The Gift of Soccer to serve others & bring Him glory

 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 

1 Peter 4:10-11

During my years in Ethiopia, I am continually amazed at the diversity of gifts that God has given to men, women and children.   Scripture only names a few but Peter states the purpose of these gifts so well....they are given to serve others and to bring God glory!

I love to see God's people using their unique gifts to serve others.   Last month, we were able to see a dear friend do exactly that among the Gumuz people.  This friend has many gifts... in soccer, in evangelism, in encouragement but what struck me the most was his servant attitude.  As he shared his gifts with the Gumuz evangelists, he served them.

 He could have focused on his skill at soccer which would have brought glory to himself but he continually brought the gospel into his teaching.  Worship songs were sung as they collected balls and joined together in the centre of the field.  Encouragement flowed from his lips.  The gospel flowed from his mouth.

As he trained these evangelists to use soccer to share the gospel, he didn't separate the physical and spiritual gifts of soccer and speech.  He continually brought them together....for the glory of God.

Our hope is that the men trained last month will not only have gained skill in soccer but a realization that as they teach the Gumuz children, they are teaching them and serving them....for the glory of God.  What are your gifts?  How are you using them to serve others to bring God glory?  He is doing great things...through YOU!

Surviving the Heat - March/April

 It happens every year. It's March and the inside thermometer says 38C (100F) and it's only 10am.  I wonder: Can we do this again?  Can I do this again with 5 children whom I school in this weather, feed in this weather and put to bed in this weather. So as the indoor thermometer reaches PLUS 40 (105), I need a battle plan.

 


WHAT I REFUSE....

I refuse to let my children survive the heat using electronics. There is nothing pretty about addictions.

I refuse for our minds and bodies to be miserably inactive in the heat.

I refuse to get dehydrated even though filtering our stored rainwater and cooling it to a drinkable temperature feels like a full time job.

I refuse to let heat be an excuse for flaring emotions. (That includes me.)

I refuse to cancel school until the classroom temperature reaches 38C (100F). I'd have to cancel school for 3 months if it depended on a comfortable classroom. But once it's hotter than that, there is really no point.

I refuse to dwell on the fact that rivers have dried up, we are in a land locked country and the lakes are too far away. I love swimming. Sigh.

I refuse to envy friends heading to ocean resorts to get a break from their unbearable temperatures (ie the cold). If we had a choice we would do the same.

I refuse to dwell on images of stores lined with freezers filled with delicious cold treats, swimming pools and A/Cs blasting out cold air.

YET....it is incredibly time consuming living this out with 5 kids. I need a battle plan.

So several years ago, my husband constructed a basic back porch compost toilet (which saves a huge amount of water). In dry season, I put a minimal amount of soap in the washing machine and skip the rinse cycle and I average one load of laundry per week.  If I need to do sheets, I do those first, save the water and use it for the second load.  The laundry water is saved for a second use.  

Because of this, we are able to use some of our precious rainwater to fill an old water tank with 3 feet of water for the kids to swim in. Because of the limited space, they need to take turns but it makes a huge difference. Sometimes we just take turns jumping in several times a day which cools us down immensely.

But now it's 5:30pm. The kids have taken their turns jumping into our pool of water, they've eaten frozen mango juice, they've munched on popcorn, they've read books. It's still 38C....we can do this.

The request comes: “Can we watch something?” I feel my resolve dissolving.....I'm melting. They're melting. So I weakly suggest: “Jump in the pool one more time or put your head under the sink.” 

And that's it. Cooled down and they are off playing, writing, crocheting, building, exploring. The sun will start setting in another hour and we will no longer feel the heat. The kids will run, dance, skip and play outdoors until it's dark. (We'd continue this late into the night if the scorpions weren't coming out to do the same:)

Canadian (prairie) winters are known to be long and bitterly cold. Yet the predictable and dependable seasons our Creator have given us, fill us with with hope. Hope that spring will come and with it warmth or in our case, rain to cool the air.

It's emotional and it's physical but we can beat the heat. This is our life and every morning we have a new opportunity to not only survive the heat but thrive in the heat.

PS For those of you in hot and possibly humid countries without conveniences...I'd love to hear your battle plan.

And I'm guessing I'll need a battle plan next year when the temperatures hit -40?

An untamed fire

Every year, the mountains glow with the annual fires.  Some say it makes for good hunting.  Some say it is necessary to burn off the tall elephant grass so the new grass comes in well.  Some say it helps clear the land for next years crop.  I grew up the daughter of a grain farmer.  I grew up hearing the debate on burning or leaving the stubble.  And every year my little brother ended up in the hospital due to his severe asthma when the smoke filled the air.

The trouble with fires is with a little wind, they rage out of control.  And we have experienced many of these fires in the mountains of Gesses.   This year, like last year, a fire was accidentally started too early.  The grain was still in many of the Gumuz fields: cut, and waiting to be threshed and carried home.

Sunday morning, the sky turned an unusual orange colour.  A few hours later, smoke filled the air and the sun was nearly blocked out.

Within a brief span of time, the fires had eaten their way over the mountain and were heading towards the Gesses mountain surrounding the villages where we live.   Women rushed to carry home the bundles of grass needed for house building.  Without it, there will be a lot of leaking roofs.  This is not the time for fires, this is the time for house building and so no one was expecting it.

Crackling fire was followed by shouts of men and the race began.  Men sped to their fields with bows and arrows (for the hunting) and tore off the few green leafy branches along the way.  There is no water available for fighting fires.  It's beaten down or stopped with backfires.

Our staff and friends nearby rushed to our yard which was quickly becoming surrounded by fire and the smoke hung thick in the air.   Branches were stripped, leaves were swept away in a path around the compound and backfires were started.  This should have worked.








An unusual wind (for this time of the year) fed the fire in such a way that it jumped the firebreaks.  Panic set in.  I moved our land cruiser and contemplated emptying our homeschool room as the fire crept closer.

We handed out precious stored rainwater as children, men and women beat out fires and poured water on areas where the flames were high.  Smoke inhalation became a concern and our eyes were stinging with pain.  Two hours later, the fire was out.

The fire nearly hit our outhouse and came 10 feet from our homeschool room and one of the guesthouses.  The ashes told their story.













We praised God for his protection on all those who came to help and we prayed for those still fighting fires all night in order to save their crops.


















The night sky. Several of our staff spent most of the night fighting the fire to save crops of their neighbours or family.  The next morning Rolf took one man with burns on his legs in an attempt to save his crop, and several people lost their grain but it could have been so much worse.













One of my firefighters.  The Gumuz are still talking about how hard this young man worked although I didn't realize at the time how little protective clothing he was wearing.  Interestingly the following Sunday, the sermon was from James on the tongue.   It was a very effective sermon!

"Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."  James 3:5-6

A Daughter's Worth: Wealth or Blessing? (March 2016)

“Five children? (Gleeful laughter.) Four daughters? Oh. Only 1 son? You must have more children.” These words have been spoken to me over and over since my arrival in Gesses 5 years ago. Over and over again, I have spoken of the deep blessing each of my girls is to me, that they have been created equally by God the Creator. Over and over again, I am told to birth more boys. Many of my closest Gumuz friends have a bunch of girls. There is a sigh of dismay when I am told the news. It's another girl.

 Although a girl's birth is not honored she IS considered to have value. After all, girls are a father's possession; part of his wealth, along with his cows, goats, and grain. Everyone knows that the father can use one of his daughters to pay off a debt.  And when it's time for her brother to get married, he trades her to the brother of his future wife.   (Sister exchange marriage).

Within 10 years a Gumuz girl is capable of a grown woman's workload. They can carry 2 large jerricans of water, heavy loads of wood or grain for 10km, grind grain on a stone for hours, cook, cultivate, plant, weed, harvest and thresh by hand. She is an immense blessing to her mother as they work alongside each other.

Last week, I walked into the village and rescued an 11 year old girl from a hostage situation. When her mother (a dear friend of mine) came with the news, I knew that I had no choice but to get involved. In fact, we were already involved. Her father has been working for Rolf to pay his debt for several months. I had spoken with him often about his daughter's blessing and his role as protector and father.

Her father and Rolf were a 4 hour drive away and I had no phone service, so in prayer I strode across the road, through the village and to the grass hut where she was sitting guarded. I told the guard that if someone asked about the girl, they could come and talk to me. I took her by the hand and we walked home. No one stopped me.

As I passed the local teahouse, I cried out against their culture. “How long Oh Lord, before these people, whom I love, let go of the evil in their culture? When will the fathers stand up to protect their daughters? When will the elders of the village love their daughters? O Lord have mercy on these people who are bound for judgement.” I am not always this dramatic but it was 40C (105F), I was hot, tired and defenseless. 

An hour later, I was not surprised to find the chief and 2 community elders at my door. My girls and our rescued girl were busy crocheting and the Lord filled me with peace and passion. We spoke for 2 hours.

We occasionally have opportunities to engage with community leaders regarding cultural practices. They are unbending. A debt must be paid. If you don't have animal or monetary wealth, you pay with your daughter. Then, there is instantly peace. No one is murdered and there is no revenge. But this “peaceful” cultural practice has produced girls and women who harbour deep hurt and anger.

I spoke boldly. I think they were amused. Fine you can keep her until her father gets back but then he needs to pay his debt. Stale mate. Their hearts are so hard.

Two days later, my husband (who is very fond of his wife - me and his 4 daughters, along with his son) stood up in the court case and spoke out against the payment of daughters.  He said, "They are NOT your wealth, they are not goats or cattle.  They are a blessing. They are to be loved and protected by the men in their lives."  His words were many and they weren't even amused. 

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgment.  James 2:12-14

All they wanted was the payment of the cows.  Now.  No mercy. 

"He has shown you, Oh man, what is good.  And what does the Lord requires of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."  Micah 6:8

We continue to pray that the hearts of the chiefs and elders will be softened.  There are a few.  We pray that the women will stand up against the evil done to them.  There are more.  We pray that one day, the Gumuz girls will be valued as God the Father values them....as His children.

An Undistracted Christmas. Will it be the last?

It's December and we are making plans for Christmas. Many of our traditions so different yet so dear. We will hide our stockings in tree houses, sing our carols around an outdoor fire and create gifts for each other out of wood and yarn, and other such things.

We will prepare songs and poems to share with one another from the heart.  We may or may not have an audience but it will be special....even just for us.

 Snow, hot chocolate, songs of Santa, shopping malls and parties are so distant from this world we live in.  In fact, there is basically no stress attached to our Christmas. 

And I wonder: will we ever experience this form of Christmas again? Will the December sun ever shine again with such warmth? Will future advent calendars be filled with events and appointments? Will we have time to ponder the meanging of Christmas? Will we have time to make our homemade gifts for each other? 

My hope is that our Kruse traditions will continue in the years to come and that we may be able to guard our time so that we can ponder all that happened that long ago day when Jesus was born....for us.

Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

November's sun

It's November and the sun is shining warmly on my back. Next year we will be bundling ourselves in layers of winter clothing in hopes of feeling the distant sunlight on our faces. After years of home assignments planned during Canadian summer months and after enjoying 12 months of summer year after year, I am fearful....of a climate change.

It's November and our children are barefoot, playing soccer on the sandy dirt.  It's November and the warm sunshine is pouring into our open classroom windows.  It's November and I can't even find a pair of socks between the children and myself.  Flip flops are sitting neatly on their shelf waiting to be worn into the village.

It's November and the leaves of most trees are beginning to turn colors and fall. They will begin their time of hibernation not from the cold but to survive the dry months ahead. The temperature is rising and the grass will soon wither. Meanwhile, the mango tree will begin to pour its nutrients into sweet fruit; its' bright green leaves glowing in the midst of a barren land. A symbol of God's faithfulness. His provision in the most difficult of times. 

 Next November, I may yearn for the warmth of Ethiopia's sunshine but I trust that He will still provide a symbol of hope in a cold and barren land. 

Compassion Fatigue: The Unhealthy Act of Excessively Bearing the Burdens of Others (October 2015)

Weary. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. How can it be that after only 8 weeks of returning to live among and loving the Gumuz that I am utterly spent? We carefully planned out times of rest on our brief home assignment. We were refreshed in so many ways, encouraged, blessed, and fed.

Within a week of our return, it felt like we had never been away. We embraced the people, we embraced ministry and I embraced home schooling with more enthusiasm than I had in the past.

But my refreshed spirit began wilting...quickly.  I have a feeling that a counselor would have dozens of solutions for the way I do life. More boundaries. Physically and emotionally.  We live among a people who do not understand foreigner boundaries.  If we are home, we are available.  If we have resources, we should share them.

Over time, I have been able to set school time boundaries though random people still walk into our classroom or peek their heads through the open windows. I have had chiefs sit down, women stick pumpkins through our windows, staff insist I hear their request, and mothers with sick children plead for a listening ear. 

 God has given me a heart for people and for His kingdom. He has given me compassion and love for those lost without a shepherd. He has brought dozens of Gumuz women into my life. I have poured myself out sharing the gospel, loving the broken and serving the poor. I have attended children's funerals and wept in their homes. I have listened to their stories of pain. I have opened my heart to them freely.... until I can bear no more. How can I freely love and listen to the heartache of others and still guard my heart? 

And so I realize that I need to be more like Jesus. I need to spend time in reflection and communion with my Father in heaven. I need to be like David.  I need time to lament and pour out of grievances to the Lord before experiencing more.  I need time to worship.  I need to remember He is the Almighty God.  I need to remember His sovereignty and His goodness.  I need to humble myself before Him and repent when I believe that my ways are higher than His.  I need to be healed so I can serve joyfully..  I need to daily cast my (and their) cares on Him.  I need to remember that these are not MY people they are HIS.  

I can listen and love but I cannot heal their souls. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.  I can point them to Jesus but I cannot be Jesus.  I can show them the Father but I cannot be their father.  

"My soul, finds rest, in God, alone. My salvation comes from Him.  He alone is my Rock and My Salvation.  He is my fortress.  I will never be shaken." Psalm 62:5-6

Transitioning from Canada to Gesses (Sept 2015)

It has been months since I have taken time to sit and write. I have missed it.  I love to bridge my life with yours and process the experiences our life here brings us.

I thought I would write this summer. I didn't. There is something beautiful about sharing one's sorrows, joys and experiences in person that for me writing cannot replace.

So we loved our time with people. We loved sharing our lives with those God gave to us. There was something so refreshing about loving and being loved in return....not for what we did but for who we are.

Then it was time to return to Ethiopia and our children were glad. For them, life is simpler in Gesses. They loved their time in Canada but to them, home is Gesses. We returned asking God to reveal to us His purpose for our family and future ministry with the Gumuz. It has not been an easy decision but we are beginning to accept that our time of ministry, in remote locations, is coming to an close....for now. This is not easy to let go. It's been my life for 20 years. But for now, we are here. I invite you again, into my heart and the beauty and pain of ministry among Gumuz – who desperately need to find release from fear.