Funny Stories
So many funny things have happened this year, there is no way I could tell you about everything in one sitting! I'm trying to remember things from each month, and some things are harder to forget than others. Like the time in Honduras when Priscilla was attacked by a monkey when she was standing right next to me.
We were on a bridge at a monkey zoo where the little guys were running around freely, and one ran over and took a serious look at Priscilla right before he chomped down on her arm! I did the first thing that came to mind… I started video taping it while backing up. Priscilla still hasn't forgiven me for that one! hehehe (One of the monkey caretakers came to her rescue within moments, and Priscilla walked away with only minor bite wounds).
This picture was taken the day Moments before the monkey attack.
before the monkey attack.
There are multiple stories I could tell you about things that are said/misunderstood because of language barriers we've had. The most common thing is that most cultures we've been in seem to think that saying “yes” and being agreeable is better than explaining or clarifying something. Or they just don't know what we're asking so they say “yes”. An example of this is when we ask something like, “will we go to the church to clean first, or visit the village first?” Their reply: “yes!” So many times we just get in a vehicle and aren't really quite sure when/where/how long we'll be gone.
Last week several of us here in Georgetown (Penang), Malaysia went to an Indian restaurant. Hugh saw from our table that they had cans of A&W Root beer in their cooler, so he ordered one. “We do not have” said the server. Hugh said, “yes, I'd like an A&W” and motioned toward the cooler. The server still shook his head "no" so Hugh tried again, “root beer, it's right there, I can see it.” The guy at the table next to us started trying to help, and since he was closer to the cooler, he pointed to the cans. Of course, once the server saw what Hugh meant he nodded and smiled and went to get one for him, and we had a good laugh over it.
Politics and Religion
Well, it's everyone's favorite subjects! I just want to share one thing pertaining to The World Race and the results of the recent U.S. election. A huge majority of Africans that I met in the 3 countries I lived in for several months will be really excited that Obama was re-elected. Many people in Africa asked us if we know Obama, and were shocked if anyone said they weren't a huge fan of him, since they definitely are (yes, I'm stereotyping here, but 100% of Africans that had anything to say about American politics to our team loved that Obama is our President). So whether you are a Democrat or Republican and are happy/sad about the results, just know that hope is a powerful thing, and everything that happens in one place of the world affects other places and people in a variety of ways.
Very few things are all good or all bad, and we always need to remember to see things from different perspectives.
The world is so much bigger than we remember sometimes, and a lot goes on outside of our “bubble” that we live in. Even on this trip I've been aware of my own bubble, and I'm constantly reminding myself of this. I want to always challenge myself to see things from different perspectives, and the most important one to me is God's perspective. I keep seeking to understand His character and His ways, and what it looks like to love our neighbor as ourselves. Which leads me to…
Religion.
More than ever I've experienced this year that true Christianity is about relationship with the living God, and not about religion~ and for that I am truly thankful since I'm not very good at religion.
This month we are living smack dab in the middle of an area where Islam dominates. Every day, 5 times a day, we hear the prayers that Muslims broadcast from the loud speakers throughout the city.
It's been really interesting to learn more about the Islam religion since we got here. One of my favorite days of The Race was at the beginning of the month here when we had a class about Islam. We learned more about what Muslims believe, the differences and similarities with Christianity, the Koran and the Bible, and how most Muslims view Christianity and Christians.
Ed teaching our class on Islam.
Talking to Muslims here you'll find out that they (in general) think that everyone in the U.S., Australia, and Europe are all Christians (including stars like Lady GaGa, Madonna, and Eminem) and that our movies from Hollywood are “Christian” movies. Understandably then they are confused about what true Christianity stands for, because they see all of “us” as immoral. They feel that they treat their women with respect, while the women in our culture/religion are exploited. Their conclusion is that “we” Americans/Christians are all okay with drinking, sex, drugs, etc. since those are all things openly seen in our culture and/or entertainment, and they see us all as a group sharing the same beliefs. What we know about evangelism here with Muslims is that it's important to talk about Jesus Christ… not Christianity.
Even though their view is obviously distorted, the truth is that very few people in the world, relatively speaking, represent Christianity for what it truly is. I am one of the people who often falls into the “does not represent very well” category. Sometimes, some days, I love others pretty well or serve well, but I fall short quite a bit and always have. My heart and thoughts are not always focused on what is best. “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable– if anything is excellent or praiseworthy– think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
I love that verse. It is beautiful. I want that kind of beauty in my heart and mind~ the kind of beauty that radiates from the inside out. What I love about God is that He doesn't ever say I'm not good enough because I'm not “there” yet. He loves me right where I am, just like He loves every single person right where they are. The Bible doesn't have rules intended to confine us. It's quite the opposite– it holds truths to set us free to live the best possible life! If we follow what is written in 2 Thessalonians 5:14-22 we're on a track to experience a pretty amazing life, which involves looking and living beyond ourselves as Jesus did.
“And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to what is good. Avoid every kind of evil.“
I'm going to go ponder on those words before lights are out here in Malaysia… and tonight I'm praying for every single person who reads this blog to have your heart touched in a special way by truths that can set you free. We all have things we can let go of. That's one of the main things I've learned this year… the beauty of letting go. Only by letting go are we able to get ourselves out of the way so that we allow the Lord to be the center of our lives.
I'm a work in progress, and if God can do the amazing things He already has in my heart, there's no doubt for what He is in the process of doing in your life and heart right now as well.
Last Sunday I got to help out in a Sunday School class and the message we colored on our paper plates sums things up pretty well…. I have seen His light shining all around the world and it's bright and it is beautiful.
JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!
Blessings,
Jo Linda
