American Most Wanted

If everything goes as planned, six months from today I’ll be on American soil.  (O happy day!)  And in anticipation of the Land of Plenty, I’m sharing my American Most Wanted List.  This is by no means exclusive, but the things that I’ve most missed during my time in Africa… and the things that I’ve realized I’ve taken for granted the most--  never again!

·      - chocolate chips you don’t have to make yourself

·      - vacuum cleaners

·      - Chic-Fil-A

·      - washers & dryers

·      - electricity that’s always on

·      - internet that works

·      - water you can drink straight from the tap

·      - Lean Cuisine

·      - pizza that’s brought to your door

·      - amazing stores that have all the food you need in one place

·      - actual stores where you can buy new clothes

·      - houses where you won’t be invaded by flying ants or bugs that are literally trying to kill you

·      - toilets you can flush every time

·      - water heaters you don’t have to manually turn on

·      - places to visit within a 2-hour radius

·      - nightly news I can trust

·      - a living room suite you don’t have to throw big sheets of fabric over

·      - dog food from a bag

·      - church that doesn’t require an interpreter

·      - Coke bottles you can throw away

·      - Diet Cherry Limeade

·      - dishwashers

·      - ice cream from a store, not the back of a bicycle

·      - DVDs for sale that aren’t pirated

·      - movie theaters

·      - bowling alleys

·      - being able to leave home after dark without an escort

·      - life where diarrhea is the exception, not the rule

·      - mail delivered to your house

·      - cold weather… anything under 65° counts!

·      - clothes that don’t make me feel like a slob

·      - real shoes

·      - magic machines that give you coffee when you flip a switch

·      - bathrooms where shower curtains and toilet seats are standard equipment

·      - girlfriends

Sneaking Out

The Tuesday after Easter, I went to Mandela Secondary School to teach The Secret Things to Senior 3 girls (basically 10th grade).  As I came up the drive to the school, the path was covered with boys in the school uniform, standing with their trunks and mattresses outside the gate.  Immediately, I started trying to think why they would be dismissing students two weeks early for break.  Maybe they ran out of food and they had to send students home.  (You laugh, but it’s happened!)  Maybe they’re all just arriving back from Easter weekend.  Or maybe they’re just ending this term early. After maneuvering around all the (rather unhappy) boys and their belongings, I parked and got out.  I saw a large group of girls watching the commotion from inside the fence, so I asked them what was going on.

Sunday night over Easter weekend, about 75 boys had the bright idea to sneak away from school and go to the discos, and they stayed out until Monday morning.  (Keep in mind that most secondary schools are boarding schools, and that discos are a  major factor in the spread of AIDS in Africa. ) The school administrators were away because of the Easter Monday holiday, so when they arrived on Tuesday, they had to decide how to deal with this huge number of AWOL students.  All they boys who snuck out were suspended for the rest of the term, which is a big deal, since they’ve all paid to attend school.  They’ll miss the last two weeks of class, and their first-term exams, and they won’t be allowed to return to Mandela until next term begins at the end of May.

It turns out that the teachers, knowing teenage boys, had a sign-in sheet that the boys had to register on throughout the night.  They actually had to wake up in the middle of the night and sign in to prove that they were on campus.  Some of the boys who remained signed in for their friends who snuck out. When the teachers discovered this forgery, they chose a very ironic punishment.  They boy who snuck out, whose name was forged, was forced to cane (paddle with a wooden switch) the boy who signed in for him.  Imagine the guilt he felt, caning the friend who was “helping” him.

Having worked in the American public school system, I am a bit in awe of how the whole thing works.  There’s no disciplinary hearing or parent conferences.  A boy who left to buy avocados is in just as much trouble as the ones who went to the discos.  And none of this is private.  It’s all discussed out in the open, with all kinds of students and visitors (myself included) around.  Shoot- I knew what happened before I ever really set foot inside the campus!

Some of the boys who were sent away didn’t really care.  Some were angry.  But some were really upset. They know how much school fees are, and what a privilege it is to be able to attend.  And they know that missing two weeks of classes and exams will put their entire school year at risk.  They never thought that one night of chasing fun (and girls) would have such serious consequences.  And, sadly, it’s not just about school.  I’m willing to bet that there’s at least one more AIDS-infected student on the campus of Mandela SS, now that it’s all said and done.

Just one more reminder that the things we do make a lasting impact on our lives and the lives of those around us, for better or worse.  And that teenagers are all the same, all over the world.

The Great Samosa Hunt of 2010

At some point last week, several of my roommates and I developed a craving.  I have no idea where this craving came from, or why it hit us all at the same time.  (Power of suggestion, maybe?)  But hit it did, and once it hit, we were all obsessed... so much that now, four days later, I'm blogging about it.

Samosas.  Sadly, they're relatively unknown in the States, but here in Africa, they're one of the few options we have for fast food.  And, by the way, they're amazing.  Think triangular, meat-filled eggrolls.  (Or vegetable-filled... but who in their right mind would choose veg over meat???)  I assume they were originally brought to Africa by Indian immigrants... but now they're an African street food staple.  And we are so glad they are.  Back to the craving...

I think it hit me last Wednesday or Thursday.  Like I said, I have no idea why.  I think it was really just a whim, like, "Oh, while I'm in town, I'll pick up a couple of samosas for lunch."  I mentioned it to Kelli, who jumped right on board.  Only one problem: when I got to the market, there were no samosas.  Anywhere.  Sadly, I returned home empty-handed.  But the seed for a craving had been sown.

Saturday, the longing was still there.  I was walking around the neighborhood and stopped at the little roadside stands... no luck.

On Sunday, Kelli, Jessica, and I went out to a school for the weekly church service and scoured the street vendors all the way through town there and back.  We dropped a couple of students off for a funeral on the way back and kept looking at the little shops in their neighborhood.  Success... sort of.  The samosas were there, but only the nasty, bean-filled kind.  No thank you.  What's the point?  The hunt continues...

Fast forward to Tuesday.  The samosa craving is now in overdrive.  Kelli and I had to run some errands in town, and we were determined to be successful today.  No luck on Main Street- again- but we had a sure-fire, last resort spot.  The coffee shop out at the airstrip outside town has fresh meat samosas every morning.  So we drove the ten minutes out of our way, to find they only had two samosas left.  Bummer.  But two samosas are better than no samosas.  We cleaned out the coffee shop and headed back to town.

But now Kelli had an idea.  Deep in the market, there were women who (sometimes) had the coveted golden pastries.  While I waited in the car, Kelli went to investigate.  Disappointment- beans only.  They told her to try the newspaper office.  Because it makes perfect sense to sell snack foods at a storefront newspaper office.  No luck.  (Shocker!)  The newspaper office staff sent her in the direction of a street full of guest houses and cafes, all of which were empty.  But at the end of the street was a little cafe with a warming box.  And in the warming box was a pretty little pile of samosas.  Meat samosas, to be exact.  Jackpot!

Twenty minutes after she left, Kelli returned with a bag of 13 samosas- plenty for lunch, and then some!

After five days, the Great Samosa Hunt of 2010 was successful... but there was a bonus find.  Asianzu (ah-SEE-ahn-zoo) House, where Kelli found the prized samosas, doesn't just sell snacks.  It's a full-on coffee shop, complete with an espresso machine that actually works!  My friend Katie and I went back there today, and had real, legit lattes that were awesome, for about 50 cents each.  Let's just say there's a new hot spot in Arua!

Not My Battle

God's been having to smack me around some lately. My time in Uganda is coming to a close; 7 months from now I'll be back home with my family and friends… and unemployed. Don't get me wrong; I can't wait to see my people again. I've missed them almost more than I can stand! No, it's the "unemployed" part that's been making me uneasy.  I've heard plenty about how crummy the American economy is and how high unemployment rates are… and I'm not really excited about joining the ranks. Go figure.


The difficult thing for me lately is knowing that, once I get off the plane, I have no plan. No job. No home. (Rooms to sleep in at other people's homes don't count!) And I'm one who has always had a plan.   Even if the plan changed, which it did, and often, there was some kind of idea of what was going on. But right now, I got nothin'. (Not that I don't have ideas of what I want to do when I go home. I do.  The roadblock is convincing someone to pay me a salary to do them!) But in the past few weeks, God's been trying to get my attention. He
keeps telling me not to worry. (Easier said than done!) That He really does have it all under control.


Recently, He's been even more specific. He reminds me of Joshua and the battle of Jericho. Joshua, the gifted swordsman and general, was instructed to walk around a city in silence while God fought the battle for him… "and the walls came tumbling down!" (Sorry, I just felt like singing for a second!)


And last week He showed me 2 Chronicles 20, when Jehoshaphat and the kingdom of Judah was surrounded by Moab and Ammon and greatly outnumbered. The Lord prophesied through Jahaziel and said, "Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's…. You will not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf.  Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out and face them, for the LORD is with you." (verses 15, 17)


He keeps telling me, over and over, that He will fight this battle for me. And I have to believe Him. He has never failed me. He has kept me from getting jobs in places I had no business going. He has kept houses from selling at the wrong time. He has literally picked me up from one job and put me down in another. When it was time for my house to sell, He sold it in five days. He has kept me, comforted me, and provided for me all my life… why on earth would He stop now? I just have to remember to keep walking, to keep going, to watch and see and allow Him to fight my battle for me.

Jesca's Joy

Jesca, like most Africans, has more than her share of financial problems.  Her husband, Michael, has worked two different jobs in the past 6 months that never paid him.  Jesca is paid well, but it's barely enough to meet their ongoing needs.  And last month, after receiving her salary for February, she had to use most of it to pay for school fees for her younger brother.  She had no money left to buy food; the sweet potatoes from her garden have been harvested, so that's all she has at home to eat for the next few weeks.

Last week Jesca asked me to pray for her financial needs.  She didn't ask for a salary advance, and she didn't ask for me to help her.  She just asked me to pray.  So I did.  I asked God to show Himself as her Provider, to meet her needs in a way that only He can, whether by having her other crops mature early, by sending someone to repay a loan, or by giving them an unexpected financial gift.  I was so encouraged that Jesca was beginning to trust God to provide for her needs, not me or my roommates.

When Jesca arrived at our house the next morning, she was grinning from ear to ear.  I just knew that God had moved in an amazing way, and I couldn't wait to hear about it… so I asked her.  "Why are you smiling so," I questioned.  "What has happened?"

She just laughed.  "Nothing happened," she said.  "I may have problems, but God is with me.  How can I not smile?" she reasoned.

In a few short weeks, Jesca has learned the secret to true joy.  She knows tat it's not about her circumstances, but the One who is walking with her through it all.  And I am reminded that I need to learn a few lessons from her.

Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.  (2 Corinthians 8:2)

Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 4:4)

Indian Ideas

 I know I've been back from India for a while now, but let's just say that internet in Arua has been, well, annoying, lately.  I've FINALLY gotten all my blogs, and even a few photos (!) posted.  Sorry for the delay.  Getting home from vacation has meant getting caught back up with work and house stuff, so it's taken a while.  But at least it's all there now...

If you know me and my weirdness at all, you know that I'm a listmaker, and that, while no one would necessarily say I'm overly observant, I do make observations from time to time.  They're usually more about generalites rather than specifics, but they make an impact on me... sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry, sometimes I just think, "That's weird."  Yes, I know.  I'm the one that's weird.  But I digress... I got to make LOTS of observations last month in India... and because it's my blog, I'm going to share them with you.  Enjoy.  (Or at least humor me!)

• ·      It’s really difficult to drink coffee in the middle of turbulence.
• ·      It’s a sad thing when you get overwhelmed by an airport.
• ·      Airplanes fly around Iran to get to India.
• ·      McDonald’s French fries are even better than I remembered!
• ·      It doesn’t matter where you go—kids are just cute.
• ·      I have really missed winter weather.
• ·      Delhi is a very livable city—especially compared to Arua!
• ·      Random cows wander the streets in the middle of the city of 14 million people.
• ·      Parks are a great thing.
• ·      I had no idea I was as thirsty for worship as I was… am.
• ·      I like to shop.
• ·      Cow patties are multi-purpose: fuel, home insulation, paper weight, you  name it.
• ·      That haze in the air isn’t smog.  It’s just dust.
• ·      Public urination is more common in India than in Africa.  Didn’t think that was possible.
• ·      Children here are either a commodity or a burden.
• ·      A car horn isn’t just a way to let someone know they’ve ticked you off.  It’s a whole way of communicating.
• ·      No matter where you go in the world, kids love McDonald’s.
• ·      Part of an ATM guard’s job is to work the card reader for the white tourists who can’t.
• ·      Everything fades.
• ·      I’m amazingly grateful that I don’t have to live this life in fear of the next one.
• ·      Traffic sucks.  And after an hour and a half of it, horns suck too.
• ·      I despise the smell of mothballs.
• ·      Being in a warm bed on a cold morning is one of the best surprises you can wake up to.
• ·      Friends who challenge you to think and be better are a blessing.
• ·      I miss my girlfriends.
• ·      Slow is good.
• ·      Sometimes it’s just fun to be a tourist.
• ·      I really like to shop.
• ·      India is a feast for the senses.  I wish I could stay at the table for another 3 weeks or so.
• ·      Culture is cool.
• ·      I haven’t sweated in over a week!
• ·      I’ve really missed working with a youth group.
• ·      For future reference: Emirates only allows 66 pounds of luggage total per person- NOT 2 fifty-pound bags!  That’ll throw a wrench in your plans!
• ·      I ate McDonald’s 4 times in one week—an all-time personal record.
• ·      There’s nothing like a delayed flight and almost-missed connection to make you really enjoy traveling.
• ·      Sign of a great airline: warm towels.
• ·      The Arabian Peninsula just looks like a whole lot of sand.
• ·      We flew over Djibouti.  I just think that’s a fun word to say.  Djibouti.
• ·      I like paisley.

Holiness

2/13/2010

***Disclaimer: As much as I wanted to, I did not get to go to the Ganges River when I was in India.  There just wasn't enough time to travel so far from Delhi.  Which means I'll just have to go next time…***

The Ganges River is one of the most famous rivers in the world.  It is possibly the center of religious life in India.  And it is polluted beyond the point of foulness.

Hindus in India believe that the Ganges is the source of life, and because of this, it is holy.  Being in the river consecrates you as well as whatever it is you are doing.  So, in the pursuit of holiness, people literally live out their lives in the Ganges… every part of life.

People are dirty.  We are broken and foul.  And, sadly, we have a tendency to contaminate everything we touch… except God.  His all-surpassing holiness cannot be diminished by the time I spend with Him; He cannot be less than He is.  In fact, it's quite the opposite:  by living my life in His presence, He (often very slowly) shapes me into His image and puts His holiness on me, all without becoming polluted Himself.  Because true holiness is a refining thing.  Something truly holy cannot become filthy and still remain holy.

When I brought the mess of my life to Jesus, He chose to take my mess upon Himself and cleanse me.  He made me holy.  But, because His very nature is holiness, He couldn't stay dirty.  He was able to cleanse Himself and remain holy.  The Ganges River can't do that.  Neither can any other thing, created by man or God, that we tend to worship.  Only the Most High God can cleanse us, purify us, and remain holy.  And holy He is.

"Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am 
the LORD your God.  Keep my decrees and follow them.  
I am the LORD, who makes you holy."

Leviticus 20:7-8

There is no one holy like the LORD,

Indeed, there is no one besides You,

Nor is there any rock like our God.

1 Samuel 2:2