RVA has interims, and we were asked to lead a group to Tanzania. We met with our group, and we asked them, “Why did you pick this group?” When every member admitted that it was there second choice, I thought that it was an auspicious beginning, but the honesty was a great start to an astonishing week.

 

We were going to be living among the Datooga tribe, a group that still lives in mud huts. They live in a national park, and it was a place of amazing beauty. A group had sent us solar flashlights, and we purchased Swahili Bibles. We were able to present flashlights and Bibles, and wandering the village the next day and looking at people reading the first book they had ever owned was thrilling beyond thrilling.

 

Our group consisted of Nancy and a bunch of girls, so they had several meetings with the woman in the tribe, and for obvious reasons I didn’t participate. One day, I was sitting under a tree and a snake dropped in my lap. I learned several things:

• When a snake drops in my lap, I am able to scream like a 7-year-old girl.
• Snakes HATE it when old men scream like 7-year-old girls.

I jumped up and yelled and threw the snake far away. The gentlemen we were staying with ran out to find out what was wrong:

 

Me:  A snake just dropped in my lap. 

Gentleman:  Was it bright green?

Me:  Yes.

G:  We must get you to the hospital immediately!!

Me:  It didn’t bite me.

G:  Well, the hospital is 2 hours away, and if it bit you, you will be dead in 5 minutes.

 

It is amazing how many details you have never noticed about your watch as you observe the time going past and wondering what will happen after five minutes.

 

Nothing happened besides personal growth.

 

Nancy had an interesting meeting with all the women in the tribe. She did a presentation about AIDS, which was notable in itself because 11 years ago, Nancy would have fainted dead away before she would have talked in front of any group, let alone talk about such a sensitive subject. By all accounts, she did a great job, but then the really interesting time began.

 

The questions weren’t about how AIDS was transmitted. The question was this:  “In our culture, a woman cannot refuse her husband if he wishes to be intimate. We know our husbands are being intimate with other women. What would you tell us to do?”

 

The rap against missionaries is that they can be cultural imperialists, and historically it has sometimes been a fair criticism. Our goal is to not make someone like us, but like Him. So, do we tell someone to deny their culture? Or do we will tell them to do what their husbands want, when the infection rate is tremendously high?

 

Sometimes I long for the days when the answers seemed so easy.

 

We left Tanzania and after a few days went to the US during the school break. Our mission allows us to take one trip with our children to look at colleges, and Matthew and I toured 30 colleges. It was such a great time with him, although I confess to looking at him several times while I was driving and wondering how it was possible that he was ready to go to college.

 

I’m not ready. I’m so glad I have another year.

 

When you aren’t in one place for more than a night and you have three weeks in the States, there was one variable I forgot to plan for:  clean underwear. There is NOTHING that says “I missed you” like calling up a friend and asking them if you can stop by and do laundry at their house.

 

What can I say:  I’m just a classy guy.

 

We are able to provide about 70% of the usual amount of food we give to the schools. We are grateful for what we can do, and pray that He will make the 70% last longer than it should. We received excellent, new curriculum which should take our centers to the next level, from Stephanie Speights, who has a PhD in computer training and came out and produced something outstanding. Please pray for wisdom; the centers are being attacked by thieves, and the police have informed me it isn’t their problem.

 

Most of our time in America was spent looking at colleges. It was my special time with Matthew. But I did meet with our board, who called me up to something. One of my oldest friends in the world cuts to the chase: “What is your purpose? Are you there to change the country?”

 

It is so easy to get bogged down with problems that you focus on your problems instead of your purpose. This is our purpose:  to get a generation of Kenyans through high school with good nutrition that learn technology, and that they know the reason this happened was Jesus’ love for them.

 

If we can do that, we can change the lives of so many kids who have never had a chance.

 

That will change the whole country.

 

And that is what I signed up for.

 

Your pal,

Steve

 

P.S. Many people were interested in Tabitha. Here are the ways that funds can be sent for her college education. We received this information from Richard Blomgren at Warren Wilson College:

 

If it is a direct gift to Tabitha, it is not tax deductible and they can send it to Richard Blomgren (see below) and it is refundable if she does not get a visa or attend Warren Wilson. Make that type of check out to Tabitha Ndung’u.

 

If they want to make a donation to the college to support a new student from Kenya, then it is tax deductible but NOT refundable and would go towards another international student, if Tabitha did not attend the school.

 

Not my rules – the IRS rules. Make those checks out to Warren Wilson College and send them with an explanation of deductible or non-deductible to:

 

Richard Blomgren

PO Box 9000

Dean of Admission

Warren Wilson College

Asheville, NC 28815-9000

 

Any questions about this should go to:  rickb@warren-wilson.edu.