Meet Israel

As I stated in my previous post, there have been blessings that came out of going to the hospital and being back in Kigali for the week. Not the least of which was my crossing paths with Israel Namegabe. I met Israel while staying at the Jackson’s house. He was staying there as well and had been for the week while he was in town from the DR Congo. Israel is one of those people who just ooze out his passion for sharing the gospel and love for Christ. Our first interaction involved him introducing himself to me, and then in broken English, asking if I know God. It totally caught me off guard. I told him I did and then he asked me why it is that I believe in Jesus. That led to a great first interaction.

The more I got to know Israel the more I was impressed with his heart and relationship with God. As we started talking about more personal details I learned that he is married and has a family of 11 children back in DRC, 9 girls and 2 boys! When he asked if I had brothers and sisters and I told him one of each, he asked if something was wrong! When we where finishing our conversation last night he had asked me to pray that God would help provide good education for his children. 3 are currently in secondary (high school) which costs money, and 7 are in primary getting ready to go to secondary. Not only is it going to be expensive for him to try and cover secondary for all his kids, but he is very eager for his children to have an opportunity to go to University outside of the Congo, maybe even in Europe or the States if God opens those doors.

I told him that I didn’t know much about people living in foreign counties going to school in the states, outside of the fact that it is possible. I told him that I thought there may be scholarships or grants out there as well but I have no idea where to start looking for that information. Then I figured I could make a quick video of Israel to introduce him and let him tell his story briefly. Though I don’t have finances to help or the knowledge necessary, perhaps God will connect him with someone who does.

How you can help

Take a look at this short video of Israel. If God put’s it on your heart to help him in some way through knowledge you have, through prayer or through finances. Please send me an e-mail and I can put you in touch with him (chris.lglp@gmail.com).

Also, feel free to share this video on your blog, facebook, or anywhere else.

Lastly, Israel has a deep passion to share the Gospel where ever God would send him. He speaks French and Swahili fluently and can communicate pretty well in Kinyarwandan and English. Perhaps God will put something on your heart with that.

After my interactions with Israel I just felt compelled to give him an avenue to share and then see what God does from there.

Thanks everyone, and God Bless!

Meet Israel (to help: chris.lglp@gmail.com) from chris maddox on Vimeo.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trails of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

A Note on Suffering

Throughout the day Monday my stomach grew more and more irritated and I started having mild diarrhea.  I assumed it was from the African tea (made w/milk) that I was drinking every day with both breakfast and dinner (well dinner was usually just tea and a kind of bread called chipote, not to be confused with Chipotle). I’m a bit lactose intolerant, and though I was taking some pills to help, I figured I’d just had too much. So I didn’t have any tea for dinner that night. I went back to my place around 8:00pm and was reading through Exodus. I then listened to a podcast from the village church that unpacked the above verse in James. Within an hour or so I started getting up frequently to go to the bathroom. By 9:30 or so it was apparent that I was sick as I came down with severe diarrhea. Mind you, that is bad enough under normal circumstances but in the conditions I found myself in, it was a less than desirable situation.

As the night progressed so did my illness and I was getting up every fifteen minutes or so. Luckily, my worrying mother (whom I love) had sent with me a bunch of dehydration packets that are designed for the early stages of diarrhea and supposed to help stop it. By midnight I had taken two packets and while I’m sure I would have been in worse shape without them, they didn’t seem to slow it down. It is hard to explain what was going on at that point. There are times that I’ve gone through trials, or that I’ve been tested by God when I had no idea that I was being tested until I was through the storm. But this night, it was like God was walking with me through the trial.

The scripture I had been reading as it all started was in Exodus documenting the journey of Israel being led through the desert after God rescued them from Egypt and freed them from Pharaoh. Time after time Israel forgot the goodness and faithfulness of God. And so at one point, the people of Israel grumbled to Moses about being hungry, complaining that they have been rescued out of slavery only to die in the desert, mind you this is after God parts the Red Sea as they fled Egypt! So what happens, the Lord tells Moses,

“Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” (Exodus 16:4-5).

God was testing Israel in the midst of their blessing. Testing their true faithfulness. Each day he would manifest for the people food to sustain them. But He was clear in that they were only to gather enough for that day. They had to trust that God would provide for them the next day. Also, notice that in the midst of this trial in the midst of the blessing, God also provides rest, a time to be rested (think Psalm 23). He tells Israel that on the sixth day the food they will collect will be doubled that they may rest on the Sabbath and not gather any food. Amazing.

Similarly, the podcast I listened too (not knowing the subject prior), explored the notion of finding joy in the midst of suffering. A notion that outside of Christianity seems not only crazy, but even masochistic! James 1:2-4 is a passage that has been instrumental in my faith, in shaping the core of my being. So on this night reading and thinking about the testing of Israel in the desert, then listening to James’ preaching on finding joy amidst suffering, it was no coincidence.

I prayed throughout the night, cognoscente of what was happening and paying close attention to how I was feeling. I watched the clock knowing that if I needed medical attention it would take three hours to get the closest hospital (Kigali). I also knew that the taxi’s didn’t start taking people into town until 5:00am. That meant, despite my pain and discomfort, I had no option but to rely on God. He would have to sustain me. I will spare you the details but by 4:15 I had not yet gone to sleep. I had lost roughly 3 liters of fluid and I was passing it quicker than I could drink it. As five o’clock approached I stopped drinking water so that I could manage a car ride. Right before five when I was preparing to go wake Paul and tell him the situation my lantern ran out of kerosene and I ran out of toilet paper. That may seem like a small detail, but in the moment the fact that they had both lasted to that point was a big deal.

I went over and told Paul the situation and we measured the options. One was a taxi to Kigali, which would take about 3 ½ hours, we would be packed in with 15 people, we would stop at multiple points, and I wouldn’t be able to pull over if I needed too. Or, we could call FH to send a car from Kigali, but that would take 3 hours to get to us and another 3 to get back. After a bit of conversation I asked Paul if we could hire someone who owned a car to take us. He called around and after about fifteen minutes found someone, praise God, who said he’d drive us to Kigali for 50,000 francs (about $90). At that point it seemed like the best option by far, I hadn’t been able to hold any fluid for nine hours and hadn’t eaten much, by the time we would even get to the hospital it would be 12 hours. Based off of past experience I’ve had with Crohn’s disease, I was eager to get to the hospital so that I could get an i.v. of fluids.

He picked us up around 5:30 and drove like…well like a Rwandan, we got there at 8:00. After checking in I was given fluids through an i.v. and given a mild pain medicine to stop some cramps. Within about 45 minutes I felt 10 times better. While I was there I met with the doctor and talked about what it could be. They took a couple samples and drew blood to run tests. I left about 3 hours later. I returned to the hospital this morning (Wednesday), to get the results from the blood work. Everything checked out okay. No malaria and no typhoid. So I’ll return Friday for the other test results but it looks like it was either bad food (I’m thinking the bananas ;o) or it was a parasite of some kind.

So all that to say several things. One, I’m feeling fine now. In fact, I originally planned on staying in the east until Friday at which point I could come to Kigali to meet with Dwight for the weekend. But now, I am in Kigali for the week. Warm showers, electricity, a toilet…not just a hole but a toilet (without spiders too)! Amazing. I also look at that experience as just one more time that God has tested me, provided for me in the midst of that test, and given me rest at the end (hmmmm…sounds familiar). Another verse comes to mind when thinking about the experience.

“In this [our inheritance of the kingdom through Christ's resurrection] you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith–more precious than gold that perishes through it is tested by fire–may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Chris.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

I will never be excited to be in situations like the one I just went through. They suck. It wasn’t fun. It was uncomfortable and miserable. But I am learning what it means to find joy in them. I am learning that it is through those situations that are faith is both tested and established. And I am learning that it is only through Christ that we even have the right to find hope in such times.

“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:2-5)

May God continue to find me worthy enough to undergo the suffering that builds in me character that glorifies Him.

Intro

I hadn’t planned on being back to Nygatare until Monday, but Paul had a free day today so he I am. A few breif updates before some details. I am feeling 100% and am free of the cold/flu whatever that was. Unfortunately now I think Paul has it so pray for a quick recovery for him! I am also getting more acclimated to the environment and have gotten used to hearing “monzungo” and not thinking people are talking bad. Actually there is only one instance in which I know of that someone has made a negative comment and that was when Paul and I were on him motorcycle driving by and some random guy shouted something. I’m not sure what exactly he was saying but Paul gave him a pretty nasty glare so I’m sure it wasn’t good. But other than that I have been able to have really good interactions with people. I have learned maybe a dozen words here and have a list Paul gave me of others I’m trying to memorize.

I also seem to have attracted a bit of a following among the little ones. When I wake up, when I return to my place, and when I go home to sleep there are kids awaiting my arrival. Particularity, Kevin and Caleb, seem to be there whenever I turn around. They are both in B1 (first grade).

I haven’t had any real issues with mosquitoes and continue to tuck in my mosquito net to my bed. With the exception of a crafty beetle I have yet to have any insects penetrate that barrier! I have also grown used to the bucket baths, the water is a bit cold but its do-able. The food has become a normal part of the day. It is the same thing everyday. I did find out that what I thought was some kind of squash was cooked green banana’s. Hmmm. So then I asked if that’s how they always eat them and said in the states we just eat them when the are yellow and we don’t cook them. So the lady who feeds us sent out for some yellow bananas for me. For those of you who know me you know I DO NOT LIKE bananas! But, I took them and ate a couple in front of her. It took some will power but I managed.

The Project

I continue to meet with people in laying the groundwork for this project. Thursday I met with a group of ten different pastors from the district. They represented a variety of churches: protestant, anglican, catholic, seventh day advent, and one or two more. I got to know a little bit about the churches. I learned that the biggest burden of resources on the church seems to be their taking care of the orphans and widows. Several churches also have started schools to help supplement governmental schooling. One church, the catholic church, had a program that was funded by a Bush initiative but that he expects to have is funding pulled through the Obama administration so they are scrambling to find out other alternatives. I also learned that the churches in general lack education from the top down. While there are a few pastors that have university experience there are only two or three with biblical training. They were eager to have some kind of training available that could be geared towards leaders, congregations and youth. There is some definite potential for that to be incorporated into what we are doing in this Highlands project.

Friday was a holiday so I wasn’t able to meet with anyone. I will be here in Gacundezi for another week before returning to Kigali for 3 days to meet with Dwight. After that I’ll be back out here for another two weeks. So, in the next week I need to continue to gather as much information as possible while making new contacts.

Volleyball!

The last thing I expected to do in Rwanda was play volleyball, but what do ya know, that’s what I did last night. I went up to the school with Paul to watch the football and volleyball teams practice. After about 15 minutes the coach, who was playing with the volleyball team, asked if I wanted to join. I was a bit hesitant having never played organized volleyball but I agreed to play. Of course he puts me opposite the 6’4” high flying guy at the net with a million mile spike velocity. They weren’t shy of going to me, almost immediately I was getting sets. Everyone was in a set position and was very good at their role. I caught on quickly and surprisingly began to hold my own. The guy I was up against was getting competitive and after he spiked one and caught me in the face (that was fun) my competitiveness came out to. I held my own against him blocking him on several occasions. Of course being as though the “mazungoo” was playing volleyball about 60 kids were watching so anytime he or I did something they would egg us on. He was probably getting the best of me 6 out of 10 times, but I was pretty happy with that. Towards the end of the game he went up and I got a big block on him and they all stared cheering. You could tell he wanted nothing more than to get even with me, but then two plays later I was given the perfect set and had my best spike of the game slamming it past him and about 20 feet off the arms of the guy trying to dig it. All the kids were yelling and one guy who apparently knew one English word was shouting “fantastic, fantastic.” It was a lot of fun and I think my Sunday night volleyball pals back in Phoenix would be proud!

Have I mentioned that God is good!

I continue to go deeper into God’s word. I have had a lot of time to read, which has been great. In the last week or so I’ve read through Matthew, Genesis, and book on poverty and most of “Surprised by Hope.” It is all melding together as I began to reform my understanding of the cross and of the gospel. As I have mentioned this has been an ongoing process for me the last few months but I now feel like God is really establishing a strong foundation for my understanding. The more I examine it the more I’m convicted to what we do now, today, in this life…it matters. Through Genesis, Matthew and N.T Wright I keep seeing this process of God fulfilling his promise of renewing creation. Bringing heaven to earth. While I’m still working through some of the concepts from the book, and finding some questions unanswered, I find myself agreeing with Wright that much of the western culture has developed an understanding that at death our disembodied souls will leave this broken place and be in heaven. Thus this idea that what happens on earth ultimately get’s thrown out, that Heaven is somewhere else waiting for us to inhabit it. But that isn’t correct, it’s not biblical. At the death and resurrection of Christ God began to initiate the process of “on earth as it is in heaven.” What we do now is a part of God’s kingdom being established and creation being renewed. Yes, ultimately God will finish this work through Christ’s return; and yes, we do not establish God’s kingdom, he does. But as image bearers of God, we were created to reflect him in all of creation. We are a part of this renewing in that he uses us, when willing (and sometimes reguarless of our willingness) to carry out his great plan.

I could go on and on about this, but alas I don’t have the time. I am eager to continue to dive into this though process and hope to have opportunities to talk through it with many of you upon my return. It has been a paradigm shift that for me, brings a new depth to my role within the kingdom, and the beauty of God’s active work in his creation. Amazing.

May you all continue to be blessed in your pursuance of His will. My prayers are with you!