December 21, 2007

We woke up at the crack of dawn this morning because we had to be in Niamey at 8. We went by the MBM and I got to meet Shad. We went to get my visa at the embassy. The Zarma in there were burning up some crazy incense. We couldn't breathe! Like... for real. We ran all over town - to the doctor, to the pharmacy, to the Sustars, all over the place! We got back, ate lunch, and then went to Libore, another village. I got to share the story of the ruler's dead daughter, bleeding woman, and 2 blind men with the kids there. It gave me so much show to share Christ with those little kids who had never heard before. We were also in Libore to talk with a man who had built a house. Kanesa and Brandy were hoping that 2 of the semester missionaries could live there. We went in to talk to the man, and he even brought up the subject of the house. Not only did he say that they could use the house, but he told them that they didn't have to pay for it, which is a huge honor in Zarma culture.

Then we went to see a newborn. The poor thing was completely soiled in urine. His skin was terrible! He was cute though. We came back to the house and later some of the women came over. This was the first time that I got to just hang out with the women. We had coffee and tea again - and Nilly decided to eat the powdered milk also. They are so funny trying to take care of me or soemthing. They wouldn't even let me pu tthe sugar in my own tea. By the way, the other night I had Chai. I like it a lot, and should start drinking it all the time! Just some random infor there! I just love these Africans, they definitely ALWAYS keep Africa interesting!

Also today, while we were running errands in Niamey, Brandy and Kanesa told me a lot about healthcare in Niger. For most of Niger, there really isn't any. If they're sick and aren't lucky enough to have medicine nearly, then they just don't get treated. Or they use some of their witch doctor practices. I really don't think that I comprehend it all. If I'm sick or if I get hurt, then I have to get it fixed; I have to get better. But do these people every really get better? I mean stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches are constant thing sto them. I get a headache and then, "ah, I'm sick." I guess some of this could be prevented by drinking clean water, washing veggies better, keeping leftovers cold until they're ready to eat them. But so many of the resources that they need to do those things are not available. Brandy and Kanesa have a lot of these problems too, and I've even had some of them with only being her a week.

How they live is just, well crazy... and even if someone came in and built them all modern houses and showed them how to cook cleanly, would they even want to live like that? They always joke about wanting to go to America, but would they really go if they were given the opportunity? They're so happy and content with the way they live, but I guess it's because it's their culture, it's how they live, it's all that they know. I guess I'm just having some culture shock. It's really easy when you'r ehere for as a short time as me, to forget that this is a real place where real people live, and that Brandy and Kanesa really do have to cook from scratch everyday, take tons of medicine, sleep in a mosquito tent, have to deal with feeling like crap all the time, have to constantly change what they're used to to meet the demands of another culture, and at that a culture that dishonors their God and believes the most ludacrous things sometimes - okay, most of the time.

Is it really worth it to labor among a people of whom you don't even know if any significant number of them will come to know and accept the truth? But really, who am I to define worth? I don't even know worth, because I am worth nothing. Nothing that I do alone has any spoils, nothing that I can give lasts, I'm only a vapor of nothing really. But I know worth when I look at Christ,

"who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with god something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place, and gave him the name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father. "

And later down in verse 15 it says, "in which you shine like stars in the universe"

Philippians 2:6-11, 15

So Christ, who is God and Lord, of ultimate worth, humbled himself to nothing, what we all are, so we could have His worth. and in verse 15, paul says that we are to shine like stars in the universe. And we are to shine the light of Christ, the Christ who humbled himself to nothing.

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be reavealed." Romans 8:18-19

None of us know what the fruits of our work will be, but with our sinful nature, if we did know, I mean we would definitely mess it up somehow. But I think the most important fact to bring up is that Christ died for those who he knew would never accept his sacrifice.