The kids come running up to us and give us hugs)
I really enjoy preaching. I am finally getting the hang of having an interpreter (using simpler words and pausing a lot), So far, my sermons tend to be very testimony-based, and as a result, I am pretty passionate about the topics I discuss. I enjoy challenging my audience and bringing up sensitive subjects. I have been trying to figure out my strengths and weaknesses and, as most of you who know me already can guess, I enjoy challenging people and getting them out of their comfort zones. I also enjoy teaching people who want to grow. I am not quite sure if either are my calling, or if/how I will put them to use in the future, but its definitely something I am looking in to.
(We Preach in the Streets to Anyone Who Will Stop and Listen)
On that note, I am not a big fan of forced evangelism to people that really don’t care. So many of the people we encounter treat a salvation decision as a safety precaution just to cover their bases in case Christianity is right. It really pains my heart because the local pastors are eager to jump right into salvation decisions, even though it seems clear to my teammates and I that the person hasn’t really thought it through. Unfortunately, the pastors are our interpreters and they don’t do a good job of communicated what they are saying or what we try to say back, so often I end of frustrated. Often I will hear the pastor use a Swahili word I know, i.e. “Jesus,” and I know for a fact that I didn’t mention Jesus in the sentence I asked him to translate. The end result is that I really just have to trust that somehow God is at work in all of this and accept that I can’t always have everything under control. Needless to say, this is a pretty difficult lesson for me, as I am a major control freak and have a tendency to think way too highly of my own abilities.
(The Kids Love to Have Their Pictures Taken)
My prayer lately has been asking God for brokenness and He’s been delivering in mighty ways. Although I have so much pride built up that the process will take awhile, I believe I am gradually being transformed.
(In Kenya and Tanzania, Everyone Loves Obama)
Although this picture is from Kenya, its a pretty good representation of an authentic meal. Our daily menu consists of a hard-boiled egg and cucumber for breakfast, beans and white rice for lunch, and then some combination of egg, meat, or potato for dinner. Our team bought some cheap bread and butter and I use that to fill up. On a good day, we also might get some watermelon or Banana.
