Today I went down for breakfast and greeted the woman cooking eggs with “buSHETah” which means good morning or some morning greeting. the answer is Busheta MOO-noh. muno means very. She was surprised. I get such warm response and connection with people when I use the languages here. This time I was using Luhya which means I know a little MORE than swahili. She came back again with another question that was similar to “orr-EE-ay” but with a lot of extra words or sounds. I guessed and answered orie with the right answer which is amaLAY or maLAY for short (i think.) She was so happy! so she asked me, how long have you been in the villages? which I was pleased to hear because she knows I have not just stayed in the city if I know Luhya. Then she said, when your husband comes, you can ask him, “Busheta” but I told her that he wasn’t coming. she asked after my daughter who had been here. Such a pleasant interaction! and asked me when I would be coming back (in six weeks, in the name of Jesus, i am praying....Kwamba Tu --only by prayer.)
Then also before that, I spoke with an Amerikani. I usually don’t talk with the muzungu and they don’t talk to me. We pretend we don’t see each other. but she said good morning. so I could tell her usa accent. so I asked, she said yes. she asked me if i was here with .....blah blah blah group. no. I’m with Trinity Global Development and we’re opening a computer lab and a medical clinic (oh that was a fun answer!) Who are you with? She said, Cornell University, so then I am ooohing and ahhhing. me, who gets impressed by very little. but universities? I love Cornell. I told her I applied for a PhD there, but went to Northwestern briefly. I asked her what she was doing. she is into soil. she is working with ...blah blah blah here in Kenya. That’s good work. I invited her to sit with me. she begged off due to a horrid headache. I so understood and told her I usually just keep to myself.
It was interesting having such a chatty morning with strangers. But when they are friendly, I usually am also. Except that sometimes I think, EEK, a stranger just spoke with me! Horrors! and then it is always hard chatting early in the morning. or in the afternoon. I’m quiet during those hours only (I talk in my sleep so even that time is not exempt from expression.)
I had a hot shower. the wonders of the world. But Steve did not call me in the night. GRRRRR. He texted me from London as he was headed home from India. Said his flight was in 30 minutes, no time to talk. I could calculate that flight because it is only 8 hours to the USA. He would call me midnight my time. I checked my phone all through the night. I was waiting on him to call. Nope. Hakuna (none.) sniff sniff. the booty. hmph. by 6 am i knew he had time to be HOME. and still no call?????? I texted him and Sarah because it was 10pm Austin time and she is up late. Sure enough, he was in the SHOWER. GRRRR. grrrrr. hmph. Then he texted saying his phone died. I’m sure that is true but he had all day before he left India in his room. Why wasn’t it charged (he said it WAS charged) and it should be off on the plane. (it was.) He said he charged it 15 minutes in London, too. so why was it dead? It was and is difficult for me, being my pooty self. yeah, so I talk all about how I love Jesus, but see? i am sure to tell you when I am dumb. I told him just go to sleep and I’d talk later (I sure don’t want to PAY for a conversation where I am just a butthead.) His last text then harrassed me by coming EIGHT TIMES!!! Each time I was thinking maybe he might have written something. nope. same stupid message. Costing me 40 cents each of the 8 times. and then sarah wrote saying she loved me and was happy she’d see me soon. that one came at least four times so far. geesh. stupid phones. ya love em, ya hate em. Way more love, though, because I can stay connected all around the world. Imagine how it was 100 years ago! You would write letters that arrived months later. It took months to go somewhere by ocean and train or worse. what about before trains? ugh. I am so thankful to be born in this time. We are all blessed because we did not create our time, God did, and we have the privilege of being here.
That’s the interesting thing about TV and movies though. When I get on facebook, everyone is always talking about TV or movies. When they go out, they go see a movie. All this investment in a fake world. All this absorption of unreal. untruth. and such addiction to it. It’s like the whole world is alcoholic and i’m a teetotaler and see the dependence but no one wants to talk about it. they dismiss it. they approve of one another watching sex, violence, and magic. It puzzles me how I am the outsider on it and people think I am weird that I do not join them in it. and I know, it is the whole world. I’m not condemning or judging because that is between each of us and the Lord --and the Bible says the Lord is able to make His servant stand (...stand in the day of Judgment.) Romans 14--you have to do everything by faith and I can see many people do horrible things but in faith that it is okay. I hope that works out with Jesus because I’m just sure He means it when He says those who love Him OBEY His commands, not go do the opposite in faith. But I am weak myself, even getting resentful about not getting my texts from my poor husband who needs traveling mercies and emotional support not my bad attitude. So Grace for all of us, but let us examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith - loving and obeying the Lord. Or do we love the world. Do we long for the things of the world. Do you want to look like the world and get approval from the world? Do you want to participate in the world system of money, power, fame (or attention, approval, respect) and beauty. Do you believe what you are watching? if not, why watch? do you believe the music you are listening to? if not, why listen? are you doing everything unto the Lord? Even your work? Even your shopping? Even your cooking or cleaning? Even caring for your yard unto the Lord? Are you treating people with respect? Remembering the helpless? the poor? the sick? Are you spending everything on yourself to make yourself comfortable and make your life run smoothly?
probably if I have readers I lose them with this. You know, I love to listen to people talk to me like this. I love it. I need it because the world constantly tugs at me. oh I am even full of the world here. You can’t understand how frequently I am praised here. on and on and on every day. if I am not getting praise, then I am getting a request for aid. It’s usually one or the other and both each day.
and today or tomorrow I am going to chew out my workers. I’ve been all about vision casting and encouragement and leading and building. I’ve seen how they correct the students or each other with disapproval. They are gonna reap. and then even they’ll understand the difference. Because I’ve taught them, but it will make it real. Because they need to come up higher (me too!) and I’m not pretending I’m right or perfect--but our standard is perfect and we ask Jesus to take us higher. We have all fallen short of His perfection, but He is transforming us more and more. We don’t look at each other for our standard or else we will become just like the world. And the world is on the wide path to destruction. Nope, I’m going the narrow way and I’m happily throwing off the sin which so easily entangles and running the race with endurance. No matter what happens, even when I think disaster is coming, when that first dread hits me --the one that says, NO! I can’t handle that! or No! That better not happen to ME! I say to myself--WAIT! I can handle ANYTHING. Anything. and then I pray and draw strength from Jesus.
But oh I am tired. oh so tired. and coming home will be nice. and within a few hours (could be 12 or more) I will talk to Steve and all will be well between us. Even just now Steve texted and said the pups were so happy. Penelope ran around crying for 10 minutes. Sweet little P. How I love her! She’s such a little emo doggy. full of expression and manipulation and she doesn’t realize she is so obvious and easy to read. She’s my baby.
It’s almost 9. I’ll go to the church to pray. i am just so thankful to see lives transforming here. The building workers only make about 2.50 a day but they are thankful for jobs. I am so happy to give so many people an opportunity to EARN. Jobs are good because you are not giving a hand out. We have so many good workers here. God bless them. I pray God prosper them here and they live to rise above the temptations we face. I thank God that He has allowed me the temptation to love riches! and sometimes I fall--and I do love riches. even just some luxuries. but they haven’t had that chance and although it will ruin some, others will rise above and bless the others and be a light for the nations. I praise God! Let them be rich! Let them be tested! Let God prove Himself mighty in their hearts. Steve and I have failed much but we have honored God much and God is able to make us stand! Hallelujah. I think I am ready for another nap although it is church time. I go to see the deputy prime minister.
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