A Christlike Attitude

Continuing his series of worship talks based in Philippians, Pastor Jay focused on Philippians 2:5 for his Wednesday morning meditation.  The King James Version reads, “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.  The New Century Version says, ^5 “In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.”  In Spanish it says “let your attitude be like Christ's.”

“What does this mean? Pastor Jay asked.  “It basically means you need to think in the way that Christ thinks. What does a Christian look like?  Should you be able to see a Christian?  When it says “let this mind be in you,” Paul is trying to help us understand what a Christian looks like, what he does, how he acts.  In your lives you must think and act like Jesus--

So, how does Jesus think and act?  Don't be interested in your own life, look out for the good of others.  A Christian is someone who looks out for the good of others—one who serves others not just themselves.

“When you get back to the states, it's going to be a shock.  You're going to walk in and the music and the media and the materialism is going to be shocking.  We've lived kind of simply here.  We have enough.  We've not gone hungry.   We’ve had a little more PBJ than we'd like, but we are eating.  In the US it's all about serving ourselves.  But a Chrisian is thinking and acting like Christ, and that is all about serving others.  In His very nature, He was equal with God, but He did not think that was something to use for His own benefit.  He gave that all up to serve man.

“Selfishness takes, love gives.

“What does a disciple of Christ look like?  A disciple of Christ gives.  You are giving.  You could be surfing the ocean for your spring break, but you're laying brick in the hot African sun.  You're doing VBS and playing with kids.  You're giving medical care.  These are all acts of service, doing for others.

“Jesus said whatsoever you've done to the least of these, you've done it unto me.  Whatever we do for somebody, the lowest of the low, the smallest, sickest, grossest person who has yet to understand what we're doing for them...they are the “least.”  We are serving them for now and for eternity.  

“A Christian does things with an unselfish motive.  That's what a Christian looks like.  That's what I hope we'll look like when we return to Thunderbird.  Choose to serve today.”

God of the Small Things

One of the peaceful views at
Kaazmein Lodge

I must confess that I have, on occasion, judged a book by its cover.  More to the point, I have chosen a book based solely on its cover.  It could be the cover art that intrigues me, or the author’s name—one that I’ve read or one that I’ve read about, or—often—the title.  My students will tell you that I like titles.  Clever titles.  Thought-provoking titles.  Inviting titles.  Whenever they write, I want them to give their work a title.  And I don’t want that title to be anything remotely close to “Reflective Essay” or “Essay on Thomas More.”  I want them to think it over.  Consider the content of their essay.  And then find a way to express that content in a few succinct and inviting words. Here’s a secret:  If it’s a good title, chances are good it will be a good essay.  Not always, but quite often.  A writer who produces a good thoughtful title has likely produced a good thoughtful essay.

Children at VBS

So.  I like interesting, clever, intriguing titles.  Which is why I bought a book once based solely on its title:  God of the Small Things.  The intriguing thing was that it was in the fiction section, not the theology or inspirational section.  It was an imaginative book set in India about how the small things in life affect people's behavior and their lives.  To be honest, I don’t remember much else about it.  I remember I thought it was good.  It won the Booker Award after all.

I remember that it kept me reading and thinking.  But really, nothing else.  And I’m OK with that because the author gave me something far more important to remember and that is our God is a God of the small things.  He’s there for us in the big moments, but He’s also there in the smaller, more frequent, more ordinary moments of our lives.

Woman and baby at a village clinic

I’ve been thinking about that book title quite a bit on this trip.  We have seen our share of examples of this God of the small things throughout our trip.  Yes, we have had big answers to prayer:  our safe, if long, journey from Thunderbird to Kaazmein Lodge.  Chaplain Rob finding his room keys that he lost in town.  No one being dangerously hurt or ill (although there have been moments with nausea and other gastrointestinal discomforts).  But we have also had answers to smaller things—things that, in the great scheme of life, are pinpoints amidst boulders.  Things like getting once-in-a-lifetime photos and videos back days after a power surge took them out, finding lost cameras, being able to pull something out of a sink drain that would have cost hundreds of dollars to replace.  Big-but-small things when put in perspective, especially with the life we are observing here in Livingstone and its surroundings.

Using the GoPro in a bush village

Relaxing under the trees in the bush

The incident with the photos happened early in the trip.  Early enough so the footage was the first that had been shot of things that would not happen again (as opposed to job site footage that would have a few more days for a reshoot).  Disappointment was huge.  I could see it on the photographer’s face.  I prayed for a miracle.  “We need a miracle,” I told God.  I wanted that disappointed face to relax into a smile acknowledging that God was indeed God of the small things such as those photos, but also the of the big things such as the entire direction of his life.  For three days I prayed for this small-but-great thing.  And on the third day, the answer came and the photos were restored.

Dr. Daluyen (Mrs. Morada's sister) brings
comfort at the bush village clinic

I don’t know what the small things are in your life.  I am sure there are many as you go through any given day.  Individually, they might not be a big deal, but add them together, they become a great weight that is difficult for us to handle.  If you give them to God one at a time they never become a burden—to you or to Him.  Great or small, God can handle them all.  Yours.  Mine.  Ours.  I love that God is indeed God of the small things.  I love that we are discovering His amazing love in concrete and specific ways on this trip.  I pray that when the planes touch down in Phoenix Monday evening, we will continue to give Him our needs and concerns, but great and small.

African giant belted kingfisher who dove off
this bridge at the Lodge at least a dozen times,
fishing for his breakfast.

African bush butterfly

Into the Bush--Part I

I went out into the field today for the first time this week.  Actually, it was the bush, and I went not once, but twice.  Since the internet only works well when the students are not here taking up all the bandwidth on their phones, I have stayed at the Lodge during the day to post about the previous day.  As a result, I've not had the opportunity to see for myself the things I've been reporting on.

That all changed when I went out with the medical team this morning to a village buried in the heart of the bush country outside of Livingstone.  The road to get there kept narrowing and narrowing until it was literally two well-worn dirt tracks in the midst of the bush.  Every now and again huts would crop up alongside of the road until we came to an wider spot where there was an open air market on one side and a three-sided shelter on the other:  the clinic.

The village open-air market

There were about a dozen people sitting in the shade of the roof when we got there but word soon spread via the village grapevine, bringing more and more patients, two by two, in small groups, or solo.  The three doctors, along with the lab, set up inside the shelter.  The dental "clinic" set up at the end of the shelter, triage took place under the tree in front of the shelter, and the bus became the pharmacy.

The triage line (nurse in white at the end).

I spent a couple of hours observing the professionalism of all our medical/dental staff--from the the doctors, nurses, technicians, and interpreters down to the students.  Patience certainly was needed as the crowds could easily have gotten out of control.  Truth to tell, they did on occasion--especially with the children.  But calm was restored after a bit, and everyone

went on with the real business at hand:  healing.  It was inspiring to watch them all at work, each with a specific and vital job to fill.

By the time I left, the dozen had swelled to many more.  This was just supposed to be a half-day visit, though, so they finally had to shut down triage and send everyone away except the ones already in process of being cared for.

I left this village humbled and awed at what I had seen.  We take much for granted.

Triage under the tree with Mrs. Morada
(Oliver Morada's mother) and Rebeca

Medical and Construction equipment to do
dental work :)

The lady is an English teacher in town.
She brought her father, who lives in the
village, to our clinic.

Mrs. Maloon prays with some patients.

Rebeca takes temperatures in the
triage line.

Arlyn checks a patient's eyesight.

Dr. Muncy counsels with a patient alongside an
interpreter (right).

Mrs. Morada's brother dispenses medicine
from the bus

Eric checks a patient's weight

Mrs. Muncy and Haley hand out toothbrushes

Narce and Abigail demonstrate proper tooth care.

Haley uses a dinosaur to teach
tooth care.

Children are the same everywhere
when there is a camera!  "Copy me!" 

Fiercely Intentional Missionaries

The Adventist Church where we are
holding Evangelistic meetings.  VBS is here
as well (across the lot in a tiny school room.

For worship Monday night, Chaplain Rob told about when he was growing up in the mid-1990s and the Chicago Bulls were the team to follow.  They did the three-peat and then did it again.  He loved Michael Jordan--had all kinds of memorabilia related to him.  In a book, there's a picture of Jordan practicing with the quote,  "Often for me the games were easier than the practice."  

Ward Pearson tells the children to line up.
Daniel assists him with crowd control

People used to ask Jordan, “Why do you play so hard every single night?” He would answer, "Because every night there might be a father and son who got to come to this game and who might never see me again.  I play my best for them."  He was fiercely intentional about playing basketball.  Early in his career they said he was a terrible defender, so he became the best defender.  He was fiercely intentional about proving everyone wrong who said he couldn't do something.

Dr. Morada (Oliver Morada's father) gives a health
nugget each night.  Monday night it was about
hypertension.

Chaplain Rob has been reading a book called Beautiful Outlaw that gives an interesting view about Jesus.  He's playful.  He's very human with his emotions.  "Fierce was intentionality.  Everything that Jesus did was pointedly done for someone specific.  In the temple he doesn't just flip over the tables, he takes time to make a whip.  He had time to think about it when he was twisting those chords.  He stops and releases the doves.  It's not just a fit of rage, he's very purposeful about everything he does

Some of the TAA boys play soccer with the
children each night after their VBS activities are finished.

There’s a story in Matthew 8:1-3 about Jesus and a leper:  “When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy^[a] came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. ³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.”

The leper says to Jesus "if you want, make me clean.”  Jesus says “I am willing.  Be cleansed.”  Jesus put out His hand and touched him and immediately his leprosy was gone.

Dr. Morada consults with a patient in a
half-shelter clinic on Tuesday.

Jesus didn't have to touch him.  He could have just said "Be clean."  But instead, he touched him and made him clean.  That's intentional.  Everything that He did, He was focused.  He's very forceful with some people and how he calls them out.  But then he's very tender with Mary Magdalene...after he had written all the sins in the sand.

Chaplain Rob challenged the group saying, “Here, away from everything that's part of your ordinary life, why not be intentional.  Invest in someone.  That, for me, is out of my comfort zone.  But being intentional with people is actually kind of simple.  Shake people's hand, smile, ask how they are doing.  Then stick around for the answer.

Curious youngsters line up for a picture at the
Linda Township Health Clinic.

“Jesus was intentional about everything that He did.  Try to be intentional about everything you do tomorrow.  Jesus’ ministry was built on intentionality.  He was focused.  He purposefully went to parts of the country where no one else would go and was intentional there.  Reflect Jesus to those you meet tomorrow.

Cool encounters

Johann—I got to share my Bible with a guy at the work site

Daniel—I got mobbed during VBS.

Mrs. Maloon prays with patients who are
waiting to see one of the doctors.

Ms. Aastrup—I got to imagine God creating the zebras with the girl at front desk.  We concluded that He definitely has a great imagination!

Abby—Today at the medical site--I didn't think I could pray with anyone the way Mr. Morada suggested, but then I saw Mrs. Warren praying with someone and then I saw Mrs. Maloon also praying and it inspired me.

Haley—I enjoyed talking with a guy about the different things we say in America.

Mrs. Morada, Arlyn, and Ashley get the lab set up.

Jaden--After playing soccer with a bunch of kids I was showing American handshake and they were showing their handshakes.  Then I heard a snap and I recognized a kid I had taught the snap catch to yesterday, so we played again.

Mr. Maloon--At the work site we've been sharing lunchtime with some of the guys and they are sharing their shaman beans with us.

Mrs. Maloon--Mrs. Muncy has a dentistry 101 tutorial going on, pulling teeth and helping people out of their pain.  Haley was teaching a big bunch of kids how to brush their teeth and then she prayed with them at the end.

These children are not too sure about
the green bus and cameras.

Alex--I got to meet Monga, the sound system guy at church.  He introduced me to his family--five brothers.  It was nice getting to meet them.  He was teaching me various phrases.

Jaden--JT and I started off the work day laying block.  We were on scaffolding.  We were working on one block and had to keep relaying it.  Mr. Bujor came over and had some inspiring words to say to us.

Ralph--Johann had an interesting experience--he had to straighten up a piece of rebar and it blew up three layers of block, but he didn't lose his cool and he relayed it...handled it well.

Chaplain Rob—I had a major answer to prayer.  I went into town to run a few errands, then got back and went to find his room key, and it was missing.  The hotel does not have extra.  I felt in my pocket and found there is a hole in the pocket.  Christopher took us back to the grocery store and we walked all over everywhere I went and couldn't find it.  Then I stopped at this one place and there it was! 

Mrs. Maloon and Mrs. Maloon confer with
the nurse.  Baby Ennis is on her back.
Look for him in another entry with
Eric.

Mrs. Warren--I got to see some jungle medicine today.  A lady had some sutures that had been taken out a little early, so the nurse at the clinic used what she had and sewed them back with no anesthesia.  It was quite incredible to watch.

Flexibility Award

Jaden--Pastor Jay when he was laying bricks.  His bricks kept fallen apart.  But he kept his cool.

Daniel--JT because we were getting mobbed with the stickers and then he came out with glow sticks and took the attention off us.

Pastor Jay--Eric, who was trying to preach when the mob was screaming outside.

Mr. Maloon--Silver Trowel Award to Daniel who is becoming a master at laying brick

This woman and her baby
waited patiently to see a doctor.

Jaden--our drivers are really phenomenal

Nightly reading:  Galatians 5:22-26 (fruits of the spirit)

If you know the root, He grows the fruit.

Zambian Mornings

In the morning

there is the table at the edge

of the Kaazmein Lodge patio.
In the morning

there is my computer, a pen,

my much-traveled journal,

the bottled water with its

hard-to-open caps.

And always there is

the blue African sky.

There are sometimes companions

(Robbie, Jacob, Christi one day;

Ahilyn, Adrian, Narce,

Alejandra on another).

There are brightly colored squares

on the black table cloths.

Workers are sweeping--

calling good morning to me

while tending to business and

listening to canned music.

There are zebras grazing

peacefully,

wildly.

And always there is

the cool-yet-warm African breeze.

My view looks across

the patio to a footbridge,

and an island.

Mornings, there are

African kingfishers,

African mockingbirds,

African herons.  Or bitterns.

Or some other kind of

long-legged African water bird.

My job on this trip is to write--

a thing I’ve often longed to do

in the quiet of the morning

at a table with a view,

a breeze,

and sometimes a companion

or two.

My job on this trip is to share—

to put into words an experience

that defies words.

My roommate asks how

we will be able to share

all we’ve experienced.

We can’t I say.

We can try, but words

—which I love—

cannot

do justice

to

Zambian Mornings.

~ Rondi Aastrup
   Kaazmein Lodge
   Livingstone, Zambia