Entering Polygamy
My teammate clutched her stomach and with an immense gulping noise hunched over to puke. Before I could realize what I was doing I cupped my hands and caught most of the puke before the rest covered a near by sleep sheet. I’ll spare you the even gorier details that followed that moment but it is important to also note that she was seated on the “Bridal pallet” that our African contact had made for me. After getting violently ill in the Malawian bush my team was forced to spend a night journeying through the African country side back to some semblance of civilization. Along the way we stayed for a few hours with a very generous man who we had met a few days before. when we first entered his “compound” I noticed a large amount of women and children. Knowing that a number of the African in these regions practices polygamy, a small red flag waved in the back of my mind. A number of other things made me uneasy around this particular gentleman. Though he was very generous and kind, he seemed to prefer me to the other in my company despite the fact I had some of the most GORGEOUS teammates possible. He would always address me first, serve my drink before the others, and with a number of other small awkward moments leading up to the puke in my hands while sitting in his living room, I couldn’t shake the feeling he had his eye on me. The MOST AWKWARD had to have been when that evening; he had laid out bedding for everyone and then went about making a small pallet on the floor that he kept calling “the bridal bed.” He then instructed me that I MUST SLEEP THERE. Even though my other teammate was desperately ill.
Finally I remember being so annoyed and honestly a little creeped out that I stopped being polite. And when we had to wake him up at 3am to take us to the hospital I didn’t even Thank Him. I let the other members of my team effusively show appreciation for all that he had done. But when he said goodbye using the nickname he had given me in Kokola, I merely waved flippantly. (granted I had been in the bush, hadn’t slept for two days, had dry puke, and other more unmentionable bodily fluid that WEREN’T MINE covering my clothes, and exhaust fumes had temporarily stained my face grey, Oh and the last thing I had eaten was goat intestines! But none of that excuses what happened next.) In my mind I solidified that no matter WHAT; I no longer liked to be around polygamist. Can you imagine? Can you imagine if on one of the missionary journeys in the bible Paul would have said; I no longer wan to share the good news with Syrians!
I can’t imagine it either! After all that is why you were probably reading my blog, because I promised to got out and share Jesus to those who most desperately needed him! But it get’s worse…I had done this before. I had rejected whole groups of people, whole sections of society, and entire institutions ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS. After all I am very forthcoming with my beliefs…which is why I now have to share with you something that has been hard for me to find a way to articulate…
God is calling me to something new. Something I didn’t for see.
Something that will take
Perservearance
Patience
Passion
and
Pois
You guessed it,
Politics!
Now to be honest many American’s probably have a more positive opinion about Polygamists than Politicians. However, since I was a YOUNG child I have gravitated towards all things political. Though, after being raised in and around capital hill and more importantly being raised in the era presidential ethical decline, where dirty laundry is aired on the nightly news. I decided in college that this power hungry and corrupt pillar of society wasn’t worth the investment. that I couldn’t change it, so why bother?
Well Polygamy, that’s why!
Upon remembering those bleak nights in the Malawi I find myself not shuttering at the puke in my hands, the roaches in our bags, or the layer of dirt caked on my hair but about the posture of my heart. So a year later as I sat reading a book on polygamy that was ghost authored by a polygamist wife who truly loves her life style, I couldn’t help but feel disgusted by myself. There I had been; half way across the world with one opportunity to love this man and his family and instead, I had judged them. I had been the opposite of Jesus. I had let my comfort be more important than my calling. I had said “No” to loving these people WHEN JESUS HAD SAID “YES.” Because no matter the lives we live we are all in desperate need of the “Yes” Jesus uttered in the Garden. If He had put His comfort before His calling we wouldn’t have a cross to claim. And the subsequent grace that flowed from His veins was for all of creation! All of US, all the perverse, corrupt, and lost sinners TO BE SET FREE! If only I believed it then. Granted I still wouldn’t have slept in “the bridal bed;” I mean loving like Christ is one thing, sister wives is a WHOLE different story! And any one who has gone on the race can attest to the fact that 50 some girls to 20 some guys is never a great combination!
So why tell you about my heart change?
One, because I have been so transparent over the last year to share with you some of scales God has removed from my eyes. Wether it be with devout muslims, slum kids, or polygamist I feel privileged to say He is revealing to me A SLIVER of how precious we all are in His sight! Secondly, because what this means for my ministry!
Over the next few months I will be spending time with family, saving up money, volunteering for some political campaigns in the south east while pursuing some more schooling! All in order to better engage with the political pillar of society that I had for so long cast off for its inherent evil! Because I realize if perception is reality, than we better start changing the perception of politics so the reality can get a little better. Because you should know at the end of the day I am a desperate optimist who believe she can be the change, she wishes to see in the world!
Thus, this is my last blog on this sight, with this new season I am starting a new blog! Check it out and let me know what you think!
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS, TO PRAY FOR THE RACE, AND MOST OF ALL PURSUE CHRIST! I have a special place in my heart for each one of you! So does He!
