Thursday, 07 June 2007

Sand in my shoes

Not one day is the same. Not here nor home. I was told that this country must fit very well to my adventurous nature, and I agree. We left early for the Africa School of Missions, which is located maybe fifteen minutes away from White River. ASM has a bible school located in its premises and it helps people in the near-by village. Four groups were formed: building, gardening, food delivering and home-based-care. I was in the last, mainly for my future profession.
Car was full but fairly empty concerning we are in
Africa, and the road to Jerusalem Health Care Center was short. Yep, the area where I roamed is called Jerusalem. Morning started with Word, prayer and some great African praise songs which are quite motion-oriented, it was so great. After that we separated in smaller teams and went into the community. First of all we went to a house where there was a woman who had just lost her child. African mourning songs are more uplifting than ours, but still it was great to see how the comforters encouraged the mother to mourn but still remember that truly the child had now gone home.
After that we went to some people around the village, talked to them, gave them some medicine, mostly painkillers, and before we left, always prayed for them with them. These people truly care for each other, and are not afraid to show the love of Christ which is in them. Maybe I should finish my studies and come here, my motivation for studying is truly growing.
And for the last, I claimed before that I just don't feel like I'm somewhere else than home, but it occured to me I was lying. Walking with a backpack full of medical supplies on a sandy path headed to one patient's house, while in the distance I see great cliffs and mountains and below me the houses made of sand and stone, made me just realize in one second that I do not have any clue where I am. I have been walking in some haze all the time, not getting a good grasp of anything yet. But now that I know I'm in that haze, I'll try to grasp things harder, making this time really worthwhile and making a difference with my presence here.

“Longing for the ideal while criticizing the real is evidence of immaturity. Settling for the real without striving for the ideal is complacency. Maturity is living with the tension.”
-
Rick Warren


With love, Markus

5 comments:

Veera said...

Hei, hienolta kuulostaa. Nousee aktiokuume myös täällä päässä. Mutta just tällä hetkellä on vähän viikontakaiset fiilikset. Päivi, haluaisikko tulla pakkaamaan :D. Pyykkikone, silitysrauta ja -lauta, tekstien kirjottelua, draamamusiikit, monisteet, ohjelmat, laulunsanat, lentoliput, passi... Tämä kaikki on tätä lähetystyön alkupäätä. Huomisaamuna matkaan.

Olkaahan siunattuja siellä, on ollu hienoa seurata matkaanne! Saakoon Jumala käyttää ja kasvattaa ja johtaa koko tiimiä just oman tahtonsa mukaan!

Olette olleet rukouksissa.

Love, Veera
PS. Suomessa on paistanu tähän asti ihan samati ku vielä teidänki läsnäollessa!

Anonymous said...

Tansania kutsuu!

Hieno kirjoitus. Sounds like you are really fulfilling your purpose there. On se hassua miten Jumalan käden jälki ja johdatus näkyy elämässä, vaikka sitä olisikin kokenut kävelevän "in a haze all your life." Good is good and has good (the best) plans for your life.

Opin yhdeltä vanhalta paikalliselta mieheltä hyvän sanonnan muutama viikko sitten: "...have the vision to see what must be changed, faith to believe in the change and courage to do it."

Terkkuja kaikille,

Danny

Anonymous said...

OLISI MUKAVA LUKEA SUOMENKIELELLÄ KIRJOITETTUA MATKAKERTOMUSTA. ME VANHEMMAT NETINKÄYTTÄJÄT EMME KAIKKI OSAA KIELIÄ, MUTTA TOIVON TEILLE KAIKKEA HYVÄÄ!

brookenicole said...

wow. well written markus. it is a priviledge to see a glimpse of what you do through your words and it is a joy to pray for your team and the people you are encountering each day. wow: ) Iskän Siunausta! Hope you guys have a wonderful saturday filled with the acknowledgement and surprising greatness of God's grace and mercy!

Anonymous said...

Hienoa seurata matkaasi siellä Afrikassa näin internetin välityksellä!
Tulehan ehjänä takaisin, siunausta teille kaikille....

Isoin halauksin Nanna,Pete, Niko, Roope, Santeri ja Konsta