Thursday, October 12. 2006
Greetings once again from Africa. I want to thank you all for your continued support and prayers for me and for the mission team here in Namibia. Here's a little update from the dusty little town of Opuwo...
Dust. I tell you, here in Opuwo, that word takes on a whole new meaning. For five months there has been no rain. The passing cars churn the dirt roads into clouds of choking dust. For us foreigners who aren't used to the dust, it can become a real trial. For months, I have had a cough whenever I talk for a long time or even take a deep breath. Anything that sits collects dust--not in a matter of weeks but in a matter of days or even hours! The other day I was at the home of Charlie Eklund, one of the career missionaries here. Suddenly I heard a friend calling: "Come quickly! Quickly! Look over there!"
Continue reading "African Adventures #6"
Friday, August 11. 2006
Cleaning. Cooking. Doing dishes. Commuting to work. Checking e-mail.
Running errands. Entertaining guests. Fixing things around the house. Do
these tasks sound familiar to anyone? What does this have to do with being a
missionary? Aren't missionaries those people who take a Bible and picture
roll out to the jungle villages and preach to the natives? Aren't
missionaries supposed to have clinics and schools and hold meetings and
baptize lots of people? Yes--missionaries do do these things. But they also
do other things. Like sweeping the floor, and cooking, and shopping, and just
spending time making friends. In fact--most of the day-to-day life of a
missionary isn't spent baptizing people or preaching, but in doing the
day-to-day tasks that anyone else does, whether in America or in any other
part of the world.
Continue reading "African Adventures #5"
Saturday, June 17. 2006
When I wrote last week, I actually had more to say about the people here, but while I was writing, I received a call over the radio that I was needed at the clinic as soon as possible because much prayer was needed. Thinking that there was a deathly sick patient there, I hurriedly finished the thought I was typing at the time, shut down the computer, and then hiked the quarter mile back to the clinic as fast as I could in my malarial weakened state. When I got there, I saw a large group of people crowded around the corner of my porch (which is attached to the clinic). I walked up to our clinic nurse, Wendy, and asked her what was going on. She looked tense and said they weren't sure, but it seemed like some kind of satanic harrassment, and tha everyone was gathered around her to pray for her.
Continue reading "The Power of God!"
Monday, June 12. 2006
I'll
never forget it as long as I live. Nor will I ever be able to get
the sound out of my mind.
I was
helping out in the clinic earlier today with the normal flow of
patients for a Sunday morning, when around 11:30 am we heard someone
coming up the trail wailing. We looked to see Buba carrying his
younger sister, our friend, 15 year old Nurgina on his back. She had
her eyes closed and was screaming at the top of her lungs, "Meningkag
siu ne, meningkag siu ne..." (let's pray, let's pray...)
Continue reading "Nurgina"
Sunday, June 11. 2006
The people and culture here are very different from what we know in America. For the most part, everything opperates at a very slow pace compared to what we're used to. In general, the locals aren't in a big rush to get things done. For that matter, they don't have alot of things that need to be done. Most of their days consist of working in their fields—cleared from the jungle on the side of a mountain slope so steep that if you slip and fall, there's a very good chance that you'll keep rolling until you roll right off the end of the field (or in some cases, right off the mountain)—or gathering food. Aside from that, some people make various types of crafts which they sell along with any excess food they might have.
Continue reading "People of Palawan"
Friday, May 26. 2006
I was so excited! I mean i was jazzed! I was jumping-up-and-down excited!
why? because it was april 12, and the next day would be the first offical
day of Songkran! what? don't tell me you don't know what Songkran is! You
poor deprived people! Songkran is the annual three day thai waterfight!
For three days in the middle of april, everything in thailand closes down,
and people spend all day throwing water at eachother! I'm not making this
up!
Continue reading "Songkran"
Monday, May 22. 2006
When was the last time you spent a week in a village on a tiny island in
the middle of endless water, grasses, and water lilies? Paddled a dugout
canoe to church? Gave a sermon in a church with dung walls and a dirt floor?
Slept in a thatched-roof home? Or took a bath in a river infested with
crocodiles? When was the last time you stood on the edge of a 300 foot cliff,
and watched one of the major rivers of the world pour into the canyon at your
feet? When was the last time you saw a rainbow so close you could actually
touch it? Or climbed a sand dune? Or walked on the moon? How many of you have ever thought of becoming a missionary? I tell
you--you can't beat the job description. Well--on most counts that is. I miss
all you folks terribly, but I tell you--life here is great! The past few
weeks, as usual, have been filled with adventure. Actually--I've had more
adventure recently than I think I've had in most of my life. I really feel
guilty keeping all this fun to myself so I figured it was time to write you
all an e-mail and share some of the adventures.
Continue reading "African Adventures #4"
Thursday, May 18. 2006
So I'm back, with part 2 of my saga. But before I launch into this, I must type a disclaimer: I am a very blunt, down-to-earth type of person, and I'm a CNA - nothing grosses me out. So if you are the squeemish type, you probably should avoid reading this, though it will be very educational! 
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