Humor and the Chicken

I was told before I went to Africa that the African people process information a little differently than we do. They are much more linear than spatial in their thinking. This information was very helpful for teaching purposes. However, I never thought about this in the context of humor. It was very hard to joke and kid with them because to them nothing along these lines made sense.
Not wanting to leave this alone I tried some of our simple humor. At a break at the seminary I asked them why the chicken crossed the road. One of the students said something in Songo and Theodore interpreted. His answer was that the chicken wasn't well bred. We all laughed. That is a much better punch line than the one we American's use. From now on that is how I will tell the joke.
Yesterday Jasonsent me some chicken crossing the road answers. I've included them for your enjoyment.

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?


BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MCCAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

SARAH PALIN: You betcha he crossed the road, but let's not talk about that, let's talk about energy policy, and how gosh darn hard it is for a middle-class hockey mom to manage the budget of the only state in America with a massive surplus, especially while surrounded by countless Russian and Canadian chickens we have to keep an eye on.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure - right from Day One! - that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken...What is your definition of crossing?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain... alone.

JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side.' That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.

GRANDPA: In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

You Take The Test

The class I taught had six students. Remember, we did an overview of the entire Old Testament. Quite a feat when you consider that these were first year seminary students, the language barrier and the time we had to do it. I am including the last exam I gave to them. See how you would score. There are 44 possible points.

EXAM
1. Write out all of the Prophetical books beginning with Isaiah.
2. What two books in the historical section relate to the building of the temple and the wall around Jerusalem after the exile?
3. What are the six categories of Psalms discussed in class?
4. How do you approach the narrative writings and the Poetical writings? Why is this important?
5. What is the one word description for Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon?
6. How many Major Prophets are there? What are they?
7. How many Minor Prophets are there?
8. In what period of time were Daniel and Ezekiel written?
9. How long was the period of silence?
10. List one prophetical book and give the theme for that book.

Something of Interest

 
I thought this picture might be of interest to you in the U.S. If I asked you to guess what it was hanging on the electrical lines you can probably tell that these are cans. But why? Well, those cans are full of rocks so that if someone tries to steal the lines the people in the community will hear it and stop them. These lines are stolen, not to sell, but to enable the thief to have his own electricity. I forget what the actual percentage is but in Bangui, a city of 800,000, less than 20% have electrical or running water. So I guess these lines would be very tempting. I couldn't help but think of people stealing copper lines to sell here at home.

This is My Temporary Home

This is the mission headquarters which was home for two weeks. One of the features of my new home was a mosquito net. It is really not as bad as it may sound. It tucks in around the mattress and is sheer material so once the light is out you don't even know it is there. However, you just can't bound out of bed without opening up an exit. Best I can figure, the little critters didn't bite me, at least at night.

Eager Students

 
On the first day I arrived at the mission station in Africa I was invited to join the English class that takes place every week. This week the African students moved from station to station where 6 English speaking people were located. It was the Africans responsibility to engage us in conversation. They did a very good job.

Somebody Call the Locksmith

While I am here in Africa I have been informed that my second son, Ryan, has changed the locks at our home and has formed a coup. I guess when I get home I will be out on the street. Trust me, after being in Africa, I think I could fair pretty well. For more information on this coup by my son go to lalomagrace.com and to the download tab. Click on the sermons tab and listen to last Sunday's message. My family must think that I can't carry on my responsibilities as a dad even when I am in Africa. Caught you! Love Dad

Another Sunday, & the homeward stretch

I just got home from preaching two services this morning in the first church established in Bangui. There were approx 1000 in the first service which was French and started at 7:00, and 500 in the Songo service that started around 9:00. Electricity here goes out everyday at some point or another. It went out as soon as church started and I am sure they went and started up a generator. (Last night, I no sooner got in bed and the fan went off. I was very sweaty.)

Well, I am going to go and change my clothes as they are soaking wet. Then I will eat and probably start on my school stuff. It is a fairly pleasant day here. I am still soaked through but it is nothing like last week. This church today also had ceiling fans and an oscillating fan on the platform.

I don’t have any concrete plans this afternoon. I know sometime I need to try and grade the exam, the best I can, and also prepare a little bit for the Prophets tomorrow. Jason (the pastor from Ohio here with me) will be doing the devotions tomorrow at the school and then teach the Poetical books focusing on Psalms. I will start the Prophets in the afternoon and then finish on Tuesday.

Wednesday we are going to the orphanage that missionary Barb Wooler is working with. Following the orphanage visit we will go into the city and do a little shopping. Thursday we check in at the airport in the morning, and then spend the day waiting for our departure that evening. After this morning I feel I am on the homeward road. I really am done with the draining part of this trip. Please understand though that I wouldn’t have changed anything.