Beggars in Christ?

Dreams quenched, hope quenched, joy quenched, building of each other ceases. Just imagine, spreading your tarp, on a street corner, living day by day. The only phrases uttered, “hungry”, “money”, “help:” While this is the image in Africa, this image is also you and I without the generous gift, our Father, through His son gave us. Imagine if we had to beg, like really beg, not only for our daily bread, but if we had to beg and plea for an ounce of mercy from our Lord King; begging daily for the crumbs of His table. Imagine if His mercy wasn’t new every morning. Imagine if upon begging enough, our only hope was to maybe return to the Father’s house to live just as a servant as in shown in the prodigal son’s story. What if we woke up groaning in our rags, begging for just a taste of His presence? What if the scripture said “beg, beg harder –give me your most pathetic look and the door might be opened; weep and wail for my attention, and then it might be given.”

But, amazingly, that’s not what the scripture says. Instead, God seeks to dress us in the most fabulous of evening wear, the wedding gown. That is how our Heavenly Father pictures us – as His bride, worthy of love and worthy of a great inheritance. He knows us well – well enough to know we’d be the wimpiest army, the least victorious, the most downcast troop to display His Glory and Triumph for the cross without His equipping of us with His steadfast love, His enduring faithfulness. He pleas with us to cast our cares upon Him and promises that nothing can separate us from our Father’s love. Without His open arms – we would not have seat at the banquet table. But, he does offer and we do sit as heirs to the throne. So no begging in the Kingdom!! He generously equips us to follow Him, delight in Him, learn of Him, rejoice with Him, cry with Him, rest in Him, mourn with Him, laugh with Him, and be victorious through Him!! Thankfully, in Christ there are no Beggars. We are all welcome to take a place at His table. Amen.

- Thanks Liz for such inspiring thoughts!

Life Lesson from Africa #2

I CHOOSE TO LAY MY LIFE DOWN

Choosing to change the world is neither glamorous nor easy. We decided to take on the Santa Claus occupation; we brought Christmas to the orphans. We came laden with boxes of toys – dolls, airplanes, cars, jump ropes, shirts, both kitchen and doctor play sets. We came prepared with the entire Christmas experience to the kids, including hot chocolate, popcorn and Christmas movies. We also came armed with my DVD Player and Projector, as well as a video screen and gasoline for the generator. Then hooked it into their ancient sound system and the kids all gathered with their hot chocolate to watch Polar Express and The Nativity. Many fell asleep in their chairs and on the cement floors, but, a faithful few (around 50) lasted all the way to the end of the night at 1am.

But, to be truly honest, this is a story of which the telling of is much more fun than the living of. Out on a beautiful lake on a gorgeous sunny day, reaching almost 95 degrees, SEEMS like a lavish holiday to those digging there cars out of piles of snow and ice all around the States. However, we had to sweep out and kill no less than 30 spiders from our little hut/room. Those were only the ones we could see with our flashlight, near the floor, we didn’t even want to disturb the one’s above our heads. Before climbing into bed, I brushed off a pile of poo dropping that were resting there. Then I brought my bags and shoes into my bed with me, tucked in my mosquito net tightly into my mattress, and slept fully clothed, praying that I wouldn’t be attacked by something in the middle of the night and that morning would come soon. When I woke up early the next morning, and cocked my head as I focused in on the “poo droppings” resting on top my mosquito net. Turns out that, that scratching I heard all night above me was the BAT that lives in that particular hut. I was happy to not go to bed with that knowledge; then my dreams all night which were full of creepy-crawling things, would have included creepy-flying things as well. And like I said, the telling of this adventure is more fun then the living of it, since my ideal Christmas doesn’t usually include peeing out behind a tree on Christmas morning. In my journeys here in Africa, I have discovered that I can stand almost any “third-world” setting…….but, please just give me a toilet! But, to see how much fun these 200 kids had, was worth it. This is the only toy that these kids will get this entire year and I made a mindful decision not to ask, if they had ever gotten a gift on Christmas before. I didn’t think I would be able to take the answer. It’s not really until looking back on my pictures that I can see the true joy, we got to be a part of on Christmas day

Life Lesson from Africa #1

EVERY CHALLENGE IS AN OPPORTUNITY

In Africa, I’ve learned that every Challenge is an Opportunity. Let me give an example. To the dismay of all Americans who are native to the North West United States, lattes do not exist in Uganda. At best, you can get a poor quality cappuccino. However, they do have the actual espresso machines; they just don’t know how to use them! One day, we had guests in from the US and they were so desperate for an Iced Latte that I asked the “bartender” if he would allow me to make a “special drink” using just ice, milk and his espresso machine. He was happy to comply and even thrilled to learn how. It was at that moment that I realized that no lattes means a potential business. Since that day I have considering offering my expertise as a barista to the few large hotels in the city. By helping them expand their drink menu they can cater to the western crowds, which pretty much are the only people that can afford to stay there. The bartender I taught continues to serve patrons at that hotel the Iced Latte I taught him to make. Zero access to lattes is not a challenge, rather a great opportunity.

For another, more personal example; since we were a ways out of the city and with the language barrier, cultural and financial barriers, building close relationships can be difficult. So I spend more time alone in Africa than I would ever in the United States. But, I’ve learned that isolation just means more quality time with God. What could feel like a real challenge is just another opportunity. I have never had that much time to read my bible, listen to sermons or pray more than this season in Uganda and that is an opportunity that I may never get again.

Liz's Thoughts on Ethiopia

My dear friend, Liz was suppose to come join me in Uganda, but because of the situation surrounding the building of our medical clinic (see earlier blog), she ended up going to Ethiopia for six months. She is an American registered nurse, who has walked away from her job her to give medical care to the impoverished in Ethiopia. Below are some of her thoughts that she is sending back home. Some are so close to my personal experience that I just had to include them in my blog, because it felt like me talking about Africa, but also some of her experiences are very unlike Uganda that I thought it might be interesting to reveal the culture diversity that is found in Africa.... so enjoy!

Learning to Say No
7 million…. I honestly do not know how anyone would do a census around here – with the amount of people who are jobless, homeless, or in makeshift shacks – it’s not like they have some sort of tax ID, or an address, or have their kids registered in school. Everywhere I go, people are begging – I see cripples, people with massive deformities, kids with continual eye and nose boogars (sorry, you all are going to get the real story here – from a nurse who’s fascinated with the gross stuff). The beggars here are different – far more aggressive than home. It makes me wish for the homeless man on the corner who politely holds a sign and quietly waits back home. It’s easier to “look the other way” and think, “Oh God, please help that man, as I get a green light and drive off”. Here the beggars here come up to your car window, put their hands on your window, stare at you with well rehearsed puppy eyes and speak with a minimal voice of someone who is in survival mode. And when you notion with your hands and head that you don’t have anything –which let’s face it, we all have something – after the empty hand gesture – they get even more puppy eyed and more aggressive. I began to get frustrated – within 8 days of being here, I had a meltdown. I came here to say “yes” – not to repeatedly tell people no. The problem of poverty is huge – I could be completely broke in a day giving all my money out to the poor- and the next day, it would be the same problem. Handing out money is not the means to and end, but it puts a bandaid on it for maybe an hour or two? In Uganda, the beggars are not near as aggressive as Liz describes. So, instead of kids begging for money, you have vendors trying to selling all sorts of crazy things to cars stuck in traffic. You can buy anything from toothpaste, a newspaper, and phone time, to posters, chairs and clothes! However, learning that you can't possibly meet every need that you see, is one of the very first realizations that comes to you in Africa. You could be out of money in a week and never accomplish the purpose that you were sent to do if you can't learn how to say "no", despite how hard it really is and the internal conflict it creates inside of you.

Got Power?
I do not have electricity at least 2 days a week. The government is rationing out the power. I guess the power runs off a hydroelectric system and Ethiopia did not get as much rain earlier on this year – as indicated by the famine in the south – it’s gotten significantly bad, people are starving down south. Some days I do not have running water until afternoon – and I do not quite understand that one. And the 2 days a week are variable… so you never know! It like the feeling of Christmas morning… it’s somewhat a magical cloud as you wake full of anticipation and run down to check out the presents under the tree – that is the same feeling that embraces my heart as I approach the light switch to assess if it’s a day full of power. Rather goosebumpy, my palms get sweaty just reaching for that little switch. So, you can imagine how my heart drops when nothing happens as I flicker the switch back and forth… ahhhh yes, the trials of the mission field. I know, you feel sorry for me. I understand the feeling of anticipation or dispointment based on your access to electricity. In Uganda, we never had power on Sunday morning (so no looking nice for church) and we never had power after a lightening storm other than that, it was just as unpredictable. Though we didn't have electricity for days on end sometimes and when we do so many people are illegally tapping into the lines that its so weak, the lights cast a sickly glow that isn't all great.

Plans; Organization; Yeah Right!
There are certain things one needs to know and attempt to understand about Africa. Nothing is quite what you think, nothing goes as quick as you’d like, and nobody cares that you are in a hurry and they’rre not!! I’m laughing right now. So the clinic has not been running – it’s been an idea that’s been running that somehow was communicated to me as an actual tangible activity. So, I’m working on getting it up and going. I’m in the process of purchasing supplies, organizing paperwork – yea, I’m going kill some trees, but there is no organization here! And, in order for us to get accredited through the government, there needs to be documentation for the people we see. There is some medical care going on. The Entoto team has been buying prescriptions for these patients with HIV, and some minimal supplies from a pharmacy – as needed, not kept at hand. I have a designated room in this community center – and now I’m going to fill it! LOL. I told you Liz! When you told me that they had this clinic fully functioning, I was impressed, but had my doubts. And, you're right, all you can do is laugh out loud!