Africa, Day Eight

Roughing It!

Cherry Faile is an R.N. and IMB missionary living in Donchandou. She has served in this location for 6 years and a total of 26 years. She arrived last night and we gathered the game plan for the next few days. We were spending the next three nights in the bush. There would be no electricity. There would be no running water. Out bathes, should we choose to take them, would be from a bucket and bowl.

Roughing it.

We started out on a paved road and we all felt pretty good about it. This paved road turned into not so good paved road and then into a main dirt road. Cherry informed me after our roadside lunch that we would soon leave the main road onto a donkey cart road. This was accurate. In fact, I am not sure how a donkey cart would make it down this path or why even try. I asked Cherry how she found this place since it was so remote. She explained that she began looking for an area of one of the six Fulani kings that needed medical help. She then was able to visit villages in this surrounding region. She found that this particular village is a main village and well-respected. Many people would come to this village and it was large enough to support a clinic. At that time it was a 2-room shack. Now it has several rooms and facilities that she has helped bring. There are two additional nurses on staff now that the country has involved itself and recognized its presence.

We arrived in the village a little after noon and took a rest for about an hour. After which we went to the clinic building and established ourselves. Today was a light day only seeing 7 patients. No one was sure when we would arrive and if we would work today. Pete was getting the shakes to do something so he wanted to work. Before we could we needed to pay our respects to the village chief. He welcomed us into his patio and we make small talk for a few minutes. Pete and Bill worked the clinic while Chuck and I went back into the village to visit with the city elders.

I began our conversation with gratitude and respects. I asked them about their life and traditions and let them. I established our common ground in Abraham and shared our thoughts, too. I was able to share the truth in three different ways during that conversation and pray that God will be able to use it for His glory down the road. They recently had the sacrifice festival and this allowed for some discussion as to whether we practiced anything like that or not. I explained that Jesus weas the one and only sacrifice and that we did not need to have an annual sacrifice. However we also needed to confess our sins and we could do that one a personal level because of Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him. We were asked about prayer. I explained that we have common ground here also. They pray whether at the mosque or not and so can we. We can pray anytime and anywhere. They have a religious teacher and so do we. As pastor I help people understand the Bible and how to live a better life. We had a very good discussion that could be rekindled tomorrow if possible.

Cherry had prepared chili for us back at the guest house and simply brought it with her today. After we ate and bucket bathed, we went to a neighbor village a half mile away and had a Bible lesson and discussion. Cherry had asked if I would lead this discussion and I shared with them from John 15. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. Our relationship with Him is one of dependence and submission. We must actively choose to remain engaged and relational. We are learning the importance of relationships here in Africa. The importance of greeting people is impressive. I find myself having thoughts of “just drive” or “we need to hurry”. These are fleeting thoughts of a life miles away. Herein Africa everything slows down and watches are of no value. The sun is our clock. You rise and sleep with the sun. In between you work, discuss, and live among the people. There is no isolation. There is no boundaries, or doors for that matter. The relational lifestyle in the compounds smacks of a way of life we once knew years ago in America before fences and backyards; A time when we had porches and greetings and life together. We could learn a lot from the bush!

Here is a peek in our day…

Make a Smilebox photobook

Make a Smilebox photobook