I’m convinced life is crazy. Maybe its just life in Niger, but I don’t think so. Maybe it’s just trying to plan, but seeing God pave a different road? I don’t know what is going to happen from one moment to the next. But who does?
“How can we understand the road we travel? It is the Lord who directs our steps.” Proverbs 20:24
Despite my plans, preconceived notions, and even history, God is showing how his ways are far from anything I could have ever imagined (Is 55:8.)
Do we really believe what God says? He says that His Word will (not maybe) accomplish all He wants it to, that it will (not maybe) prosper everywhere he sends it (Is 55:11.)
Life here is not what I expected. My work does not match my job description. Each day is different from the previous one. God is continually changing the direction in which he wants me to go and the way in which to get there. Sometimes my activities are typical, often not. I just laugh about it and remind myself of 1 Cor. 10:31 – whatever I eat or drink or whatever I do, I must do it all for the glory of God.
Is it possible to do everything for the glory of God? Sometimes I doubt it, but then I’m convicted of that when I read: “Give your body to God. Let it be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?” (Romans 12:1)
You know, I really do enjoy living here. God has me here. Yes, sometimes I ask why. Sometimes I long for things from my own culture. But everyday He confirms his desire for me to be right here. Being here isn’t enough. I have to daily surrender myself and the things of the day to Him. I find myself relying on Him more and more. The little things that shouldn’t require much energy or thought are the things that can throw me off.
The heat. Bugs and other creatures. Fulfulde. Hausa. French. Horrible roads. Lack of roads. Dirt. Food.
Seriously, eating leaves is nasty. I have never had a problem with gagging until I began eating slimy leaves. Who would have thought eating millet and leaves was so hard? For me, it is. I can only get it down and keep it down by the grace of God. I have to remind myself of what Christ went through on this earth…and that’s how I get the leaves down. That’s the only way. It might not seem it, but it’s a big deal.
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Friday afternoon I was in the bush, walking from compound to compound with Sarah and a Fulani friend, when we went to one compound where she wanted us to see a little girl. I thought we were going to just visit a sweet little girl or something. Not quite. She wanted me to see a little girl who had fallen in a fire. Poor little Karima was just lying on her stomach motionless, burned from her mid-back to the back of her knees. Badly burned. The burns were covered with sand and nasty flies and you could see the obvious infection. I had to fight back the tears. After questioning the mother about the incident and what they had done, I only got more frustrated. I gave up with the young mother and asked for the father, who eventually came from working in the field. After asking him, he agreed and let Sarah and I, along with him and a friend, take little Karima to the hospital in a town not too far away. They began treating her and asked that she remain in the facility for several days. I was relieved that she was getting adequate medical attention. Please continue to pray for Karima and her family as they are still at the hospital.
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Two weeks ago, Sarah and I decided we were going to stay in the bush for the weekend with a Fulani lady and her kids. However, our plan got a little disrupted because we thought her husband was out of the country, but he had returned…thus leaving us no where to stay. They assured us there was no problem. So, I just told myself it will work out, somehow. Well, we left that compound to go hang out with some ladies for several hours. When we returned later that afternoon, there was a new hut in the compound. Yeah, it worked out. They built Sarah and I a hut. Quite amusing. So, now Sarah and I stay in our new home a couple of nights a week.
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We have a friend here named S. He speaks English and listens to Randy Travis, Dolly Parton, and Conway Twitty. His English is great, really. But some things that he say, he translates word for word from Hausa or French…and it has a funny effect when it comes out in English. Other times, he is very African and explains something by telling a story, not just directly saying what he wants. Even better, he says phrases he thinks are cool in English, which are just quirky.
If one has to go, let him go. (You better use the restroom before we start the trip.)
S: This is a dangerous road. Pay attention.
Me: What do you want me to do?
S: Be careful.
I have to go visit with the monkeys. (I have to use the restroom.)
I’m coming. (Wait a second, I’ll explain, hold on…endless meanings.)
I need to go shave. [after returning from a trip, I gave some of the neighborhood kids some small gifts to play with. I told S the gifts were for the kids, to which he only responded, “ I need to go shave.” He said nothing else. I asked what he meant and he said, “you know.”]
We’ll rock the day. (We’ll have a party.)
