If you're going to the bank, take a trunk full of patience. . . .

Our team does not have a business manager, so each of us take turns going to CKY to accomplish the business that needs to be done. One of our tasks this time in CKY as to sign up to be signatories at the bank. We need a bank account to make wire transfers from the US so we can have money here in country. We recently decided to open an account at a new bank, as we were fairly unimpressed by the service at the other one. The whole process was started in October by our teammate, Jeremy, who made 8 trips to the bank to set up the account, and then one more to pick up money (where he waited for 5 hours). Keep in mind that each of the first 8 trips had to be made to the downtown bank, which takes an hour to get to – so each trip takes up 2 hours of time, without counting time even entering the bank for any business to be accomplished. When you enter the downtown bank, there are literally hundreds of people waiting in many lines. It is a sight to behold.

So, off we went. The first trip went fairly smoothly. We were asked to wait in the wrong line at first, but quickly discovered the mistake. Then we finally found the woman we were looking for – a Guinean woman who had spent 11 years in Houston studying and working. She was awesome (truthfully, we began losing sympathy for Jeremy since we knew he had been able to work through her – though the sympathy quickly returned on subsequent trips.) So, on the first trip, we were able to officially turn in our signatures so that we could have access to the money and business at the bank. Unfortunately, it takes 24 hours for us to become official, so we needed to return the next day to request that our money be transferred from US dollars to Guinean Francs. They said that the cash would be available that afternoon for us after making the request. We also needed to pick up checks for the account.

No problem, we said, we will be back tomorrow. So, the next morning, off we went for the second trip to the bank. As we got downtown, we called our contact to let her know we were almost there. She was not at the bank yet, but said she would arrive within an hour and would call us. After about 1 ½ hours, we called her. No, she said, don’t come yet because the man who has our checks was alone at his post and could not leave to get them – wait a little while. No problem, we said, and finished up some shopping. An hour later, we called again – no, still not ready – call soon. So we grabbed some lunch on the street and called again to say we were coming. No problem, she said. We arrived to find that she had left for lunch but had left our stuff with another woman. So, we signed a paper requesting that we be able to make transfer requests by email, and then picked up the checks and then officially requested that the money be transferred to our franc account.

No problem, they said. But, unfortunately, the system is down so the money request will not go through today. Come back tomorrow.

Well, we needed to take Brad down to do an early check in at the airline, so we said, sure, we will come tomorrow. What do we need to bring? Just your ID and that transfer slip you just filled out – and go to register #6. No problem, I said.

So, for the third day in a row, I headed back downtown – this time taking Brad and the boys as bodyguards. :^) (Jim needed to do some work at the house). We arrived at the bank, waited in line at register #6 for while and finally it was our turn. Communicating in French through bullet proof glass in a lobby filled with hundreds of people is a bit of a challenge – I must warn you if you are ever forced into that situation. Here is what our conversation went like:

So, can I have my money????

Well, no, but thank you for asking. It would seem that the money IS here but not officially authorized, so go and see a man on the second floor. And, by the way, why did you come to register #6, this is the wrong place….

So, off we went to the second floor, but alas, the person we were to ask for was not in. So, I called my contact upstairs for help. Finally we got to the right place and was told that I could withdraw the money – but I needed my checkbook – which I did not bring with me because I was told I did not need it. Sorry – no money for you today!! However, if we wanted to go to the branch closer to our house, we could get the checks from home and go and try there.

Okay, so off we went. Honestly, we were little nervous about withdrawing large sums of money at the branch close to our house because many people know where we live and it seems fairly obvious when you stagger out of the bank with backpacks full of money what you are doing and it seems like it makes you a little bit of a target for robbery. But, we were left with no choice. So, we returned home and picked up the checks and Brad, Kaleb and I took off for the bank. We arrived to find a lobby full of people – most looked comatose, like they had been there for a while. We finally got help to fill out the check and then took a number. We were number 820. The were serving number 706 – and in the 25 minutes that we took to figure out how to write a check, they had served 2 people. Not a good sign!!!

So, we settle in to make ourselves comfortable. Brad even had a quick snooze. One hour passed, and we were approaching two hours. I think we were around customer number 711 by this point. I called my contact downtown and said, Listen, I am happy to wait my turn (actually that was kind of a lie, but I was trying…) but I don’t want to wait for 3, 4,or 5 hours to get to the counter and be told that there was no more money (it has happened to a fellow missionary) so is there someone you can check with to make sure that the money is here? So she asked to talk with a bank employee, who then passed the phone off to another bank employee. I was assured that the money would be there. And then the woman disappeared with my phone. Finally, they closed the big metal doors –locking in those who had already arrived and barring more customers from coming in as the bank was closing (no doubt a fire hazard, but no one seemed concerned.)

Unbeknownst to me, Jim started calling my cell phone and it was being answered by the bank employee, who denied knowing me (since she did not receive the phone from me, she thought it was a bank phone.) He began to panic, thinking that I had lost my phone or had been robbed, so he dropped everything he was doing and rushed to the bank, only to find it locked down. Eventually, he was directed to the back entrance, where he found Brad, Kaleb, and I half comatose from waiting………. I am pretty sure that shaved about 5 years off his life. :^( So we sent Brad and Kaleb home and Jim settled in to wait with me. I was getting a little nervous as we needed to get Brad to the airport, but I was working on NOT getting worked up. After about 2 ½ hours, our downtown contact called to see if we had gotten the money. No, I reported, there were still around 30 people ahead of us (we were only on number 718 but a lot of people had given up and left (or perhaps they were dead of boredom and not answering when their number was called!) They were serving approximately 5 people an hour, so it was going to be a while. She must have made a phone call, because we suddenly got service and loaded up our backpacks and were out the door in 10 minutes – with all of the money and the exact denominations we had asked for. Amazing!!!

I spent most of those 3 days muttering 2 things under my breath

1. How do missionaries survive here in CKY???

2. We need a business manager (which, by the way, we have a family approved and raising support!!!!).

Oh, Africa!

School Canceled for a Python Hunt?

You know, homeschooling in West Africa, we just don’t get snow days or fog delays. School rarely gets cancelled. But last Wednesday, we had a exception. Our friend, Mordica, came to tell us that there was a python caught in a fish trap at a farm. His question was two-fold: Did the boys want the skull (they had asked about one before) and could they come and kill it with their gun? Apparently, people had tried to kill it but every time they got near it, the python would raise its head and hiss loudly, so no one was willing to get close to it with a cutlass. The kids looked at me with those big eyes, filled with longing for an adventure (and any excuse to get out of school.) I was poised to say “no”, and then I thought, “Really, what is the fun of living in West Africa if you can’t enjoy the exotic moments sometimes?” So, off Jim and Brad went, with the boys and Hannah in tow – Kaleb with his .22 slung over his shoulder.

Apparently, they drove a rather long way on a path (the farther from my house the better, I say) and then walked to a river where there was a wooden fence down in the water and a net to trap fish. As they waded across the top of the fence and approached, the python raise up out of the water at them. Kaleb shot it in the head and then they freed it from the net and returned home. The whole event took several hours. As I waited at home, I was trying to figure out when to start worrying about them and wondered how my grandmother must have felt as she watched my grandpa go off to hunt elephants and lions and probably didn’t hear from him for days. I decided I had nothing to compare it too.

Finally, the triumphant hunters returned, with an 8 foot 2 inch python in tow. According to Mordica, that is just a baby and the mom is out there somewhere. A friend from the village came and helped skin it and they nailed the skin to dry on a board.

In the end, after hearing the story, I was more worried about the water they were wading in and what parasites might be in there than I was about the snake.

So, I thought, that would make an interesting blog posting. Then, last night, Kaleb and Jim went off on a mini-hunt behind our house. Not too long after they left, we heard 2 shots with the .22. I thought perhaps they had killed a pigeon or a bush fowl to share with an old lady in the village. They returned and Jim called me out on the porch. Kaleb, with a big smile, tossed the carcass of a 6 foot python in front of me. It had gotten itself trapped in a fish net in the river behind our house. In chatting with our friends today, they gave me some good news and some bad news. The good news was that people had seen a big snake out in the river and were afraid to go and wash their clothes there. So, Kaleb assisted in removing that fear (if that was the snake they had seen.) The bad news was that there are apparently a LOT of pythons in the area. NICE……….. I am a little worried about our cats. Perhaps to trap them, I should hang fish nets around our house. . . as opposed to wearing fish net stockings, which would be most uncomfortable in the African heat. :^) Never a dull moment………..

Thankful

The other evening, I was contemplating the things I was MOST thankful for at that moment. There are many things, obviously, but here are the things that came to mind yesterday:

1. I am thankful for indoor plumbing. We now have a toilet in the house – it has to be flushed with a bucket, but it works SO much better than the hole in the back yard surrounded by VERY tall grass and insects and ??????

2. A shower in the house – before we started using the shower, we were bathing in the back yard – either at dusk, with a big chance of being seen – with those very WHITE bodies, or after dark, when you were possibly washing beside snaky kinds of creatures.

3. I am thankful for a lady in town who is willing to wash our clothes by hand. I had to do a few things the other day and about died, I was so tired (shows how wimpy I am.) I am hanging some things on a clothes line, but most are hung of the stick fence on our backyard. We do have to be careful when putting on the clothes and watch for splinters (we are vigilant with those underwear!)

4. I am thankful for Brad, who seems to be able to tackle just about any job we give him – and does it well and without complaining. He has been a great addition to our family and we are thinking about keeping him forever. It has been fun to see his personality emerge the more he gets used to us (I hope he can say the same thing about us???)

5. I am thankful for my husband – who works tirelessly every day. The man just won’t stop. He is so great about thanking me for the work and so thankful to have us all together up there. He goes the extra mile and I am so proud of him.

6. I am thankful for my kids, who are doing a great job of adapting to a less than ideal school and living situation. They are troopers who are working hard to go with the flow in the midst of political unrest and the uncertainty that it brings.

7. Lastly, that day, I was thankful for peanuts. Peanuts, you ask? Yes, I have been receiving pans of peanuts as a “welcome to the community” gift. It is so fun to get to know people and I am touched by the gifts (even though occasionally I feel less thankful than I should since they keep coming and coming an coming.

The Blessing of Uncertainty

I must start by saying that I am generally a very organized person who likes to have things in a semblance of control in my life. For the most part, I confess, that I operate under the false sense that I have some control over things and I kind of like it that way, if we are being honest. I enjoy it when my life, my house, and my ministry are moving along at a smooth, even pace.

But, there have been significant times in my life, like when we were waiting on visas, or when there is unrest in the country or numerous other times, when I am hit squarely in the face, AGAIN, and reminded that I truly do NOT have control over life and that my only option is to rest in the hands of the One who does have control. I know this happens in many situations, not just mine. A dear friend of mine was just diagnosed with breast cancer. I know other people who have unexpectedly lost loved ones or get a bad diagnosis, and all of those things can make us feel like life is crashing down around me.

Over the last few weeks, as we have watched the situation here with some unease and a small, sick feeling in the pit of our stomachs, I have been reminded over and over again by the Lord that there are blessings to be gained in the midst of uncertain times. I wanted to share a few of them.

First, I think it does me good to remember that, indeed, I am NOT in control. Of course, I say with my mouth that I know that, but sometimes I act like I am the one in control. It is always good when the Lord humbles me and reminds me that He alone holds our future and our family in the palm of His hand.

The second benefit is that it tends to drive me to my knees in prayer. Daily, sometimes hourly – I am driven before God to beg for His intervention in the situation and for His protection and for an overwhelming sense of His peace! Interestingly, our lesson yesterday, in our missionary ladies Bible study, was about the time when Daniel faced the lion’s den. We are studying with Beth Moore and it could not have been better timed. She shared how in times of crisis, we can react in one of 3 ways – we can panic, we can be paralyzed, or we can pray. It was a good reminder that I need to choose praying always, because that is the only choice with a good outcome.

Another reminder she gave us was to pray with thanksgiving. And so that is what we have been trying to do. And it was great, because I had already come to the point where I could say, “Thank you God, even for uncertain times, because it moves me closer to you!” So, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt, that though I do NOT like those times of unease and stress, God is using them to make me into the person He wants me to be.

Mami Beri

I have a new friend – her name is Mami Beri. She is probably around 70 years old, though I am not sure she knows for sure. She is a cross between my Grandma Leinbach and Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies. She stands under 5 feet tall, but packs a whole lot into that body. She has just a few teeth, but a LOT of gumption. The first time I met her was when we visited the village here. When we were walking around, they told her that my name was Gulun-nga, which means twin mom. She was thrilled and began to dance around and hug me. We have been fast friends ever since. When I was still in Niaya and Jim was working up here, every day she would ask "Where is your wife? Where is my friend?" One time Mami Beri walked by when Jim had called us on the radio (which she calls a telephone) and so she heard us talking from Niaya. She loves to retell that story:“I walked by and Gulunibaba (Jim) was calling you on the telephone and I stood there, right there, and heard you talking on the telephone.”

She was very pleased last year to be able to meet my parents and still talks about them. She loves the kids. In fact she loves the whole family and was very excited the other night when we went to her house for the first time to visit.

You do NOT, however, want to get on her bad side. Often, we can hear her yelling or grumbling or cursing at her cows or goats as she tries to move them from place to place. And recently she laid a plaint on a man (took him to court, basically) who would not tie his cows up like he was supposed to.

She says she is too old to work anymore – but she spends her days caring for her cows out in the field. Sunday, she was carrying a big bucket of water out to one of her cows with a hurt leg.

Last night, I went to visit her and she walked me home. We arrived home to find Brad and the boys kicking the soccer ball around. They kicked it in our direction and she took off running. She kicked the ball back to the boys. It was great. She dropped me off and got ready to walk home and went back after the soccer ball. I was able to catch it on video.

I am hoping and praying that, because we are here, Mami Beri will have the chance to know Jesus and then you will be able to meet her some day in heaven.

Just look for the little fireball ordering people around or kicking a soccer ball and you will have the right one.

Laundry Secrets

I THINK I have figured it out – the whole laundry guessing game. Since I know this will be very useful information in the US, thought I would pass it on.

Here is the secret. To hang the laundry on the line, the kind of day you are looking for starts out overcast and even with sprinkles. If you see big thunder clouds, don’t panic. Go ahead and hang the clothes, even if it is sprinkling. Be strong. Resist the urge to pull the clothes off even if the rain picks up a little. So far, I am about 6 for 6 on getting dry clothes at the end of those days.

If, however, you look outside and see sunshine, do not, I repeat, do not do laundry. You are nearly guaranteed a free second and third rinse cycle.

Just wanted to let you know – no use keeping all that great information to myself!

To help or not to help. . . that is the question

Subtitle: Confessions of a Confused Missionary

Disclaimer: For those of you who don’t know us well and harbor the idea that missionaries are saints who have all the answers and would like to preserve those beliefs, you may need to stop reading because this may destroy that belief. For those of you who know us well, you already know that we are not saints who have it all together so you may continue.

There are MANY great things about ministering in Africa - too numerous to count actually. One of those great things is that it is easy to see and help meet people’s felt needs. This is obviously different than parts of Europe or the US, where most people are fairly self-sufficient, and it can be harder to find an inroad. Almost daily, we are confronted with the opportunity to help people with physical and medical needs. That usually opens up an opportunity to share Jesus’ love and compassion. Sounds too good to be true – and it can be.

I know it sounds confusing – but actually, help of this nature CAN be detrimental sometimes. Let me explain.

Last week, a young mom came to me with a set of 1 month old twin boys. They are beautiful and pretty healthy. Here is her need: she delivered the babies at her house, not at the “hospital” in town or with the midwife. For years, we nurses and the health care people in town have been strongly encouraging women to NOT give birth at home due to the very increased risk of neonatal tetanus from dirty knives and cow dung/mud floors. There are numerous reasons a woman would prefer to deliver at home or maybe she can’t walk to the hospital while in labor (as claimed by this woman who says she didn’t know she was in labor until the babies popped out).

Due to 2 recent cases of infant death from tetanus, the head medical person in the area has imposed a tax of 3 times the amount of money if you deliver at home instead of with the midwife or doctor. You have to pay this money in order to receive a carnet (medical form) that allows your kids to get vaccines. (Incidentally, for no reason that anyone can explain to me, it costs more to deliver a boy than a girl. And no, there is no circumcision at birth that would explain it. But that is another story altogether.)

She came asking for me to pay the fees so her babies can get vaccinated. Well, on the surface, that seems simple. I should help her. But, what does that say to the other women in the village – just have your babies at home, tell Madame that you didn’t know you were in labor, and she will help you? How do I say yes to one person and not the next? If it doesn’t cost her anything, what will stop her from delivering her next baby at home, thus putting her baby at risk? What would the head medical guy have to say if it looks like his solution was being by-passed? Also, where is the father of the twins? Why is he not helping? According to mom, the dad left a few months back and left no money for her to help with the birth or her other child. If I step in, how will that help him learn responsibility the next time? I could go on and on.

What about a sick person? When do we step in with money to help and when do we make the family take responsibility? If the money is provided and costs them nothing, many times they are not careful how it is spent. Or they take the money to buy food or new clothes and let the sick person suffer or die. That makes it difficult to know how best to proceed.

Another factor is that is it often difficult to know what the actual need is. In Western society, we tend to hide our needs, proud that we are self-sufficient. In a third world culture, people tend to hide their strengths and show you their weaknesses. They don’t expect you to meet all that they demand, just a part. In a sense, without asking, they already have a “no” so it doesn’t hurt to try for a “yes”. Often, we have seen or heard of people who will not sell livestock or possessions to gain money to help a sick person get well, but once that person dies, they sell off a cow or something to pay for sacrifices and funeral expenses.

There have been many times we have been “burned” – giving money to help medically and having the person show up with a new outfit, but still sick. Or being told that there is NO money in the house for food, but seeing that same person wearing a new pair of shoes purchased in the market the next day.

Several times we have refused to help someone and later the person figured out a way to get what they needed without our help, increasing their self-esteem. There have also been MANY times that we know if we had not stepped in, the person would have died.

All of that leaves us daily asking God for wisdom to know when we should help and when we should step back. We know we will make mistakes, but we try to rest in knowing that we need to ask for wisdom, and then follow what He tells us to do. Come to think of it – that is probably exactly where He wants us!