The days crawl as the months fly
There are days I feel like I have nothing to write about--the dullness of life answering e-mail and breaking up fights between over-active children. And then 2 months go by, and I can't wrap my head around how to talk about all that has happened in those 60 days, and I swear to never let so much time go without updating this blog again!
In the past 2 months...
We lost our place of worship on campus due to a foiled attack at University of Nairobi; the terrorists were caught, but all religious meetings were banned from the dorms. We met outside in the center square for 5 or 6 weeks, and people (us included) were discouraged. And then, just when we were losing hope, one of our students found favor in the eyes of the officials and got us granted access again! Last week, we worshiped in our old Hall 3 TV lounge along with 24 others. God is Faithful in providing what we need to glorify His name!
Chad was arrested by a very angry police man for going12 miles/hr over the speed limit. Thankfully the high-school kids he was carrying pulled together the $110 bail, since he didn't have enough, and he was released. Under orders to show up in court the following Monday. Along with every other person pulled over in random stops and for contrived reasons over the weekend. I tried to get him to court on time, but the traffic at 7am was so thick I was couldn't move, so he jumped out of the car in his suit and nice shoes, and ran the 5km. In order to be there by 8. In order to wait for the judge to show up at 9. In order to wait for her to work through old cases first while sitting with hundreds of others squeezed onto a few rough benches, while being worked over by the police offering to make their 'cases' go away in exchange for some 'tea'. In order for her to take a break at 11 and return at 12:20. In order to be called before her, to be given 5 seconds to admit guilt, and be fined $200 for this serious infraction. And warned that next time it will be much more severe. Because, you know, when there are taxi drivers going the wrong way down streets and buses passing on the wrong side by driving up on the side walks, and pure mayhem in the round-abouts, going 43 miles per hour on the main highway is really uncalled for. Forgive us.
The day after his court appearance, we drove the 9 1/2 death-defying hours to the coast. It actually wasn't that bad--we were only run off the road 9 times total, so who can complain? The kids were total champs; 9 1/2 hrs, 2 squatty-potty breaks, no fast food, and no electronics? Amazing! And then--all inclusive resort on the Indian Ocean? Yes, please!!! The only good thing about all the terrorist threats and travel advisories is rocking-low hotel deals! So anyone looking for a good time--I'm telling you, Turtle Bay is where it's at!!!
Of course, all vacations must end, so we packed up and made the 9 1/2 hr death-defying drive back home, and it's always worse heading back to normal life, right? We hit truck traffic on the outskirts of town, and could feel the pressure rising again. You really have to have driven here in Nairobi before you can fully appreciate the horror, or the anger it invokes. The only thing worse was...Chad getting pulled over by another angry police man. Again. No joke. I thought Chad might just turn the car around and head to the airport. Take it as a definite sign we were being called to move back to sanity. There was a delicate dance around the police man's offer of a 3,000/= bribe, and let me tell you--that's where the rubber hits the road. How committed are you to refusing corruption? Committed enough to pass up $30 and your convictions in exchange for a $300 fine, a full day in a stinking court, and intentional humiliation??? We stood firm, though, and groveled low, and this time we were shown mercy. Once the police heard Chad is a pastor and "must have a receipt for all payments" (aka doesn't bribe), he made us grovel just a bit lower and then waved us away in disgust. And I believe God was in that, because I'm not sure we could have survived another day in court again so soon!
So that's what happens in 2 months in the life of a worker overseas. Really high highs, and really low lows, and a lot of every day life in between. So don't pity, and don't praise...just honor our attempts to live faithfully where God has placed us by living faithfully where God has placed you.
In the past 2 months...
Chad was arrested by a very angry police man for going12 miles/hr over the speed limit. Thankfully the high-school kids he was carrying pulled together the $110 bail, since he didn't have enough, and he was released. Under orders to show up in court the following Monday. Along with every other person pulled over in random stops and for contrived reasons over the weekend. I tried to get him to court on time, but the traffic at 7am was so thick I was couldn't move, so he jumped out of the car in his suit and nice shoes, and ran the 5km. In order to be there by 8. In order to wait for the judge to show up at 9. In order to wait for her to work through old cases first while sitting with hundreds of others squeezed onto a few rough benches, while being worked over by the police offering to make their 'cases' go away in exchange for some 'tea'. In order for her to take a break at 11 and return at 12:20. In order to be called before her, to be given 5 seconds to admit guilt, and be fined $200 for this serious infraction. And warned that next time it will be much more severe. Because, you know, when there are taxi drivers going the wrong way down streets and buses passing on the wrong side by driving up on the side walks, and pure mayhem in the round-abouts, going 43 miles per hour on the main highway is really uncalled for. Forgive us.
The day after his court appearance, we drove the 9 1/2 death-defying hours to the coast. It actually wasn't that bad--we were only run off the road 9 times total, so who can complain? The kids were total champs; 9 1/2 hrs, 2 squatty-potty breaks, no fast food, and no electronics? Amazing! And then--all inclusive resort on the Indian Ocean? Yes, please!!! The only good thing about all the terrorist threats and travel advisories is rocking-low hotel deals! So anyone looking for a good time--I'm telling you, Turtle Bay is where it's at!!!Of course, all vacations must end, so we packed up and made the 9 1/2 hr death-defying drive back home, and it's always worse heading back to normal life, right? We hit truck traffic on the outskirts of town, and could feel the pressure rising again. You really have to have driven here in Nairobi before you can fully appreciate the horror, or the anger it invokes. The only thing worse was...Chad getting pulled over by another angry police man. Again. No joke. I thought Chad might just turn the car around and head to the airport. Take it as a definite sign we were being called to move back to sanity. There was a delicate dance around the police man's offer of a 3,000/= bribe, and let me tell you--that's where the rubber hits the road. How committed are you to refusing corruption? Committed enough to pass up $30 and your convictions in exchange for a $300 fine, a full day in a stinking court, and intentional humiliation??? We stood firm, though, and groveled low, and this time we were shown mercy. Once the police heard Chad is a pastor and "must have a receipt for all payments" (aka doesn't bribe), he made us grovel just a bit lower and then waved us away in disgust. And I believe God was in that, because I'm not sure we could have survived another day in court again so soon!
So that's what happens in 2 months in the life of a worker overseas. Really high highs, and really low lows, and a lot of every day life in between. So don't pity, and don't praise...just honor our attempts to live faithfully where God has placed us by living faithfully where God has placed you.
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