Reflections from the airplane...

I am sitting on the last leg of my flight home from Maseru, Lesotho.  In total, it will be about 41 hours of travel time.  I am ready to be off of this plane.  The movies are the same ones that I had on my trip east.  I have read a book and I slept over the entire continent of Africa.  I woke up as we were over Italy and I was so excited that I had just slept for 8 hours, sitting on an airplane.  What an ad for Benadryl!  3 hours more to go and I get to see Heather and the kids.  I miss them. 

As I have sat here for the last few hours, I have been able to reflect on these last three weeks.  I have learned a TON!  Here are some of the tidbits of wisdom that I have written down.

Start small while keeping high standards.

Teach things in a way that people can understand.

Africans learn different than Westerners.

Minimize wastage, and be on time.

Don’t plow!  It is destroying the soil and causing much erosion.

Keep God’s blanket on the soil, don’t get rid of it or burn it.

Just start farming, let relationships develop through that, sharing what makes it successful as you go.

The lighting storms in Lesotho are for real!  I love it. 

Let me expand on one other thing that I learned.  Making disciples is hard work, and is not immediate, it takes time, lots of time.  It also takes the Holy Spirit, lots of the Holy Spirit. 

As we ended our time together at Farming Quest, we had a big Briie, (South African BBQ) and had all of the staff together.  One of the staff was taking short video clips of some of us who were there as we shared our thoughts.  It was listening to a couple of the interviews and seeing the Holy Spirit work that makes me so excited.  Two men from Botswana were apart of Farming Quest.  They both came so that they can learn more about agriculture, and possibly get better yields as they train people back in their village, the idea of conservation agriculture.  As they stated, they didn’t really see how God and farming really went together, but they were willing to come and check it out.  These men are believers in Christ, but maybe came with a little bit of prejudice for the farming.  What they didn’t expect was three weeks of Bible study and farming. 

During the last three weeks I had numerous conversations with them regarding their lives, farms, faith, culture, etc.  I could see that the Holy Spirit was working in them, and tugging on their hearts.  They have such strong cultural beliefs that are holding them back.  Through intentional discipling by many on the team, the interviews that they had were so powerful.  They were so excited to go back to Botswana and teach Farming God’s way with an emphasis in the Biblical aspect of it.  The Holy Spirit is working in them and I can’t wait to see the work that these men will do when they return home. 

Seeing this played out this last week was really exciting for me, as well as others on the team.  It was also a good reminder for me that discipling people is a process.  It is not an immediate change but one that takes time, effort and prayer. 

On a side note.  I am flying over Minot, ND.  Hello Katie and Sean!  I am finally in US airspace. 

Back in time to the 1950's

Last week, just outside of the borders of Lesotho I took a drive back into the 1950’s.  It was almost surreal.  I realize that I was a child of the 70’s but I imagine that this is what it was like.  At least, from the stories that I have been told and those that lived through it.  What I found, I was not ready for. 

The town was small, no sidewalks, but curbs with dirt pathways lined the way around town.  There was a church that stood tall and proud in the middle of the 6 block commercial area.  It was the landmark that everything was next to.  The streets were a little crumbly, with some potholes here and there but it was paved.  However, leading in and out of the town were dirt roads. 

A small pickup truck drove by, with the back end almost dragging along as it had about 10 guys hanging out in the back of it, bumming a ride from who knows where.  We went to a grocery store.  The store was more of a warehouse.  It had a modest but limited selection of different foods.  It probably has the best selection for miles and miles around though.  The fruit stand had a clerk to weigh the food for you.  There were about 8 aisles, and it was easy for me to find somebody to help me.  I learned that is not true for everyone. 

All of my friends who were going through the training with me were there as well.  We were on our way to a little natural springs retreat and we were getting some food.  Two of them needed to go to the restroom.  Both of them went together, both girls, both about 24 years old.  The only difference was one of them was a white Canadian, while the other was black Basuto woman.  They found the restrooms in the back of the store and a white store worker pointed them to the different bathrooms.  One was for the staff and white people, and the other was for coloured people. 

They told us this story as we were driving away.  Neither of them knew quite what to do.  Neither of them had ever experienced this form of separation or racism before.  As they told me their story, my heart was angered.  I was shocked, disappointed, and had tears starting to well up in my eyes.  Mentally, I put my own daughters in their place.  I can’t believe that we humans can treat others with some much disrespect.

We need Jesus.  We need him to come and redeem His people.  We need his people to show His love to all that He has created.  I wonder what role the church across the street plays with the grocery store?  Are they doing what God has called us to?  Or are they just playing ignorant, idly standing by as the enemy reigns with his hatred and bigotry. 

I am so glad that for the most part, America has grown past this.  It is inexcusable.  It has always been inexcusable.  It will continue to be inexcusable.  It needs to stop.