Day 9: “But I will sing of your strength and joyfully proclaim your faithful love in the morning.” Ps. 59:16
Valentines Day. The day of love. Today community seemed to be flourishing wherever I looked. It began with a delicious Greek breakfast of dates, sausage, homemade bread and cake, cheese, and rich Kenyan coffee at a neighbor’s home. The food was not only delicious, but the company, too. The rest of the day passed with good tempered people at Church, friends giving a group of us teachers a lift to the grocery store in town, an invitation to the beach with other friends in the late afternoon, then a rotic dinner (a romantic dinner without the “man”) cooked by my housemate, Marie. Even at my local gas station the attendants were giving out roses to people who filled up their gas tanks.
Yet, shouldn’t this type of day be the rule, not the exception? We should be loving each other through sharing our lives with each other every day. So many days are spent in isolation, where we work side-by-side in our separate spheres. Very little of our social contact is meaningful; taking Valentine’s Day to remind us of each others’ existence.
Day 10:
“If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened, however, God has listened.” Ps. 66:18
Today I felt like a community breaker. As this is the antithesis of my goal to build community wherever I am, it was disheartening until I read the above Bible verse.
This is one thing that happened: A gang of teen boys harassed me when I was walking through the market after work. Even though they were verbally yelling at me, calling me a mzungo [foreigner], grabbing my arm and yanking my backpack, no one stopped to help me. I didn’t get so much as a sympathy glance. I did not feel a part of a supportive community.
Second incident: I walked a student down to the Principal’s office for disrespectful behavior towards me and at first felt hard and unforgiving. I felt like I was tearing down the walls of love between this 15 year-old girl and I until I realized I was disciplining her out of love. My prayer is that God will listen and soften her heart, changing her behavior. If my heart is filled with concern rather than malice, God will listen.
Day 11: My prayer was answered! Today my student came to me a sincere verbal apology and this note in part saying, “I am so sorry that you felt disrespected by me.” Having resolved the issue we parted on a friendly note.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Can He Do It? Yes, He Can!
Day 8:
“Can you fasten the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion? Can you bring out the constellation in their season and lead the Bear and her Cubs?” (Job 28:11-12)
God can do all this; in fact He has done more for me, He’s built me a community right here in Dar es Salaam.
Rather than building community today, my experience was unexpectedly, yet pleasantly, the opposite. I was a part of a community. Sick with the flu I, ached all over in the heat of the East African summer. My housemate, Crystal, gave me a big hug and ordered me to relax in her room with Numbers Season One episodes. Soon Crystal with her cold, Marie with her migraine, and I were all curled up, commiserating with each other and enjoying an escape from the heat. Beyond sickness we each had other personal issues we were struggling with, so our threesome commiserating with each other was just the community we needed.
Isn’t that the way community should be? Today we were a solid front sharing each others downs. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we can share each others’ ups.
“Can you fasten the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion? Can you bring out the constellation in their season and lead the Bear and her Cubs?” (Job 28:11-12)
God can do all this; in fact He has done more for me, He’s built me a community right here in Dar es Salaam.
Rather than building community today, my experience was unexpectedly, yet pleasantly, the opposite. I was a part of a community. Sick with the flu I, ached all over in the heat of the East African summer. My housemate, Crystal, gave me a big hug and ordered me to relax in her room with Numbers Season One episodes. Soon Crystal with her cold, Marie with her migraine, and I were all curled up, commiserating with each other and enjoying an escape from the heat. Beyond sickness we each had other personal issues we were struggling with, so our threesome commiserating with each other was just the community we needed.
Isn’t that the way community should be? Today we were a solid front sharing each others downs. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we can share each others’ ups.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Community Building Continues
Day 6:
Today was my turn to lead our weekly staff prayer meeting, so I gave a short devotional on God’s eternal encouragement to us and our encouragement to each other. As a part of it we wrote little notes of encouragement to hearten other staff members and teachers, and then finished with a time of lifting up our school in prayer. At the end I sensed our staff room was filled with a sense of caring for each other, precisely the atmosphere I would love to see extend to every room and every corner of the Haven of Peace Academy!
Day 7: Today was the last day of school before the upcoming day of love. That’s right, the famous-or possibly infamous-Valentines Day. Now I absolutely adore everything to do with Valentines Day, consequently my community building project was to give chocolates to several dear girl students struggling with personal issues; and of course, chocolates and fudge for two of my sweet fellow teachers. My Grade 12 Literature class loved on me with a surprise of scarlet roses. Pretty much love pervaded the halls of our school. That is until my homeroom students ruined it by accusing each other of sending themselves chocolates. Perfect love is still a work in progress for my students, but by God’s grace we will get there!
Today was my turn to lead our weekly staff prayer meeting, so I gave a short devotional on God’s eternal encouragement to us and our encouragement to each other. As a part of it we wrote little notes of encouragement to hearten other staff members and teachers, and then finished with a time of lifting up our school in prayer. At the end I sensed our staff room was filled with a sense of caring for each other, precisely the atmosphere I would love to see extend to every room and every corner of the Haven of Peace Academy!
Day 7: Today was the last day of school before the upcoming day of love. That’s right, the famous-or possibly infamous-Valentines Day. Now I absolutely adore everything to do with Valentines Day, consequently my community building project was to give chocolates to several dear girl students struggling with personal issues; and of course, chocolates and fudge for two of my sweet fellow teachers. My Grade 12 Literature class loved on me with a surprise of scarlet roses. Pretty much love pervaded the halls of our school. That is until my homeroom students ruined it by accusing each other of sending themselves chocolates. Perfect love is still a work in progress for my students, but by God’s grace we will get there!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Days 3-5
Day 3:
My community building today was giving a thank you note and loaf of fresh sun dried tomato Italian bread to our neighbors. They’re an energetic couple on our compound proudly from Tucson, Arizona but serving with Young Life Africa. Last week they had my housemates and me over for ratatouille; it was our first sampling of the dish and our curiosity had been piqued after the famous Rat movie. Surprisingly it was yummy, minus the rodent after taste.
Day 4:
As Valentines Day, the day of love sharing is fast approaching I planned multiple valentine making parties. I gathered supplies for my homeroom, the small group Bible study I lead for teen girls, and our weekly teacher prayer meeting to design cards. Love notes will be flying around our campus this week!
Day 5: As we munched cookies and crafted valentines, I told my small group girls I love them. This launched a discussion on love in friendship.
My community building today was giving a thank you note and loaf of fresh sun dried tomato Italian bread to our neighbors. They’re an energetic couple on our compound proudly from Tucson, Arizona but serving with Young Life Africa. Last week they had my housemates and me over for ratatouille; it was our first sampling of the dish and our curiosity had been piqued after the famous Rat movie. Surprisingly it was yummy, minus the rodent after taste.
Day 4:
As Valentines Day, the day of love sharing is fast approaching I planned multiple valentine making parties. I gathered supplies for my homeroom, the small group Bible study I lead for teen girls, and our weekly teacher prayer meeting to design cards. Love notes will be flying around our campus this week!
Day 5: As we munched cookies and crafted valentines, I told my small group girls I love them. This launched a discussion on love in friendship.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Day 2 Community Challenge: Listening
Colossians 3:14
"Put on love, which binds..together in perfect unity."
Today my community building was listening. I listened to two friends, one venting about a terrible "Jonah" day where everything seemed to go wrong, another share about what's on her heart and what God has been teaching her.
Another seemingly small sacrifice for me to make, but to those two it meant someone cared enough to take time to listen to them.
"Put on love, which binds..together in perfect unity."
Today my community building was listening. I listened to two friends, one venting about a terrible "Jonah" day where everything seemed to go wrong, another share about what's on her heart and what God has been teaching her.
Another seemingly small sacrifice for me to make, but to those two it meant someone cared enough to take time to listen to them.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
60 DAY COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
So, yesterday began a challenge the Lord has lain on my heart. The 60 day community building challenge. In my search for community I’ve decided to ignore the advice in John Mayer’s lyrics to be merely “waiting on the world to change,” but to actively foster change. Rather than to go in search of the ideal community I will grow the one I am already in right here in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Or at least my little bit o’ Dar here on the outskirts of the city center. If I want to live in a group of people dedicated to growing and nurturing each other then I need to take responsibility.
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves had been born of God and knows God...because God is love.” 1 John 4:7, 8
Day 1: Today I am sick with swine flu and I feel my contributions were minimal. Smiled at and chatted in limited Swahili with the mango lady at the bus corner as I bought mini mangos. Offered a mango to the snaggle-toothed 7 year old next door to me. Drank a mug of steamy hot chocolate-on an already steamy afternoon- with a student after school. Gave my housemate a big hug.
Little things, I know, but isn't it the many little interactions that make up a community?
Monday, January 4, 2010
Faith Discussions over IndoItalian Food
Over Christmas break a few friends and I spent some time trekking in the Usambara Mountains, where we met a well-traveled backpacking Swiss couple. Seriously, on their vacations they’ve traveled to South America, Central America, North America, Asia, Europe, and now finally Africa. They make Americans who rarely venture out of their state look unadventurous.
After several days my housemate, Marie, and I continued on with the twosome to Moshi to view East Africa’s largest free standing mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. It was worth the hot, tedious trip. After our jam-packed bus ride on a chicken bus (“there’s always room for one more!”) from Lushoto we were relieved to find an “IndoItalian Restaurant” where we were able to relax and chill over pasta and cold drinks. Yet our conversation soon turned to deeper topics as it turned out the couple were spiritually searching and very interested in our missionary work in Tanzania. They professed to be unimpressed with the traditions and rigidity of the two Christian sects in Switzerland, Protestants and Catholics. Yet, they claimed everyone needed something to believe in, something to have faith in. I agreed wholeheartedly that if I did not have my faith I would commit suicide because my life would lack meaning. This shook them up, and they were deeply interested in hearing our views. One thing I emphasized was that I don’t judge people of other religions, just love like the Bible encourages.
At the end of the long discussion we’d shared our faith with them and encouraged them over and over not to take anyone’s word on religion, but to seek out the truth for themselves. The man admitted to owning a Swiss German Bible, but not to ever reading it for lack of time or interest. At the end of the meal they readily gave us their e-mails and I promised them a follow up on “bite sized” scripture to read.
Obviously God had a dual purpose in bringing me to Moshi: Mt. Kili and two seekers. Pray for the two Swiss seekers!
After several days my housemate, Marie, and I continued on with the twosome to Moshi to view East Africa’s largest free standing mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. It was worth the hot, tedious trip. After our jam-packed bus ride on a chicken bus (“there’s always room for one more!”) from Lushoto we were relieved to find an “IndoItalian Restaurant” where we were able to relax and chill over pasta and cold drinks. Yet our conversation soon turned to deeper topics as it turned out the couple were spiritually searching and very interested in our missionary work in Tanzania. They professed to be unimpressed with the traditions and rigidity of the two Christian sects in Switzerland, Protestants and Catholics. Yet, they claimed everyone needed something to believe in, something to have faith in. I agreed wholeheartedly that if I did not have my faith I would commit suicide because my life would lack meaning. This shook them up, and they were deeply interested in hearing our views. One thing I emphasized was that I don’t judge people of other religions, just love like the Bible encourages.
At the end of the long discussion we’d shared our faith with them and encouraged them over and over not to take anyone’s word on religion, but to seek out the truth for themselves. The man admitted to owning a Swiss German Bible, but not to ever reading it for lack of time or interest. At the end of the meal they readily gave us their e-mails and I promised them a follow up on “bite sized” scripture to read.
Obviously God had a dual purpose in bringing me to Moshi: Mt. Kili and two seekers. Pray for the two Swiss seekers!
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