In Need of Eye Surgery

I've been thinking a lot lately about how, when we encounter or meet someone, we size them up based on how they're different from us rather than on how they're alike (or even better). We mentally point out what's weird, what we disapprove of and even what's "wrong." If we don't find too many negative things about them, we might consider befriending them. If they really pass our critical eye, they might become lifelong friends.

In my thought processes I remembered a quote I heard many years ago - "Every man is in some way my superior. In that, I can learn from him." When I remembered this I wept. How cruel we humans can be to one another, especially (and I'm sorry to say it) we Christians. Too often we expect everyone to become exactly like we are before we're willing to dole out some love and respect (as though God's love is in short supply??) Or even worse, we demand that they agree with us on all fronts - political, social, economic and religious.

I have asked God to help me see with His eyes. When I encounter someone - whether it be an acquaintance, the woman behind the till or the beggar on the street - I would like to think, "This person is made in the image of a Holy God and therefore worthy of my respect. This person has a unique set of gifts and skills. This person is my superior in some area of expertise. What can I learn from this person? How can I value them? Even if my encounter is limited to a minute or two, how can I connect with this person in a meaningful way - touch them with the fingerprint of God - remind them of their inherent worth and value?"

And so, to the old way of thinking I say, "STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!" To the new way I say, "Lord, help me. I want your eyes."

Happy Birthday to the Coolest Woman I Know

This is a photo of my mom, myself and my grandma. Today is my Grandma's 90th birthday. My grandma is one of the coolest ladies I know. For as long as I can remember, she's had a sense of adventure and a twinkle in her eyes.

Grandma learned to swim when she was 79 years old so that she could go snorkeling, something she had always wanted to do. In her 80's she went parasailing. Now, she's threatening to go sky-diving. I wouldn't be surprised if she did.

I suppose Grandma has her faults, just like anyone else, but still... if I can be anything like her when I'm her age, I'll consider myself truly blessed.

Happy Birthday, Grandma! I love you!

The Postive Side of a Broken Down Car

Since last Easter - nearly one year ago - our car has been in the garage (at the mechanic's) at least 20 times. We have actually stopped counting. And we would sell it, but... for complicated reasons (and a long story) we can't. So we grit our teeth, and about every two weeks the van goes back to Sergei, who knows us by face, name, and nearly everything else at this point!

This time, however, while our van was with Sergei, we got to borrow a Land Rover. I love Land Rovers. There's something about driving a Land Rover in Africa that is just... it leaves me speechless, actually. But it awakens this sense of adventure in me that I can hardly stifle.

I decided to have a little fun and dress up in the style of a 1930's Hollywood movie star and take some photos. I don't think I've ever been so happy that my car broke down, which means I should probably focus on the positive side of things more often, eh? "When life gives you lemons, dress up and pose in a Land Rover!"

What is Ministry?

"If you know you are living in communion with God, if you know you are the beloved, and if you make yourself available for service, you cannot do other than minister. Ministry is the overflow of your love for God and others. Ministry is when two people toast their glasses of wine and something splashes over. Ministry is the extra.

But what if we cannot solve the problems or change the circumstances of those we seek to help? Alleviating pain and suffering may sometimes be the fruit of our being with those who suffer, but that is not primarily why we are there. Ministry takes courage to be with the sick, the dying, and the poor in their weakness and in our powerlessness. We can't fix their problems or even answer their questions. We dare to be with others in mutual vulnerability and ministry precisely because God is a God who suffers with us and calls us to gratitude and compassion in the midst of pain. You cannot solve all of the world's problems, but you can be with people in their problems and questions with your simple presence, trusting that joy also will be found there." - Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Discipline

What Country Am I In Again?

We went to Swaziland over the weekend to visit some friends. The second night we were there we heard the neighbours singing along to the Gypsy Kings in Spanish. It was really strange because no one in southern Africa speaks Spanish. Portuguese, yes, but not Spanish. And yet they were doing a rousing rendition of the Gypsy Kings.

A few minutes later (and probably a few beers), they sang La Bamba. Ahh.... a karaoke machine. Now it makes sense. But even so, hearing La Bamba in Swaziland is just... unexpected. Dan and I got the giggles and couldn't stop laughing. When we finally did stop laughing we sang along.

Late that night, tucked away in our cosy rondavel being eaten alive by mosquitos, just as we were falling asleep, they started in on the Scooby Doo Theme Song. Talk about feeling culturally nonplussed! It was truly a bizarre feeling, listening to songs from your childhood being sung by a drunk Swazi!

But it makes a great memory, eh?

Swaziland Is...

1. geckos, lizards, frogs, stick bugs, mozzies, brightly-coloured birds and large beautiful scary insects
2. cows on the highway blocking traffic, potholes in every direction, mud, giant morning glories along the roadside fences, and people walking everywhere at that leisurely, African pace
   
3. misty sub-tropical forests, pineapple fields, rolling green mountains, sugar cane fields, green mountains topped with smoke and the smell of roasted mealies
4. like being in the Sound of Music only with loin cloths and spears instead of nuns and habits
5. just under one million people, 40% AIDS rate, life expectancy of 33, entire country in one phonebook, and a king who throws lavish birthday parties and has 16 wives.
6. sleepy, forgotten by time, lacking movie theatres or many amenities but content, peaceful.

I love Swaziland. Time stands still in Swaziland, and that speaks to my soul.

More Than Just Coffee

I found a place in Muldersdrift (west of Johannesburg) that sells green coffee beans (if you're interested, check them out - www.greenbeancoffee.co.za). Dan and I love to roast coffee - it's much cheaper than buying pre-roasted beans and in a way, it's an art form. It's taken us two and a half years to find a place that sells green beans here in South Africa, so I am pretty excited.

I made a trip there today to select my coffee. The woman who roasts, Iris, is truly an Out Of Africa lady. Her grandparents owned the first coffee plantation in Tanzania. She has been a pilot for over 30 years. She flew the first Red Cross plane into Rwanda after the massacres. She was attacked by Somalian bandits in the 1990's. She has flown former President Jimmy Carter, Audrey Hepburn, former UN Secretary Koffi Annan, and has received numerous civilian awards for her humanitarian work. And now she is in Muldersdrift, of all places, roasting coffee. Spending a few hours with her is like listening to a movie script. And she keeps you supplied with fresh, wonderfully roasted coffee while you're sitting in a garden overlooking a beautiful estate in rural South Africa.

Today I bought some coffee beans grown in Zimbabwe. Iris told me to enjoy them because the coffee plantations won't be there much longer. With farm seizures still being authorised by President Robert Mugabe, and the farms going to "war vets" who aren't really war vets and who don't farm, there won't be coffee coming from Zimbabwe much longer. This makes me sad. But it's not about the coffee beans, it's about the loss of everything in Zimbabwe - so much agriculture, so much beauty, so much culture, so much talent. These days, they say there are more Zimbabweans living outside of Zimbabwe than in it. And all because of politics.

I cry every time I drink this coffee. I feel like with every sip, a little more of Zimbabwe is gone forever.