12.3.2008
Today, we arrived in Bunia in the wake of a day of misadventures. Sometimes misadventures are make for great stories, today's didn’t. They simply made for a boring, discouraging time, a day of shuffling from place to place only to find that we need to move to a new place. Our plane was late, and we had to do an additional stop on our flight to Bunia. Borghy’s passport was lost in a room no bigger than 8'x9' for a half an hour (not her fault), our car doesn't fit all of us and all our stuff, there wasn’t enough room for all of us in the hotel we had originally planned to stay in. We thought we could get the rest of us put up at a University, but when we got there, they were out of room. After looking at the interview schedule for the video, we realized things are not structured properly and would we be able to fix that? Which leads me here: staying at the house of the dean of the university. A house which had no power today, or yesterday, but is full of generous people. We are quickly learning that power is much less reliable than we had even thought.
When Sean and I finally dropped our bags in our room, the only thing I could think about was sleep. But after the beckonings of a very insistent hostess, we came out into the sitting room for what turned out to be tea and treats. We talked, but to be honest, I just wanted to leave; I wanted her to know that I wanted to go to bed.
Then Pastor Enosh came over to visit and welcome us to Bunia. We started talking and somehow a traditional Swahili phrase came up:
“You beat the snake with the stick in your hand.”
Meaning, if you stop to find a bigger stick, the snake will probably bite you.
Or as I took it, if you wait until you are rested, healthy, comfortable and feeling at home, the stories won’t be here any more.
That was convicting. There is too much at stake. What is happening in this country, what GOD is doing in this country is far too important to wait for me to feel good or for electricity.
13.3.08
We didn’t have electricity today either, but we got three amazing interviews. Turns out our stick works pretty well.
- Jon
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3 comments:
Hi Guys! It was so good to SEE you today! You all look healthy and happy. :) We're all really proud of you and know that you're going to do well on this trip. I'm praying for you and can't wait to hear about all of the experiences you have had and will have. With lots of love, Erica
"You beat the snake with the stick in your hand.”
Thanks for that inspiring message. I JUST read a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that expresses a similar idea:
"Do what you can,
with what you have,
where you are.
Hi Everyone,
So glad to hear about your adventures (or misadventures).
Don't lose your sticks!
My Prayers, Love, and Blessings,
Daysi
BORG-hold onto your passport friendy. Miss you
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