meaningful notes
On Sunday, I attended service in Freetown. The message was very meaningful and I was able to get something out of it. It was from II Chronicles 1:13. In summary, in order for us to be able to reign (whatever we must rule over in our lives), you have to begin our reign by going up to the high place. Many examples were given about the rewards of going up to the high place. Of them are; love of God, and a transparent life (Exodus 24:9,10), a pure heart (Exodus 34:29), a revelation of humility (I Samuel 9:19-21), blessings to share (I Samuel 10:5,6), and a revelation of Jesus, and anointing (Deuteronomy 32:13). That was the main course. For dessert, I had ice cream for the first time. Of course there was ice cream at other times, but as I had mentioned David had to drink of it. I was still recuperating from my cold, but I decided that such an opportunity might not arrive very often. Back home in the Bronx, we have ice cream in the fridge most of the time, but I am not really interested as I am not much given to junk food. But boy, when you're out here in the bush, such treats are welcome!I came back into town on Monday and stayed till six when Bro. John was ready to leave for home. He said that I might have to take a taxi home as he might have to drop someone else off and there wouldn't be room enough for all of us. I could stay in the back of the pickup - which I don't mind, but if the heavens open, there might be a slight problem. I prayed that it would not rain, and again, God did one better. Not only did it not rain, but the person did not show up. I still stayed in the back of the pickup for the entire ride and allowed the tall brother with a problem in his foot to sit in the front. He was in the back last Monday when I had prayed that it would not rain. I couldn't allow him to stay in the back again.
Riding in the back of a pickup along Bhai Bureh road going from Freetown to Waterloo is quite an experience. Looking back in the opposite direction it is as if a massive scenic painting is being rolled open behind you as you move forward. If you look to the front, it's the same effect - only that you have to keep your head tilted down and open your eyes just a sliver as dust particles come at you at 50 miles per hour.
This time, we took the back roads to avoid traffic. It's definately not a cushioned ride, and those of you who know me know I am not very cushioned either. My glutes are sore!!
This morning, I woke up thinking about everything I had been going through. Of course, subtly I am grateful for it all though I may argue and debate things. I have always asked questions because I was never good at learning on my own. Somehow, by the grace of God, I manage to get back up. At times, during the course of your five-hundred-twenty-five-thousand-six-hundred battles, you run for refuge, guidance, and to get your questions answered and there you're made to feel like a runaway train , you end up feeling more confused and you're neither here nor there nor are you even heading in the right direction. And then, when you begin the bitter-sweet love song, "You really got a hold on me" (believe me, it's just how I feel at times), you somehow feel that every little thing is going to be alright . Through the lonliness, you know that you'll never walk alone .
I am grateful for the patience of Bro. Kelvin. Sometimes it's really annoying discussing things with him, and I know I must drive him nuts with my questions, but he manages to keep his cool and answer many of my qestions. Not often do I agree with everything, nor do I throughly understand it all, but I am sure that's a problem on my end as well. I am not easily convinced by words, but the actions of a few do make a subtle positive impact, and I am dared to keep on moving.
Another note of gratitude to my wonderful mother who along with the technicolored shirts, send two large bottles of those great Kerala home-made lemon pickles. It's about as good as a spring in a desert. At last, there's closure to the loss of the pepper grinder. I was able to share the pickles among four families including the five here who refuse to even taste it. Apparently their tasteless food is much better - which I don't find to be fair. I eat everything I am given with little complaint. I add flavor by liberally sprinkling on dried, pounded red pepper, but nonetheless, I eat every leaf and fish they give me. I am even willing to try cat, snake, and monkey. I think they should at least try. It's one thing I learned about the people here. Though they're willing to learn new things, they are so very set in their ways and they will not alter. The way they have been doing things is the best way and it's what they had be taught first and so it's the only way to do it.
A few other observations: Soap just does not wash away easily. I don't know if it's the water here, or effects of the sun on your skin, but I find that I have to rinse, and rinse several times before I can get most of the soap off my skin. I've tried different soaps. Lately it's a white British soap that smells half-way decent. Thanks to those brilliant Brits, I can now experience Nirvana in the toilet. There's an air-freshner here called "Engllish Bouquet" and the scent is "Mountain Pine and Heather". It's a "3-in-1" ladies and gentlemen! It's an air freshener, with odor neutralizer, and get this, aromatherapy essential oils. Can't you just picture it?
And speaking of air fresheners, for the first time since I arrived in Salone, I got to use the hole in the ground toilet. I had no other alternative. I was visiting a friends house and deja Vu, I felt I was back home in India.
I was reminded today that everything in the house of God should be done decently and in order, and so in the orderly fashion this report progresses to the next subject relating to toilets. Many times, I feel that all my life, I have been preparing for Africa. I don't require much to be happy, though I have a room and a bed, for most of my life, I have been sleeping on the floor. At home, I have been doing the dishes, laundering, and cleaning the toilet. Well I have been handed out my share of duties here as have everyone else. I am responsible for cleaning the toilet and the bathroom - they are two seperate rooms. That's five people using the toilet here and until I arrived here four of them were strangers to me. By the grace of God, I have been able to perform my duties.
Another one of my duties is to pray from 1 AM to 2 AM and since it's 10:20 PM now, I better get a little rest. More ramble later. I'll leave you with some songs that I refered to here:
Stevie Wonder - Seasons of Love
Soul Asylum - Runaway Train
Smokey Robinson - You've Really Got a Hold On Me
Sean Paul & Ziggie Marley - Three Little Birds
Ray Charles - You'll Never Walk Alone
Switchfoot - I Dare You To Move
posted by bthomas24 @ 12:21 AM
3 Comments:
first off..i jus gotta laugh at you
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..
that toliet stuff, the bus rides, the smells, the stupid dogs, the huge bugs, the technicolored shirts..man...i can jus imagine your mom sending those shirts hahaha..
oh are you still sick?..hopefully you're better now. how do you get stuff?...man us cousins should have pity on you and throw in som stuff for you lol...definitly som shirts...dont worry ben, solid colors ;)
i cant believe you've already been there like 2 months..thats crazy... our problems are like nothing after you expereince all that huh.
well..yea jus wanted to say hi.. making sure you havent died yet.. :D lol.. take care Ben...keep up all your good work dude.. ohh mannn i gotta go eat..i have a new found respect for my rice, chicken, and veggies :) oh, and all that ice cream thats stocked up in our freezer..haha jus kidding..hmm if they invent a lil portable freezer, thats within our um budget, we'll snd you son eatable ice cream. lol
ok..im done have fun Ben..take care..
your cousin, Joanne
later :)
Joanne,
All I have to say is "Get thee behind me Satan!". Trying to tempt me with your ice cream while I am on the Lords business!!
Feel free to send me stuff though. Forget about the freezer. There is no electricity here. Get some freeze dried ice cream for me. You can get those at Liberty Science Center.
Let all the familily know I am doing well.
It must be hard water flowing in your taps (or well - wherever you get water from). Hard water, which contains salts, doesn't stick to soap as well as pure water. So you'll have to use a lot more water to wash down the soap.
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