conditioning and cleanliness

I tried fixing French Toast this morning for the first time ever and I’d say it was a success! We had French toast, bacon, oatmeal, fruit juice, and coffee. Then I cleaned up the kitchen, swept and mopped, and wrote for a bit.

Keeping a journal and putting some of it in the blog isn’t as easy as it might seem. There are many things I’d like to capture but busy-ness creeps in the way. I want to write down how I feel about this place and the new things I’m observing but I often have a difficult time with putting my feelings in type. The city is cleaner than it ever has been according to Pastor Carrol but by U.S. standards it’s still pretty dirty and it often smells bad. When we stepped off the plane into the terminal at Malabo, I noticed the odor and I remembered it from our last time here two years ago. I do try to remember that I am also conditioned to U.S. standards and it’s just not the way it is in the rest of the world. I’m not sure we always do ourselves a favor by becoming such germophobes. I’m trying to lighten up and adjust.

I started dinner fairly early today. We had BBQ pork chops with homemade bbq sauce, white bean soup with tomatoes and seasoned with a few carrots and onions, buttered carrots, steamed potatoes, leftover green beans, leaf lettuce and tomato salad with olive oil vinaigrette, and buttermilk cornbread, iced tea and soft drinks.

This was a day of firsts for me, I suppose. I made French toast AND BBQ sauce for the first time ever and both turned out pretty well. I took Gayle’s advice and added a bit of milk, a few drops of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon to the egg mixture. It was tasty and I’m not a big French toast fan. The BBQ sauce recipe I got online and it was simple and pungent but went well with the other more low key flavors in our meal. I’d make it again, and I probably will!

When we'd finished dinner Benny called us all together for a time of reflection about our stay here so far. There were some great feelings expressed and some told how the Lord is speaking to them in this place. I recounted my green bean revelation and asked for prayer for a friend from home. Others shared testimonies of the Lord’s goodness and lessons learned and it was a good time of encouragement and support in this place so far from home. Times like these on a mission trip are necessary. We know why we're working so far away from home, but sharing our thoughts and needs with one another and praying for one another helps us keep our focus on the truly important things on this trip and in life.

It was then time to turn in and rest up for the next day. I’m not used to so much activity. My life is pretty sedentary at home, so this is a challenge for me. My bed time now reflects the difference and is much earlier here--but I welcome it. I know how necessary rest is when the body is at its limit.

The days are long.

My work is steady.

My body gets tired.

My heart is content.

God is good.

All the time.

Father, thank you for this expansion experience. I’m stretching and I think it’s good. We are not all alike over the world and not everyone has to think like I think or to do things as I do them. You are who is important and the condition of our soul is more important than the cleanliness of our cities, our homes or our hands. I love you and thank you for opening my eyes and for helping me keep them on You

Suz