I got up today and started teaching at 7:30 am. We finished at 10:30 and are now waiting to go to Bali Falls. It’s supposed to be impressive. I need this break and feel like it is now the weekend, if you know what I mean. I will preach tomorrow but be off in the afternoon. And, I am back to feeling fairly normal. I did have a day and a half or so of feeling under the weather, but now feel like I am stabilizing. As far as I know, the rest of the way is American food here at the mission. I just finished a lunch of their kind of salad and beef over rice. I can handle that. Our driver, Sengue (sang gay) and Theodore (the interpreter) ate lunch with us. Now we are off to the Falls.
By the way, I haven’t heard if Prop 2 in California passed or failed. On that subject, on our way to the Falls, we might stop by a lake where you can buy a live chicken, tie it to a string and throw it in the lake to tease the crocodile. Eventually, the chicken becomes the croc's lunch. That wouldn’t fly where I'm from. Neither would the electricity here. I was at one place where they had two wires coming out of the wall, no junction box, and a lamp socket connected to it. The lamp leaned against the wall, and lit up the room. However we did have light.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
I guess it had to happen...
Well I guess it had to happen at least once. I woke this morning from a very fitful sleep. Last night when I decided I probably didn’t need Tylenol PM I guess I was wrong. Anyway, I preached this morning on John 21: love me and feed my sheep. I led them in the song, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” in their language, Songo. It went well. After I spoke we had to leave to get in another class. I gave them their first exam. Also, while they were taking the exam I worked with Theodore to evaluate their papers.
I began to teach at around 10:00 and about 10:45 I began to feel hot around the collar and very weak. It was all I could do to finish the last 45 min. When we left I asked them to take me back to the residence instead of going to an African home for lunch. Thankfully, the illness was short lived. I came home, had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, drank a coke, took an Advil and slept for an hour. I got up and went back to the closing ceremonies of the conference.
I still felt a little funny, but I did come home and then went on to the basketball game. It was more like a college game but it was fun to watch. Man, could those guys jump!
I began to teach at around 10:00 and about 10:45 I began to feel hot around the collar and very weak. It was all I could do to finish the last 45 min. When we left I asked them to take me back to the residence instead of going to an African home for lunch. Thankfully, the illness was short lived. I came home, had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, drank a coke, took an Advil and slept for an hour. I got up and went back to the closing ceremonies of the conference.
I still felt a little funny, but I did come home and then went on to the basketball game. It was more like a college game but it was fun to watch. Man, could those guys jump!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Curious kids
Bangui is a busy place. There are lots of people everywhere. Most families are large and so there are many kids around, too. Around the churches we are entering, I have been friendly with and waved to kids along the street. It's not uncommon for them to rush over and before long there could easily be 100 kids gathered around. Curious, I guess.
Tomorrow night should be fun. I have the opportunity to go to an African basketball game!
Tomorrow night should be fun. I have the opportunity to go to an African basketball game!
What's a day like?
Between the conference, teaching at the seminary, and meals out, I'm finding there is little time to do correspondence. There have also been internet issues. Today I went to an internet cafe to catch up and lost a bunch of stuff I was composing. Communication frustration. We are in bed by 9 pm because we are up and running by 7 am, and then the day is full. Generally we return to the mission house around 8 pm.
Movin' through the OT
I have completed my second message and my interpreter, Theodore, told me I have now passed two tests.
Class was encouraging yesterday. While preparing for the students first exam we essentially walked/talked our way through Ruth. Today I will highlight a few more things and then we will be able to get to Samuel through Chronicles. Jason will teach the poetry section on Monday morning. I will teach in the afternoon and Tuesday, and then we are done. I pray and hope this time has been profitable for the Africans we have been serving. This trip has been one of the most awesome experiences of my life.
Class was encouraging yesterday. While preparing for the students first exam we essentially walked/talked our way through Ruth. Today I will highlight a few more things and then we will be able to get to Samuel through Chronicles. Jason will teach the poetry section on Monday morning. I will teach in the afternoon and Tuesday, and then we are done. I pray and hope this time has been profitable for the Africans we have been serving. This trip has been one of the most awesome experiences of my life.
Perspective, distances and numbers
1,250 km = approximately 800 miles. That is the distance one pastor traveled to get to this conference. Half of that distance he rode a bicycle; the other half he rode a bus. Humbling.
450 pastors have come to this conference. This is about 150 more in attendance than all the people who came to last year's Grace Brethren national conference in Florida. God has done a huge work in Africa which began with faithful men and women who obeyed the call to "go."
450 pastors have come to this conference. This is about 150 more in attendance than all the people who came to last year's Grace Brethren national conference in Florida. God has done a huge work in Africa which began with faithful men and women who obeyed the call to "go."
Pastor's conference and a meal
I just got back to the mission. This was my first day to speak to the pastors. I spoke a little over 40 minutes but that was with the interpreter. His name is Theodore, a very nice man, and he does an excellent job. He is married and has eight children.
Today we went to one of the member's house for lunch. During the conference we will be going out into homes of the members. They are "putting on the dog" (not meant to be literal) for us, and we appreciate their generosity and hospitality. I did eat goat (thought of my pet goat, Dakota, at home), and I had stomach and its lining, liver, and unfortunately I missed the kidney. It wasn't bad. We also had fish, salad, gozo (something I could do without), and some spinach dish with goat mixed in.
It's a great thing that there is Coca Kola here. That is a treat. I will probably have sugar diabetes before I come home. When it's hot, I like Coke. However, I've probably had more water in the week we have been here than I have had in all the rest of the year. Jason and I are just a couple of guys that can't take this constant heat.
Today we went to one of the member's house for lunch. During the conference we will be going out into homes of the members. They are "putting on the dog" (not meant to be literal) for us, and we appreciate their generosity and hospitality. I did eat goat (thought of my pet goat, Dakota, at home), and I had stomach and its lining, liver, and unfortunately I missed the kidney. It wasn't bad. We also had fish, salad, gozo (something I could do without), and some spinach dish with goat mixed in.
It's a great thing that there is Coca Kola here. That is a treat. I will probably have sugar diabetes before I come home. When it's hot, I like Coke. However, I've probably had more water in the week we have been here than I have had in all the rest of the year. Jason and I are just a couple of guys that can't take this constant heat.
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