Postscript

There’s so much to learn when you move away from your home country…

Here are a couple of things I’ve learned to live without since we left:

• A dryer. When I was at home and my clothes came out of the washer wet, I could wear them in 30 minutes because I had a dryer.  I never needed to worry about the weather outside.  Rain, sun, clouds — those never effected my clothes.  I used to use my dryer not just to dry my clothes, but also as my iron .  Clothes wrinkly? No problem.  Pop them in the dryer an viola–no more wrinkles! Not having a dryer was an adjustment for me; can you tell?  But, I adjusted.  I’ve been proudly line-drying for 3 years.  It’s not always as convenient, but it’s also not so bad.  It saves a lot on electricity (which is a lot more here than home).
• Indoor temperature control. From the time I was about six, I lived in houses that had thermostats so the precise house temperature could be regulated.  Set the temperature to 70F (21C), and the heater would keep it there.  When we lived in our house in Florida, we had central heat, air conditioning, and a programable thermostat.  The house was always within a degree or so of what we told it to be.  We very rarely ever opened our windows. Our heat and a/c now? Windows open. Windows closed. I love getting the fresh air in almost every day. In winter we have a little help from a portable gas heater and a hot water bottle. When it’s cold, it’s also great to sleep under a thick duvet. I never have to worry about carrying a sweater in summer because the inside of buildings is too cold, or entering sweltering buildings in winter.  The temperature is, what it is…everywhere.

What have you found that you can live without?

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We had just finished dinner at a favorite restaurant we’d go to occasionally on the north-side of Nairobi.  When we left, we entered the long line of traffic.  Street vendors began weaving their way through the cars offering their typical assortment of key chains, steering wheel covers, pirated DVDs, magazines and catalogues, peanuts, and the occasional vendor offering small amounts of cell-phone air time.

They were usually followed by the beggars–some who were dressed in rags, others who may have been blind being led by a friend or family member, and others with missing limbs.  Then came the children. While in most of the city the beggars were adults, up here there were always kids.

A beautiful little girl who was about six or eight years old knocked on our window.  We were warned not to give to child beggars because many of them are forced to beg by adults who are sometimes in criminal networks. “Mista, I’m hung-rree,” she said with a rolled r in her accent of English. We gave her a full bag of change…

When she went away, my first thought was, that pretty little girl is going to grow up to be a prostitute. My heart ached.  I wanted to weep for her, and concentrated hard to keep the tears from flowing as we made our way back to our house that night.

It’s not an unusual scenario for a girl conscripted to beg as a child to then be forced into prostitution as she grows into an adult.  Sometimes the criminal networks that control these children, have a hold on them their whole lives.  It’s a life of enslavement. It’s not fair.

While we know local people from the countries where we’ve lived and visited who live just the same as us, we also see people struggling, and we know some of them, too.  Often their struggles are so different than what we were confronted with at home:

• The woman who’s daughter died of AIDS, who now cares for her grandchildren and doesn’t know from month to month if she’ll be able to afford their school fees.
• The man who lives in a corrugated metal shack in an urban slum, and walks with a limp after being beaten by a mob who mistakenly thought he was to blame for a community crime.
• The fathers who we give our old clothes to who moved from a country known for war and violence to the country where we live now hoping for a better life for their children.
• The people who pick through our trash looking to see if we’ve left something they can eat, something that can be recycled or something that can be fixed and sold.
• Some of our colleagues and others we’ve met who because they were followers of Jesus spent time in prison, were beaten, were tortured, and witnessed friends and family murdered because of their beliefs.
• The people who fled from their homes to get away from people who wanted to eradicate their communities and now live in crowded refugee camps.

Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if I had been born somewhere else.  I wonder how it is that I’ve been able to live such an easy life, comparably, to how many others live.

Sometimes I wonder what if…

• I had to live in a metal shack in an urban slum
• I had to go to jail for my faith
• I struggled to buy clothes or find food to eat

Life’s problems are not doled out in equal measure.

Life isn’t fair.

Sometimes problems arise out events we can’t control like natural disasters.  Sometimes they happen because of our own actions or poor choices.  But, sometimes it’s the results of other people’s wrong behaviors.  And, if you look at major world difficulties you can see patterns of systemic societal, even global sins, for which a portion of the population, even a majority, are subject to the negative outcomes.

God’s Word tells us that this world is fallen (Psalm 14:1-3, Ecclesiastes 7:20; Jeremiah17:9) and broken and that human beings are by their very nature inclined towards evil (Romans 3:23; Galatians 5:19-21).  All of these inequities that we see are a result of our personal and corporate sins.

But, God can make us new (2 Corinthian 5:17).  He can change our communities.  He can change our societies. Someday he’ll make a new earth that will be perfect (Revelations 21; Isaiah 65:17-25).

Until then, God promises to give us the grace to persever through life’s troubles (John 16:33; 1 Corinthians 1:3-7).

We’ve witnessed examples of God’s grace in action.

• Individuals of various economic levels who offer the resources they have to help others.
• Churches and organizations running programs to help those who are struggling with immediate needs and offering training to communities to help them overcome long-term problems.
• Attitudes of thankfulness that transcend circumstances.

The hope that they have, gives me confidence to know that if God can sustain them, he can also sustain me no matter what difficulties I may face.

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I’ve never thought of myself as a very materialistic person, but when we had to reduce our lives to a 5 x10 storage unit and eight, 50 lb checked bags to take with us to our new home in Africa, I was suddenly faced with anxiety about getting rid of stuff.

In the months that proceeded us moving out of our three bedroom house, I really struggled with releasing the things that I’d accumulated over the course of my life to that point.  I guess I always had a “keep it, you might need it someday” attitude.  And, although we didn’t live extravagantly and our house wasn’t overflowing useless stuff, we still had more than we really needed.

I struggled to find ways to thin our household.  Jeff and I both had completely different approaches to doing this, which led to inevitable conflicts.  Yard sales, Craig’s List sales, sales to co-workers, and lots of giving away… in the end somehow we did it…and we still love each other!

And, to top things off, at the same time we both we left our regular salaries at that point to live on the road in hopes that we’d raise enough regular income through gifts to our ministry to sustain us while we were in the US and give us a living income when we went abroad as missionaries with Wycliffe.

Honestly, it often felt like we were living somewhere between something extremely exciting and something insane and completely irrational.  Some days I thought, “yes, this is possible!”.  While other days I moped around wondering why we ever started down this path.

That was just the beginning of what God has used as part of a cleansing process for me to help me to come to a better understanding of how He views our stuff and our money.  The truth is, my view of my stuff and my money were rooted in two beliefs I had deep down: 1) I own what I have, 2) I’m in charge of taking care of myself.

God’s truth is that he owns everything (Psalm 50). Jesus (Mathew 25:10-30) and David (1 Chronicles 29:11-14) describe our role as stewards of God’s stuff.  And, Jesus and Paul teach that God will take care of us and all our needs (Matthew 6:25-34; Phil 4:19).

I’ve known this all in my head for a long time and would have told you that was what I believed.  But, when I was confronted with this experience, my true beliefs came out.  Thankfully, God uses experiences to change those deep down beliefs in our hearts.

When we reached our new home in Kenya, I set up a household, and then turned around and sold most of it a year and seven months later, minus seven checked bags, before we reached our home where we live now.  It was easier to sell things and give things away then, maybe because I hadn’t had much of it for very long…but I’d like to think it was also because I’d grown a little.

And, as far as being taken care of, I’m continually amazed at how God has provided for us.  Every month when we get our ministry statement I’m in awe of how God has raised up people and churches who faithfully give to our ministry.  What seemed impossible, he has proved over and over is possible. And, beyond that…I see how God has unfolded an amazing experience for us these last few years, demonstrating his loving care for our needs and desires, while giving us ways to serve him and grow in him.

I’m certain I have a lifetime of lessons to learn in this area, but God is teaching me. He is teaching me look at the things I use differently, to be more generous, to have more contentment with what he provides, and to be more confident in his ability to take care of us.

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“The one country I’m afraid to go to is yours.”  A Kenyan friend and I had been talking about some of our cross-cultural experiences when she came out and told me this.  I laughed.

Our conversation just previous to this had been on some of our favorite TV shows.  Then I told her, “You’ve watched too much 24.”  The 24 TV series, with its flawed hero Jack Bauer, always included an attack in the USA from some terrorist organization…from which Jack always saved everyone. It was one of her favorite shows. “I promise you that there are not terrorist attacks in the US every day.”

Not only did 24 impact her perceptions, but with many TV shows set in the US being in the crime genre and CNN regularly pumping out information on crime, violence and terrorism on US soil to its international TV audiences…what would you think?

This wasn’t the only conversation I had like this with friends not from my home country.  These conversations went both ways, and my perceptions were often challenged. They continue to be.

Don’t believe everything you see on TV might sound like an obvious caution.  But, we’re not always aware of how influential media is on our thoughts, perceptions and beliefs.  The messages we get from the news, movies, music, books–in many ways they shape who we are and impact our decisions.

I remember when we began telling friends and family about our intentions to move to Nairobi, Kenya. We would explain that it was a modern city of 3 million people.  We would share that because of it’s high elevation, the temperature was moderate and dry.  We would tell them about the large Christian community (about 80% of Kenyans call themselves Christians).

However, the strong media influence on perceptions of Africa would often come through. Some believed we’d be living in a mud-hut.  Others questioned if we’d have enough to eat. Surely, we must be sweltering in the heat all the time.

I probably had many of these same perceptions before I visited Kenya the first time.  My perceptions changed even more when we moved to the continent.  My thoughts before my initial exposure were highly shaped by media exposure–I only knew what I’d been taught, mostly from TV and movies.  I only knew a sliver of information.

Media exposure is very one-dimensional and can encourage us to believe that what we see represents the entire reality (and not just a portion of it).

One of the most common things you’ll hear us say these days after watching the news is something like, “That’s interesting, but that’s just one part of the story.”

Being aware that our exposure is limited is important. We can go even further to intentionally broaden our exposure by developing friendships with people from countries other than our own, traveling beyond our home town boarders and expanding our reading and viewing materials.

I love this TED talk from Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.  She warns of the dangers of a single story.  Take a look.

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Christians all over Africa join the world in celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Waci (WAH-chee) Christians in Togo and Benin will also celebrate.

Here are the lyrics from one of their Christmas songs written and performed in the Gazo music style:

Nyagblýdilawo gblýÿ dadi lo xo xo
ögbe dovi nye Jesu
Si ÷gbe Mawu do na dzidzi
Nyagblýdilawo gblýÿ di
Evame le Bethlexem
Nyagblýdilawo gblýÿ dadi lo xo xo

The prophets foretold it long ago
The promised child is Jesus
God promised that he would be born.
The prophets foretold it.
The prophecy has come to Bethlehem.
The prophets foretold it long ago.

The nearly 500,000 people who speak Waci still lack Scripture in their own language. Some can access scriptures in two languages of wider-communication in the area – Éwé and French. Pray for God to open the way for scriptures to be translated into Waci.

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This was just for fun.

Read the real account of Jesus’s birth from the Bible in the book of Luke and another account in the book of Mathew.

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For two weeks, Jeff was in Musoma, Tanzania, a town on the eastern side of Lake Victoria. Nine translations, the Mara Cluster, are being done in this location.  The construction of the building was completed about six months ago, but they hadn’t moved in yet because the computer network wasn’t set up.  They asked Jeff to come up to do the installation.

The projects he did in July in Germany and the Netherlands were great training for setting up the network in this office. The first few days a team of Tanzanians helped him put the cables through conduit in the walls. Then he installed the plug ports and set up the rack mount to connect the whole network together.

A funny fact–the spool of orange cables he used in this project in Musoma, he actually packed on a truck while he was in Germany for shipment to Tanzania.

The whole staff were able to move in the next business day after Jeff left.  The photo above shows one of the first meetings in the new building. A consultant is checking over some newly translated scriptures.

* Thanks to Michael Nicholls for providing several of these photos.

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This reminds us why we do what we do…

See more information on Scripture access statistics for the last year

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Photo by Adam Jeske

Story by Adam Jeske

Is persecution good for Christians?” Alemayehu mused. The silence that followed suggested the question was all too real for him as he remembered the days of communism in Ethiopia.

The Communist government, known as the Derg, barred churches, which included most evangelical churches, and harassed and mistreated many Christians during its rule from 1975 to 1991.  Yet during this season of persecution, Alemayehu Hailu decided to follow Jesus.

He faced questions and hardships. His immediate family did not support his new faith. The government did not allow Ethiopians to be involved in underground churches, such as the one he attended.  This, however, did not stop Alemayehu.  Instead, he became involved in student Bible study groups, became a leader in his church, and mentored other believers.

“God used the hard times”

But the pressure only continued to increase.  Throughout the 17 years of the Derg’s rule, Alemayehu and other underground church leaders were often followed and harassed.

He spent time in prison—a total of nine months for following Jesus.  While he was there, he was tortured and forced into hard labor all day.  At night other prisoners often beat him. Other believers in prison with him were sometimes taken away and killed. Alemayehu refused to renounce Jesus.

“God used the hard times,” Alemayehu said as he further explained that the church had God’s love, mercy, grace, and power to rely on through this time of suffering.

Years of persecution resulted in years of ministry for Alemayehu. He became a deacon and then an elder, a choir member and then the choir director in the Hiwot Berhan (Life Light) Church.

After the end of the Derg’s rule, Alemayehu studied communications at Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya. It was also during this time that Alemayehu met Simon and Lynne Caudwell, a British couple who were training in Kenya to work in Bible translation with SIL in Ethiopia.

Photo by Heather Pubols

The first recruit

Alemayehu wanted to join in their work with SIL, but administrative systems at that time made it difficult for Alemayehu to serve in the way he desired. Six years later Alemayehu returned to Ethiopia and reconnected with the Caudwells. They continued talking and looking for a way for Alemayehu to become involved.

A new Wycliffe organization, Wycliffe Africa, was just beginning.  Its focus was to recruit and send Africans to work in Bible translation. Alemayehu became their first recruit.  In 2004 Alemayehu and his wife, Tensae, became the first Wycliffe Africa members and the first members of that organization to be seconded to serve with SIL Ethiopia.

His passion for Bible translation was evident as he worked to find a team of churches and individuals in Ethiopia to support his ministry.

“When people get the Scriptures in their own language, they grow in understanding and faith. They are mentored in Christ, their life is transformed, and development follows for the community,” he said.

He knew the ropes

From 2004 through 2006, Alemayehu worked directly for Simon Caudwell as the External Relations Coordinator with an emphasis of relating to church and government partners.

Simon shared how those in leadership in SIL Ethiopia recognized Alemayehu’s competence and friendliness, and he became as a strong candidate to become the next SIL Ethiopia director.  For several months in early 2007, Alemayehu even shadowed Simon, who was the director at that time.

Photo by David Ringer

“I did some intentional mentoring and hand-over activities, but because we had worked so closely together for some years already, Alemayehu already knew the ropes. The transition was smooth,” shared Simon.

This transition made Alemayehu the first African to serve as the director of an SIL entity.

As far as the answer to Alemayehu’s earlier question of whether persecution is good for Christians, Lynne Caudwell may have answered that best when she said, “Alemayehu and Tensae show maturity that comes through when people have suffered for their faith. We have always been struck by the high levels of commitment to the Lord and sacrifices they have made to serving Him.”

And with faith that’s been tested and refined, it was not surprising when he said, “If not me, then who?”

Read a longer version of “Is persecution good for Christians?”.

Note: I traveled with Adam and his wife, Christine, in March 2011.  This was one of the stories we worked on while we were there.

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