“I am sitting on green grass in the back corner of the compound of a gorgeous convent in Uganda. The sounds of the mingling of bird harmonies almost drowns out the singing voices coming from a church service. Reflecting back on this semester encompasses SO much.” Here is a glimpse of what I experienced, from a journal entry during debrief:
So much has changed since the beginning of my journal until today. So many things have happened, so many questions have been asked (with some answers), and in so many ways I have been challenged.
The biggest impact has been understanding more fully that Jesus came to restore relationships. Not only between us and God, by His death the curtain was torn around the Most Holy Place in the temple. But also He has existed in relationships with people, not focusing on efficiency but faithfulness. Not bothered by interruptions and moved by compassion to be with the suffering, not only to heal them. He transcends culture and meets everyone where they are. He was present with us and He calls us to abide (stay with Him) with Him. Jesus did NOT come to restore relationships with a new set of rules, but to enter into fellowship with us and show us the way to be His disciples. He existed in all our suffering and loved us first, so we could love others, show compassion to them, and be present with them. It is not about earning salvation, but walking by faith in belief that who He is and what He calls us to is true. Belief is expressed in action (James 2, 1 John 3:18). Nothing we do can be our own doing or our own good works because it is in Christ and His power in that that they glorify Him.
Another important lesson is that belief is acted out. Jesus said, “Come, Follow me” and “I am the WAY, the truth, and the life.” It is not merely a cozy understanding that you get to go to heaven for saying God is God, but how your life would change if you really believed that God is God. Priorities. Values. Ethics. Money. Time. These would all shift! Saying versus actions shows the depth of your belief (James 2). Simple living and mere discipleship- both extremely challenging to me and I wonder what my response should be. How should my life change?
“if you wish the world to believe what you say,
you must live as if you believe what you say.”
-camp 189.
This has been the most challenging concept. What do my actions, my priorities, my time say that I believe? My desire and hope is that I value people and relationships over efficiency, consumerism, and piety. That I can love others with a love that God showed me in Christ, by humility, presence (not multi-tasking, but allowing for interruptions; listening before talking), not judging and not letting fear or hurt or sinning paralyze me from committing to love. “love is the willingness to hurt.” We see this in the hands of Christ. Jesus is the model by which we live. He is faithful, I want to be a faithful witness not driven by the ends or the telos, but driven by the means, the praxis, the way - discipleship.
The ends versus means, savior versus disciple reminds me of another important lesson I have learned while being here: Jesus saves I don’t. Africa is not a hopeless continent that needs pity from others. Jesus transcends culture. My calling is not to have an ingenious solution to Africa’s problem and give them the handout. But to be faithful to the bottom-up, grass root ways that I can impact individual people, build relationships, show love, help development. This shatters the western implied mindset that I came with; that I would change the world and save the children in Africa. Its been humbling AND freeing not to have the pressure to solve poverty or hunger, and to rest in the presence of Christ and seek to be faithful witnesses. This does not mean I believe in ignoring the problem or spiritualizing the problem, but accepting that I am only an instrument, not the Doctor. I pray that God will use me to alleviate poverty or hunger, but it is not my focus at all costs. But if God places me in a situation or asks me to do something, than I am willing to go and obey.
Simple living is another way that I hope not to be stagnant in my faith or concern for others. This is a broad issue but a challenging one. Living simply and also helping others to live simply. I commit to washing dishes by hand and not using the dryer (if possible). Eating a simpler diet. Being appreciative of the food I am given and not being prideful, selfish or picky with what I am served. To practice hospitality by offering tea and crackers or biscuits. Helping my family around the house. Being creatively mindful of waste. While balancing this with a good meal once a week or so (the Bible emphasizes feasts!). also cleaning out my clothes and focusing on quality NOT quantity. Along with saving money, giving the money to an organization I believe is holistic and sustainable. Riding public transport or my bike at least once a week. Looking into a budget based on the poverty line or graduated tithing (some budget for sure!). and overall being mindful of consumerism and materialism, asking myself the motive for a photo, an experience, or a purchase. I believe that the West, myself included, is anxious because of the choices and the amount of things we have (and the value we place on them). Living without making decisions has really made my life simpler this semester. Choices I have had: dry tea or milk tea, posho or rice (and amount), what I will wear. The anxiety I had in shopping for gifts is a testament that choices and decisions are an unnecessary distraction. Reentering a culture that has five decisions surrounding a single cup of coffee will be overwhelming for me. This is not about legalism (notice my leniency and undefined word usage), but about stewardship and the Bible’s rampant littering of verses about the poor and giving to those in need.
I anticipate it being hard to not seem condescending to others about their lifestyles, so I am reminding myself of one, how much I hate feeling guilty and condescended upon; and two, that I had an experience that only forty-five other people had. So it is impossible for me to believe they will have changed or be convicted like me. Abby Bartels once told me, “Guilt is general, conviction is specific.”
I am excited to put into practice what I have learned about hospitality from Ugandans. To eat rice and beans, with veggies of course too. To make my family dinner. And implement tea time into my afternoon or morning. And the idea of sharing sugar over tea with others. I am excited to invest in relationships with my family. To live life, not be a rat running in a race. This semester has opened my mind to the importance of commitment and to embracing Christians and non-Christians – not feeling impurity or sin because recognizing that I am in a relationship with God and thus manifest relationships with others. He is more concerned with my faithfulness and committed actions, abiding, and presence, then completing a list of requirements or rules. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Love God, Sin Big.”
Questions I am leaving this semester with still unanswered are:
. will I go back to school or stay at home?
. faith versus belief, and if both require action? (is action required to be saved…?)
. how can I live out and remember what I have learned and stay changed?
Africa is a beautiful place that blew away all my assumptions and expectations. The reality of the world is poverty, but not everyone lives in a hut, are destitute, and/or need globs of money. Sustained commitment and development can help. “Mzungus” have infiltrated culture and old traditions are ending, with westernization rising. “bye mzungu bye.”
Bye mzungu. Bye.
Bye mzungu. Bye.
A topless girl with a ripped skirt says as I pass.
Bye mzungu. Bye.
A trailing potbelly boy yells exuberantly from behind me.
Bye mzungu. Bye.
A chorus of uniformed school children yell from the schoolyard as I walk by.
Bye mzungu. Bye.
No sweetie, it’s “hi,” I try to tell them.
Hi. Hi. Hi.
They all chant in unison.
Pass by again: bye mzungu bye.
Ma’am why don’t they say “hi.”
I inquire aloud.
“They are saying bye as you pass,” she replies.
Pass.
To pass is to see, but not stop.
Do they only know mzungus as passing by?
Do we show them bye.
So they rightly respond with a blatant, verbal bye.
Can we really see poverty and suffering and not stop to help?
To be present.
To life like they do. And build relationships.
To commit.
We might not admit to knowing the answer.
But the kids seem to:
“Bye mzungu. Bye.”
may i never just pass by or let this semester pass me by.
a.janee.
