Musings on our Time in Afreaka May 11, 2009

We are in the home stretch now – just one month left here in the Warm Heart of Africa, as Malawi is called. Many people have commented on how the time has just flown by. My response is, “For YOU!” It’s not that this trip has been so terrible, or that the continent of Africa is horrible. It’s just being so far from home for so long makes the time go by slowly. With that being said, I’ve complied a few observations and quick stories from our time here:

Louis NoMore
When we left the Moyer’s house in Zambia in March, the plan was for them to come visit us in Malawi within 3 weeks. I had a couple of books I still had to read, but I borrowed about 10 Louis L’Amour books for Tim. Their plans changed and they ended up not coming for about 6 weeks. In the meanwhile, I not only finished my books, but I had to resort to reading the Louis L’Amour books as well. Now, my brothers love Louis L’Amour, but a chick can only take so many painted desert descriptions, quick draws (the bullet always lands “just above the belt buckle”) and good-guy-accused-wrongly-but-still-prevails story lines. When the Moyers got here I complained about my reading selection. Dan asked why I hadn’t just gone to bookshelf in the office and read any of those books? What bookshelf? And what office? So he showed me upstairs, above where we meet for church every Sunday, to the loft office with a huge bookcase filled with tons of amazing books. Bye-bye, Mr. L’Amour!!

We’ve Got it So Easy
There is a series of books (located in the bookshelf in the office upstairs) called Christian Heroes: Then and Now. There are books on Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, William Carey and Jim Elliott just to name a few. They even have books on Rachel Saint and Nate Saint, Tim’s aunt and uncle. They are such quick reads and so interesting, Tim and I have just been devouring them! These missionaries risked everything for the Gospel! They were persecuted, tossed about at sea, caught deadly diseases, lost children and spouses right and left, had years of work destroyed by fire, had orphans in their care torn from their arms, were viciously maligned by their “friends” from home, had their homes flooded or ransacked and had to wait years for even one convert! They went through SO much heartache yet they persevered. “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13+14). We’ll only have 9 months in Africa, not a lifetime, and we get to go back to the comforts and familiarity of home. Our challenge then is to keep on pressing on – to keep the prize in the forefront of our minds. The minor afflictions we suffered while here are temporary compared to eternity. (2Cor 4:17+18)

My Mwami (husband).

The man

This month we celebrate 5 years of marital bliss, and I realize I love my husband more than ever. Tim is the person I most love to be with in this world. Even when he’s gone for just a few hours, I miss him. He is so easy-going and flexible, makes me laugh and cheers me up, protects me, leads me spiritually and challenges me on my weaknesses. He constantly thanks me for doing the most menial things like making the bed or cooking dinner. He doesn’t hesitate to preach a sermon, eat unfamiliar food or learn a few phrases of the local language. And although the dude can’t figure out a movie plot to save his life, we’ve had some serious laughs and some serious cries during our time in Africa. I definitely couldn’t have made it without him.

Ants on My Big Toe
I felt an ant crawl across the tops of my four small toes and then I didn’t feel it. I looked down to see where it went and there it was continuing across my big toe but I couldn’t feel it. What’s up with that?

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness
I’m not sure where that saying came from, but it sure does feel good to be clean! The water in our house is cold only, so we have to go out to a little hut if we want to take a hot shower (and you have to remember to turn on the heat 15 minutes beforehand, which I forget half the time so the shower is cold anyway). The water comes from a shallow well on our property. If you look at it in the sink or tub (I try not to), the color is a rich golden brown. This is the water I have been using to wash clothes, shower in and to wash my face. My hair always feels a little sticky and my face has tiny pimples on it. I will hold out and wear the same thing over again in order to avoid hand washing. During our bi-monthly trip into Lilongwe, stay at the Baptist Guest House which has a large washing machine where you can pay per load. They also have hot running water in the bathrooms, so it is a pleasure to get my body and clothes all nice and clean there. You’ll notice I didn’t mention my feet! They might take a while to get clean – the dirt looks permanent. (Maybe that’s why I can’t feel the ants?!)

Sew What?
Back in the day, I was a Brownie (for those of you who don’t know, that’s one step below a Girl Scout). I remember trying to fill my whole sash with merit badges that my mom sewed on. I mention who sewed them on because I

Martha Stewart

certainly didn’t. I think one of the badges was for sewing, but I must have skipped that one or cheated somehow. Anyway, I vaguely remember sitting at the sewing machine making something lame like a lopsided apron or pull-on skirt. That was the beginning and end of my sewing career. Until I came to Africa. One of my projects here at the cottages is to replace all the outdated floral curtains with new African print ones. It took many trips to Lilongwe to pick out the fabric for the curtains and coordinating bedspreads (there is no such place as Linens and Things). Tina Moyer brought her father-in-law’s antiquated sewing machine so we could “whip out the curtains” during her stay here. Tina and I are friends because we are so alike. Not only is she short and has a loud laugh, but she dives right into things before being thoroughly prepared. Supposedly there is a saying that you “should measure twice but cut once”. We measured once and I am still cutting! When Tina said inches, I measured in centimeters and when she ripped the fabric (the official sewing procedure), we discovered the pattern was printed crooked on the material. So needless to say after all the trimming, our curtains same up short. As I write this, there is a local tailor man outside sewing on wide black borders.

The Guys Have It
You may have noticed that I said Tina brought her father-in-law’s sewing machine and that I have a guy sewing right now. Unlike in the states, the tailors and alterations people here are all men. It’s also interesting to note that guys are the manicurists and pedicurists, too! In the States, those are typical female professions.

Spiritually Speaking
I have determined that one thing God has been trying to teach me lately is to “Trust Me, My child.” I “heard” that phrase many times during my miscarriage and subsequent surgery here. I felt so alone, although Tim was right beside me. I felt like the Lord had abandoned me. Didn’t He hear my cries? I would have rather never have been pregnant than to have that hope dashed, especially so far from home. But through it all, I was sustained. Tim read Psalm 62 over and over – it mainly talks about how God is our rock and fortress, but verse 5 says “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.” But you’ll notice it says my hope is from Him. I look at that as a gift, or a blessing. No matter what, I am blessed with hope from almighty God. Not everyone can claim that, so isn’t that what we should be concerned about as Christians? All around them, Africans deal with death, poor health and bleak futures. Hopelessness. How can I wallow in self pity, when God has given me an opportunity through this trial to share in His gift of hope? I am learning to trust Him and look outwardly even when I am heartsick.

The Call
Just for the record, neither one of us feels “called” to Africa permanently. We do, however, feel we will have a lifelong affiliation with the people we have met and worked with in Uganda, Zambia and Malawi. Only God knows exactly what that will entail, however. After living outside of our comfort zone and personally experiencing God’s assurance and provision, we are committed to remember His faithfulness. We’ve got to put some stakes in the ground as a memorial to what God has done in us and through us during this time. I feel an obligation to not fall back into the same old patterns once I get home. I ask you all to hold me accountable. When we left the US, people said we would be changed by this experience. If we aren’t, we’ve got problems. If we come back exactly the same, we could have just been on an extended vacation (not the holiday destination I would pick!).

Wrapping Up
So as we near the end our African Adventure, we leave behind an unborn child, a ton of new friends and a firsthand knowledge of what it means to live in a Third World country. I can’t say I wouldn’t trade it, because honestly I am weak and to relive this experience does not appeal at all. Am I glad we did it? Yes, in hindsight. Besides we really didn’t have a choice. We know without a doubt that God led us to Africa and now He’s leading us home. What next, Lord?

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