Hanging in there

Tuesday, July 1, 2008
We are thrilled to no end to welcome a new person to the Smith family. (No, I am not pregnant.) Peter’s younger brother, Luke is engaged to be married! He popped the question to a delightful young woman, Kaelin, and she accepted. We are so happy that we had the chance to briefly meet her when we were in Spokane before we moved to Zambia. They were just beginning their relationship at that point, but we are pleased that things have progressed and that they are choosing to marry. Welcome to the family, Kaelin!

Thursday, July 3, 2008
Isn’t it ironic that I had to move to Africa to learn the wonders of hot water bottles? We received two hot water bottles from the Wielers when they left and they are Brendan and Jason’s best friends at night. And I must admit, sometimes I get a chance to snuggle with one and it is really delightful. Wish I would have known about it in Lithuania where we really froze in the evenings, and at night, and in the morning . . . come to think of it, for several months straight!

Friday, July 4, 2008
MEF held a memorial service for Jemimah in chapel this morning. I have been thinking so much about Jemimah and what a loss this is for her family, her community, and for Africa. She truly was an amazing woman with so much to contribute. She was working with a peace organization bringing together Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. A few weeks after her death, a number of peace organizations in Jos came together and a large peace rally was held in her honor. Her spirit lives on.

I am constantly amazed at how Jemimah was able to connect with so many people in such a short time, making them feel important, loved, and nurtured. I doubt I have that kind of impact on people. It seemed that Jemimah was so present with everyone, so caring, so honest, and so confident in herself, that each interaction was packed full of goodness. She truly made the most of every opportunity.

I cried throughout the service this morning. A MEF student, a woman from Liberia, shared a testimony about Jemimah and she was determined not to cry. Another participant, a preacher, led us in a chorus and exhorted us to be cheerful. I hate it when people tell me how I should feel. I just kept on crying. I had been told that funerals and memorial services were the only time that Africans were really allowed to grieve, so why not just let us! Yes, I know there is an element of peace and joy that we have when a fellow believer dies but there is undeniably loss involved as well. I have felt burdened by Jemimah’s tragic death all week, but immediately following the service, as I was walking home, I felt washed with peace. I took it as a gift from God on behalf of Jemimah, a true instrument of peace.

Friday, July 11, 2008
I have had a stomach bug for the last two days. I’ve either been in bed or on the toilet most of the time. Last night, a mosquito was hiding in the toilet and managed to feast on my behind for a long time. If that mosi gives me malaria, I will really be mad!

But this morning, I woke up feeling quite a bit better. Which is a good thing because I have to lead the second half of an African Indigenous Christian Counseling training this afternoon and all day tomorrow. I started the training two weekends ago with the United Church of Zambia Theological College which shares a campus with MEF. I have ten third year students and they are very bright. What comes up over and over is how their generation is caught between the traditional and the modern. They are only one generation removed from the village and thus it is held more strongly in their collective memories. However, that memory is quickly fading as more and more move to the cities and come to rely on the church for kinship ties rather than the village and family network. It is a privilege for me to lead discussions that help them wrestle with these issues and figure out how to take what is good from traditional African culture and infuse their modern understandings with these values.

Next Wednesday my family will be coming to visit and we are so excited! I won’t be blogging for awhile, in all likelihood, but then you will get a recap of all our adventures at a later date.