Africa #3 - kcohS erutluC

kcohs erutluc.  That's not how you say hello in Zulu, just reverse culture shock.  One of the questions I get a lot is about culture shock - what Zambian and South African culture is like and what it's like being back in America.

I didn't experience much culture shock going to Africa.  There were all the same differences, but they didn't really stick out to me. Coming back, I noticed, but it wasn't so bad I wanted to hide under my covers for the next year. As soon as my team got to US customs, we couldn't look anywhere without seeing something that wasn't normal anymore. We were harshly reintroduced to the "me first" mentality by a customs official who yelled at us to get in the shortest line. "We're Americans! This is what we do!"  I wish I could say I went out of my way to show that woman love, to tell her about Jesus, but I didn't.  America is a mission field, though.  That's for sure.

This is a list of differences that caught my attention after being in Africa for two months. Some relate to South Africa, some Zambia, and some to my team's general culture and GE rules. Some are heavy, some make me laugh. Many are only skin deep, but some reach to the heart.

- In America, it's not normal to greet everyone you pass.
- Bursting into song is not socially acceptable, let alone a regular part of life.
- The water is safe. I questioned the condition of the water in every faucet for a week after being back in the US. In South Africa, most running water was safe but, in Zambia, the water is full of parasites.
- Americans don't smile nearly as much as the people in South African squatter camps.
- American chip flavors taste like they're supposed to. They have the same flavors in South Africa, but they taste different, as does pretty much everything else that we also have in the US.
- Chocolate sauce tastes like chocolate and is brown. South African chocolate sauce is red and doesn't taste like chocolate.
- Every restaurant has ketchup (which they don't call tomato sauce) and none have peri peri.
- There is an abundance of free internet and no Internet cafes.
- The prices look low. 5,000 Zambian kwatcha  = 1 US dollar
- Prices are actually very high, comparatively.
- People think you're weird if you start conversations with random strangers.
- The highways are free of speed bumps.
- The police don't set up checkpoints in the middle of the highway or pull you over to check your first aid kit.
- I can communicate clearly without a translator. Most of the time.
- Drivers use their brakes. In Zambia: Why use the brakes when you can just accelerate and go around the car you're about to hit?
- No one builds their own house out of scrap metal or mud, sticks, and grass.
- My bedroom is bigger than the average shack in a South Africa squatter camp or hut in the Zambian bush.
- Pop cans are lighter. South African cans are made of a different metal and significantly heavier on the bottom, so you think there's more pop, but it's really just the can messing with your mind.
- It is NOT okay to walk away with a stranger's children.
- Gambling is perfectly legal.
- You don't get proposed to on a regular basis because you're white.
- The worship team at church doesn't lead dancing as well as singing.
- Conga lines during worship are not a regular occurance, to say the least.
- Whoever is preaching or helping to lead a service knows it before said service commences.
- Credit cards. 'nuff said.
- Americans have many goals and desires, but not many Americans spend their whole day, every day just trying to find enough food.
- The accessibility and ease of obtaining water. I don't know anyone who walks to a well, draws water, and carries a full, 5-gallon bucket of water back home.
- I can go places by myself.
- No one I've met in Washington uses "y'all" on a regular basis.
- I'm not constantly surrounded by 19 sisters, all with different accents, but the same fiery passion for Jesus.
- American children don't point, shout "mulungu" ("white person" in Zulu), and run after me, nor do children grab my hand and walk with me wherever I'm going. I so miss that.
- Time zones. 5 hours, one country. Not including Hawaii.
- I'm allowed, even expected, to do my own dishes.
- Dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers. No need for bars of laundry soap.
- Showers with consistent pressure and temperature.
- Mainstream media and secular influence. Violence, sex, drugs, materialism, idolatry, repeat. It makes me feel sick.
- Most children I see have two living parents.
- Carpeting, wood, etc. instead of dirt or cement floors.
- Options. There is so much to eat, do, or buy, and every choice leads to five more necessary decisions.
- The majority of the population showers every day.  At first it was weird and I would find myself thinking, I'm not covered in dirt!  Why would I take a shower?
- No one understands when I say "unkulunku uyakuthanda", "mulungu ndi wabwino", or "takwaba uwaba nga Yesu". (That's "God loves you" in Zulu, "God is good" in Nyanja, and "there's no one like Jesus" in Bemba.) 

There are a lot more, but I think that's enough.  With all that being said, it is good to be back because I know God has a purpose for me here for the time being and, of course, I get to spend time with all of you! 

I am excited to tell many of you about my experiences in Africa, tonight.  For those of you who can't make it, I'll be posting the video I made either tonight or tomorrow morning and we are going to try to record tonight's sharing time. 

You are still absolutely welcome to leave a question in the comments!

Drawing water from a well for a woman during hut-to-hut ministry in Zambia.

Africa #2 ~ Ready for Takeoff

I promised to blog all about Africa when I got home but, despite my best intentions, that endeavor failed even to clear preflight diagnostics (like our plane from DC to Johannesburg).  This is how quite a few conversations went soon after I found myself back in our little corner of the US:

Enthusiastic, completely innocent, genuinely interested friend - "How was Africa???"
Me [with astounding eloquence of course] - ... *stares back with open mouth*

First of all, I am so sorry if you were one of the people who have firsthand experience with that conversation.  It's not that there isn't anything to say - quite the opposite!  The problem is, when I consider an open-ended question like "How was Africa?", two months of experiences, thoughts, changes, and emotions try to cram into one coherent idea and... well... they don't fit.

This is my first update after 26 days of being home for the very same reason.  Where to start?  How do I describe two months of God-moments that all worked together to change my life?  Every detail rushes in, the stream too rapid for articulation.  Like our plane to South Africa, my blog updating was grounded because the back-up brakes were not functioning.  If I took off, I ran the risk of being unable to slow my thoughts and would quite possibly crash and burn.  I am daunted by the prospect of attempting to explain supernatural events in human words.  There will indefinitely be an overuse of fairly non-descriptive words such as "awesome", "amazing", and "cool", but I promise to do my best and hope you can manage to bear with me.  After sitting on the plane for at least an hour, it suddenly occurred to us that our God cannot be deterred by a brake malfunction and we prayed that God would fix those back-up brakes, choosing to trust that He had the power and He would do it.  The pilot had been updating us periodically on the situation and it was clear no one knew what was wrong with the back-up brakes.  After we prayed, the pilot came back on the intercom and said, "I'm not sure what happened but, for some reason, the back-up brakes are now working!  Let's go to South Africa!"  I am choosing to trust that my God, who gave me words of Truth and Life to speak to His lost sheep in South Africa and Zambia, will give me the words to speak to you of His glorious works. 

Ready for takeoff. 

 

Our plane to Jo'burg before boarding in D.C.

 

Waiting for the back-up brakes to work so we can take off.

From left: Heidi, me, Elizabeth, Olivia, Mikaela

 

Note: I'm going to start by addressing frequently asked questions.  If you have a question about my time in Africa, drop me a line in the comments and I will gladly answer it to the best of my ability in a blog post. 

Africa #1

In case you haven't heard, I'm going on a mission trip to South Africa and Zambia this summer!  We are in single digits, my friends!  Only 9 days left!  There is a new page called "Africa" that has some information on the trip (including my itinerary and flights) and how this all got started.  There are some helpful links at the bottom of the page.  You can get there by clicking on the tab at the top of this page.  I am so excited!  It's been sneaking up on me!  My last day of school is Friday, June 8th and I leave on Monday, June 11th.  It will be like any other Monday except, instead of going to school, I'll be boarding a flight to Dallas.  Crazy!
There is so much to do!  I'm shocked that I don't have my suitcase out yet.  There's still some shopping and wrapping up financial matters to do.  I have so many thank you notes to write!  I love that there are so many to write because it is a constant reminder of all the love and support all of you have poured out and God's provision.  From day one, I have been reminding myself that when God calls us, He will send us - He will provide all that is necessary to fulfill the calling.  Otherwise, why would He call?  He has shown Himself faithful time and again from the day I said "Yes, Lord" to today.  My parents said yes, He is providing all the money I need to go, surrounding me with people to encourage and celebrate with me, overcoming every obstacle.  $5,337 is a lot of money, but today, I am only about $100 from being fully funded.  Thanks be to God!  In addition to all the preparations for the trip, I'm working on finishing up my junior year of high school.  June 6: AP Calculus test, French written final, French Q&A final; June 7: Spring Choir Concert; June 8: AP US History project due, AP Language and Composition project due, Physics test, Physics final.  Fun stuff!  And the SAT is tomorrow!  I almost forgot.  It will all get done by the grace of God.   

So I know I'm leaving in 9 days, but I still feel oblivious.  I don't think the reality will hit me until I'm at least through SEA-TAC security... maybe not until I walk out of the airport in Johannesburg. 

There are so many things to look forward to, along with all the things I will miss.  I will miss my family, my kitty, my friends, and the people here who walk with my heart.  The 4th of July, family trips to Orcas Island, summer youth group.  I am so excited to have my birthday in Zambia!!! Best birthday ever!  I'll be surrounded by beautiful children that I will have the privilege of loving. 

I can't wait to meet my team!  We have been able to talk on facebook and skype to begin to get to know one another.  It has been such a blessing to be able to encourage and pray for one another, laugh and cry together (that sounds so cheesy, but it's true).

You can send me a message while I'm in Africa!  Click here to get to the page.  The link is also on the Africa page of this blog.  I will be updating this blog as much as possible while I am away, but it's not certain how often we will have internet access.  Our leaders will also be updating our facebook trip page with stories and pictures, so make sure you like it!  And.... one more :) I made my mom an administrator of the facebook group I created for the trip and she will be posting updates when she hears from me.  You are more than welcome to join!  Don't be shy! 

My brain is all over the place and I can't think of everything else I was going to say, so I'm going to stop rambling and do some homework.  I would love to answer any questions you may have, though!  Leave a comment, send me an email, text, facebook message, randomly show up at my house... :) Really, though, I love questions! 

Thank you so much for all the encouragement, support, and prayer!  It's amazing to have so many people invest in the work God has called me to this summer!

Meant to be Free

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves  be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1) Paul, in writing this, was telling the Gentile believers to stop striving for salvation and righteousness by following the Law, the Law being the rules set forth by God for the Israelites before the coming of Jesus. Before Jesus came, the Law was the only means of justification, but when Christ died for our sins, He introduced grace as our means of salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, by faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)  Now that Jesus had died for their sins, all the Gentiles (and Jews, for that matter) had to do was believe in Him to be saved and made righteous. They could not follow the Law perfectly, nor did they need to because they had already been saved by God's grace, through faith.   

Even though Christ had set them free, some of the Gentile believers were enslaved because the Jewish Christians convinced them that they must follow the Law to the letter as well - that grace wasn't enough. For the Gentile Christians, the pressure to be righteous in the eyes of the Jews was enslaving.  The Gentile Christians did not need to follow the Law to be righteous because their sins were forgiven and they were no longer condemned.  "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.  And so He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4) The Gentile Christians felt the pressure of the Jewish Christians' condemnation, but Christ did not condemn them.    

Living as a slave after being set free by Christ didn't stop with those first Gentile believers. It seems obvious that Christ meant us to be free when He set us free, but the truth is, we don't always live like we are free. We let fear, doubt, sin, anger, pain, sickness, death, envy, deceit, addictions, guilt, lies about who we are in Christ and who God is, and countless other things enslave us. We are not meant to be burdened by these. We are not meant to be slaves to these. Christ set us free so that we would be free! More than just setting us free, Christ sent His Spirit to live within us, giving us the power and authority to overcome the things that enslave us, through Him, if we would only ask.

If you are in Christ, you are free and He wants you to live freely. Today I am asking myself, Where am I still chained, where am I burdened? If we are aware of our chains, we can cast them off by the power of the Holy Spirit because Christ has already set us free.

"Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Be resolute in your freedom and give your burdens to Christ, in whom you are free. God did not create us to be enslaved, nor did Christ set us free to live as captives.  All the same, we have a choice every second of our lives - to be enslaved or to be free.  It's never too late to give our burdens to Christ and be free, He is abounding in grace and His love is never-ending and unconditional.       

Choose freedom, friends.  

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

"I am free to dance, I am free to sing, I am free to live for You, I am free.  Who the Son sets free is free indeed."
 

Five-minute Friday ~ Together

Together: in one gathering, in relationship, in unity

This word encompasses so much, but I want to focus on what it means when we lack physical proximity.  Jordan is going to Africa with me. She lives in Alaska, where I have never been, a place far away from Edmonds.  She goes to a school with a bell schedule I don't understand, rolls down the windows of her car when it's 40 degrees because it's so warm, and takes beautiful pictures of a snowy landscape I hope to see with my own eyes one day.

Even though I would have to drive for two days without stopping to reach her house from mine and we have never met face to face, we are together because Jordan walks with my heart.  Through difficulty, through pain, through joy, in laughter, Jordan is only a text, facebook message, or skype call away with togetherness, encouragement, and prayer humbly offered.  I found a sister in Christ and a sister of my heart in Jordan.  On June 11th, I finally get to meet her and be together with her for two months.  So exciting!  Until then, and after August 2nd, we are together even still, together in friendship and in Jesus. 

Philippians 1:3-6 "I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."       

In the Blink of an Eye

Driving home from school, I heard this on the radio:

In light of eternity, each of our earthly lives begins and ends in the blink of an eye.  On average, one blink takes 0.3 seconds. That's a little over 3 millionths of one 24-hour day.  Most people blink more than 15,000 times a day, but we blink reflexively and so quickly that we hardly ever notice.  Basic idea: a blink of an eye is an extremely short amount of time. 

Have you ever observed a child being told that a gnat only lives for a few weeks?  I was that child once, and I was shocked at the news.  How could a gnat do anything worthwile in such a short lifetime?  Well, our perception of time is relative.  A few weeks seems short next to the average human lifespan, but even if I lived to be 110, my life would hardly be a speck in the timeline of eternity.             

All the same, there's a reason I'm alive for the blink of an eye.  God has a mission for me and He called my name long before I learned how to breathe. 

How much time do I spend doing worthless things?  Every second, we have the opportunity to further the Kingdom and give God glory.  The only things that matter in eternity are the things of God.  I have been given this life to live for the blink of an eye and I want to do something worthwhile with it.  I want to go on the Father's mission and play a part in changing other people's eternities.  I want to leave a legacy and not waste this life.  In the blink of an eye, my life on earth will be over and I will be closer to our Father than I have ever been.      

He Sees All of Me

I tend to lean toward the logical and intellectual side.  I love to think about problems and mysteries until I find a solution or an answer.  I love the feeling of finally grasping a concept, but the things that hold my attention and make me stand in awe are things I will never understand. 

My mind often lingers on how God is outside of time and space.  How does that even work?  Everything I know of this world is constrained by time and space.  In the beginning, God was there, before time.  Right now, at 6:24 pm on Sunday, April 1st, 2012, God is here, but He is outside of time.  One day, time will end and God will still be there.  He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  (Revelations 21:6)

Furthermore, God sees it all.  He sees the past, the present, the future. 

I have been feeling incompetent, lately.  Some days have flown by without me stopping and taking the time to have a real conversation with my Daddy and then I lose sight of Him in my daily life.  I am not perfect, I am unworthy, but for some reason, He won't give up on me.  He loves me. 

Today, He told me that He sees all of me.  Of course, I knew that.  If you had asked me yesterday, if God sees all of me, I would have said, "Absolutely!  He sees my thoughts, my motives, the darkest parts of my heart, every good thing He has ingrained in me".  I missed part of what that means, though.  He doesn't only see me as I am right now.  He sees my past, my present, and my future. 

I can sit here and think about all I could be and how much I wish I could become who I really want to be, a person who is completely in love with Jesus, follows Him wherever He leads her without question, who loves well as the Master does.  I could go on and on.  The trouble is, that's not who I am.  At least, that's not how I see myself now.  It is my hope that I will grow into that person.  God, on the other hand, never says, "I wish you would become _____ because that's actually what I want and it's my plan for you, but I just don't know if you'll ever get there."  He sees everything I will be.  To Him, that is part of who I am. 

Take my past, my present, and my future, mash it all together, and that is who I am.  I am not just a sinner, I am redeemed.  I fall again and again, but He picks me up and sets me back on my feet.  He doesn't only see the good in me and he doesn't only see the sin in me.  In my best moments, He knows my sin and in my worst moments, He sees what I will be along with the present.  He sees it all, and together, it creates a beautiful picture of His love and grace and mercy. 

He sees all of me.  Every part of me from my beginning to my end.  I find such a glorious hope and peace in that knowledge.

This is one of my favorites, a little like "Revelation Song".