I was sitting on the couch in the living room talking to my friend Katlyn at midnight one night. We had watched a movie previously, so we underwent the natural critique of the motion picture. I saw out of the corner of my eye our ministry host walk to the kitchen, wearing a coat and carrying what appeared to be a broom. No suspicions were aroused in my mind as to why he was “sweeping” the kitchen in the middle of the night, so conversation continued un-interrupted. All of a sudden the familiar clap and echo of a gun rung through the house. It sounded like someone had fired it in the kitchen. Katlyn and I went silent. “Was that a gun?” someone else in the room asked.
“Sounded like it,” said Katlyn.
I sat in stunned silence and confusion for a moment or two. I then gathered the courage to peak over the back of the couch and look out the window. What I see is our host walking down the dirt road with a “broom” which in actuality was a shotgun. He was walking happily and whistling a Christmas tune. I started low key freaking out. Our host noticed us looking out the window, so he waved and said, “It’s okay guys, it’s just me.”
He walked a little further, raised the gun and fired again. I cowered behind the couch, so confused as to what was going on. Our host walked back to the house and came into the living room to explain that he shoots his gun into the air some nights for safety purposes. Apparently it acts as a warning for potential bandits, and also as a way to “mark territory”. He apologized for the noise, hugged a few confused Racers (still holding the shotgun) and returned to bed. I could do nothing but laugh with the folks in the living room at the strange occurrence that just took place. Well, that’s the World Race for you ladies and gentlemen!
Yep! I’m sorry for the recent absence of blogs. I honestly didn’t think I had much to write about this month. Ministry has been somewhat sporadic and random, so those updates were hard to write, and no certainty has been attained as to what the Summer/Fall have in store for the Sanderson’s. Although recently a bit of a routine emerged with our ministry, and some things have come up, so I’m going to write about them.
We (The Forge) have been living with two all-girl’s teams for the last month in a pretty nice house. We have our own kitchen, so we have been buying and preparing our own food. That has been quite the experience. Not to brag or anything, but I think I’m becoming quite domestic. Hallelujah!
Ministry this month has been primarily working with kids and teenagers at little camps and programs. We have done a bit of labor too. In fact, one day we chopped dead grass, piled it up (while talking in southern accents I might add), and burned it in what was the most magnificent fire I have ever seen. We also had the opportunity to repair a widow’s mud house by… well, making mud and building it up into a wall. All in all some satisfying ministry!
Ministry has occurred outside of normal, scheduled days as well. The guys on the Forge have a ministry going with a bunch of local men, where we play soccer with them 1-3 times a week. Please be praying for us in that as we attempt to reflect the light of Christ to them. In other ministry, every Monday I meet with my host, Ken from Manistry month, for coffee, conversation, encouragement (two-sided) and prayer. We started this weekly ritual two weeks ago, and it hasn’t ceased to be a highlight of my week. Ken is a man after God’s own heart and he clearly reflects the light of Christ here in Livingstone. His ministry goals are on point too! Keep him in your prayers as he confronts heresy in the church in Zambia, and as he runs a discipleship school for people of all races.
I am a little over 30 days out from the finish of this Race, and I must say, I have mixed feelings about it. I am super excited to be reunited with my family, friends, and dogs (shoutout to my canine brothers, Geoffrey Chaucer and Aldous Huxley), but on the other hand I am really sad at the thought of no longer being with the folks I have lived, worked, and worshipped with for nine months. Likewise I am sad to say yet another goodbye to an awesome community of Christians in the Global South.
The World Race has been a special experience that I am not likely to forget this lifetime, but it is a season that is coming to, and must come to an end. Thankfully the excitement and adventure of living as a missionary doesn’t have to end when I step off the plane in Tallahassee! It’s the rest of my life! It’s what we’re all called to do, it just looks different for each person. For some it’s international, for others it’s in the workplace, and for still others it’s in the home. We’re all called to the missionary life, it just isn’t always what we expect it to look and feel like. I know you guys have heard it all before, but as our squad coach, Tom says, “It never hurts to be reminded.”
Okay, that’s enough tangents, I think this blog is long enough.
This is Robbie – coming to the end of month 8 – signing off.
