My Martha

Some people having been asking me what I've been eating while in Mozambique and I would love to say that I am a suffering missionary, scraping by on only liver and fried bees. (They don't actually eat those here so I don't know why I chose fried bees, the staple is rice and beans.) However, I am far from suffering while sharing a house with a Brazilian Martha. (Oh yes, I'm referring to the ex-con, not Mary's sister although I bet she was pretty good in the kitchen too.) Madalena is an extraordinary cook and has so far baked a cake, bread, and scones all from scratch! She offered me some juice the other day and when I went in the kitchen looking for the Sunny-D (I used to love that stuff), there was Madalena chopping and squeezing fresh fruits to make her own juice. Who does that? My Martha does. Needless to say, I am immensly blessed and though I was hoping to drop a few while living in Africa, it looks like you may have to role me off the plane. (once again, is it role or roll? Seriously, if anyone knows the answer, please let me know.) I commented to another missionary how I'll have to be rolled off the plane (I know, I totally recycle jokes, you're on to me), he laughed and said, "Yeah, it would look kinda strange if you come back from a country with such immense poverty and starvation and you are chubbier than when you first came." Ouch. You know when you're a kid and you couldn't finish your meal and your parents would tell you about the starving kids in Africa? And I'm sure most of us said or thought at one time, "Well, if I was actually in Africa, I'd give them my nasty meatloaf (sorry mom, not just your meatloaf, you know I hate all kinds) but I can't exactly mail it to them." Ok, maybe I was the only bratty kid who thought that way...anyways, now I'm here and have no excuse so I am not wasting any food:) As a warning, I may look like Violet from Charlie and the Chocoloate Factory (post-blueberry). I feel bad when Mada and I cook dinner together because that actually consists of Mada cooking and me watching and asking questions. She tries to give me simple tasks but if you've seen me in the kitchen, you know how clueless I can be. I once bought cabbage instead of lettuce and commented that the lettuce tasted, "rubbery." I also nearly burned down Rowland High School when I put tinfoil in the microwave. (They never let me forget that one) So basically, I'm Amelia Badelia when it comes to cooking, actually, when it comes to many things- I always felt bad for her because I understood her way of thinking while everyone else thought she was nuts. Well hopefully by the time I return to the states, I'll be able to microwave things and maybe try some basic cooking.

I did not intend for this entry to focus so much on cooking. Once I start typing, it's like my fingers have a mind of their own. Ok, so I ran again today and decided these are some of my favorite parts of being here so far. Being the introvert that I am, I love being alone and in God's creation, while being able to be a part of the local community. So, some things I observed today:

* 12 young boys doing cartwheels in a circle. Don't even know what to say about that. When I passed them a second time, there was an instructor and they were either doing dance moves or excercises. Seeing as I couldn't tell the difference, shows you how much I know about dance moves.

* " The world is our toilet" seems to be the motto of the locals. I passed a wealthy woman who got out of her 4-runner, looked right at me and squatted by her car. The dark side of me wanted to let Gizmo run close to her and watch her reaction but I listened to the angel instead.

* I would never make it in the CIA. I brought my headphones with me this time but was still fearful that even with Gizmo, someone might try to steal them and my ipod. Thus, I imitated my students and put only one headphone in in the ear furthest away from people. (this didn't fool me so I don't know why I thought this would fool potential thieves, but I did) The problem is, apparently I have waxy ears because they kept falling out and I brought more attention to myself having to constantly putting something in my ear.

* Falling down the stairs is univerally funny, so I thought. There is one point in the run where we have to go down a flight of stairs to get to the sand and Gizmo tends to bound down these stairs super fast and today I tried to match his speed but then he came to dead stop at the bottom and I tumbled right over my little horse into the sand. I had myself a good laugh and when I looked up an older man just glared at me. Perhaps he was tyring to be polite by not laughing. I tend to go the opposite way and point and laugh at strangers when they fall.

*Lastly, my favorite observation from today was as I passed by the "praying jetty." On the run there are 2 jettys and in the mornings, many Christians walk out on the jetty and pray or sing aloud. Without any inhibitions, many people lift their arms high in the air and belt out worship songs. (the only word I could decipher yet was "Halleluiah.") I love passing by these people but they never look too pleased to see me coming close (remember the drooling, giant dog that is with me.) Madalena laughed one time when I let Gizmo get too close to a praying girl who screamed and she said, "Oh, this will help her increase her faith." Anyways, today I passed a man who was praying with his eyes open (apparently he took a lesson from Westmont's chaplain or he heard me and Gizmo as we bounded towards him) and right as we passed him, he said, "Good morning Jesus." Yes, at first I thought he was mistaking me for Jesus because he was looking right at me as he said it. I know I have brown hair now but I didn't think I really resembled Jesus in any other way. I smiled to myself as I continued running and was convicted by his prayer. I wish I woke up every morning with Jesus right on my mind. Maybe one day I will. It makes me think about what I read recently from Thomas Kelly's "Excerpts from a Testament of Devotion." In talking about an "inner sanctuary" he writes the following:

"Meister Eckhart wrote, "As thou art in church or cell, that same frame of mind carry out into the world; into its turmoils and fitfulness.' Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the sould, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-torn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself...

The basic response of the soul to the Light is internal adoration and joy, thanksgiving and worship, self-surrender and listening. The secret places of the heart cease to be our noisy workshop. They become a holy sanctuary of adoration and self-oblation, where we are kept in perfect peace if our minds be stayed on Him who has found us in the inward springs of our life....

What here is urged are secret habits of unceasing orientation of the deeps of our being about the Inward Light, ways of conduction our inward life so that we are perpetually bowed in worship while we are also very busy in the world of daily affairs...He who is within us urges, by secret persuasion, to such an amazing Inward Life with him, so that, firmly cleaving to him, we always look out upon all the world through the sheen of the Inward Light, and react toward men spontaneously and joyously from this Inward Center...

How, then, shall we lay hold of that Life and Power and live the life of prayer without ceasing? By quiet, persistent practice in turning all of our being, day and night , in prayer and inward worship and surrender, toward him who calls in the deeps of our souls...

Walk and talk and work and laugh with your friends. But behind the scenses, keep up the life of simple prayer and inward worship. Let inward prayer be your last act before you fall asleep and the first act when you awake."

So I try to fall asleep each night with Jesus as my last thought and wake up saying, "Good morning Jesus." We'll see how it goes.