Wenatchee Free Methodist Church

WFMC left the first week in July after two great weeks of intensive
ministry. Health clinics, teacher trainings, pastor training, classroom
visits, AC repair, Fulani camp visits, trips to down, 12 hour drive
cross-country, visits to the beach and more! No wonder they left tired.
But we praise the Lord for his provision, we can look back and clearly
see how he designed the team, 4 families and MY FATHER! There were times
when things could have gone sour or when the enemy tried to intervene
but God is always faithful to take care of his children. We (I mean
someone on our team) knew how to fix our car, we pushed thieves out the
door when they tried to gain control of the truck, we kept our cool in
stressful, new, awkward, intense times and I praise the Lord! Thank you
WFMC for your support, for caring about the broken and lost and for
coming such a long way to show the love of Jesus.

Math

Math was never one of my favorite subjects. I remember many nights being
up late crying as my dad would walk me through my math homework. So it
seems so odd to me that many of the boarders love math, or as their
teachers call it 'maths' (we are working on that one). They love it,
they cheer when it's time to study it in class, they are content if you
simply sit with them and give them problems to work through. I'm not
sure if it's the challenge or the enjoyment of being good at the subject
but they find joy in it nonetheless. Today I was sitting in the assembly
hall with some of the boarders and we went from playing tic-tac-toe to
math facts- not sure how that change came about but I rolled with it.
Soon it was me against them, they used my phone to come up with
outrageous equations for me. One boy in paticular is very intelligent,
loves his numbers and has a contagious laugh. Each time he gets an
equation right he laughs, this full heart, giggle cackle mixture. I'm
not sure who he laughing at, me or himself but I love it! Even if I have
to be quizzed on my math skills I would do it just to enjoy his
happiness. These boys, and Aisha, are so anxious to learn, I'm not sure
that as children they can fully grasp how education is going to change
their lives but their families must. When we visit Fulani camps across
Nigeria there are hardly any boys around, they are all off following
cows, an important job that ensures the camp's livelihood and
well-being. So when we see our 22 boys and Aisha here as boarders we
know their family must value education, and value the change that can
happen because of this school; their sacrifice speaks volumes to us.
These are the warm fuzzies, the things that God is bringing about for
his glory, the positive change, the justice for this tribe, the
opportunity and future. Knowing this I will gladly sit in the hot sun,
with 22 bodies packed around me, practicing math equations.

News from Nigeria

Now that I'm here in Nigeria, instead of so far away planning about what
will happen, I have a better picture of what the next few months will
look like. What I will be doing, what will occupy my days, who I will
work with. I think it's going to be better than I imagined. I have
started this week to observe the primary school classrooms. The goal is
that I can then offer the teacher advice about classes, listen to their
struggles and see for myself what would best serve the students and
teachers. I might even get to aid in the actual teaching, which I'm
finding very hard not to do already. As I'm observing everything within
me wants to take over but who would that help? The students when I leave
in two months and they have to adjust again? The teacher who wouldn't
learn by someone else doing their work for them? No, so I'm trying
really hard to practice self-control and watch, wait, listen and then
react. The school session will end in 5 weeks, I'm confident that change
can happen in that time, even if it's small, even if it just reinforces
what they already know. I also get to enjoy some time with the kids who
are boarding here at Hope Academy. 22 boys, 1 girl- full of energy and
curiosity. I'm looking forward to sharing life with them.

Nigeria

I'm off to Nigeria, trusting that the Lord will provide the needed VISA.
My stomping grounds for the next few months:

c/o Hope Academy
PO Box 146
Ajaokuta LGA, Kogi
Nigeria

It started with a book

Several weeks ago a man from church asked if I had a book of English
songs that I could give to the choir, it just so happened that I did.
African culture is very opportunistic, if you don't ask you might not
receive. So I gave him the book, what I didn't realize is that this gift
came or rather went with strings attached. The next week the choir came
to me saying that a book of English songs was only so good if they
didn't know how to sing them properly, they asked if sometime in the
future I would be willing to help them learn a new song. Not knowing
that meant soon, I said sure, I would love to teach them a new song. A
few Sundays later Rachel and I were recruited to teach them a new song
from 'the book'. They were very gracious and maybe a little timid about
taking initiative, they let us lead and even had us pick the song, it
was nothing like their past songs, it didn't have a unique African beat,
it didn't have quick tempo or a special flair, it was very old and plain
and so..... American, at least to my ears. They seemed to enjoy it
because we were invited back the following week. I was again asked to
choose the song. After selecting one and teaching them the basics of the
song I let them loose, its my hope that they will get the idea, that
they will take the song and run with it, choosing to make it theirs and
not just something straight from the book, there seems to be this
awkward balance between respecting us and letting us lead and taking the
initiative themselves and making it their own. When asked if I would
return for a third week to teach, I tried my best to convey to them that
I don't have my week planned, that I wasn't sure of the 'program' for
the next weekend but that I would try to be there. Tuesday morning
arrived with a knock on our door and a written invitation to choir
practice which would include a coca and a group photo. I thought this
was a bit odd and a little formal but that's how cultral can be
sometimes, a little different. When we arrived tonight for choir
practice the room was decorated with special fabric on every wall, the
floor had been mopped and the Christmas Lights hung. I was still hoping
that it would be just a choir practice but when they went to get the FM
Superintendent I knew I was only fooling myself. They had gone through
so much trouble to honor us, as they brought out the spread of African
dishes I had to ask myself 'Where are you?' that this group would go
through so much trouble for you? They would express their love is such a
real way, all because of some songs. This was definitely not America,
here they surprise me with dinner and ask me to give words and want to
have their picture taken with me, like I'm Mickey Mouse at Disneyland. I
was honored, I was blessed. A student and I were discussing the
difference in cultural and how nothing that formal has happened to me in
the US, he said it was because they want to honor me as their guest, I
said I have been here for 4 months, how long until I am no long a guest?
He just laughed. Next time I'll think about what can happen, all because
of a book.

Calling America

Today I had to call America, well not all of America just a credit card
company. I've decided next time they should call me. Do they have any
idea I have to load units on my phone off a scrap of paper that looks
like a scratch ticket? Do they know that if I run out of units I have to
walk down the road to a little shop that may or may not have more units
to charge my account? I tried to tell them I was in Africa but clearly
they have never been here, they had little sympathy for my current
situation. People here don't even bother to say goodbye, they just hang
up after business is over, on and off, lickity split-why? 'Cause it
costs money to talk on the phone, its not like I just wanted to chat
with an America so I thought I'd give the credit card company a call,
give me a break! I felt like they were being very unreasonable, putting
me on hold! After using the units from two phones I walked down the the
road to make a third phone call to finally solve the situation. I am one
step closer to ending my Nigeria saga, I purchased two plane tickets
today, finally! I'd like for my friends in the fraud department to come
to Africa, oh the lessons to be learned.

25 Ways to make a bad day great in Bujumbura

1. Go to the Beach
2. Go to your favorite coffee shop, greet your favorite Barista
3. Enjoy some Burundi Tea
4. Invite your friends over
5. Bake!
6. Walk around the market
7. Discover a new bus route
8. Have a great conversation with students
9. Discover that Buja has soft serve ice cream
10. Go swimming
11. Buy a whole bunch of fruit and veggies for less than $3.00
12. Get a package from America
13. Master a new recipe
14. Have guests over to your apartment
15. Take a walk
16. Break into the chocolate stash that was supposed to last until
December but may not make it to next week :)
17. Practice Kirundi with street kids
18. Grade papers in the sunshine
19. Wear jeans for the first time in months, finally it has rained
20. Have fries and a coca, you know you've been craving them all week
21. Surprise the Burundians on the bus by paying the correct bus fare
22. Talk with friends from home
23. Be comfortable enough to not feel like a tourist
24. Go upcountry
25. Sit in church and actually know what's happening