Never a Dull Moment

It seems that we have experienced a lot here in Busi in just two short months. It started with orientation, home stays and just adjusting to our own homes. We faced about a month and a half of sickness within our family alone, mostly affecting the girls; malaria, diarrhea, vomiting, ear infections, colds, bronchitis - It was really rough. Our team faced many challenges also as we have had many troubles with breakdowns of the vehicles, a team member being rushed to the hospital (possibly within hours of losing her life), supply runs, language learning, opposition from the religious leaders; The list definitely goes on!

We have also attended two (all day) graduation ceremonies with the Busi graduation still coming up in the next few weeks. We have made four or five emergency hospital runs, driving the locals an hour into Kondoa. Almost all of these have been women in labor facing complications, and sadly, one of these was to remove a baby that didn't survive. Among our team, there have been three funerals we have attended and also a few other deaths we have heard of. One being a little girl who died of tuberculosis which is not only a treatable disease but also the medicine is free from the hospital here in Busi.

The funeral we all attended as a team was for a shopkeeper's son; a young boy hit by a car while he was away at school. This shop is right near our house and Mat has been building a friendship with him when buying the things we need for daily living. He has always been a happy, outgoing and welcoming man.

When we found out what had happened Mat went with Peter to sit with the other men of the village to be with Hasan. No one said a word. They all just sat out on tarps, ate goat together and no one said a word. In Africa, just being together is what is important.

We later found out that Mat's presence there left a big impression on the people. They said, "We have known the Germans and the British, but these Americans are good people!" Even at the funeral the next day, among the masses that attended, Mat was told to sit right with Hasan, next to his brother. This was a great honor for Mat as literally almost everyone in Busi was there.

We have a lot to learn about the Rangi people. As I have heard each team member give their testimony of how God brought them to Busi, it has opened my eyes to how great God's love must be for the Rangi people.

(Below Thailie and Mat play phase ten by the light of a lantern.)

Divine Appointments

As the boys press into the kitchen and ask me what I am making my heart is conflicted, "Do they have enough food to eat?" I wonder, "Or do they just want our food because it is from the Americans and it is something different than their typical ugali and beans?" I can't stand the thought of them leaving my house hungry if they don't have food to eat at home, but with limited communication I can't ask such a complicated question. If I start to feed them will our home turn into a feeding program for kids who may or may not even need it?

There have been many times we have shared what we have with the children who are around but there have been many more times that we send them away so we can eat our dinner without onlookers.

I talked to Peter to see if Busi has families that are struggling to feed their children; he assured me that this is a valid concern. He explained how the type of house the child comes from is a good indication of how they are eating.

Since learning of this, I have had an even greater desire to meet the families of the kids that come around on a regular basis. Today I wondered if I should learn how to say, "I would like to meet your family." I wrestled over whether it was too soon to try and assess the situation seeing as even if I do meet them I can't speak to them and can't really know if there is a way we can help them. Then it came to me that I could pray for opportunities to meet the families.

Later that afternoon I suggested to Mat that we just go out for a walk with no agenda. This would allow us time to just meet people and spend time with them without feeling like we needed to be somewhere or wanting to get home. One of the first groups of people we greeted, welcomed us warmly and had a good time talking to us with the few Kilangi words we knew. After a few minutes one of the women informed us that she was Mama Kedima and also of Salimu. We were so excited as Kedima came to our house daily before school started so we were very familiar with him! Then when they saw our excitement they pointed to another woman and said, "Mama Kejaji!" Kejaji is another of the core kids that comes around. It then occurred to me that just earlier that day I had thought I should pray for these opportunities. I don't even know that I actually stopped to pray for it when I got the idea. God is good and He will accomplish His will!

(Below from back to front, Kedima, Idi, and Kejaji. These are "our boys" a few others come regularly but these have been the main three coming just about daily to play at our house.)

Pahi Graduation

Yesterday we visited Pahi, the village where Peter did his TIMO team back in 1998 among the Rangi. We were theree to attend the Tanner Girl's School's graduation. It was pretty neat because this is an all girls christian school that was started out of that original TIMO team. We even had Paul Tanner, who led the team and the school is named for, arrive with us as we hosted him and his family the night before. It was also nice to just to get out. There was another TIMO team attending also. It was great to talk with them and learn more about their experiences and gain insights and tips for living in the bush.

The graduation ceremony was really long and entirely in Swahili! We literally sat there for five hours, from 11am-4pm. And that does not include the two hours we sat around before it started! The girls did amazing! There was a little fussing but nothing compared to what it could have been! They sat with us, played with the dirt in between the rows of seats, they snacked on pancakes and peanuts that I had packed knowing we would probably not eat lunch, Nia took a two hour nap on me and we also got to know a family from the other team as we sat by them. Thai played with the girls from the Alagwa TIMO team filling a water bottle with dirt while I got to chat with their mother about what foods she makes, how she finds time to learn the language, challenges they have faced as a family... It was so nice to be able to connect with another Mom!

(Below our Team leader Peter addresses the audience and a group of the graduating class performing a song.)

The actual graduation ceremony consists of elaborate decorations (picture lots of silver christmas garland and big pink and blue Hawaiian type fake flowers everywhere), songs and dancing by various groups of girls from the school, speeches from just about every important person present, there is also an elaborate offering which serves as a type of fundraiser for the school and finally the girls walk, shaking hands with the heads of the school while they receive their certificates. It is a very different experience than we we would expect in the States! After the ceremony everyone (finally) eats together. It was a great meal! We ate rice, beef, fried bananas, regular bananas, watermelon, oranges, soda, and a few other things. We don't get a lot of fruit so that was a nice treat and the beef also, is pretty hard to come by. We ate very well which seemed to make all the sitting worth it.

Never The Same

The moon is full and shining high above the sycamore tree outside our bedroom window. An occasional cool breeze sweeps in creating a calm and quiet mood - perfect for sleeping. It tends to be a little noisy at night though - the livestock are settling in, a tractor making its way home, the chatter of rowdy boys around a fire, crickets humming... There are also less settling sounds like the chirping of bats nearby, scratching on our tin roof (we convince ourselves its just a bird or lizards and not the bats), packs of wild dogs howl, bark and snarl. (Its hard to describe but there is always something eerie about it.) There are also many nights that we can hear repetitive drum beats, sounds of celebration and laughter. It is very rich. Filled with life.

Yet as I write this there is a man shouting over the loud speaker from the mosque. I am reminded of the death all around. Each neighbor we have eaten with, every kind person we have greeted, the children who have laughed and played in our courtyard, all have the same fate apart from Christ.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:13, 14)

Sitting at a retreat in 4th grade I prayed a prayer that would change everything. I quietly waited there in the pew, earnestly seeking from God what He had planned for my life. Matthew 28:19 flooded my mind and my heart - I would never be the same.

19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"

At that moment I knew I had been called to the nations. I felt like I had received a special mission from God. It was exciting! I didn't know all that it meant, but I received it with a trust that God would make a way.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

Through out my life, it has already cost me more than I initially thought I would have to pay, but it is worth it all. What could matter more in this life, than a soul damned to hell in the next? What price could I place on a fellow brother or sister's salvation? Could eternity for another cost me too much in this life? Christ has already paid the ultimate price. I cannot repay my debt, but I am privileged to serve Him as He makes Himself known to the nations!

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (Isaiah 61:1 ESV)

And they sang a new song, saying,

"Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" (Revelation 5:9, 13 ESV)

I pray that I will be worshipping at Christ's feet with the Rangi people on that day. I can't imagine why God would take a girl from Minnesota, call her at the age of 9 to serve Him in the nations, then continue to fulfill that call when everything else said it was impossible, to take her across the world, into a little village called Busi, in East Africa where she will proclaim the name of Jesus Christ.

and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written,

"Those who have never been told of him will see,

and those who have never heard will understand." (Romans 15:20, 21 ESV)

Pray with me that the Rangi people would see and understand!