Understanding..
We all go through things that we don’t understand or like. A little over a week ago, one of those things happened when our squad got robbed at gunpoint by anywhere from 3-6 armed gunmen. While there are tons of questions about the entire situation, one thing is for sure…they took my stuff. I guess that you could say that in some ways they took what I like to think of as a part of me. Ask my squad-mates…firmly attached to me was nearly always my camera, waiting for the next shot that I wanted to get so dearly. I loved the camera that I had, a Nikon D-50, a camera I bought quite awhile ago as an ambitious attempt to take pictures that would be better than most. Somewhat of a competition I suppose you’d say. I have been told that I need to pursue that interest more as this year has gone on, but last Tuesday that part of me was stolen.
Of course, what digital camera is of any use without a Macbook to go along with it? My computer was my next attachment…always attempting to find some kind of wireless internet connection to post pictures online, yet again, it was stripped from me. It was a part of me, a thing that connected me to the “outside world” whether to family or friends, supporters or blog followers. My Macbook was a part of me, it had character…it had a sticker on the cover, and duct tape holding the front together (thanks to Chincha, month 1 and the outragous sand). It worked just fine though, and I liked it. Not only was it for me, but many others on my team used it on countless occations, be it for blogs or “borrowing” my photos for their blogs. Now, someone else has my computer, probably wondering why they went through the trouble of taking a computer that requires a 4″ piece of duct tape so that the insides don’t come out.
Both of those can be replaced…with money…but the worst is yet to come. I lost both of my external hard drives. Yep, those can be replaced too, I know…but seriously, I can’t replace the photos that were stored on them. On www.markstratmann.com I have all of the pictures stored, but they are compressed images, with lower resolution. Smart as I try to be, I have many backed up on CD at my parent’s house, and others backed up online, but my originals of my month in Swaziland are lost forever. No longer can I enlarge any of my Swazi pictures for decoration on walls of my house or give them to schools (if any of you teachers want any of my photo files to enlarge for walls at school let me know!). And yet again, it’s still stuff that I no longer have.
A large quantity of other stuff, and my backpack were all taken from me that day that replays itself in my mind time and time again. This week is a time of reconsilation for many of us, attempting to deal our way through the events. Talking through the event in great detail, from colors we saw to smells we remember. Its been amazing to talk about it in detail as we all remember different parts from that night. We have to wonder though, why did it happen?
Well, I do believe that the Devil has something to do with it. He’s mad at the fact that we do lots of great things for the Kingdom of God. I see how The World Race this year has effected not only me, not only the people I minister to daily, but also to you, the people who follow my blogs so wonderfully. Any blog I posted lately that didn’t include pictures would fairly quickly be followed with an e-mail from someone wishing I had included some photos…which I had to sadly appoligize for and promise that the next one would have extras! The Devil sadly tried to strip away my joy in that area…he’s a jerk.
But with everything, if there’s a will there’s a way…and with a few calls back to my relative Craig, and I was quickly taking advice on replacing my camera. A quick decision and help from my parents, my new shiny camera was in route to India to meet up with me. While currently I’m still struggling with some operating ways of an Olympus camera unstead of my Nikon, I’ll be back on track with taking pictures for you all very soon. Devil: you didn’t get me there…though it was funny, I saw a guy today with a camera similar to the Nikon that I had and I was staring at it thinking, hey, that’s like my old camera…and Gretchen (my squad-mate) caught me and told me to quit drooling!
While I have my camera replaced, I still have one small problem. I am no longer able to update my website as the computer my sister so happily offered to let me use is not an Apple…so I have no clue what I’m going to do with all my pictures from now till the end of the year. It was a Mac only program that I used…but without a Mac to use for it I’m still trying to work out a solution for this problem. I don’t have the money to buy a new one, but also don’t want to stop posting pictures for all of you…I’m taking suggestions on what to do about it all…if you have any means of helping me, please let me know!
While financially I lost thousands of dollars worth “stuff” (Bible and journals, my backpack, and electronics) I must thank God for sparing all of us from injury.
To those who stole our stuff: May God bless you. May you go through my bag and read my Bible. May you read my personal journal of the year…the notes and memories that you took with you…and read them, see the stories of the lives transformed through Christ…see the difference of my transformed life over the past 7 months. I forgive you…
With time all things will work out. I was an experience that rocked our world, yet didn’t shake us off course. We saw God’s grace and power by replacing passports and India visas in 2 days, not interupting our journey at all.. Generousity has poured out from many, and it is not unnoticed. Many of us lost stuff, but we still have God.
Thank you for your support efforts. I have a mere $1,000 left to go in support for the year, and I’m extremely pleased with that! Thank you to those who have helped that out in the past few week!
