Oct. 19th, ’08: today is Sunday. It is so hard to believe that we’ve only been here for three days; yet it seems so strange that we’ve been here that long. I feel like I’m going to leave tomorrow, while at the same time it feels like I just got here and I’m going to stay forever. I keep thinking that there is so much more to do and see. And truthfully, I guess there is. This could rightly be called a land of opportunity for the Christian. It’s only ten, and there have already been a few incidents with little Miss Urinate, the wonder-dog that can’t seem to “go” unless she on a bed. I must say, she livens things up around here, and gives us all occasion to laugh. I have never seen a dog who was more loved and mothered on and yet so hated. She has taught me to love and hate Morwen more. Went to church this morning. I had high hopes on the way. What I saw deeply saddened me. The church was made up of about half foreigners half locals. The worship was charismatic; the worship leaders and ushers were mixed, there being more women than men. Literally. I hardly knew what to say to the sermon. I didn’t want to sound like a Christ Community snob. Or anything. I found the text, Genesis 28:10-22, to be helpful. I told Mr Chuck that, “There were several places when I hoped he was going in this direction or that, but was disappointed. I didn’t know if it were hope or illusion. He said what was really true: “It was more about comforting people in a foreign land that about Christ.” Mr Anthony was even more truthful. “It was a bore.” There are a lot of beggars on the corners… I was lying on my pallet when aroused to the sound of about a dozen or more children’s voices yelling like there was genocide going on. I went out and looked through a crack in the gate to see what was going on. There were a bunch of Ethiopian boys standing in a circle looking at what someone was holding, and talking all at once. I guess they got excited. I later found out that they were racing. Went to an Ethiopian cultural restaurant that night. The food was… interesting, and very fiery. It was a platter of all sorts of little dishes that were eaten by gripping small bites with a flat, spongy, bread type substance with a disgusting texture. There was an Ethiopian band on the stage, and later there were different cultural songs and dances. Some of it was pretty cool; some of it was a little crazy. Afterwards the dancers did a sort of skit, which thankfully was in Ethiopian, because I think it was crude. In fact I know parts were. But there was one part where they went around picking random people from the audience to come up on stage. One of them approached our circle. Chris and I were both sitting on the outside. I felt like I was about to die! Thank goodness they picked ChrisJ. After that I moved.
Oct. 20th, ’08: Malachi and I parted ways today. He went to the well drilling and I went to the PTI with Mr Anthony. He was teaching on the Work of the Spirit. I thought it was really good, and the Lord taught me a lot through it. Apparently there are a lot of cultural issues surrounding the subject, and there were a whole lot of questions. Mr Anthony gave them what he called a “spiritual spanking.” It taught me a lot about man’s response to the Spirit. When Mr Anthony and I walked to the store we met a blind lady in extremely shabby clothes; she was led by a man of like who held her hand out toward people for her. It reminded me, as I am reminded hour by hour, that this is not just a land of beautiful mountains and bird and crazy restaurants; there is poverty here. There are millions of people living on next to nothing, in houses made of sticks and tin. And they don’t need their government to have more American money. They need Christ. Nothing else will be the least help. I went to the second half of the well drilling this afternoon. Nothing much to report there. Passed the evening reading and hanging with the other guys.
Flinding's Weblog 