Conservationists...

The nationals here are kings at using things until they can’t be used anymore.  I guess it comes from knowing the reality of having little.  They say people in the states who lived through the depression have a similar mindset.  But I’ve never known anyone quite like this; especially an entire culture that gets the most out of everything.  Let me give some examples.

What you and I would consider trash in the states often doesn’t count as trash here.  It is never littering to throw an empty plastic bottle or Pringles can out the car window.  It is actually quite fun for us.  The children look as if Christmas has come early when they see one skidding down the road or bouncing across the grass having just come from a moving car.  Bottles are good for multiple things after you and I finish our filtered water.  They are toys for children.  They carry water for laundry, drinking, washing, etc.  They make good storage containers.  One in my own cabinets stores tea or something my house worker uses.  

Speaking of trash and my worker, my trash is never safe from scouting.  It is probably gone through multiple times after leaving my hands to go into the trash.  My house worker goes through it first.  I have found jars, jugs, Ziploc’s (I don’t even bother throwing these away now as I know they will be washed and reused), and Pringles cans to name a few things in the room she works in.  After her my guard checks the trash.  Then he gives it to the collection ladies who surely check it again.  They take it to a collection point where it is surely checked again.  Then it is hauled to a dump where I have often seen scavengers perusing.  

Today as I was driving down the road I saw a young boy playing with a toy.  I was never very good at flying a kite.  I could figure out the hold the string and put the kite in the air thing, but I could never get it to fly unless I was running with it trailing a few feet behind me.  The boy I saw was doing something similar.  He had tied a piece of brown cord to a plastic bag.  He ran down the street with his blue bag floating in the air just behind him.  Plastic grocery sacks have multiple uses here too.  My favorite is to see them used as rain hoods.

This shows a bit of how well they reuse, but let me share with you a couple illustrations of how they use things well the first time.  It is typical in the states to go to a restaurant and find a ketchup bottle on the table.  If it isn’t there originally it at least makes its way out once it is needed.  Here it is rare to see the bottle.  The nationals eat every bit of food on their plate and use every bit of any condiment available.  Ketchup is usually put on the plate with fries.  If you ask for more it is often brought in a dish.  I go once in a while with a friend to have a burger; he loves them.  I watch as he eats every bit of ketchup on his plate.  He even licks up what he doesn’t finish with his fries.  Now my sister is weird about ketchup, but this isn’t a ketchup thing it is a using all that is available thing.  I am told that if the entire bottle were brought out, it would finish the meal empty no matter how much was in it at the beginning.

I could go on and on with stories of how well things are used and reused here.  However my desire isn’t to bore you here, it is just to give you a taste of the culture.  

Catching Up...

I want to share a few things with you to catch you up on what is happening and what will be happening.

• I am recovering from malaria nicely. Saturday I was even able to play some basketball. Still have some issues with some pain in my ears. In the near future, when I get off my butt, I will go see a specialist about them.

• The time down with illness bored me to death. But interestingly, now I am having a tough time jumping back into society. I’m not sure what it is that has me hesitant, but I’m having to force myself to get out in the streets these days. Remember this with me as being with people is the core of my responsibility here.

• The next week and a half or so I am really diving into the discipleship material I have mentioned to you. We would like to have something to test in the next couple of weeks so I will be trying to get that together.

• After wrapping some of the material stuff up I will be getting more involved with my mapping project. I am going to hire a helper and commit several days a week to nothing but mapping.

• The guys that lived with me and have been gone for the last month will return today. They will be here a couple weeks or so. Ask that relationships flourish while they are here with me. Ask for patience and flexibility as we deal with new living situations…again.

• Some of you have asked about pictures. You likely see six to the right of this entry. If you click on any one of them they will take you to one of six slide shows of several pictures. Many are labeled and have descriptions of what is going on or where it was taken. I think you even have the ability to go to a specific picture and print it or download it to your computer. If you have problems let me know.

• I want to write a series of entries for this page. Each entry will describe a generalized characteristic of the people here. My hope is to give you a better glimpse into what the people here look and act like. My hope is to write/post one a day. We’ll see how that goes. Let me give a warning I will give again later. Some of the characteristics will be negatives based on my perception. It might even sound like I am complaining about or slamming the people. Remember I am in love with the people of this culture. I am going to be honest with my feelings and opinions as I analyze and critique. That doesn’t change that I love the people and the culture here and love the chance to live in the midst of it.

Thanks for everything. Thank you for staying faithful in lifting up me, the nationals, and the work here. Know that you are thought of and remembered often.

Getting There...

I’ve been hoping to give you more stories in the last few days. The truth is…I don’t have much to share. I’ve been spending my days working out of home. I’m not fully recovered yet so my return to the world has been slow. They say the malaria hit pretty hard and took several days to be diagnosed so it still may be a bit before I’m back to 100%.

The biggest problems currently have to do with some dizziness and tiredness. I’ve not been able to go a full day yet. I get tired earlier than usual.

I’ve had a good weekend hanging with some friends though. It is so great to have found some people to spend time with.

Thanks for continuing to lift me up as I recover.

Recovering and Newsletter

A new newsletter has been sent out.  So look for it in your inboxes.  When you get it you will see that I am starting to feel better.  We learned Saturday that I had malaria.  I have taken the medicine for it but they say it still may be a few days before I regain my energy.  Somewhere in the process I also acquired a worm.  Isn’t that gross?  

Had some stories planned for here but ended up including most on the newsletter.  So I hope to get some new things up here soon.

Also in the next few days there will be a new category of pictures on the right.  I have taken a storage room outside my house and turned it into a type of prayer room.  I put some cushions and things out there.  On the walls I put pictures of some faces and scenes to encourage me and inspire me as I pray.  I want to make the same pictures available to you.  So in the next few days you’ll find a link to the slideshow.

Thanks for lifting me up while I’ve been sick.  Don’t quit yet as I’m not quite out of the woods.

Sickly...

If you have a chance lift up healing. Been sick since Saturday. Fever climbing over 102. Had one meal since Satuday night...barphed it back up. Sore body. The list goes on. Docs not sure the problem. Pray with me! Thanks