Reality Check!
Well sometimes I wonder if all of this is real. Let me explain.
About 2 weeks ago I went to the "field", which is what we call leaving the city and going to the bush. I was going with 2 people from our HIV/AIDS program and Tinashe who I work with in agriculture and trade. We were going to see if we could assist two different communities with an agriculture/trade initiative to help stimulate financial opportunities for our HIV/AIDS volunteers. The first stop was in a community called Maracuene, which actually is rather developed and has a ferry that takes cars and people across the Limpopo river to the beach community of Maccaneta. I have been there before but today we went farther in to the actual community. When you pass the school, the lighted streets and you veer off onto a dirt path the essence of Africa begins to takes shape. You see the small man made shops and stick buildings. Kids everywhere and yelling ta your truck. We drove about 3 kilometers and then had to stop the truck and then walk another 2 kilometers to get to the area that the volunteers are preparing for a project.
I am asking you not to picture rural Iowa and the clearly laid out farms.
We had to cross a small creek by walking over a fallen tree that served as our bridge then once across to the proposed plot, you could only see about 10 feet due to the heavy concentration of dead banana trees. I hope that you can picture this. So we discussed a bit about what could be done and what some potential next steps were and then made the walk back to the truck to head to another community.
As we were driving to the next community my coworker said, "now the next community is much more rural." I wondered how that was possible.
So 45 minutes later we turned off of the blacktop road and drove 20 kilometers into the bush. No electricty, no signs, nothing. Then like a mirage you begin to see kids running along the path, you see buildings popping up and then you see the most famous image in the world. The name Coca Cola on a small shop the size of a backyard shed. This small building was vital to the community it served as the town-hall/market/and a pastors home. So we stopped and had a coke and a candy then drove another 4 kilometers to pick up another pastor who was going to show us the proposed plot of land that these group of pastors was preparing.
KEEP ADDING UP THE KILOMETERS!
We drove then about 6 more kilometers to a VERY rural area. There were abondoned buildings from the Portuguese days, all missing roofs, doors and windows. Then after a bit more driving we had to stop where the path ended and walk the 3 kilometers or so to the field. Again I say field but it is like a jungle, literally. So the same process took place the pastor talked about their plans, we listened and made a few observations then made the trek back to the truck.
Ok so why do I write to tell you all of this. My friend Tinashe, who is from Zimbabwe asked, "Well what do you think?" I knew that he was referring to the plots and opportunities but I had to answer what was running through my head. I said, "Can you really even picture my life in America before I came here?" He was puzzled. I continued on describing our past life a bit and reflecting on the fact that the day we moved and got on the plane, I had a house closing and now I am in the middle of Africa trying to help a group of pastors plant a small agriculture plot to just survive. I have never been this far off of any beaten path and certainly have never been this hot. It just all dawned on me what God has actually asked us to do. We are quite literally going to the poorest people in the world and trying to assist them in simply providing basic things. No frils. No extra. Not acheiving something great, just provision. It all seems a bit strange to be honest. I am not some business genius or an agriculture expert. But I know that God is going to use us here.
Sorry for the long delay since our last post. We will try to improve. We appreciate all the support that we are receiving from you all and the prayers for our safety. We are so blessed to have this opportunity.
If we do not post again before please Easter take some time to reflect on the reality of Jesus dying on a cross for you and then gaining victory over death and being raised from the dead. The birth of Christ and the Virin birth are very important to the story of Jesus. But if the tomb were still occupied, then Christianity would be like the other religions of the world.
BUT THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY AND THE TOMB IS EMPTY!
Take care and be blessed. We will post again soon.
About 2 weeks ago I went to the "field", which is what we call leaving the city and going to the bush. I was going with 2 people from our HIV/AIDS program and Tinashe who I work with in agriculture and trade. We were going to see if we could assist two different communities with an agriculture/trade initiative to help stimulate financial opportunities for our HIV/AIDS volunteers. The first stop was in a community called Maracuene, which actually is rather developed and has a ferry that takes cars and people across the Limpopo river to the beach community of Maccaneta. I have been there before but today we went farther in to the actual community. When you pass the school, the lighted streets and you veer off onto a dirt path the essence of Africa begins to takes shape. You see the small man made shops and stick buildings. Kids everywhere and yelling ta your truck. We drove about 3 kilometers and then had to stop the truck and then walk another 2 kilometers to get to the area that the volunteers are preparing for a project.
I am asking you not to picture rural Iowa and the clearly laid out farms.
We had to cross a small creek by walking over a fallen tree that served as our bridge then once across to the proposed plot, you could only see about 10 feet due to the heavy concentration of dead banana trees. I hope that you can picture this. So we discussed a bit about what could be done and what some potential next steps were and then made the walk back to the truck to head to another community.
As we were driving to the next community my coworker said, "now the next community is much more rural." I wondered how that was possible.
So 45 minutes later we turned off of the blacktop road and drove 20 kilometers into the bush. No electricty, no signs, nothing. Then like a mirage you begin to see kids running along the path, you see buildings popping up and then you see the most famous image in the world. The name Coca Cola on a small shop the size of a backyard shed. This small building was vital to the community it served as the town-hall/market/and a pastors home. So we stopped and had a coke and a candy then drove another 4 kilometers to pick up another pastor who was going to show us the proposed plot of land that these group of pastors was preparing.
KEEP ADDING UP THE KILOMETERS!
We drove then about 6 more kilometers to a VERY rural area. There were abondoned buildings from the Portuguese days, all missing roofs, doors and windows. Then after a bit more driving we had to stop where the path ended and walk the 3 kilometers or so to the field. Again I say field but it is like a jungle, literally. So the same process took place the pastor talked about their plans, we listened and made a few observations then made the trek back to the truck.
Ok so why do I write to tell you all of this. My friend Tinashe, who is from Zimbabwe asked, "Well what do you think?" I knew that he was referring to the plots and opportunities but I had to answer what was running through my head. I said, "Can you really even picture my life in America before I came here?" He was puzzled. I continued on describing our past life a bit and reflecting on the fact that the day we moved and got on the plane, I had a house closing and now I am in the middle of Africa trying to help a group of pastors plant a small agriculture plot to just survive. I have never been this far off of any beaten path and certainly have never been this hot. It just all dawned on me what God has actually asked us to do. We are quite literally going to the poorest people in the world and trying to assist them in simply providing basic things. No frils. No extra. Not acheiving something great, just provision. It all seems a bit strange to be honest. I am not some business genius or an agriculture expert. But I know that God is going to use us here.
Sorry for the long delay since our last post. We will try to improve. We appreciate all the support that we are receiving from you all and the prayers for our safety. We are so blessed to have this opportunity.
If we do not post again before please Easter take some time to reflect on the reality of Jesus dying on a cross for you and then gaining victory over death and being raised from the dead. The birth of Christ and the Virin birth are very important to the story of Jesus. But if the tomb were still occupied, then Christianity would be like the other religions of the world.
BUT THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY AND THE TOMB IS EMPTY!
Take care and be blessed. We will post again soon.
posted by Sniders in Africa at 4/08/2006 07:37:00 AM
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