"We Have So Much Stuff"

Durban is proving to be a land of contrasts for me again.  Today I had an encounter that has really got my mind reeling.  We visited A Thousand Hills, a resort area were Zulu tribe members re-enact their original lives.  Thatch-roofed domes that cover their living areas…men showing off for the single ladies…bone-reader/spiritualist letting a potential groom know if the bride he’s chosen is a good choice (and she was because she would give him 4 daughters…each eventually worth 11 cows as their dowry).  Obviously this culture is extremely different from our present day culture in America.  While the Zulus have moved away from dances and cows, they do still require dowrys for marriage…now approximately $1,000 to “buy” your bride.  I understand that several of the students I will be teaching come from Zulu background…should be an interesting time.

After enjoying the re-enactment, we headed just a short distance down the road to eat lunch at The Pot and Kettle, a delightful restaurant where we could eat on a covered patio area.  The wind was quite brisk at times.  If you check out my July 4^th photos on Facebook, you can see the substantial lunches we were served for a very reasonable price.  But the truth is that I felt ashamed of my lunch.  There was enough on my plate to share with Marcie and Lynda…and the local monkey…and still send food back to the kitchen.  I looked at my food and was very aware that on almost every street corner there have been men and women begging for money to feed themselves or their families.  And only a few short miles away we’re being served portions that are too big to eat…portions equivalent to what we are often served at home.  It’s hard to eat when you’re aware of the poverty around you.  I don’t want my heart to grow cold to the needs of the many here.  I also don’t want it to grow hard towards the people who have much but do not appear to share…and seem “put out” with the poor.  I’ve never seen such a clear picture of the have’s and the have not’s before.

But as if that wasn’t enough, after dining we walked back to the shopping area, small shops with local goods and handmade goods for sale.  While the others were checking out the shops, I chose to sit outside in a garden area and enjoy the breeze and fresh air (it was in the 80’s today…a little too warm for winter if you ask me).  A beautiful woman came and sat on a bench next to me and started chatting.  I had noticed several store bags piled near the bench and thought someone had left their shopping there…which would pretty much be unheard of here.  As she talked with me, she said, “I’m going to a friend’s house and I need to decide what to take with me.”  She started digging through the bags and I realized these were her “belongings”.  She was homeless and living out of these bags.  We spoke for a few minutes and she said, “This must be divine intervention.”  I had not mentioned anything more than I was visiting friends in Durban at that point.  And then she starts singing (beautifully) “Oh, Lord, You’re beautiful…Your face is all I seek…and when Your eyes are on this child…Your grace abounds to me.”  My heart started racing.  I felt myself in the Presence of God.  I can only think to call it a “tunnel moment”…where the rest of the world seems to disappear suddenly and you find yourself able to focus only on God.  She took my breath away.  It became clear a few minutes later that maybe she wasn’t “all there” (I hope this doesn’t sound disrespectful but it’s the only way I know to describe her).  And I should have known that God had something really big in store by then.  I heard one of her friends call her Rose and tell her that it was time to go (she introduced the friend as her sister, Happiness, but indications were that she wasn’t really a sister).  Rose looked down at the bags at her feet and turned to me and said, “Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we collect and think we need?”

The woman was living out of 5 shopping bags!!!  Her life’s possessions were in 5 shopping bags!!!  And she thought she had “much stuff”.  I could only smile weakly and agree…so aware that after I packed my suitcases to come to South Africa I still had a closet full of clothes hanging at home in Salamanca. 

Is that why I’m here, Lord?  Are you helping me to see how materialistic I’ve become?  Is it wrong to have pleasures that we enjoy as long as we’ve been giving and giving to the Lord and to others?  First, Sunday’s sermon about cheerful giving…about how those who have are supposed to be sharing with those who don’t…and now this?  I get it, Lord…that the things I have really are a reflection of how You are providing for me and how I don’t really need to follow the world’s way.  I knew when I came it wouldn’t be just about what You would do “through” me but also what You would do “in” me and how You would reveal Yourself “to” me.  I don’t want to miss You, Lord. 

If You had to bring me 8,000 miles from home to understand Your working in my heart, then I want to pay attention.  I see You in the beautiful smiles of these warm people.  I see You in the incredible creation of South Africa...the flowers and birds and ocean…the beautiful materials that capture the incredible colors all around.  I found myself in Your Presence in the company of a homeless woman who so beautiful sang Your praise. 

Help me, Lord, to embrace knowing that You are my Provider.   Help me to learn what’s “enough”…and to share everything more than that. 

I do want to also share a couple of moments that were a little “lighter” through our day --  as we were leaving the restaurant at noon I saw three older women investigating the Pashmina scarves…beautiful scarves…and heard one of them say, “A girl could dolly up a pair of jeans with one of those!”  It was said with a British accent…try it and see if it doesn’t make you smile.  Also…while we were dining…there was a loud sound “rolling” on the metal roof over our heads.  I thought a nut or something had fallen from one of the trees and was rolling down the roof, but it was really two small monkeys who eventually peeked under the eaves to watch us eating.  I stepped down into the outside eating area shortly after to catch one of the monkeys dining off a salad that was left on one of the tables.  I shared a cracker with him by putting it on the table under the tree that he disappeared into.  He came down and grabbed the cracker on the table and the cracker that had blown on to the ground.  Shortly after a sweet little boy tapped my shoulder and said, “Miss, did you feed the monkey?” and then pointed to the sign on the tree instructing, “Please do not feed the monkeys.”  Oops.  Also…we passed the office of “Focus on the Family” here in Africa…thought of Family Life Network and the wonderful ministry they provide to keep us encouraged.  We came home through high winds and Dan and Marcie conked out on the couch.  I posted pictures and wrote the blog of my day.  Tomorrow?  More lesson plans and finalizing next week’s PowerPoints.   I’d love to go to the beach again and just enjoy the calm and do some reading…maybe that will happen.  Marcie’s car repairs will be completed sometime tomorrow…maybe I can find some samoosa’s for supper again.  Discovering that I love curry-flavored foods…something I don’t think I’ll be able to find much of when I get home.

I feel so blessed to be sharing this adventure with Dan.  He shared today that he feels very comfortable here.  I’m looking forward to the opportunity to do what we came to do…share Christ through teaching and helping and loving the students of Durban Bible College. 

Thank you, friends, for your prayers.  My family at home seems to be doing well.  Pray that Andy and Jen will find their missing kitty, Attila…Princess Shannon’s best friend.  Also pray that Steve, Enith, Orlando and Roman will have a good time in Florida with their “other” grandma and a safe trip home later this week.  LeeAnne and Holden were spending today with friends… so happy to know they’ll have a fun day.  So God continues to bless us all while we’re separated.

More updates as soon as there is something to share!