January 2, 2011

Wow, so hard to believe it is a new year and that I have been in Zambia for 1 month. We have begun doing lesson plans for school and I have to say that I have been enjoying it thoroughly. All of the teachers sit outside at a table under the shade of the trees and we take a break for tea and fresh mango. I have learned that there are 3 mango trees on the property that are fully stocked with amazing mangos. We take a shoot of bamboo and knock the ripe mangos to the ground and then gather them in a bucket and take them to the kitchen to wash them. To eat the mango in the proper Zambian form you must hold the mango like you would hold an apple. Then you bite through to break the skin and peel the skin off one side in strips with your teeth. You then proceed to eat the sweet, juicy mango down to the seed and then repeat the above steps for the other side of the mango. Once you are done eating the mango your teeth are full of mango hairs, which are a pain to get out, but I have grown wiser and now carry floss in my bag in anticipation of the daily event.

In addition to learning Bemba I have been learning some French and sign language. There are a couple of Congolese members of our church and one of their main languages is French. Judi’s cousin, who attends our church, is deaf from a bad case of malaria that he had at the age of 3. I studied sign language briefly on my own when I was like 18 and was surprised at what I remember.

Pastor gave an excellent message on the brevity of life today at church and it was very moving. It was a good reminded that our time here on earth is limited and we need to number our days wisely as is says in Psalm 90.

Psalm 90:1-12

“Lord you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. You turn men back to dust saying, return to dust O sons of men.” For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like the watch in the night. You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning- though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered. We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. The length of our days is seventy years- or eighty if we have the strength; yet the span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

There is also a great importance to commit our plans to the Lord and make the most of every opportunity as it says in Ephesians 5:15-17, “ Be careful then how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” I am reminded that it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life or in “time wasters” and miss out on opportunities to do something more meaningful or something that is a more wise use of that time. God does not tell us to only do some things to his glory, He commands us to do EVERYTHING to the glory of God. My prayer is that God will teach me to number my days more wisely had that I will make the most of every opportunity. I am thankful that the pastor gave us a tangible opportunity to do this… he passed out a reading plan for reading the Bible in a year.