Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Africa- Requests!

Per a request, I now present----*drum roll please*
The Top 5 List!! And other stuff.
Yes, here is gathered the top 5 of...of...well whatever I want. So buckle down and LISTEN UP! Well, actually, its a combination of Jen's request and Zech's request. Its a duel request post! Awesome.
(Hey, don't forget me!)
Oh yeah. I forgot. The interdimensional version of Trevor, Rovert, is also here today. Sorry, you'll have to listen to him babble as well.
(Namen daiyo! You'll end up missing me in the end!)
Quiet, you!

Oh, wait, before I get this post on its way, let me add that there is a new couple here. Ben and Lydia Hard...wick? Hardwick? Something like that. They are from London, and have known the couple I'm staying with since he was a little boy. I believe he is 28 now. If not, then he is at least close to that age. Check out my flickr for pool pictures from our day off, Monday!

Continuing:
Number 5!! I'll miss the ministry!
Some things in Uganda make me laugh
Example: The other day I was working with Chris. (Again) I walked up to the house, and saw the lady of the house. (She was kinda fat) Interested in what I had to give her, she asked us all to come inside. We came in (It was a nice house, too!) and sat down. Then she brought the two of us something to drink, mango juice. (The glass was dirty...really dirty) I (hesitantly) sipped at it as I continued to preach. I took out my bible and started away, asking whatever came to mind. God's name, hope for the future, getting close to God, the basics. Then came in her sons, 3 of them. And a friend from next door. And a little tike. So five people later, the room was filled as they listened as I let the bible crack the foundations of what lies they've been taught from church. (harsh but true) We pulled out the Bible Teach book (in their language) and started a bible study. We ended it with inviting them to the Kingdom Hall and setting up for the next study. I'll miss that sort of field service, that's for sure.

Number 4!! I wont miss the noise!!
Example: NO OFFENSE to those that like the music here, but I hate it. Well, its not the music its self that I dislike (yes it is). Quiet, you! Anyway, its what I associate it with. When I hear the music, I think of the sound cars driving around BLASTING the music at all times of the day. During the prayer at the meetings, during lunch, during quiet time (nonexistent), during movie time, during SLEEP time, etc etc. Music blasting.
Other things make me sad
Or maybe its not the music, maybe its the traffic/people. People have to honk for every sort of activity related to the road, and plenty that have no relation. Then the people hang out the windows and yell and shout. And no, its far, far worse than NY city, ok? Its not even close. Especially the taxi vans. I hate those things. I'm walking down the road and the guys in a taxi van thing are yelling at me "YES, MZUNGU! YOU GO TO KAMPALA?!?!" 
...No, I don't go to Kampala. If I was going to Kampala, don't you think I'd be walking in the direction of Kampala? And do you really think I would WALK to Kampala??

No, I don't go to Kampala.

Number 3!! I'll miss the friends!
Example: Some of the brothers are just too...Ugandan, to get really close to. Sorry, but its just too different of a base of operations for the brain. (So when do you think you're going to make sense?) Let me explain. (Doesn't that mean that you're going to further confuse us?) Yes, yes it does. Anyway, some of the local's minds are based so differently, and they think so differently, that our brains cannot link. The furthest we can get in conversation is how your home is. Even with a few of the brothers. (But Trevor, love for Jehovah covers over such things!) I KNOW THAT. You think I don't realize that? But trust me, even with a mutual love for Jehovah, sometimes our brains cannot connect so easily. Its totally different when you actually live it. Its like trying to tell someone what crickets taste like! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/skylinepath/5261069062/in/set-72157625143065249/) Its impossible. They say that it taste like shrimp, but I've never tasted shrimp like that. The shrimp I've had tasted...like shrimp. (Well, what do crickets taste like?)  Bugs.
Ok, that's a total side point. On to the friends again. Now, while some are just too hard to think alike in order to forge a super strong friendship, others are amazing. Introduce Richard and Abraham. They are both wonderful examples of...well just about anything good. These two brothers in particular are amazing, and shining examples of faith and love. I didn't even mention the sisters of the congregation, and there are equally impressive examples amongst them! Yes, I'll miss these friends.

Random Story Intermission! This is Rovert, taking over the blog temporarily! (Hey, give it back!) Shut up, Trevor, its MY turn! (You're evil!)
Today Trevor went alone in the field so that he could just have some alone time while he walked to his different calls and such. He finished a little bit early, so he went to blog. On his way home, a kid walked up and wanted to talk to him. Pulling out his earbuds, he said "Whut up?"
"Where are you from?" The little dude said.
"America, you?" Came the reply.
"Oogabooga." Ok, honestly, I forgot what he said. Some African name of a village or something "I want to be your friend."
"Cool!" Trevor said, "We're friends then!"
"Can I ask you for something?" Trevor put on a sad face, realizing why the kid wanted to be his friend. (I knew all along!) Shut it, Trevor!
Long story short, the kid wanted 75,000UGX (shillings) for a birth certificate. That's about $32. Not much in Dollars, but in shillings that's a huge load of money. 
"Nope, I don't give out money, sorry." Trevor so cold heartedly said. "But I do give something else, if you want it." 
"Eh." That means yes.
"Come to the Kingdom Hall on Sunday at 10am, when we meet, and I can set up a bible study with you for free!" Came the suggestion.
"Ok!" Was the reply! 
Summing it up some, this kid knew some of the previous Need Greaters, some sisters from Scotland. Once they left, though, the kid dropped off the study radar. Trevor found him again, and they have a plan to start up his study again! Trevor gave him a "Would you like too know the truth?" tract, and told him to invite his family to the meeting as well. This sort of thing happens all the time in Uganda!
(Can I have my blog back now?) Why yes, Trevor, you can! (*sigh* Thank you)


Continuing:
Number 2!! I came to a better understanding of what other people call normal!!
"Mom! The Mzungu is looking at me, what do I do??"
Example: Cows in the middle of town blocking off traffic. Racing down the hills on bikes at breakneck speeds. Motorbikes in service. (Lots of bumps) Walking out to the tiny villages to preach. (Up hill, both ways!) People wanting to hear as much as you can say about the bible. Rain so loud that you have to stop the meetings because you just cannot hear. Goats everywhere you look, stubbornly charging you if you get too close. (Little punks) Holes for toilets. (Sorry, sisters) Beautiful birds with the most annoying songs. (One of them sounds like a monkey. Serious) Suddenly being the ONLY white dude for miles.
All of the things like this combine to form a understanding, a widened perspective. Instead of stubbornly insisting that my way is right, or that someone's way is wrong, I am better equipped now to just accept it as...different. Also, it helps me shrug off the little things that are of no consequence. In actuality, this lead me to my next and final point:
Number 1!! The Finisher, the Killing Blow, the Grade Finale! What I appreciate the most about my time spent in Africa is:
...*drum roll*
I'm better prepared for the future skylines!!
Example: With all of the strange and crazy that I've seen here in Africa, I'm better prepared for even more strange and crazy. Other areas of the world that were once beyond my capabilities of enduring are now in my sights. Since Bethel, Jehovah blessed me with a perspective of looking further than ever before. And now with my experiences in Africa, Jehovah has widened my perspective to that of being able to actually go where I'm looking. Yes, it was very difficult at some points, and yes I wanted to cry, but in the end it didn't even matter. Why?
Jehovah already decided that I was going to succeed. Who can argue with that?
As long as I upheld my part of the deal and relied on him for strength, nothing would prove too difficult for me. Nothing would push me off the edge. Sure, He allowed me to get close enough to the edge to see over it, but he never let me fall. Not even when I wanted to jump off!

 
All in all, what I'm left with to say is simply: Thank you, Jehovah. For holding my hand when I wanted to let go. Thank you for picking me up and standing me on my feet when I wanted to lie down and die. Thank you for ignoring my foolishness. Thank you for seeing what I am capable of instead of what I am not capable of. Thank you for helping me see what I can become, and thank you for forgetting what I was, what I am.

Thus, I end this post! Thank you SO MUCH for reading!



Ps. And in case I haven't mentioned it, let me say that I will be using this same blog for Honduras. Skylinepath.blogspot.com will be the one blog for all Need Greating adventures that Jehovah allows me to share in! Just the title of the blog will need changed. For instance, instead of 'New Skylines in Uganda, Africa" it will be "New Skylines in Honduras, Central America", or something like that. Same web address, though.
Ok, bla bla, long story, later! Ja ne!

3 comments:

  1. Very good interesting blog; Thanks for taking us on your journey. May Jehovah continue to bless you.

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  2. Best...post...ever! Okay, so I'm a little biased. In honor of this post I will do a 'top five' comment:

    5. Awesome territory! I love when the ministry becomes less about the 'hours' and more about the people.
    4. Noise pollution. Ugh! I think I would go insane. Alaska will let your brain rest, right? Camping anyone?
    3. I think it will be really 'interesting' in the resurrection for all these cultures to converge, not just from all over the world, but from all different points in history. Talk about a cultural gap! Love is the perfect bond of union. Unity and friendship are certainly two very different things. Glad you found some kindred spirits on the other side of the world!
    2. "A better understanding" "A widened perspective".... priceless. A whole new facet of humility!
    1. Onward, fearless warrior!!

    p.s. I like that Rovert. I think he should slide into this dimension long enough to write the next post. :-P

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  3. For who knows you well, I think Africa did the trick! People will probably not recognize you when you go home, but they will be pleasantly surprised! Africa takes the worse out of people it's true, but if we take it with the right attitude (and you did that so awesomely!!!) it will enable us to survive ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, ANYHOW!!! Good job

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