This past week was full of fun things. Last weekend we went without electricity so that we could go ahead and begin to prepare for what is sure to be a regular occurrence in each of our lives. Third world countries are notorious for shutting down power at random and unannounced times to conserve electricity because they cannot produce enough for everyone. We got very used to reading, showering and using the bathroom by flashlight. That's just how the week started.
We have been having these lunches called "cultural meals". Everyone is required to eat them because there purpose is to teach us to be gracious recipients of what is put in front of us. That truly is a great lesson. We had our 3rd cultural meal this week. They really have all been wonderful and easy to eat, except for one of them--beet soup. I can honestly say that meal was not my favorite, but I ate it and was thankful for it.
We also started our shots this week. Many of us have to have multiple shots to go to our locations so they spread out giving them to us in multiple clinics. The first of those was this week. I got 3 shots, not so bad. This week I will get 4 more and then at the final clinic I think I'll get 3 more. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Glad to report that we had no fatalities and no one passed out, although I did see a little girl get away from her parents and make a run for the door. She almost made it out, but they caught her. Needless to say, this is a pretty traumatic time for kids around here.
On Saturday night at 3:30 am our fire alarm went off so our building, which consists of myself, my roommate, and 3 other families quickly evacuated and waited to see what was going on. After a half hour, security determined it was an electrical malfunction and let us go back in. They said that they would disconnect it and get it fixed. On Sunday afternoon because we were all exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before, we all laid down to take naps. Of course, the alarm went off again, and yet again, so we all pretty well gave up. Then Sunday night, hurricane Bill hit and woke us all up. Needless to say, our building was very tired today during class. I'm hoping that we all have an uneventful night's sleep tonight.
On a more serious note, this past week's training was probably the most convicting of our entire time here. We spent 2 days learning about the persecuted church and hearing stories about the suffering of our brothers and sisters around the world, how to partner with nationals, how to start churches and how to NOT harm the work being done. I wish that I could pour out to you all that the Lord is teaching me through that training, but honestly it will probably take me months to process through what I heard just in those 2 days. I will say, that in a room of 250 people, after the first session finished you could hear a pin drop, and it took a very long time for anyone to move.
Once again, I am praying that the Lord would guard my steps so that I would not harm the work He wants to accomplish, that I would not be unwise in what I do, and that He would put in my mouth the words that He would have me to declare among the africans I will be working with. I pray that He will accomplish all that He wants to accomplish through me.
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