This is why we are here!

Lately, it seems that I am constantly striving to find balance in my life.  One week I hardly get out of the house for anything, and cabin fever quickly sets in on me.  Another week, I get out more than I expected, but then I find myself getting way behind on the kids' home school.  Recently, Rich has begun to help me do some of the teaching for home school a few hours at a time, so that I can get other things accomplished and he can do what he needs to as well.

Last week, it came to my attention that a trip needed to be made to a village to which I have gone once.  I was going to have language class early that morning, but then I could go---if Rich would cover a whole day of home school. That was going to be more than he had done before, but I was confident that he could do it. 

After class, I came by the house to pick up Lydia-Ann, and then we headed out to pick up a local "sister".  We headed out to the village, but the day was quickly getting away from us.  We arrived and did the usual greeting.  A gentleman arrived and after a while inquired why no one had come back to teach them.  A volunteer team had come last year and taught a few stories, but they have not returned yet.  This "sister" translates for most of our teams, so she explained that she had not returned because the volunteers had not.  I explained that we have work here in town, but that we would be glad to come teach if someone was waiting. 

The gentleman then began asking questions, some really good questions.  Our "sister" let me answer and then would help me know what needed to be clearer based on the expression the man showed in response to my words.  He asked for clarification on who wrote the Book, what the cross was, and from where the Son came.  I tried my best to answer all of these and explain the virgin birth.  Wow!  "Sister" said we would ask the ladies for questions after lunch.  Before we could do that though, he asked for Rich and I to come back to teach the people there, about twenty to twenty-five people on the next Tuesday. 

Wow!  This is why we are here.  To share the Truth with those that are hungry.  This man was hungry and had gotten just enough from the volunteers to whet his appetite.  I still feel so inadequate to share the Word, because I just do not know if I can answer all the questions that will arise in a way that he can understand clearly.  However, the Spirit filled and spoke on that day, and He is faithful to be there the next time.  Tomorrow we go to the village to share with them all.  Our "sister" will be going with us to serve as back up.  Lift up our family as we go to share, because the enemy does not let go of his territory without a fight and the road to get there is rough.

Trying to help can get someone into trouble.

A few weeks ago, we were getting ready to go out to the village with a friend.  We were running a little late, so my friend came by to see what was taking us so long.  I was so glad she did because a girl came by while she was at the door.  The teenage girl came to me with a sob story.  It was one you could hardly believe was true, but it would break your heart if it was.  I wanted to help but we were on our way to the village.  I asked my friend if the girl could stay at our house until we returned and could figure out what to do for her.  We took the girl to my friend's house.  We explained the situation to her husband, who agreed to let the girl stay there for the day.  After spending the day at the village, I went to visit my friend and her husband.  I said i wanted to help the girl but that it was not prudent for her to stay at our house.  I asked if she could stay at their house, while we figured out where the girl belonged.  I took them some food to help out in caring for the girl.

The next day the girl came to visit me at my house.  She had originally asked for a teammate, so I let the teammate talk to the girl.  I thought the teammate would know her, but she did not.  We got a little more of the story, but I also realized that some of the details changed.  I decided to investigate the next day, when I would be going to language class. 

I went to language class on day 3 of the saga.  My language teacher informed me that it was not wise to have a minor stay in the house without going to the police first, because the police could come after the person sheltering the child.  I planned to go to my friend's family to suggest we take the girl to the police, once my class was over. 

Before I headed home, though, I decided to check out more of the girl's story.  My teacher went with me to ask a neighbor that the girl mentioned if the girl had ever worked for her.  The neighbor had never even heard of a girl by that name.  We explained the situation.  A neighbor across the way heard us talking.  She said that the story sounded like the daughter of another neighbor of theirs who had run away a few days before.  My teacher went to see the other neighbor.  The father and the mother of the runaway girl agreed that they thought this was their daughter.  I brought the mother and my teacher to my house.

I went to get my friend and the girl from my friend's house.  As we neared my house, the girl got increasingly more nervous about what was happening.  As we approached the gate, she took off running. We searched all over for her to no avail.  I took the mom over to my friend's house to talk out what had happened.  The mother reaffirmed that this behavior was normal for her daughter.  I took the mother and my teacher home, just as I had said I would.

That afternoon the father and mother of the girl came to see my friend and her husband.  Understandably the father was upset about the situation.  When emotions are high, things can be said or taken in a way that one does not intend.  When there is a problem, individuals are supposed to go to a mediator, who might be the chief, to get things straightened out.  If that does not work, then one proceeds to the police or court.  The father went to the police and came back with an order for my friend's husband to appear at the police station the next day. 

Since I was the one who took the girl to the house and asked my friend's husband to let the girl stay there, I could not very well leave him to take the fall for everything.  I resolved to go with him to give my testimony to the police, as did my teammate.  Though the town we live in is a good size and is what we might call a county seat, the police have only one officer in charge of listening to and recording testimonies.  A more pressing incident happened, so our case was put on hold until the officer finally asked us to come back the next day.

Our langauge teacher had come and we were standing outside the police station with her.  She is well known in our town.  A gentleman from the government building came over to greet her.  She told him a bit of the situation, but he wanted to hear the whole story in his office.  We went to his office to discuss the situation.  He understood but also understood where both sides had made errors.  He asked us all to return with the father to fully address the situation.  We did.  The gentleman asked the father to please forgive the situation and to release the police papers.

Often it is about who you know.  It is also about following proper protocol on handling situations.
"In all things, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." 

Mariama the Evangelist part 2

Mariama went outside when she got done with her home school work on Friday.  She was visiting with our day guard and a friend of his who spoke English.  I thought Mariama was telling the other young man about teaching him English.  She was also telling him that she would be willing to study the Word with him if he wanted to learn more about the Truth.  She was almost overwhelmed that she now had several people to whom she would teach the Word.
The following day a man came by that I did not recognize and was asking for Mariama.  It seemed very strange to me, so Rich went out with her.  It was the young man from the previous day.
Today, I was visiting with a teammate, who also has our day guard work once a week at her house.  She said he was retelling what had happened with Mariama the day before.  Mariama was talking with the friend and then the friend was translating for our guard.  She said that they questioned whether it was really Mariama or some spirit, because she was talking so seriously about things much too advanced for a 5 year old.  My reaction was that it was indeed a spirit--the Holy Spirit.  The Author promises that His word will not return void and that no speaking of the Truth is wasted.
Mariama has a clear vision for what we are supposed to be doing.  She also has quite a personality, but this is an example of that personality being channeled in the right direction.   She is a little ball of fire!

How do you handle problems with neighbors?

In April, we had an incident with some neighborhood girls.  We often struggle against neighborhood kids who think that normal rules of politeness in this culture do not apply to us, because of our skin color.  For instance, one must always greet properly, especially before asking for something.  But often youth will come to us asking or even demanding something from us, having never respected us enough to greet us.  They quickly find out that we actually do know the culture around here, and do not try it again.  But in April, we had a different type of incident.  It is not important to retell to all of you the incident, but I wanted to share with you how we got it resolved.

I told our house helper about the situation two days later.  She was very upset and said we needed to go talk to them.  We needed to let the girls and their families know that we would take them to the police if this ever occurred again. Her initial reaction was echoed by our language teacher, who said she would have chased them down and beat them.  Our language teacher agreed with the house helper but took it a step further, in that we also needed to go talk to the chief of the neighborhood to let him know about the event, because the chief knows about everything that goes on in the neighborhood and is the step before the police.  In the event we had to go to the police, the police would go to the chief for more information.   

That afternoon our house helper went with us to track down a lead to find the girls that were involved and address them.  To start with, the girls denied being any part of it.  But Mariama was sure she recognized them and someone else came in to confirm it.  Finally a girl confessed to being a part of it.  She began to show signs of guilt and repented.  She begged for forgiveness.  We said we forgave her but also warned her if it was to happen again.  She and a friend begged us not to go to the chief, but we insisted we must.

We went to the chief's home.  Unfortunately he was out, so we left a message and asked him to come visit us.  Our house helper went by to remind him as well.  He did not show.  We waited another day, and then we went back to the chief's house.  We explained what happened and how we handled it.  He wanted to make sure from what house the girls were.  He understood the situation and thanked us for coming to him. 

We want to feel at home in the place where we live, but I wonder if we will ever really feel like we belong.