I'm sure I'll have more to say about this topic as time goes on, but here's so far. You already know there are occasional blackouts. There are what I call 'slums' all around the seminary campus. The campus is walled and the grounds are clean and beautiful. So, that's a comfort. A&M (Andrew and Morgan) will only be living here during their cultural adjustment and language learning phase. Then it is out to a place where only God knows right now where it is.
I sat in this lovely place this morning around 5am reading in Ezekiel and praying. The scripture was about God giving new hearts of flesh for hearts of stone and Him restoring ruins and abandoned cities. It was only natural that my mind went to the destitute areas right outside the campus walls. When reaching out to a culture so different than ours...we need a God like that. If we think we are going to make much of a difference with our own two hands, we are highly mistaken. Morgan has shared with me what she has already picked up about differences in mindsets and it isn't a work that is within the realm of human strength. That leads to dependency upon God in a new way.
As I prayed, the Muslim calls and wails began and filled the room where I was at. I thought about what I was doing...connecting with God's mind and Spirit....and what was coming through the air and soundwaves....another spirit of the world and of false religion. How are they dealing with each other? Two of my grandsons lay sleeping in the same room. How is it affecting them? I home school. I keep worldly influences out of my home. But this is coming through the open window and entering uninvited. I turned to the New Testament and read in James and was comforted by the practical advice I heard there. It reminded me to ground myself in God in day to day things. Let my light shine. Live the Word. He will fight the batlle. I know A&M know this secret, too, and that brings me comfort. Our God is not intimidated. We lose ourselves in Him and He shakes the world.
Practically speaking, I swept a mess off the floor yesterday with a broom that was so short! The handle didn't even reach my waist. Andrew said it was the longest he could find!
I learned how to operate the shower this morning. I was intimidated when he gave me the scoop on it. Before starting, push a button, then turn a screw with a screwdriver then wait 15-20 minutes before you will get 1-3 minutes of hot water!! There are buckets under the shower in case you want to fill those and do the dip and pour method instead. Okay....you men may think "No big deal", but most women would understand that it's not that easy. My hair is long and quite thick and it takes time to wash it...and then shaving legs and armpits can take way longer than shaving that good, strong jaw of yours. But, God helped and with a combination of showering and dipping and pouring, the job got done with some warm water to spare. Amazing what we can do without!
Yesterday, I was feeling a little jet lag and decided to make some instant coffee. I put in the granules and then some sugar, heated it up and took a sip....GAG! Beef bouillon! I picked up the jar again and studied it closely...it said coffee but maybe Morgan had put beef bouillon in it instead. I found a new unopened jar of instant coffee and went through the same process. Taste....GAG!! Again, beef bouillon! What is wrong with Indian coffee?? I gave up. Later, after explaining to Morgan, we figured out I was putting a scoop of salt in my coffee rather than sugar! I had never seen such a big container of salt and just assumed the biggest container is sugar as long as it didn't look like flour. Isn't that the way it is in America? Well, as I'm finding out...there is a lot more to the world than America....I also discovered a good substitute for beef bouillon!
I sat in this lovely place this morning around 5am reading in Ezekiel and praying. The scripture was about God giving new hearts of flesh for hearts of stone and Him restoring ruins and abandoned cities. It was only natural that my mind went to the destitute areas right outside the campus walls. When reaching out to a culture so different than ours...we need a God like that. If we think we are going to make much of a difference with our own two hands, we are highly mistaken. Morgan has shared with me what she has already picked up about differences in mindsets and it isn't a work that is within the realm of human strength. That leads to dependency upon God in a new way.
As I prayed, the Muslim calls and wails began and filled the room where I was at. I thought about what I was doing...connecting with God's mind and Spirit....and what was coming through the air and soundwaves....another spirit of the world and of false religion. How are they dealing with each other? Two of my grandsons lay sleeping in the same room. How is it affecting them? I home school. I keep worldly influences out of my home. But this is coming through the open window and entering uninvited. I turned to the New Testament and read in James and was comforted by the practical advice I heard there. It reminded me to ground myself in God in day to day things. Let my light shine. Live the Word. He will fight the batlle. I know A&M know this secret, too, and that brings me comfort. Our God is not intimidated. We lose ourselves in Him and He shakes the world.
Practically speaking, I swept a mess off the floor yesterday with a broom that was so short! The handle didn't even reach my waist. Andrew said it was the longest he could find!
I learned how to operate the shower this morning. I was intimidated when he gave me the scoop on it. Before starting, push a button, then turn a screw with a screwdriver then wait 15-20 minutes before you will get 1-3 minutes of hot water!! There are buckets under the shower in case you want to fill those and do the dip and pour method instead. Okay....you men may think "No big deal", but most women would understand that it's not that easy. My hair is long and quite thick and it takes time to wash it...and then shaving legs and armpits can take way longer than shaving that good, strong jaw of yours. But, God helped and with a combination of showering and dipping and pouring, the job got done with some warm water to spare. Amazing what we can do without!
Yesterday, I was feeling a little jet lag and decided to make some instant coffee. I put in the granules and then some sugar, heated it up and took a sip....GAG! Beef bouillon! I picked up the jar again and studied it closely...it said coffee but maybe Morgan had put beef bouillon in it instead. I found a new unopened jar of instant coffee and went through the same process. Taste....GAG!! Again, beef bouillon! What is wrong with Indian coffee?? I gave up. Later, after explaining to Morgan, we figured out I was putting a scoop of salt in my coffee rather than sugar! I had never seen such a big container of salt and just assumed the biggest container is sugar as long as it didn't look like flour. Isn't that the way it is in America? Well, as I'm finding out...there is a lot more to the world than America....I also discovered a good substitute for beef bouillon!
Haha!!! (about the coffee) I'm so glad you were able to go over and stay with Morgan. Thank you for the real story. I'm glad she's able to stay at the campus to get adjusted first, before going out.
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