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Monday, May 11, 2010
For those of you that are regular followers of our blog, I am very sorry it has once again been nearly a month since I have last posted something. While I don’t necessarily feel like I found MY place on the mission field, each day seems to still be packed with new experiences and new things to learn, and I am finding myself staying busy with both! I did find myself saying the other day, boy I wish I would have spent more time learning to cook with my aunts and dad; it would be a whole lot easier if I had! But, I am enjoying the challenge of learning many new things and am learning to enjoy being the support for Blake’s work as his wife and the “keeper of the house”.
As the ministry continues, more and more computer labs are coming on-line, and we have visited more and more of the Nazarene Churches. We recently visited a church that was about 3 hours away, near the Ugandan boarder, the church was literally in the middle of nowhere…and by the time we got there, we went from paved roads, to dirt roads, to a foot path, to no path, just to find it! It was a great experience, and we could tell we were well welcomed and well received by the pastor and the congregation. I have also had an opportunity to meet with the Nazarene Youth International (NYI) coordinator for the French-Equatorial Field, and we have begun developing a strategic plan for the youth ministry on our field, that starts with the very basics, of making Christ-like disciples. We have begun planning, how to take this a step further, and bring spiritual depth to the youth on our field. It has been a true blessing to have this time to learn the culture, and ways that I can give input into the development of the youth on our field.
Also, in the last month, I have finished reading a book that I would recommend to anyone that is interested in culture and enjoys reading! It is called Africa Friends and Money Matters, by David Maranz. This book took me through the financial matters of African culture, and how much community supports many African families as their way of life. Through reading the book, I discovered more about the culture, that we have experienced for ourselves, but have found it to be a normal thing, and not a bad thing in relation to how the rest of the culture works. There are two things that we have learned from reading this book that I am going to point out…that just by living in Africa, we have found to be true as we adjust to the culture.
1. Africans are more hospitable than charitable – we have found this to be true, and for us have learned to adjust in the same manner. It is common for a person to show up to your house at mealtime, uninvited. It’s not that they are being rude, but rather it’s culturally acceptable. For an African, they will gladly receive that person into the home and offer them part of their dinner, for me, I have learned to throw a little extra rice in the pot and extra meat on the stove, and we have then invited that person to stay and share food with us. It’s one or our ways of adjusting to the culture.
2. Bargaining for a better deal in any transaction is expected and practiced – many people like to have social interactions, so bargaining is a way to prolong the time of interaction. We have learned that asking higher beginning prices is not an attempt to cheat the buyer, but is a normal expected aspect of life here. Blake is very good at bargaining (as most of you would have probably guessed) but I am still trying! It’s a new experience, and I have to plan ahead each day and know what I am willing to pay for something, so that when I am asked to pay a very high price, I know what to do next.
We have both enjoyed learning the culture, and feel like we are still adjusting, but feel like we are adjusting for the better.