Smol tok nomo |
Smol tok nomo |
Our fellow workers and good friends Brandon and Vicki are here working with Sustain Hope to dig wells, he (Brandon) is also a Nurse Practitioner and is out in Big Bay right now at the clinic. When Vicki face booked me that she had undershot on groceries and there was a truck coming to town, she asked if I could get some things on it for her. I was really happy to be able to help in this capacity. I know a little bit about rationing out supplies until you can get back to town, unfortunately the Big Bay Wal - Mart has not opened yet ;)
Just to show you a little about how things go I will share with you the "simple" story of getting groceries to Vicki, and just know we chuckled through most of it. Originally the truck was going to come on Saturday morning and I pictured the huge possibility of waiting half my Saturday for all things to fall in place. The concept of time is much different here so I knew what to expect. Today (Friday) my whole family went to a little cafe with internet to send off some business emails and to skype with family back home. We have a little hot spot for internet but some times they will put the data you purchase on it and sometime they wont, it depends I guess on the weather and how much trouble the worker wants to go through for you. So we often find ourselves at the cafe as was the case today. My plan was to skype and then head out to get both mine and Vicki's groceries. A few minutes into our skype call I realized I had a message from Vicki saying that the truck was going to be there at 2.00 today and I had about an hour to get all of her groceries! Of course sweet Vicki was stressing that she could always use the groceries when she got back and not to worry if I didn't make it in time, but I knew she had a three year old and two year old out there, and powdered chocolate milk was on the list, so being a mother myself I knew - I just knew. An hour is quite a bit of time to jump in your car and run to Kroger but I was on foot and often you have to go to a few stores because one store is out of this or that. Then I remembered most of Luganville's stores close for lunch (until 1:30). Luckily, LCM, Luganville's largest store was open. So I hurried and got the supplies and was in awe that everything on the list was at that store except potatoes. I made really good time getting back and it helps that we live on top of Unity Shell which serves both as the local gas station and meeting port for all the transports going to the bush - also where I was to meet the truck headed to Big Bay. At ten minutes until two I arrived home, but had to head back out for our families groceries. I told my husband in about ten minutes to see if they were down there. We had tried to call and message several times our apartment number but with no response, for all we knew their phone was dead. So we knew the grocery's transport was a blue Ford truck and the driver's name was Fred. An hour later I was walking home with my groceries and passed a blue Ford truck. Most of the trucks here are Toyota's and I rarely see Fords so I stop to ask the driver if he is Fred and if he has the groceries yet. He is not Fred, he does however know Fred and that he is from Matandas (a popular area in Big Bay) but has not seen him in town today. I continue my walk home and the phone rings. I believe they say they are at Unity so I tell them to wait I am just minutes away. It is now 3:15 p.m. I walk to the side of the building where our apartment is and yell for Nate to bring their groceries down. He must not be able to hear me so I go around to the front where busy taxis come and go and many people are waiting sitting on their bamboo leaf made baskets carrying their belongings to and from the bush. I scan my eyes for a blue Ford, I don't see one, instead I see my husband standing there holding a big box of groceries, the only white face in the crowd he wasn't hard to miss. He had misunderstood my request to check for the truck and thought he was supposed to wait there the whole time. We both start in talking and the confusion unravels amidst the hustle and bustle of Unity Shell. Apparently he has seen the blue Ford truck as it was passing by Unity and not stopping about 15 or 20 minutes ago, the same time they had returned my call and I told them I was almost there and to wait. So I relieve my husband of his waiting duties and go in and buy credit for my phone. I then give Fred a call back while sitting on the pavement leaning up against one of the big orange beams next to a big box of groceries. They are dropping someone off at a house somewhere and assure me they will be there soon. Finally, close to four a man walks up and asks if these are Brandon's groceries, and that is how you get groceries out to Big Bay! Always an adventure. I wont even go through the details of the off roading and river crossing before they actually reach their destination. When Vicki asked what they could do to repay the favor, I didn't hesitate to say babysit so I could have an evening with my husband! What are friends for? :)
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Here a while back I seen a guy who was wanting to support a missionary, but He said he wanted someone who moved in signs and wonders, I believe his exact words was "not another sound guy or teacher."
I totally understand His frustrations, I do. I too think it would be awesome to witness someone being raised from the dead or blind eyes being opened and I further wonder if these things are going on in his home town or home church. Teaching can be boring. I grew up in a small southern little Pentecostal church - I loved (and still do) to feel the Spirit move and have prayed earnestly for many to be healed and I have not, in my lifetime, witnessed a miraculous healing. Although, I have heard from some I trust, stories of healings they have witnessed. I have witnessed the miracle of someone walking away from drugs or alcohol never to be picked up again - which is pretty miraculous if you have ever studied addictions. I was never originally called to Christian Education. I felt called to missions and have always had a heart for young people, but to be honest school was never my favorite. None of this changed when I married, I didn't catch my husbands passion for it, it was more of a slow process. It was the day in day out at Jubilee Christian School. Teaching kids about God, answering their questions. Taking them to the Bible and showing them what God said about certain situations and how we are to handle them. Building a relationship of trust with them. That is where my passion begin. Through the realization of a need I got to see a different side of missions. I love the revival and evangelists, I love when speakers come through and many give their lives to Christ, that is so awesome to me. However, someone has to be there when the smoke clears and they leave. Could it be that our instant gratification culture has dropped the big ball of discipleship? Teaching is humble work. It is hard work, it is a work that costs time. It is Biblical work. Yes He gave Pastors, and evangelists but He also gave teachers. I have, through watching and working with my husband, come to admire the less glamourous work of a teacher. It is funny how all of the fruits of the Spirit need to be present in a teacher (patience for sure)! So while some may yawn, at the less exciting day in day out life of a teacher, please don't forget that after these souls are saved, and these chains are broken it is quite possible or rather quite certain God has called some to teach. We are a little more boring, maybe not as exciting, but we are busy with the long haul work of building a foundation. I thank God for the firey evangelist and at one point in my life I wondered if I would marry or be one, I thank God for the Pastors who lead their flock, and I thank God that He placed me with a teacher so I get to see what others may not see. Those willing to fill in the gaps with the less than glamorous. Yes, I have seen souls saved, yes, I have seen lives changed, yes, I would love to see someone healed in our classroom! I also, love teaching children to hide God's Word in their hearts. Or some illiterate adult who was gloriously saved how to read the Bible for himself. But I am also glad God doesn't call us all to the same work and in His sovereignty, He placed it on some's heart to do the work of the teacher. A long term investment and one of all the gifts that Jesus Himself was used in. I am thankful that God has now placed a passion in my heart for this. I am glad He slowed me down and showed me the need for this. I am glad He has imparted a love to me for teaching others and He is still helping me in the patience department. I am also free from the judgements of others as I focus soley on the work He has called me to. Little is much if God is in it, and if He is here that is all the gratification I need. Who knows, maybe tomorrow I will lay hands on someone and God heal them, but if all I do is teach and live a Christian life before them, if that is what God asks of me I am ok with {yawn} boring ole teaching. |
AuthorWife, Mother, Missionary, Teacher, Friend ... just a few of the many titles I gladly wear. Never dreamed this is the journey God would take me on. Archives
July 2022
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