what i am learning. wrap up of primal vision.

Here is a summary of what I have been learning in my classes. There are some high points in bold, but if you want you can read all my thoughts (i am warning you that it's long!) ...

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The book is by John V. Taylor (have you heard of him), Primal Vision. It talks about African Christianity, so lots of my faith has been challenged because it differs so much from Western Christianity. Questions like: Is there a Christian faith without culture?

If cultures are created by God, do we need to redefine them to fit the Western view of Christianity? Basically, does God shape culture or is Christianity shaped by culture? And the repercussions of these questions, and a lot of the book, bring up issues of salvation (is it necessary to know the name of Jesus; personal/ tribe or family decision), sin (is the OT and Ten Commandments relevant to all cultures or does it manifest differently according to culture; what about polygamy?), prayer (Africans speak/pray to ancestors because it continues community of tribe and because they are closer to God). Overall it was a really eye-opening book that I really enjoyed grappling with.

But to bring in Abide in Christ… Jesus transcended, meaning that He became like man/ suffered/ PARTICIPATED with people. In Africa the Descartes theory, “I think therefore I am” translates to “I participate therefore I am” (Taylor, 27) or “I am because we are.” Therefore belief is an action not just a thought. Faith is acted out, not simply a confession. I have wanted to intellectually wrap my mind around Jesus and Faith, but by this I felt assurance that my actions speak louder than my words (or thoughts). This links with abiding in Christ, because the life of faith is not a one-time decision, but PARTICIPATION with Christ, acted out in relationships with others, for all of life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, “Jesus exists only for other people… Our relationship to God is not a ‘religious’ one to the highest- that is not transcendence- but our relationship to God is a new life in ‘existence for others’, in participation in the being of Jesus” (Taylor, 58). I have been thinking a lot about relationship versus religion this semester, and realized one day that when I get to heaven I will not be in a “religion” with God, but a RELATIONSHIP with Him through the blood of Christ. His redemption has made it possible for me to be in a relationship.

“I am in Christ: This simple thought, carefully, prayerfully, believingly uttered, removes the fear that there is yet some great attainment to be reached” (Murray, 38).

“I am the Vine… He really will be to you ALL that a vine can be- holding you fast, nourishing you, and making Himself responsible every moment for your growth and your fruit” (Murray, 37).

“Our part is simply to yield, to trust, and to wait for what He has promised to perform” (Murray, 25).

Taylor devotes an entire chapter to PRESENCE. He says, “A Christian, whoever he may be, who stands in that world in the name of Christ, has nothing to offer unless he offers to be present, really and totally present, really and totally IN the present” (Taylor, 136). I have seen the outflow of this belief in the African culture. For example, a visitor is never an interruption to anyone. “Whether he is a child or adult makes no difference; one can enjoy the other’s presence without fuss or pressure, in conversation or in silence as the mood dictates” (Taylor, 3). Relationship over efficiency, again!! God is always present for all of His creation, and He showed this through Jesus’ Incarnation. Therefore we should follow His example of presence, in “MISSIONS” and our daily life.

Christ comes INTERNALLY into culture, not EXTERNALLY. He meets people and cultures where they are at. “Either He is the Lord of all possible worlds and of all human cultures, or He is Lord of one world and one culture only… From within their own culture He challenged their strength and judged their wisdom. He turned their world upside down, just as He had turned Judaism [diet and Council of Jerusalem] upside down” (Taylor, 74). So, Jesus transcends and participates with each culture individually. He uses Acts 2:7-11 about the Pentecost, “How is it that each of us can hear them in his own native language?” He also quotes Paul in his letter to the Corinthians about how he became a Jew to win the Jews (1 Corinthians 10:19-22). Not universalism- the name of Jesus is important and belief in His death and resurrection is still significant. God meets culture. (Yes, but how far, what about sin and lifestyle… hmmm for me still!!)

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I love you all and let me know what you think of all this. I would LOVE a good discussion. Feel free to point out truths and untruths that you see… :)

ps. i know its really long, but i didn't know how else to post it as a link, i apologize.

laundry day.

laundry. laundry. laundry.
what a process.
soak. scrub. rinse. rinse. ring dry. hang on the line. [watch for rain clouds.] iron.

i used to hate it, but i am learning to enjoy it now.
just this week i was hanging out my clothes and saw a monkey not twenty feet from me.
i savor moments like these.
what a joy to be in africa at times like these.

:)

CURRENT NEWS in uganda: FLOODING.

CURRENT NEWS in uganda is major, major flooding in Northern and Eastern Uganda for the past two weeks. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes, some cannot even retreat without airplanes or a boat. of some kind. Their farming has been wiped-out and destroyed, especially their cassava (an edible root) and ground nuts (which really are a family's diet). and their toilets have been flooded and are now overflowing. which means that disease is rampant and starvation is equally devastating. president museveni issued a state of emergency for those districts last week.

yesterday there was a "charity walk for the flood affected areas".
i went with some other students from ucu and it was awesome to be a part of something happening in uganda, IN uganda. we marched through the town and raised money to be sent to the districts that have an urgent need for assistance- all sectors need help: food, medical, counseling, etc. after we marched we sat and listened to MPs (members of parliment) and other "majesty's" address the problem and offer compassion and mercy. the president also spoke, which i didn't stay for. but i guess he quoted a tribal proverb that was like "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade," but in english it translated to "if your mother drowns, make soup from the water." strange. and he also said the problem was the bridges, and that not a lot of people died. he said if the bridges were better than it wouldn't have been such a problem. i don't know about him... anyways it was an eventful day in kampala.

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for me the day was eventful as well. :)
african time was of course present in our after eight departure instead of seven... i actually left to get my own matatu (taxi) with a couple girls. then when we got there we had to go through this metal detector. and they wouldn't let anyone bring a camera... which we ALL had pretty much brought. sweet. NOT! the police shooed us away and told us to bring them home... which is like an hour away. craziest thing is that our friend will tried to go through after with his camera and then realized that he still had it in his pocket. they asked him to show what he had and he realized he had lied and panicked. so he backed up and said he wasn't going through anymore... it was so suspicious!! they totally thought he had a gun or something which they were NOT okay with... i was like "will just show him the camera..." thankfully they left him go then. don't mess with the ugandan police, they all have ak47s!! :(

irony: after giving up our cameras to someone, we walked the streets which meant TONS of people never even saw a metal detector and the area where the dignitaries spoke could have easily had a USEFUL metal detector check... that's uganda for ya! :)

during the walk i met a really awesome mzungu (which literally means "white person") named tamara. she is working with micro-finance here in kampala with her husband (and she's a believer too). we exchanged numbers and she said i could possibly volunteer to survey families staying in a local IDP camp near kampala. i am SOOO excited. i wouldn't just be a consumer-tourist, but i could actually converse with the acholi people!! :) :) just this past week i have been asking what my purpose is here, and where i can get involved for uganda. thank you God for showing me a potential direction!

also i was thinking about swipe to save and hoping that maybe we can find a good organization to send aid to these flooded regions. it was overall a very purposed time and i felt excited to start thinking creatively how i can offer my time and energy to help uganda!! :)

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prayers:
.. the forecast has more rain coming, which means more flooding. pray for the people who may be displaced and for adequate aid to arrive to help their food and medical needs.
.. personal direction for where God wants to use me while i a here. And even plans for after I leave this semester.

friends. sar.me.kimber. long-car-ride-fun.

what... internet... WOO-HOO!!

oh my goodness!!
i can't believe it... i am writing this blog on my OWN computer!
the internet works... major praise.
AND it was on a day when i needed my spirits lifted and this helped so much! :)
thanks for all your prayers for me.
i will post more pics and details later... because i CAN now!! :)

mac and cheese: congealed style!

on wednesday night i cooked macaroni and cheese for my family over a campfire-esque stove and mostly in the dark! it was an experience, but my family said they enjoyed it...

the menu: mac and cheese, with warmed bread and blue band butter, with banana boats for desert, and coke/ pineapple juice!!

after i boiled the macaroni everything got really hectic. the cheese sauce cooked really fast and the meal was done, but my whole family wasn't there. and the cheese congealed REALLY FAST. so i tried to like "mingle" (stir) it with these spoons and keep it warm at the same time, but it was pretty cold by the time everyone ate. oh well, they liked it (they said)!

i also made banana boats which were everyone's favorite, including mine!! oh and a cockroach flew into my face as i was making them, that was fun... grr! :)
it was an experience, and luckily they had never had mac and cheese before because it really didn't taste like the kraft stuff at home... oh well, a little taste of america is always nice once in a while, even if it is a little off! :)

i am wrapping up my homestay tonight and am really going to miss the family aspect of living here. but i am also looking forward to having LIGHT and my nights free for hw and hanging out with friends! hopefully i will get to visit often... i will miss them SO much! :)

YAY! I'm at an internet cafe

well i am finally getting internet long enough to post a blog... YAY!

this past week and a half i have been enjoying my homestay family a lot. i am learning to cook some new kinds of food (that i will let you try hopefully at home), and learning their language some, and i think i am finally adapting to their way of life. i find myself switching into "ugandan" mode a lot with the words i use and the tone of my voice, i am sure you would all laugh at me! :)

it has been an eye-opening experience to live in a family that is so poor and lives day-to-day. as i said last time, my mom works very hard as a cleaner at ucu. she sweeps classrooms and supports her family off of that income. i had a great talk with her on saturday about her testimony. she has such a strong faith in God and says she would not be where she is today without her prayers. to me it seems like she should doubt God because of everything she has been through and the struggles she has had to simply EAT. but she is grateful that everything has not been taken from her and that she has the job at the university. it is SO humbling.

it is also amazing to live so simply. i feel so grateful for the food i am given now because i know that it was not easy to put it on the table... and it is great to hear my mom say something like "praise God" everytime she finshes supper. :)

"african time"
on saturday i had a true experience with this concept. we were meeting my mom's sisters to go to their village, and were supposed to meet them at 10 am. all day we anticiapted their arrival... and i thought for sure they would never come. but right before 5 PM they finally came and we left. WOW!!!

my week hasn't been too exciting or different, but i am just still enjoying my friendships, learning ugandan, cooking with my host family, and am even adjusting to the bugs...
okay, after sunday that is...
sunday was a rough day and i think i would label it "homestay culture shock phase two".
i was feeling weak after church and on the way home bought an apple (even though it was expensive i felt irritated and uncomfortable maybe--- so i sought comfort in my apple).
after washing it with hand sanitizer and water :), i ate it in my room, so i didn't gloat my apple to my family.
during my enjoyment and de-stress period, what did i have to see but a rat, a RAT.
of all the things that i didn't need that day, it was the rat that came in my room and went under my feet.
then after rushing through my apple (bummed i couldn't enjoy it longer) i fled the room.
and realized there were cockrocahes there too...
so i slept in my sleeping bag for more protection now. :)
after my irritated day was over, i realized that i need humility in so many ways.
it is such a power struggle, when i know i am capable of things and my family doubts me.
(example: i was asked on sunday if i had ever walked barefoot before? or how i knew how to wash the dishes? or that i shouldn't walk 50 feet in the dark because i might fall)
but i am trying to remind myself that they just care about me and i should let them help me!
so if you think of it this week, please pray that i would be a "humble learner".

today on my way to class, from reading, a MONKEY crossed my path.
it was huge and had a long red tail. i was so excited!
it was the first time i saw one on campus!
it was a "i am STILL in africa moment"

tonight i am making mac and cheese (and banana boats!) for my family, over a campfire stove...
so i am praying everything works out and it tastes good!
i will keep you posted! :)

that was quite a random blog entry...
some prayer requests:
. that i would know my purpose in being here and what i am called to DO with all that i have seen and learned.
. for humility this week with my family
. for the thousands of people who are being evacuated and displaced in N. and E. Uganda due to horirble flooding.
. for maintating a RELATIONSHIP and not a religion with Jesus, and strengthening my faith!
thanks!

ps: an akward-"still-in-africa-moment"-with-the-bucket, story: it was time for bed and my mom was still in our room, so i was waiting to get in bed until i used the bucket (when she was gone or asleep). she asked me what i was waiting for and i asked if i coudl use the bucket... hoping she would leave for a minute. Oh, NO NO. she not only stayed in the room, she continued talking with me... eek!! i chuckled aloud to myself, what else could i do?! :)