A Guest Post

Last spring we met the O'Neils. Steve was the principal at Minnehaha Academy--he and his family moved to Dar es Salaam in July so they are a few months ahead on the learning curve. Steve was in our Swahili language class in February and both our families will be there again in July.

They send out their own email updates on their lives and their last update just seemed to hit on the difficulties we face in living here. If you remember my post on the woman selling baskets at the gate--well, Denae says it much better than I did, so I'm posting her thoughts on life here.

O Lord, I don’t want to be a spectator
A tour passenger looking out upon the real world
An audience to poverty and want and homelessness
Lord, involve me - call me - implicate me - commit me
And Lord, help me to step off the bus.

I somehow feel that by coming to Tanzania I have forced myself to get off the bus. But now that I am off I have absolutely no idea what to do. We moved into our own rented house this week. It has been a challenge to us in more ways than just regular moving stress. These are the thoughts that are running through my head this week:

“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” I John 4: 17

My next door neighbor lives in a room made of tin, set in the middle of a large puddle (at least during the rainy season) with her two children. Yet the person next to her is not much better off, nor is the person across the street from us, or behind us, or on the other side of us for that matter. How am I supposed to live this verse out?

“Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” Luke 6:30

There have been so many requests for work - knocks on the gate, “ I am looking for work, do you have any, Mama? I would be so happy to work for you.” or “Things are very hard now for me, Mama, could you please consider helping me? I would work very hard for you. It would be a great help to me.” On and on go the requests yet I can only choose two to work for us. How do I decide which ones? How do I give to everyone who asks?

I passed three men on the road yesterday cutting a city water pipe. This is so they will have drinking water. Yet it also means water floods my neighbor’s home and rushes down the street causing immense ruts in the already washed away road, (I have in two weeks punctured one tire and scraped off the exhaust system of one car) and leaves us with no water. My feelings waffle between pity for their situation and frustration at their illegal behavior. Do I respond by illegally offering them to use my spigot?

I’m not sure I like being off the bus. It is awkward and humiliating and oh so difficult to make decisions off the bus. Somehow, it was easier to think of answers on the bus. Perhaps this is right where God wants us - confused, humbled, and only able to give the love He has put there in the first place.