Jason's dinosaur birthday

Monday, April 13, 2009
Recently, Peter and I watched the documentary “War Dance” which is filmed in Northern Uganda. It is a most remarkable film, depicting the story of children at a displacement camp who compete in the national music festival. It tells the experiences of three children who faced trauma and pain, the likes of which I can’t even imagine: child soldiers, orphans, caring for siblings, forced to leave their villages and lives and eke out an existence in these camps where they are somewhat protected. But in the midst of the pain that is recounted, hope is evident. When these children sing and dance, especially the traditional dances of the Acholi tribe, they feel alive again. They become more than just children of war. It is beautiful and heartwrenching. When Peter and I watched it, we thought of Sara, a participant in the peace program who is from Uganda. While not from that area, she had visited one of these camps as she participated in a church plant there. Most of the participants are on Easter break, but a few remained on campus because they could not travel home. We invited Sara and another Peace participant, Ben, who is from Kenya to come watch the movie with us tonight. They each invited a friend, one from Rwanda and the other from Tanzania. Adrian also joined us for the viewing. In the middle of the film, we lost electricity. So we lit candles and waited to see if power would be restored. It gave us a chance to talk about what we were seeing and hearing in the film. We had a good discussion, though the loss shown in the film touched on similar losses for those watching and that was difficult for some. Just as we were thinking about our options for viewing the rest of the movie, the power came back on and we were able to continue. Both Sara and Ben are really gentle and kind people, as were the others gathered. It was obvious that they were touched by the film and filled with compassion for all those who are in similar situations. Before they left, I felt it would be good to pray for the people in the film, for whom this isn’t just a movie but real life. And for the hundreds of thousands who are refugees, sometimes even in their own countries. Praying together at the end made it more than a film viewing and I appreciated that immensely.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sometimes things are so screwy here, I just have to shake my head. Peter’s mother sent a birthday package for Jason at the beginning of February hoping it would get here in time for his birthday on April 15 (mind you, this is airmail and supposed to take two weeks). I didn't get a package slip so I decided to go up to the customs office to see if the long-awaited package was being held there. Sure enough, the lady behind the desk found my name written in one of the books indicating that I had received a package on April 8. But when she looked in another book that should have showed that I was sent a slip, it wasn't there. So that fundamental step was overlooked and the package just went into the holding room without me being notified. So she together with her superior went through each package and couldn't find mine. She came out and said I must have picked it up already but I was in Lusaka on the 8th so that wasn't possible. She let me go into the room and look for myself, and there it was right in the very front but I looked through all the other packages to see if there were others for me or anyone else I knew. So then her superior had to look through the package contents but I told her that there were things for Jason's birthday and I didn't want him to see. Both boys had to accompany because they are out of school. When she was finished, it looked like I was free to go. But then the first lady said she wanted to see as well, not because it was part of her job but merely because she was curious. And she wanted chocolate. She kept looking at things and asking if it was for her. Uh, no, they are for my son's birthday, not you! Finally, I said, "Next time. I will bring you chocolate next time." But I'm thinking, after your incompetence, it makes me not really excited about paying you off. But at least we got the package and that is good.

Saturday, April 18, 2009
Jason has been counting down to his birthday since January, I think. That is a long time to be anticipating turning six years old. On their birthdays, the boys get to choose one sugary cereal that they get to eat for their birthday breakfast (and on the following days). I made the mistake of buying Jason’s requested CocoPops a few days earlier so the wait was killing him. Later in the morning, I had arranged for Alistair and George-Aiden to come and play, and that was a special treat for Jason as these are school friends and he hasn’t seen them for a few weeks as they are all on holidays. In the evening, Jenny, Adrian, and Doug, as well as Helen, a visiting Brit, joined us for dinner. Jason had to have a Mexican Fiesta so we had burritos for his birthday dinner. He received presents and was delighted when lifted in a chair six times, went through the paddywack tunnel, and received six bumps. He is fortunate to have these adult friends who are so kind to him and generous with him.

This afternoon, we had Jason’s birthday party with school friends. This decision by Jason was not taken kindly by the neighbor kids but hopefully they will forgive him sometime soon. Jason had big ideas for his party, including a bounce house, a swimming pool and all thirty of the kids in Reception. Somehow I convinced him that we could have a small party with just five friends and we would make it fun even without the things that other classmates have at their parties. We made it a dinosaur theme party and Jason and his friends were dinosaur hunters. Yamikani (Zambian), Rex (South African), George-Aiden (Zambian of Greek descent),

Thabo (Zambian), and Alistair (cousin of George-Aiden, also Greek descent)

They each had to complete a variety of tasks related to dinosaurs: a craft, and hammering nails into a dinosaur trap, which they all could practice using on the most fierce of all dinosaurs, the “Brendansaurus.” They searched the yard for dinosaur eggs and then acted as paleontologists, digging dinosaurs out of sand while blindfolded. Even with all these activities, we still had plenty of time for soccer and dodgeball, and as the afternoon wore on, any other game we could think of. The party was to go from 2-5 p.m. One guest arrived at 2:00 but most of the others didn’t come until after 2:30. By 5:00 Peter and I were both done with the party but there were no parents in sight. Around 5:30, they started to arrive and the last one came at 6:00. Have I mentioned how people view time differently here? Jason received very nice gifts from his friends, which he opened after they left, as is the tradition here. He still missed receiving thirty gifts but he said it was the best birthday ever so I’ll count it a success. Now if we could just get the necessary batteries for one of the cars Jason got as a gift, things would be perfect. But the thieves made off with all our batteries and we didn’t notice until tonight when it was CRITICAL for Jason to have them right then and there. Perhaps he will learn patience when he is six . . .

Sunday, April 19, 2009
After the energy Peter and I expended making Jason’s birthday party a success, Peter and I retired to bed at 7:30 and watched a movie. By 10:00 we were fast asleep. Around 11:30, I heard some strange noises and listened for a moment before freaking out and waking Peter up. He had heard the noises too and so we both got up to see what was happening. When we walked by the bathroom, I saw a shadow of a person in our back porch, the same place where the thieves got in last time. Not knowing their exact intentions and if they were armed, Peter banged on our back door and turned on lights to scare them away. We called MEF Security but by the time they arrived, the robbers were gone. The guard saw a plank and rope that they had propped up against the back wall for their escape. The guard fired his gun over the wall into the air, to scare them away if they were still hanging around. I was inside not knowing what was happening and the gunshot was incredibly loud. Unbelievably, the boys slept right through it. Peter and the guard searched by the house and found the robber’s shoes and stocking cap that was left behind. In the morning, Peter also found a plumbers glove with a few tools inside that they were using to break in. Needless to say, we found it a bit difficult to go back to sleep later. The gunshot startled us and the thought of someone entering our house while we all were sleeping was frightening. Peter talked with MEF last week about securing our house better and they were agreeable to that. It just needs to happen now but that isn’t completely in our control. A neighbor had two ideas following the last robbery. She suggested that all of the families on our side should each take an hour of nightwatch each night. We would all be assigned a different hour to walk around with the security guard and talk to him and perhaps that would keep robbers away. Like us, you are probably able to see quite a few problems with that plan. Her other plan was for us to all get together and hire a security guard from an outside company. But she herself supplied the problem with that plan: “The outside security guards will steal and blame it on the MEF security and MEF security will steal and blame it on the outside guys.” Lovely. Until we are further enlightened, we are going to go the way of additional security bars on our windows and prayer.

My friend Marci sent me an encouraging email and said she was praying for something fun to happen that would refresh and bless me. Celebrating Jason’s birthday was what I wanted to do for Jason’s sake but it was exhausting. The attempted robbery was definitely not the answer to prayer I was looking for. I was beginning to wonder if that prayer got lost along the way. And then it came, in church – where I was least expecting it, unfortunately. There was a trio of guys that made up a band called Ephesians Project that was visiting our church this morning. They got up after the opening prayer and led us in the worship song that went: “I’m trading my sorrows, I’m trading my pain, I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord.” The band was jamming on an electric guitar and the drums and I looked over at Brendan and his face was one of sheer joy. He looked over at me with a huge grin on his face and sang his heart out. He belted out the chorus, “Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord, Amen!” And that was my answer to prayer, a moment of fun and blessing, watching my eight year old excited during a worship song and exchanging looks with him that bonded us together. I started to cry I was so thankful for that little thing. It was almost enough to sustain me for the rest of the service, which lasted over three hours, thanks to a special praise and worship Sunday that included every choir contributing songs, not just Ephesians Project. But I’ll take what I can get and hold onto that.

And I have one more thing that I am very thankful for today. Eclairs. Yep, that’s right. Eclairs. When Mr. Patel dropped off Nikhil for a sleepover this afternoon, he gave us a plate of the most divine éclairs EVER that he had made himself. Seriously, they were the best éclairs I have EVER tasted and that is not just because life is less than satisfying at the moment. Words can’t even begin to describe how amazing they were (notice the past tense). Maybe it was answer to prayer, part deux.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The boys were to head back to school today after a three week break. I was rather looking forward to that. But Brendan threw up in the middle of the night and after cleaning up the mess, I could not fall back to asleep. For almost three hours, I tossed and turned and cried and had a little pity party. I’m ready for things to cruise for a little while. I’m tired and not just from being up half the night. I ran into Georgi at Shoprite this morning, freshly back from Australia, and she asked how I was. I made the mistake of answering honestly and started crying, right in front of the pickles and Worcestershire sauce. She said I needed to get out of Africa for awhile and take a break. I think she is right. Home leave is two months away though so God will have to sustain me until then. When I couldn’t sleep last night, I was thinking of the verse from Colossians that says “Set your mind on things above.” That task didn’t seem easy in the middle of the night but I decided to read the book of Colossians as an attempt because I wasn’t sleeping anyway. I resonated with Paul’s prayer for the Colossians in the first chapter:

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light (Col. 1:9-12).

It has all the stuff I need in it so you can pray this for me if you want. God knows I need it.

(Here’s an example of how things can’t be simple: trying to post this blog. On Monday I left my computer in Peter’s office and two hours later, it still couldn’t load a page off the internet. Tuesday I went to an internet café in town but the woman working there didn’t know the password so that I could get on their wireless. For some reason, plugging in didn’t work either. So Tuesday night I went to Peter’s office hoping it would be a bit faster with all the employees off work. It took two hours to load the pictures onto my blog. At ten minutes to 10:00, I excitedly pushed the “publish post” button but nothing happened. The participants in the computer lab were finished for the night and closed down the system just minutes before. Eeeeesh. But the extra time it took to post means that I can give you an update on Peter’s suspicious mole. It has been declared no longer suspicious. The test showed it was benign so we are thankful for that!)