Lessons (re)Learned

Christmas Day, Lake Malawi - Mackenzie (11) Clara (9) Bennett (6)
I'm sitting on our back patio looking out on the tropical forest that is our yard - 3 or 4 straight weeks of daily rain can make it seem like you are literally watching things grow before your eyes. The sun just popped out and you can feel the humidity starting to climb. I guess you could say it is opposite of a Minnesota day in December.

We just got back from a wonderful week spent in neighboring Malawi - a country few people had ever heard of prior to Madonna's adoption of an orphan from the country earlier this year. This is a shame. (That no one knows of Malawi, not Madonna's adoption). The people and the actual country of Malawi are a treasure - easily the friendliest people I've met anywhere and the country itself is beautiful, dominated by the presence of tropical Lake Malawi, which runs the whole length of the country. We spent Christmas at a great resort where we played endlessly in crystal clear, crocodile and disease free water that combined the best features of a lake and an ocean. Pics Here. All in all it was a great end to the year.

Speaking of which, we just celebrated a full year of living in Africa. We arrived back here after our unexpected trip home for Bennett last December 26th. As we face the reality that we are leaving this place and heading home this next summer we are beginning to ask the question, "What has this time meant here?"...We don't have the answers, but we know we want to process the question. Here are a few reflections on some things we have learned/been reminded of in 2007.

1) Where ever you are, there you are...

Moving to the other side of the world, and to Africa no less, you'd think you could show up and really be a new, different, improved version of yourself. Interestingly, all of our various "isms" travelled with us and took up residence in pretty much the same place that they lived in Minnesota. There is no doubt that being in a such a radically different place causes you to re-look at yourself and the world as you know it, but at the end of the day, we have found ourselves wrestling with some of same issues. The bad news in this, is that there is no place any of us can go in this world to get away from ourselves. Whatever fantasy we might hold out along the lines of, "If only I lived/had/did/became/ _________, then I would become the person that God really wants me to be" is, just that, fantasy. The good news of this reality is that we are free, and in fact called, to be exactly what God wants us to become where ever we find ourselves. For as long as I live, I will believe that, for some reason, we were supposed to here in this time, but I have a new appreciation for the fact location does not hinder, or enhance, our choice to be "salt and light."

2) Extreme poverty is daunting and really complex...

I wish this wasn't so. Working for one of the world's largest (and I would argue more effective) aid agencies, you'd think there would be a sense of being able to figure this out if we just had enough resource etc. While I am more impressed than ever with our local field staff and the unbelievable work they do and the life changing difference they make, I am more burdened than ever by how hard change is to come by. On a personal level, our family has made some steps toward trying to help some street kids that our paths frequently intersect. I won't go into the details here, but we are 0-3 in bringing about any real change. If this were the record of a sporting team that would be one thing, but we are talking about being 0-3 in the REAL LIVES of REAL KIDS who are suffering immensely every day. I share this not out of despair (although there are days you can feel this...) but mostly out of the conviction we need to keep humbly working to bring holistic solutions to help the poor in ways that can create lasting change. As Americans we love our "silver bullet" approaches. "If we just do X,Y or Z then we will have this thing fixed." We know that the poor will always be among us, which should keep us humble, but we should not stand for the massive numbers of people around the world that are living in extreme, life threatening poverty. (By the way, the BBC, starting on Jan. 9, is doing a radio series on living on a dollar a day which billions around the world are forced to do...If you are interested, I'm sure you could pick this up online at BBC or podcasts. )

3) To balance point 2, all of us (together) can make a difference....

We arrived home from Malawi to a hand-written note from a woman we met once, for less than 20 minutes. She is the widow of Kelvin, our former security guard. After Kelvin died, our family decided to use some of the TFC funds that many of you have generously contributed to try to help her start something that could generate income for her and her children. In all honesty, I'm sad to say, we have not thought of or prayed for her since I gave her the money. Here is an excerpt of her note, which is really to all of you who have supported TFC.

"...The business is going along fine - My main reason for writing this letter is to thank you for your kindness and good gesture which you showed during and after my husband's death. Sir, may the good Lord almighty, through our savior Jesus Christ, bless you deeply.

I really don't have the words to thank you, but let God alone thank you. Without your help I really do not know what I would have done and how I would have supported the three children that Kelvin left with me.

Let God alone pass his favors to you, your family and your friends - I shall never forget what you have done all my life."

Yours Faithfully,

Judith

Once again, I'm reminded that sometimes God does take our efforts, big and small, and multiplies them to accomplish the vision of "His kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven..." I am privileged to work for an organization that is driven by the idea of our hearts being broken by the things that break the heart of God and thankful for the millions of lives that are being improved every day around the world as a result.

4) Africa makes sense to an outsider if you are here less than 2 weeks or for more than 10 years....

Someone shared this with us recently and I think it is true. Less than two weeks and you can come up with your own "silver bullet" theory (see point 2) - more than 10 years and you finally begin to come to terms with the beauty, tension, poverty, disappointments, hopes, dreams that are Africa. (So I'm told.) Anything in between this produces blog entries like the one you are reading - discombobulated at worst, hopeful, despairing, confused at best.

5) There is no place like home...

We are all meant and built for community. As powerful as the experience of living here is, it does not compete with the power of relationship and knowing and being known. We will not be fully home this side of heaven (see point number 1) but we are thankful for the approximation that comes from being rooted in a place and pursuing our ultimate home with others we know and love and who know and love us.

Thanks,

Jeff, Molly, Mackenzie, Clara & Bennett