist from UC Davis is currently in Uganda administering the water and sanitation components of the project. A Rotarian from Reno had committed to spend a year administering the goat segment of the project, but it appears he won't be able to do so. I received a call about a month ago, asking if I might be able to come and give some leadership to that portion of the work . . . so here we go! I actually have no idea what it might look like for us to be involved again with the Bwindi Community Health Centre , but we're sure going to find out. Here is another link with more information about the work in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, begun by Scott and Carol Kellermann, and where it looks like Sherry and I might be spending some significant time over the next few years. One of the things Sherry is hoping for is the opportunity to work closely with the maternity wing at the hospital and become proficient as a midwife.
There are still lots of questions left unanswered for us: like . . . when will we be coming back? We just aren't sure right now. Though I'm getting a week's worth of hands-on training in Texas, they say it takes quite a while to really grasp the nuances of effectively digging and starting these types of wells. Apparently, you can't capture the "art" to these wells without actually doing them - lots of them. So, one of the options we're considering is having me spend an additional 3 months or so, traveling throughout the Ethiopian bush, going from village to village, digging these wells. If we pursue this option, I'd very much like to bring someone from both Burkina Faso and Uganda to train alongside. Sherry would stay at the hospital in Bwindi while I undertake this adventure.
Thanks for taking the time to wade through this. For those of you who pray, please keep us on your list!
Have a wonderful New Year and we'll be in touch again soon.
This year saw both Sherry and me complete our Master's degrees - Sherry in Nursing and me in International Development. For both of us, it was the culmination of many years of full-time school. Now is when it starts to get really interesting . . .
I'm leaving for San Angelo, Texas on the 13th of March to train with a man who invented a technology for digging wells, each of which costs around US $100. After the training week in Texas, Sherry and I, along with a young man named Mark Ukleja, will head off to Burkina Faso (in West Africa, near Ivory Coast) with the hope of initiating a project team we can train to dig these wells throughout the country.
After 2 weeks in Burkina, Sherry and I will head down to Uganda, to the same hospital ministering to the Batwa pygmies, where we spent the summer of 2005. When we returned after our first trip, I wrote a grant, asking for funds that would bring clean water, sanitation and some goats to the pygmies. The grant was approved and funded this past summer by Rotary International, to the tune of just under $300,000. Sol Henson, a hydrologist from UC Davis is currently in Uganda administering the water and sanitation components of the project. A Rotarian from Reno had committed to spend a year administering the goat segment of the project, but it appears he won't be able to do so. I received a call about a month ago, asking if I might be able to come and give some leadership to that portion of the work . . . so here we go! I actually have no idea what it might look like for us to be involved again with the Bwindi Community Health Centre , but we're sure going to find out. Here is another link with more information about the work in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, begun by Scott and Carol Kellermann, and where it looks like Sherry and I might be spending some significant time over the next few years. One of the things Sherry is hoping for is the opportunity to work closely with the maternity wing at the hospital and become proficient as a midwife.
There are still lots of questions left unanswered for us: like . . . when will we be coming back? We just aren't sure right now. Though I'm getting a week's worth of hands-on training in Texas, they say it takes quite a while to really grasp the nuances of effectively digging and starting these types of wells. Apparently, you can't capture the "art" to these wells without actually doing them - lots of them. So, one of the options we're considering is having me spend an additional 3 months or so, traveling throughout the Ethiopian bush, going from village to village, digging these wells. If we pursue this option, I'd very much like to bring someone from both Burkina Faso and Uganda to train alongside. Sherry would stay at the hospital in Bwindi while I undertake this adventure.
Thanks for taking the time to wade through this. For those of you who pray, please keep us on your list!
Have a wonderful New Year and we'll be in touch again soon.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
What is the What?
This is the story of Achak (Valentino) Deng. But it is also the story of countless other Lost Boys from Sudan. It is a compelling, tragic, victorious story of survival. To try and imagine some of the events and circumstances and experiences these boys have endured is beyond the typical American's comprehension. Walking for hundreds of miles with not enough food or water; watching as one of your friends was carried away by a lion and listening as his bones were crunched and he was eaten by that lion. Sitting at the base of a tree, after walking for weeks together, burying your best friend so the vultures wouldn't eat him until you had walked far enough away not to see or hear.
I'm experiencing What is the What as an audio book. It is so compelling I can hardly stop listening and periodically I find myself weeping at the harshness of the lives these boys were forced to endure.
God grant me the courage and resolve to make a difference!
I'm experiencing What is the What as an audio book. It is so compelling I can hardly stop listening and periodically I find myself weeping at the harshness of the lives these boys were forced to endure.
God grant me the courage and resolve to make a difference!
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Size does matter
Over the past couple of weeks, I've watched my mom, someone I thought was pretty healthy, become transformed into a broken physical shell. It started with her being short of breath and asking the doc to do a stress test. When the test results came back "abnormal," he scheduled an angioplasty with the intention of installing a stent. The angio day brought some bad news; Mom needed open heart surgery, which turned out to be a quadruple bypass! After the Thursday surgery, she seemed to be doing well and making an excellent recovery. Until Sunday night. During a breathing exercise with the hospital Respiratory Therapist, she suffered what the doc called a massive stroke, with significant damage and extensive swelling on the right side of her brain - leaving her entire left body paralyzed.
A subsequent conversation I had with the doc left me reeling. Essentially he said that he didn't have a great deal of hope for significant recovery "because of mom's age and her size." Now, since then, mom has proved him completely wrong and has made remarkable progress in her physical therapy (as of 9/11/08) - to the extent that she has even walked inside the parallel bars for about 15 feet! I'm so proud of her tenacity and drive to get to the place where she can realistically begin to care for herself again.
Some months ago I wrote about being "waisted." While I am excited for the progress and direction of Mom's recovery, what the doc said was a dramatic wake-up call for me. It reminded me I have all the genes that predispose me to diabetes, atherosclorosis, high blood pressure and a host of other complications arising from simply carrying too much weight. I actually hate this. I hate having to write about it because it calls me to accountability.
It is also a reminder that we're preparing and planning to spend time in Africa, investing in the lives of those who are on the margins. It feels like an affront for a fat man to attempt to engage people who may be starving. So, realizing that size does matter, I'm looking forward to changing mine. Maybe I can appropriate John the Baptist's statement that "He must increase and I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). What do you think?
A subsequent conversation I had with the doc left me reeling. Essentially he said that he didn't have a great deal of hope for significant recovery "because of mom's age and her size." Now, since then, mom has proved him completely wrong and has made remarkable progress in her physical therapy (as of 9/11/08) - to the extent that she has even walked inside the parallel bars for about 15 feet! I'm so proud of her tenacity and drive to get to the place where she can realistically begin to care for herself again.
Some months ago I wrote about being "waisted." While I am excited for the progress and direction of Mom's recovery, what the doc said was a dramatic wake-up call for me. It reminded me I have all the genes that predispose me to diabetes, atherosclorosis, high blood pressure and a host of other complications arising from simply carrying too much weight. I actually hate this. I hate having to write about it because it calls me to accountability.
It is also a reminder that we're preparing and planning to spend time in Africa, investing in the lives of those who are on the margins. It feels like an affront for a fat man to attempt to engage people who may be starving. So, realizing that size does matter, I'm looking forward to changing mine. Maybe I can appropriate John the Baptist's statement that "He must increase and I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). What do you think?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
MONDAY (3/10/08) IN OUAGA
We started the day like most others, except I had a bit less sleep. I was up till after midnight, and then up again at about 4:30 am preparing a message for the pastor’s conference at which we were the featured speakers. Josh and I each spoke for about an hour and a half (including questions at the end of each segment).
The conference was held at a church in the bush about 45 km outside the city, and attended by 60 – 70 pastors. These men are so gracious. They were clearly of a different economic status than most of the other pastors we’ve seen who are largely from the city – or directors of bible schools. These men each pastor one or more churches in bush villages, and farm for their living needs. Several of the men attending this one-day conference are now out of food for themselves and their families. When I say, “out of food,” it doesn’t mean they’re getting low. It means they have nothing left. Nothing. They are now facing the rest of March, April, May, June, July, August and September before the October harvest, when they will again have food . . . if they live to see it.
I am reminded again that we need to participate with them in some way. It costs $26 for a family of 5 to eat for a month – one meal a day – but they can at least survive the famine. I’m asking God how and if we (Sherry and I) should participate in what He is doing here in Burkina Faso. One of the ideas I’ve had is exploring further some well-digging technology, where hand-dug wells costing only around $100 can be made available to the people. Local workers can be trained to dig the wells and given (by means of micro-finance loans?) the tools necessary to create a well-digging (transformational development) business. Additional training in water catchment technologies could be made available for capturing the 40mm – 100mm of rainwater which comes each year during the rainy season. Regular and consistent water availability would solve the majority of the problems faced by these subsistence farmers.
The conference was held at a church in the bush about 45 km outside the city, and attended by 60 – 70 pastors. These men are so gracious. They were clearly of a different economic status than most of the other pastors we’ve seen who are largely from the city – or directors of bible schools. These men each pastor one or more churches in bush villages, and farm for their living needs. Several of the men attending this one-day conference are now out of food for themselves and their families. When I say, “out of food,” it doesn’t mean they’re getting low. It means they have nothing left. Nothing. They are now facing the rest of March, April, May, June, July, August and September before the October harvest, when they will again have food . . . if they live to see it.
I am reminded again that we need to participate with them in some way. It costs $26 for a family of 5 to eat for a month – one meal a day – but they can at least survive the famine. I’m asking God how and if we (Sherry and I) should participate in what He is doing here in Burkina Faso. One of the ideas I’ve had is exploring further some well-digging technology, where hand-dug wells costing only around $100 can be made available to the people. Local workers can be trained to dig the wells and given (by means of micro-finance loans?) the tools necessary to create a well-digging (transformational development) business. Additional training in water catchment technologies could be made available for capturing the 40mm – 100mm of rainwater which comes each year during the rainy season. Regular and consistent water availability would solve the majority of the problems faced by these subsistence farmers.
Sunday (3/9/08) in Ouaga
Sunday was a great day. We spent the morning at Eliel Church, where Josh spoke on Psalm 73. Clearly, God has given him the gift of teaching and his word to the church was well-received.
After lunch we went to an open-air market where the vendors were incredibly aggressive. This market faced a concrete waterway that was dry (like everything else here this time of year), and once we got past the first few shops, we had a feeling of being pretty “caught” by them. They were grabbing our arms and doing everything in their power to get us into their “shops,” which were cubbyholes about 5 feet wide by 8 or 9 feet deep. They had no concept of “personal space.” In-your-face hawking of their wares, yelling “Excuse me, Excuse me!” grabbing our arms and actually trying to push us into their shops. Daniel told us later that it was in the very same place that he had been cheated by the vendors. I think we got lucky! They actually had some pretty nice stuff. As far as souvenirs go, that is. I think the prices we got from them were at least fair, if not good.
Sunday night was great. It was over an hour of pure singing. There’s nothing like a whole building full of singing and dancing Africans. Part way through the meeting, they asked Julie and Josh and me to sing, which we did – and then Julie did a solo. Wow! What a voice! I had no idea she could sing. But what really surprised me was how she could dance! At the end of the service, Elienai (Daniel’s youngest daughter – about 20 yrs old) called her out to the floor in front of the podium and she danced with about 12 of the ladies and a handful of men. She got game!
I can’t imagine much more encouraging than a church full of Africans dancing and singing praise to the Lord for what He’s done . . . except the arrival of my first granddaughter! VIOLET GRACE PRINCE made her appearance at 8:16am, March 7th. She weighed 8lbs, 6ozs and was 21.5 inches long. Mom and baby are doing GREAT.
After lunch we went to an open-air market where the vendors were incredibly aggressive. This market faced a concrete waterway that was dry (like everything else here this time of year), and once we got past the first few shops, we had a feeling of being pretty “caught” by them. They were grabbing our arms and doing everything in their power to get us into their “shops,” which were cubbyholes about 5 feet wide by 8 or 9 feet deep. They had no concept of “personal space.” In-your-face hawking of their wares, yelling “Excuse me, Excuse me!” grabbing our arms and actually trying to push us into their shops. Daniel told us later that it was in the very same place that he had been cheated by the vendors. I think we got lucky! They actually had some pretty nice stuff. As far as souvenirs go, that is. I think the prices we got from them were at least fair, if not good.
Sunday night was great. It was over an hour of pure singing. There’s nothing like a whole building full of singing and dancing Africans. Part way through the meeting, they asked Julie and Josh and me to sing, which we did – and then Julie did a solo. Wow! What a voice! I had no idea she could sing. But what really surprised me was how she could dance! At the end of the service, Elienai (Daniel’s youngest daughter – about 20 yrs old) called her out to the floor in front of the podium and she danced with about 12 of the ladies and a handful of men. She got game!
I can’t imagine much more encouraging than a church full of Africans dancing and singing praise to the Lord for what He’s done . . . except the arrival of my first granddaughter! VIOLET GRACE PRINCE made her appearance at 8:16am, March 7th. She weighed 8lbs, 6ozs and was 21.5 inches long. Mom and baby are doing GREAT.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Ouagadougou
This is the first day I've had internet access since Thursday evening . . .
FRIDAY IN OUAGA (3/7/08)
Today has been a wonderful day. The night cold (70+ degrees) was really comfortable at 4:45 am when I rolled off (not out-of because I was on-top-of) my bed. Nothing better than a cup of instant Nescafe on the patio! Pastor Daniel collected us at 7 am and chauffeured us an hour and a half west of Ouagadougou to the Bethel Bible School, in the town of Koudougou. Jeremy is the director of the school and a wonderful host. This is one of the places our church has bought roofs for some of the outdoor “kitchens” used by the wives of the students. These kitchens are each approximately 6’ x 4’ built of stone, exposed to the wind and dust – of which there is no shortage of either! There are two small holes built into the nearly flat top of a small stone cavern in which the coals are placed from the front, like a front-loading stone oven. During the rainy season (about 3 – 4 months a year), they can’t cook and have to eat the food raw or share one of the kitchens that does have a roof. And saying they have a roof doesn’t tell the complete story. These kitchens are built in a sort of pod, 6 in a row on one side, with the back wall serving as a common wall for 6 more mirroring them on the opposite side. A galvanized roof, sloping only one direction covers only the tops – with the sides still open to the air, wind and dust. All the cooking for each family is handled at one of these kitchens.
I spoke at the chapel service today on imitating Christ (from Ephesians, Philippians and I Corinthians) and attempting to use illustrations of how God has sustained Sherry and me over the past 35 years walking with Him. At the end, Jeremy asked me to pray for some of the students who are already out of food and supposedly the famine won’t be until later this summer! Clearly for these students, the famine has begun. Josh spoke well again at the 2 morning class sessions.
Lunch today was far more suitable to our wimpy American palates. We had more noodles, cooked with entire chickens in it – including heads and feet! Along with the noodles was another dish of “pental,” or roasted guinea fowl. It was delicious, far better than chicken. Veggies and bread rounded out the meal, along with Fanta (orange) and Coke. Here’s what is so tough. I had just heard that some of the students had no food – and we were treated to a complete feast. Moore culture requires that even if they have nothing, they must immediately go and borrow to provide exceptional hospitality to a visitor and then repay what was borrowed some time in the future! And it would be an affront not to accept. And it broke my heart to accept.
SATURDAY IN OUAGA (3/8/08)
Saturday was a day for visiting . . . first stop was Pierre’s church in Koubri, where we were treated to Nescafe from plastic bowls because Pierre had no cups. But Pierre DID have a Renault “Rapid,” a sweet little french version of a minivan, which he drove and we followed – to show us the barrage or dam that feeds a government-constructed system of irrigated plots where about 70 families grow various small crops. This was no small sacrifice for the man who had no cups, as gasoline costs over $6 per gallon! They were growing rice, cabbage, corn, onions, and an herb that didn’t translate to English. When other foods become scarce, they use this herb as an extender for any meat or other vegetables or boiled to make a soup. Because the land here is irrigated, the people generally have enough money and food all year round. The key to their subsistence is water. Previously they used pesticides every two weeks for pest control, but now they are experimenting with a spray concocted from crushed leaves of the NFme (pronounced “neem”) tree. It seems to work well to prevent pests from consuming the plants and is completely safe for human consumption. These 70 families are well-provisioned on about 25 hectares of land.
I wondered about the security of the produce. Why, for example, wouldn’t it get stolen at night? Pastor Daniel said it is very common practice for animists to place curses on the plots so that anyone attempting to steal would be prevented from leaving until the owner arrived in the morning. I thought he was joking . . . but he was dead serious. He said this isn’t done so much any more in the cities because it would cause the deaths of too many children who have grown up on the streets not knowing right from wrong and would get caught in the curses! In the bush, it is still common practice! People apparently do die from the curses!
Before dinner, Daniel escorted us to the home of Abdul and Husga, one of his married daughters and her husband. Daniel had asked us to come pray for their oldest son Ismail (11years old), who is facing the possibility of death due to a kidney disease, which I believe they called glomerial nephritis (it was a tough translation of French, Moore and English). What I understood clearly is there isn’t a single pediatric nephrologist in all of W. Africa. Abdul and Husga have petitioned the government for financial support, which would allow them to take Ismail to France for treatment. Without the government approval, and unless God intervenes, Ismail will not live.
Daniel and Elizabeth Delma treated to us to a meal at their home, which was by far the finest meal we’ve had in Ouaga. African couscous, rice, noodles (what’s with the curly Italian noodles? We’ve had them at every meal!), chicken and guinea hen, an incredible salad of shredded carrots with cucumbers and cabbage covered with a home-made vinaigrette. Six of the Delma children were there along with spouses of the married ones. It was wonderful evening with grandchildren running everywhere
However, the crown of the entire evening was hearing Sherry’s voice . . . and her handing the phone to Carrie, who announced the grand entrance yesterday of Violet Grace Prince, my third grandchild and first granddaughter! While I’m sad I missed it, I thank God for little Violet’s safe arrival!
FRIDAY IN OUAGA (3/7/08)
Today has been a wonderful day. The night cold (70+ degrees) was really comfortable at 4:45 am when I rolled off (not out-of because I was on-top-of) my bed. Nothing better than a cup of instant Nescafe on the patio! Pastor Daniel collected us at 7 am and chauffeured us an hour and a half west of Ouagadougou to the Bethel Bible School, in the town of Koudougou. Jeremy is the director of the school and a wonderful host. This is one of the places our church has bought roofs for some of the outdoor “kitchens” used by the wives of the students. These kitchens are each approximately 6’ x 4’ built of stone, exposed to the wind and dust – of which there is no shortage of either! There are two small holes built into the nearly flat top of a small stone cavern in which the coals are placed from the front, like a front-loading stone oven. During the rainy season (about 3 – 4 months a year), they can’t cook and have to eat the food raw or share one of the kitchens that does have a roof. And saying they have a roof doesn’t tell the complete story. These kitchens are built in a sort of pod, 6 in a row on one side, with the back wall serving as a common wall for 6 more mirroring them on the opposite side. A galvanized roof, sloping only one direction covers only the tops – with the sides still open to the air, wind and dust. All the cooking for each family is handled at one of these kitchens.
I spoke at the chapel service today on imitating Christ (from Ephesians, Philippians and I Corinthians) and attempting to use illustrations of how God has sustained Sherry and me over the past 35 years walking with Him. At the end, Jeremy asked me to pray for some of the students who are already out of food and supposedly the famine won’t be until later this summer! Clearly for these students, the famine has begun. Josh spoke well again at the 2 morning class sessions.
Lunch today was far more suitable to our wimpy American palates. We had more noodles, cooked with entire chickens in it – including heads and feet! Along with the noodles was another dish of “pental,” or roasted guinea fowl. It was delicious, far better than chicken. Veggies and bread rounded out the meal, along with Fanta (orange) and Coke. Here’s what is so tough. I had just heard that some of the students had no food – and we were treated to a complete feast. Moore culture requires that even if they have nothing, they must immediately go and borrow to provide exceptional hospitality to a visitor and then repay what was borrowed some time in the future! And it would be an affront not to accept. And it broke my heart to accept.
SATURDAY IN OUAGA (3/8/08)
Saturday was a day for visiting . . . first stop was Pierre’s church in Koubri, where we were treated to Nescafe from plastic bowls because Pierre had no cups. But Pierre DID have a Renault “Rapid,” a sweet little french version of a minivan, which he drove and we followed – to show us the barrage or dam that feeds a government-constructed system of irrigated plots where about 70 families grow various small crops. This was no small sacrifice for the man who had no cups, as gasoline costs over $6 per gallon! They were growing rice, cabbage, corn, onions, and an herb that didn’t translate to English. When other foods become scarce, they use this herb as an extender for any meat or other vegetables or boiled to make a soup. Because the land here is irrigated, the people generally have enough money and food all year round. The key to their subsistence is water. Previously they used pesticides every two weeks for pest control, but now they are experimenting with a spray concocted from crushed leaves of the NFme (pronounced “neem”) tree. It seems to work well to prevent pests from consuming the plants and is completely safe for human consumption. These 70 families are well-provisioned on about 25 hectares of land.
I wondered about the security of the produce. Why, for example, wouldn’t it get stolen at night? Pastor Daniel said it is very common practice for animists to place curses on the plots so that anyone attempting to steal would be prevented from leaving until the owner arrived in the morning. I thought he was joking . . . but he was dead serious. He said this isn’t done so much any more in the cities because it would cause the deaths of too many children who have grown up on the streets not knowing right from wrong and would get caught in the curses! In the bush, it is still common practice! People apparently do die from the curses!
Before dinner, Daniel escorted us to the home of Abdul and Husga, one of his married daughters and her husband. Daniel had asked us to come pray for their oldest son Ismail (11years old), who is facing the possibility of death due to a kidney disease, which I believe they called glomerial nephritis (it was a tough translation of French, Moore and English). What I understood clearly is there isn’t a single pediatric nephrologist in all of W. Africa. Abdul and Husga have petitioned the government for financial support, which would allow them to take Ismail to France for treatment. Without the government approval, and unless God intervenes, Ismail will not live.
Daniel and Elizabeth Delma treated to us to a meal at their home, which was by far the finest meal we’ve had in Ouaga. African couscous, rice, noodles (what’s with the curly Italian noodles? We’ve had them at every meal!), chicken and guinea hen, an incredible salad of shredded carrots with cucumbers and cabbage covered with a home-made vinaigrette. Six of the Delma children were there along with spouses of the married ones. It was wonderful evening with grandchildren running everywhere
However, the crown of the entire evening was hearing Sherry’s voice . . . and her handing the phone to Carrie, who announced the grand entrance yesterday of Violet Grace Prince, my third grandchild and first granddaughter! While I’m sad I missed it, I thank God for little Violet’s safe arrival!
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Thursday in Ouagadougou (3/6/08)
This morning we went to Koubri Bible School, about 30 minutes outside of the city. Josh preached at the main chapel service and Julie spoke to the women just prior to the main chapel. Afterwards, we attended one of the classes for the graduating group (they graduate in 51 days), who will soon be returning to their villages. Josh taught again, this time from I Timothy, and then we had nearly an hour for answering questions. Most of them were excellent questions, focused on what living out the Christian looks like in practice. From the sound of it, the school is every bit as rigorous as any Bible school in the US.
What really impressed me about the school is that all the students live together with their families in community. Each family is responsible to farm part of the common garden from which comes the bulk of their food. The women are all trained in some sort of craft like weaving, so that they can have a skill with which to augment the family income. Each year, the graduating women weave a special color fabric from which the graduation skirts are made. This year it is a black/white striped fabric.
Lunch at the Bible school was a real experience. There was spaghetti, different than any spaghetti I’ve ever tasted; some type of green beans with carrots. What I couldn’t figure out was the bones (maybe fish bones?). Then there was sagebo, which is a local staple made from maize, along with what they called “sauce.” I had actually been looking forward to this dish, thinking it might be like the Ugandan posho, which I really enjoyed. Uh uh. This sauce turned out to be parts of grilled fish (with the heads), including all the bones and skin. I tried. Honestly, I did. Couldn’t eat it and desperately fought to keep from gagging at the try! The only part of the meal that was “easy on the stomach” was mashed potatoes with some kind of bland gravy. We ate with the head of the school, several teachers and their wives – and with the two American missionary ladies who have been there since 1978. Overall it was a wonderful experience. In spite of the "lunch."
What really impressed me about the school is that all the students live together with their families in community. Each family is responsible to farm part of the common garden from which comes the bulk of their food. The women are all trained in some sort of craft like weaving, so that they can have a skill with which to augment the family income. Each year, the graduating women weave a special color fabric from which the graduation skirts are made. This year it is a black/white striped fabric.
Lunch at the Bible school was a real experience. There was spaghetti, different than any spaghetti I’ve ever tasted; some type of green beans with carrots. What I couldn’t figure out was the bones (maybe fish bones?). Then there was sagebo, which is a local staple made from maize, along with what they called “sauce.” I had actually been looking forward to this dish, thinking it might be like the Ugandan posho, which I really enjoyed. Uh uh. This sauce turned out to be parts of grilled fish (with the heads), including all the bones and skin. I tried. Honestly, I did. Couldn’t eat it and desperately fought to keep from gagging at the try! The only part of the meal that was “easy on the stomach” was mashed potatoes with some kind of bland gravy. We ate with the head of the school, several teachers and their wives – and with the two American missionary ladies who have been there since 1978. Overall it was a wonderful experience. In spite of the "lunch."
Wednesday in Ouagadougou (3/5/08)
On Wednesday, Jean, the man who works at the house, cleaning and maintaining the outside, drove us to what is called the Artisan Village. It is a showcase of Burkinabe products and wares. We bought a few things, and then went to the American Club for lunch – where we ran into one of the missionaries living at the school we visited Thursday. The late afternoon and evening were filled with visits from various local pastors, along with Daniel Delma’s son David, and Dieudonne, married to one of David’s sisters. Speaking with David and Dieudonne was completely refreshing and a total delight. Here are two young men (both early 30’s) whose hearts are to find ways to help lift their communities out of poverty. They spoke of many ideas and I asked lots of questions. It seems they are willing to work as hard and long as is required to effect the change for which they’re dreaming and praying. It is amazing to me that they truly seem to want to do this for their communities – without expecting to earn money themselves. It is so different than other places I’ve been, where the people said they wanted to help others . . . and yet, you knew they wanted “stuff” for themselves.
Throughout the evening and into the night I wondered if God might be nudging Sherry and me to help these guys to find ways to impact their people. We’ve only chatted over IM for a few minutes about it, so it remains to be seen what direction it might take!
Throughout the evening and into the night I wondered if God might be nudging Sherry and me to help these guys to find ways to impact their people. We’ve only chatted over IM for a few minutes about it, so it remains to be seen what direction it might take!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Ouagadougou - Vert Doyant Tuesday March 4
So its now 9:30 pm. After my nearly 2-hour nap in 107 degree, power-out-air-deadstill siesta time, I'm wired and doubt I'll be able to sleep any time soon. The church next door is having a revival, so I suspect I would be hearing plenty of noise anyway.
I'll tell you about the day, but first have to relate our adventure in getting to dinner and home again. We began by purchasing a phone card from a vendor on the street just outside where we're staying. All the directions are in French, but we managed to get the minutes loaded into the phone Jerry left for us to use. But . . . something still doesn't work because we can't seem to successfully place calls. We had hoped to call Daniel Delma to see what a taxi would cost - and to perhaps have him tell the driver where we were going for dinner.
Despite having no options at communication besides our wits and my patetique French, we decided to be adventurous and take a taxi to the Vert Doyant restaurant. We found a landmark near our house to tell the taxi driver on the return trip and flagged down a taxi. The driver spoke not a word of English (or Spanish, can you imagine?) but seemed to know the restaurant. The dust on the street is like tule fog, obscuring much of what is ahead. And what is ahead are hundreds and thousands of bicycles and motos. People driving crazily and seemingly coming out of nowhere daring you to hit them. We arrived at the restaurant without incident, to find the power out, but assured that they could still produce anything we might want (and they did!). When the lights came on just as we were leaving, I was shocked to see the whole place full of white people (none of whom were speaking English)! Uneventful taxi ride back to our house.
We began today at a meeting of the National leaders for the Assemblies of God church in Burkina. Josh had been invited to speak on unity, and he spoke well from I Corinthians. Here's what amazes me: all the leaders of the National church meet every 90 days to pray and plan and evaluate what God is doing and has done since they last met. At each meeting, they ask His counsel and look for areas they need to change or any plans in place that need modification. They also consider the needs of individual churches and pastors. I was completley unprepared for - and greatly impressed by, their attention to detail and exceptional organization. The devotional given by one of the leaders focused on leadership and leading by example. One of the specific illustrations he used was maintaining integrity in handling financial matters. Pastor Daniel Delma is a living example of that integrity. We (Grace Church Long Beach) had wired him several thousand dollars for various projects and he had every single dollar accounted for. He is truly a trustworthy man!
Realizing that this year's harvest was bad, we asked what percentage of bush pastors were suffering from hunger. Daniel said, "100%." By the end of May, most of the people will be out of food. By July and August, grain will be virtually impossible to find and buy - and what is available will carry exhorbitant cost. We bought 160 bags of grain today and the National assembly will make the determination as to who is the neediest and who will receive the grain. It is staggering to realize that one bag of grain can feed a family of 5 for a whole month - and the cost for that (220 lb) bag of grain . . . $26. For want of $26 per month, entire families will starve. Its difficult to imagine, but reality. I spend twice that amount on just coffee and bagels every month. We spent more on a single meal for 3 of us tonight.
It isn't right, is it?
I'll tell you about the day, but first have to relate our adventure in getting to dinner and home again. We began by purchasing a phone card from a vendor on the street just outside where we're staying. All the directions are in French, but we managed to get the minutes loaded into the phone Jerry left for us to use. But . . . something still doesn't work because we can't seem to successfully place calls. We had hoped to call Daniel Delma to see what a taxi would cost - and to perhaps have him tell the driver where we were going for dinner.
Despite having no options at communication besides our wits and my patetique French, we decided to be adventurous and take a taxi to the Vert Doyant restaurant. We found a landmark near our house to tell the taxi driver on the return trip and flagged down a taxi. The driver spoke not a word of English (or Spanish, can you imagine?) but seemed to know the restaurant. The dust on the street is like tule fog, obscuring much of what is ahead. And what is ahead are hundreds and thousands of bicycles and motos. People driving crazily and seemingly coming out of nowhere daring you to hit them. We arrived at the restaurant without incident, to find the power out, but assured that they could still produce anything we might want (and they did!). When the lights came on just as we were leaving, I was shocked to see the whole place full of white people (none of whom were speaking English)! Uneventful taxi ride back to our house.
We began today at a meeting of the National leaders for the Assemblies of God church in Burkina. Josh had been invited to speak on unity, and he spoke well from I Corinthians. Here's what amazes me: all the leaders of the National church meet every 90 days to pray and plan and evaluate what God is doing and has done since they last met. At each meeting, they ask His counsel and look for areas they need to change or any plans in place that need modification. They also consider the needs of individual churches and pastors. I was completley unprepared for - and greatly impressed by, their attention to detail and exceptional organization. The devotional given by one of the leaders focused on leadership and leading by example. One of the specific illustrations he used was maintaining integrity in handling financial matters. Pastor Daniel Delma is a living example of that integrity. We (Grace Church Long Beach) had wired him several thousand dollars for various projects and he had every single dollar accounted for. He is truly a trustworthy man!
Realizing that this year's harvest was bad, we asked what percentage of bush pastors were suffering from hunger. Daniel said, "100%." By the end of May, most of the people will be out of food. By July and August, grain will be virtually impossible to find and buy - and what is available will carry exhorbitant cost. We bought 160 bags of grain today and the National assembly will make the determination as to who is the neediest and who will receive the grain. It is staggering to realize that one bag of grain can feed a family of 5 for a whole month - and the cost for that (220 lb) bag of grain . . . $26. For want of $26 per month, entire families will starve. Its difficult to imagine, but reality. I spend twice that amount on just coffee and bagels every month. We spent more on a single meal for 3 of us tonight.
It isn't right, is it?
Monday, March 03, 2008
Ouagadougou Monday 03 March (#2)
Its about 8:30 pm. Sitting on the patio, thinking that God has indeed been gracious and faithful to have brought Jerry and Jan to this place. Jerry's local name is "Wend Panga (God's Power)." For the last 20 years or so, they have come alongside the Burkinabe people and helped as they were able, for whatever the people requested. They have built churches, put roofs on other churches, built Bible schools and mentored national pastors. This trip, 2 of their sons (both pastors) were here teaching at a pastor's conference. What an amazing legacy these two have created! It will be an incredible privilege if God chooses to have us participate in whatever else He might still be doing here.
Our meeting with professor Zacharie was informative. He is a specialist in solar energy and teaches that subject at the university. Extremely gracious, he said he would research some water projects involving solar energy and irrigation and send them to me (after translating from French to English!). One thing he did say was that one of the greatest challenges was providing security for any solar setups that might get installed. For the most part, components for every project get stolen before the project gets up and operating. When he approximated costs for a solar array along with pumping mechanism (not including a well), his price estimate came in at a staggering $35,000. This option seems unsustainable, so I hope to find some creative ways to find alternatives.
Our meeting with professor Zacharie was informative. He is a specialist in solar energy and teaches that subject at the university. Extremely gracious, he said he would research some water projects involving solar energy and irrigation and send them to me (after translating from French to English!). One thing he did say was that one of the greatest challenges was providing security for any solar setups that might get installed. For the most part, components for every project get stolen before the project gets up and operating. When he approximated costs for a solar array along with pumping mechanism (not including a well), his price estimate came in at a staggering $35,000. This option seems unsustainable, so I hope to find some creative ways to find alternatives.
Ouagadougou Monday 03 March (#1)
OK, so its 1:30pm and about 100 degrees. This morning, I woke up at about 5:50 am, sweat coursing down my chest, neck, forehead and back. Right now, I'm sitting out on the patio of the little house we're staying in, just outside the main HQ of the Assemblies of God churches for Burkina Faso. Last night, Jerry (Josh Swanson's uncle) was telling us of a 3-week stint he had in the bush, where the temp averaged 130 degrees every day! This place is one where I think you have to feel "called to." On the edge of the Sahara desert, this is the dusty season in Burkina, where winds blow off the Sahara, bringing massive duststorms and leaving the daily air full of dust. Even more treacherous is the fact that the winds and dust are known to carry meningitis, which along with countless respiratory diseases, becomes rampant during this season.
One thing I found out last night is that when the rains did come this year, they were too hard and too much, destroying much of the harvest. Reports are that many of the farmers received only about 15% of the harvest they expected - and needed. The effect is that by the end of May or June, most people will be out of food! The next harvest won't be until mid-October and the leaders here anticipate severe food shortages and likely many deaths due to starvation.
This afternoon, we are going to visit Professor Zacharie Koalaga, professor of physics and technology at the University of Ouagadougou. My goal for our time is to find out his thoughts on the possibilities of partnering with local people in development projects.
One thing I found out last night is that when the rains did come this year, they were too hard and too much, destroying much of the harvest. Reports are that many of the farmers received only about 15% of the harvest they expected - and needed. The effect is that by the end of May or June, most people will be out of food! The next harvest won't be until mid-October and the leaders here anticipate severe food shortages and likely many deaths due to starvation.
This afternoon, we are going to visit Professor Zacharie Koalaga, professor of physics and technology at the University of Ouagadougou. My goal for our time is to find out his thoughts on the possibilities of partnering with local people in development projects.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Ouagadougou #1
What started out as a simple trip got a bit more complicated in Paris. Trip from Los Angeles to Paris was uneventful. After a ~10-hour flight, we were to have a "short" 4-hour layover at CDG2 in Paris, then fly direct to Oagadougou. Instead, we were privileged to enjoy French hospitality in the airport for just under 12 hours as they repaired our plane. No real restaurant. About $75 for a dinner of plastic-box-pre-made Caesar salads, one beverage each, a single baguette with a pickle and some strange meat inside to share and about 24 Pringles; "Stretching out" on built-in seating at one of the gates and some lady repeating at 3 - 5 minute intervals over a megadecimal loudspeaker how dangerous it is to let your bag out of your sight.
Arrived in Ouagadougou at about 2:30 am, after being mostly awake (with a few drift-offs sitting in odd positions) for somewhere around 30 hours. First impression was that it smelled just like everywhere else we've been in Africa. Hot, slow-moving lines and people packed against you vying for their place in front of the Immigration Police. Most of them (- and all of me) tired, unwashed, sweaty and quite fragrant (use your imagination about what the fragrance might have been). Even in the middle of the night, the air quality was poor, with dust and diesel exhaust haunting and clawing each inhale. And yet, I reveled in the reality that God had brought me once again to a continent and people for which He has given me an insatiable love!
Slept for about 4 hours here at the Assemblies of God Church compound and waiting for the rest of the gang to get back from church. I think Julie (Schumacher) is still sleeping (haven't seen her yet this morning), and Josh (Swanson) went to the church service to see his cousin preach. I'm gonna try to get a bit more sleep before everyone returns.
Arrived in Ouagadougou at about 2:30 am, after being mostly awake (with a few drift-offs sitting in odd positions) for somewhere around 30 hours. First impression was that it smelled just like everywhere else we've been in Africa. Hot, slow-moving lines and people packed against you vying for their place in front of the Immigration Police. Most of them (- and all of me) tired, unwashed, sweaty and quite fragrant (use your imagination about what the fragrance might have been). Even in the middle of the night, the air quality was poor, with dust and diesel exhaust haunting and clawing each inhale. And yet, I reveled in the reality that God had brought me once again to a continent and people for which He has given me an insatiable love!
Slept for about 4 hours here at the Assemblies of God Church compound and waiting for the rest of the gang to get back from church. I think Julie (Schumacher) is still sleeping (haven't seen her yet this morning), and Josh (Swanson) went to the church service to see his cousin preach. I'm gonna try to get a bit more sleep before everyone returns.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
The Holiday
We watched "The Holiday" last night. It's a love story, starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Jack Black. It was a cute movie (yes, I did just say it was "cute"), compelling and fun to watch. One of the great lines was when Eli Wallach tells Kate Winslet over dinner, " You're a leading lady and you're acting like the best friend." I had to stop the movie and Sherry and I bantered about different situations this line might inform. We finally settled on the disheartening truth that this statement exposes the reality that we often settle for so much less than we might otherwise receive, attain, accomplish or become. I wondered all day where I've settled for second best (being a best friend) when I might have had the leading role.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
On Reimagining my life
It is interesting that I awoke at 2am, then again at 3 and 4am; I finally conceded to the inevitable and rolled out of bed at 5am. Made my coffee, each cup with a tablespoon of potent Mexican vanilla (thank you, neighbor Pam!). The interesting part of today’s story (at least to me) is that I slept fitfully because of the mountain of tasks on my plate right now - and the responsibility to complete projects I committed to without really measuring my time availability or what cost will be extracted from me to complete them. The incongruity of what life looks like today, compared with how I want to live my life is nothing short of staggering.
Feeling oppressed and needing to find my center again, I picked up and finished the last few chapters of Mark Scandrette’s book, Soul Graffiti. Over the years, I’ve read countless books by renowned Christian authors, but can’t remember one like this, where the words are more like music or gently-scented oil, massaging and warming as they slipped - surprisingly - into my soul, unwilling to settle for less than immediate response, refusing to be captured and held hostage by my mind, prevented from becoming material reality.
Over the past couple of years, Sherry and I have made choices to move us in the direction of further simplicity. We’ve been intentional about that and focused primarily on educating ourselves as preparation for service to marginalized people in Africa. I had essentially walked away from “my former way of life” in business, where I was relentless in the pursuit of career growth. Now I find myself consumed with business again - though for different reasons - yet there nonetheless. I work with wonderful people in a company espousing values I support and respect. I have clients and business relationships that honor and respect me. I actually truly enjoy what I do, with amazing opportunities, working in an environment that utilizes my skills and talents - and yet it still doesn’t feel quite right.
I imagine spending part of every day studying, meditating on Scriptures and “holy stuff.” That part of the day would include writing and communicating to the hearts of other men and women seeking to find a life in the Way of Jesus. I imagine excelling (rather than barely surviving) in the completion of my MBA in International Development. I imagine myself relearning French and tackling Kiswahili and researching ways to bring development projects, healing and dignity to broken people in Africa, some on the brink of extinction, marginalized because of exploitation and power. I imagine finding joy in outdoor activities and more physical exercise with my new friend, Bear (a labradoodle we’re adopting when we move back to our house in a few weeks). I imagine earning money by doing these things - perhaps through writing or ??
I have to get past my current commitments; I commit to again finding this new way - of indeed reimagining my life.
Feeling oppressed and needing to find my center again, I picked up and finished the last few chapters of Mark Scandrette’s book, Soul Graffiti. Over the years, I’ve read countless books by renowned Christian authors, but can’t remember one like this, where the words are more like music or gently-scented oil, massaging and warming as they slipped - surprisingly - into my soul, unwilling to settle for less than immediate response, refusing to be captured and held hostage by my mind, prevented from becoming material reality.
Over the past couple of years, Sherry and I have made choices to move us in the direction of further simplicity. We’ve been intentional about that and focused primarily on educating ourselves as preparation for service to marginalized people in Africa. I had essentially walked away from “my former way of life” in business, where I was relentless in the pursuit of career growth. Now I find myself consumed with business again - though for different reasons - yet there nonetheless. I work with wonderful people in a company espousing values I support and respect. I have clients and business relationships that honor and respect me. I actually truly enjoy what I do, with amazing opportunities, working in an environment that utilizes my skills and talents - and yet it still doesn’t feel quite right.
I imagine spending part of every day studying, meditating on Scriptures and “holy stuff.” That part of the day would include writing and communicating to the hearts of other men and women seeking to find a life in the Way of Jesus. I imagine excelling (rather than barely surviving) in the completion of my MBA in International Development. I imagine myself relearning French and tackling Kiswahili and researching ways to bring development projects, healing and dignity to broken people in Africa, some on the brink of extinction, marginalized because of exploitation and power. I imagine finding joy in outdoor activities and more physical exercise with my new friend, Bear (a labradoodle we’re adopting when we move back to our house in a few weeks). I imagine earning money by doing these things - perhaps through writing or ??
I have to get past my current commitments; I commit to again finding this new way - of indeed reimagining my life.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Wrapping up 2007
Great day today. We got to see our good friends Dan and Marcia, along with their oldest daughter Amy (visiting from NYC). Over the past seven years, we've come to really love Amy and her sister Jill and it was a great privilege to see her with Dan and Marcia. We later shared dinner with our long-time friends, Doug and Susie. Over 34 years, Doug and Susie have loved us unconditionally and often been the voices of reason when parenting nearly got the best of us.
Looking back on this year is pretty interesting.
- In March, I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science
- In May Sherry started work as a nurse in the ER at Long Beach Memorial
- In June we moved from the Cal State Fullerton Alpha Chi Omega sorority house (where we'd been house parents) to Long Beach
- In June I started work at bigger dot in Long Beach
- In August I began work on an MBA in International Development at Hope International University
- More to come later . . .
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Looking back on this year is pretty interesting.
- In March, I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science
- In May Sherry started work as a nurse in the ER at Long Beach Memorial
- In June we moved from the Cal State Fullerton Alpha Chi Omega sorority house (where we'd been house parents) to Long Beach
- In June I started work at bigger dot in Long Beach
- In August I began work on an MBA in International Development at Hope International University
- More to come later . . .
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Saturday, October 06, 2007
Community: is it Madness?
I just finished reading chapter 4 (online here) in Soul Graffiti about Emperor Arcadia. My emotions really took me by surprise when, after reading how he had tried to commit suicide and Mark and Joseph had visited him in the hospital, I actually, uncontrollably, burst out in tears! This is something I haven't done for years!
It wasn't that Mark had visited him, or that the Emperor lived through the ordeal, but it was as I read on and Mark explained to the hospital psychologist (who couldn't figure out why Mark and Joseph would care about a filth-creased, drug-addicted, mentally unstable indigent) ". . . that Joseph and I [Mark] were part of a small church community trying to imitate the example of Jesus by making friends with lonely people. 'That sounds like the kind of church I would love to join,' she replied."
It's also the kind of church I want to belong to. And if such a church doesn't exist, don't we need to BE it? This is an example of a part of what I think Lou is longing to see expressed here in Long Beach . . . How amazing would it be to serve as a catalyst for Grace, inviting others to join us in this Way of living that impacts people where they live and forces them to confront fears and stereotypes and maybe even their own selfishness? How can people who call themselves followers of Jesus fail to see that this is a key component of following Him? How did Sherry and I miss it for so many years?
It wasn't that Mark had visited him, or that the Emperor lived through the ordeal, but it was as I read on and Mark explained to the hospital psychologist (who couldn't figure out why Mark and Joseph would care about a filth-creased, drug-addicted, mentally unstable indigent) ". . . that Joseph and I [Mark] were part of a small church community trying to imitate the example of Jesus by making friends with lonely people. 'That sounds like the kind of church I would love to join,' she replied."
It's also the kind of church I want to belong to. And if such a church doesn't exist, don't we need to BE it? This is an example of a part of what I think Lou is longing to see expressed here in Long Beach . . . How amazing would it be to serve as a catalyst for Grace, inviting others to join us in this Way of living that impacts people where they live and forces them to confront fears and stereotypes and maybe even their own selfishness? How can people who call themselves followers of Jesus fail to see that this is a key component of following Him? How did Sherry and I miss it for so many years?
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