Friday, September 30, 2011

The Story

Foreword:
Jacob and I had committed to getting married before the ring, so I expected him to just give me the ring when it came. The whole idea behind a proposal is you propose the idea of being married to your significant other. Which Jacob and I had already done. So really the only part missing was the ring. Give me that and I'm fine. No need for a big hullabaloo!
"But there has to be a story! People are going to ask what the story is!!! You can't just say, 'Oh, he just gave it to me'!"
(Jacob hasn't come to see yet how I can make the arrival of UPS a thrilling tale indeed (especially when the USPS comes first bearing false hope and devastation))
But he insisted. So now, my dear friends, I have for you a story.

Chapter One:
Errands in the morning, class, immediately followed by a lunch meeting. I was ready for nap time. But this was Date Night and we had plans to go to the Botanical Gardens. So walking back to the House of Awesome, where I live, (no really, that's what they call it and what it is known as), I asked when we'd be leaving. "I think we'll go to the Gardens after dinner..." he said.
After dinner? Who goes to the Botantical Gardens after dinner? Well I guess the sun doesn't set til 8 ish... ok... Score! Nap time!
"Well, then I guess we should go our separate ways for now?" I asked. We exchanged our goodbyes and went home.

Chapter Two:
At 3:30, I was awoken from my nap by the light buzzing of my cell phone. "The Botanical Gardens closes at 5. We need to go now if we want to make it"
"OK" I groggily typed.
After waking up a bit more fully, I realized we wouldn't even have an hour at the Gardens, so I suggested to Jacob we save our tickets for another day, because we might not see everything we want to see in such a short time. Jacob replied, "If there's something you don't get a chance to see, I'll take you back."
It was a nice firm, don't-argue-with-me answer. I like such answers. Firm. I reward firm answers with not arguing (...sometimes).
In the car and on our way, we find that crazy thing that happens happening to us. You're on a four lane interstate where the speed limit is 70 and there's no construction or accidents and yet EVERYONE is STOPPED!
Jacob's frustrated because we are totally NOT getting there in time and I'm frustrated because we're in rush hour traffic and Jacob's not an assertive driver (some call it aggressive, I call it assertive!) which, in Dallas, is a requirement for driving. They even test for it when distributing licenses! (not really. that was an exaggeration.)
But the chapter ends with much frustration.

Chapter Three:
So instead of the Gardens, we decide to go the nice little Italian restaurant Jacob found on the internet. (If red flags aren't going up, they should be). Lover's Pizza and Pasta on Lovers Ln. The picture in my head is a place with ambient lighting, reds and purples for decor, a portrait of Lady and the Tramp eating spaghetti on the wall. Not the dingy dirty little joint we found ourselves in. I, however, was having a delightful time as I composed the article I would've written on this place should I have been a restaurant critic instead of a Bible Translator.
After dinner, we found a place to hang out and play cards, where we stayed for two hours.
We tried to find something else to do but eventually gave up and went back to the House of Awesome to watch an episode of Fringe (a TV series I highly recommend).

Chapter Four:
After an episode, I asked Jacob if he'd like to watch another, or go home as it was getting a little late.
"Walk me outside," he replied.
And when we found ourselves on the doorstep, Jacob pulled a red, leather-bound book with gold filigree from his bag. The cover read Our Story Begins. Down on one knee, he opened the hollowed out book to reveal my diamond ring.
I said yes!


Tuesday, September 27, 2011

So date night last week was a trip to the zoo on half-price day! Total win!
And one of our first stops was the reptile house, air-conditioned as we waited for the heat of the day to pass before venturing out in the Savannah exhibit.
Now, I'm very much a Where's-Waldo reptile house guest. Some people like to read the descriptions and such. Not me. The only time that I'll read a description is if the creature is so odd looking an explanation is necessary.
Well we reached this one snake, in clear view, lazily draped over the limb of an assortment of branches in a wide circle. A brilliant green. It was so pretty, and bold, not hiding in a corner,that I found my eyes wandering to the description. Both Jacob and I read it at the same time and instinctively jumped back from the snake.
Important for training in PBT is taking the required classes but just as important, if not more so is listening to the stories of seasoned missionaries and learning from them. And we had both listened to enough stories to have it ingrained in us that when you see this snake you need to reverse in haste. The Green Mamba!!!!
Of course, after that initial instinctive retreat we approached the glass in defiance and "bravery".
Also, on our travels through the reptile house we met the Black Mamba, and the Death Adder.
The Mamba's are intensely venomous snakes from Africa, while the Death Adder is affectionately called the 5-step Killer in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. And regretfully, these snakes ARE NOT more afraid of you than you are of them. They will hunt you down and nibble on your toes. Then you may take 5 more steps and that is all.
This bloke right here is the Death Adder. He's just angry looking...

Monday, September 26, 2011

It's Not a Cult! ...I think ...pretty sure...

Names say a lot about a place. And sometimes, at first glance, they might scream "cult!"
Example? The Village.
Creepy...
But really, Jacob and I were getting desperate. We had gone to a fair handful of churches in the area and had met churches that didn't want to use the Bible because some people listening may not believe the Bible is the Inspired Word, and some churches whose manner of worship music sounded like noise to my... uncultured ears, and some churches that were on the farside of the Metroplex.
A nearby place with awesome music and Biblical-based preaching!
Is that too much to ask?

"Why, Forefront, did you spoil me so!?!?!?" -me
"By emulating a Biblical Church?" - Jacob
"Why, Forefront, Why!?!?!?" -me

So we went to The Village.
Yes, it sounds like a cult, but the normal sounding churches weren't what we were looking for. We were desperate.
We walked in and were told to scoot over to the center, that every seat was precious, that they often had to send people away for lack of room. The room sat about 300 (maybe?) and there were 5 services at that campus and 2 other campuses.
The service started by verbally giving us the order of the service and key announcements, before going into one worship song. Which was rocking.
Then the video service started and the pastor was animated and enthralling and used the Bible a lot. Which, as a Bible Translator, and a Christian, I appreciate. The sermon concluded, communion was passed which we all took at the same time, and the service was concluded with the rest of the worship set.
Rocking worship, Biblical based preaching, 20 minutes away. Win.

While in Dallas, I attend the Village Church. And it's not a cult! Well, at least, I haven't seen that side yet.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Internal Dialogue

9:00 am, a cup of Blue Mountain Coffee from PNG, and the day such a lovely temperature that every door in the house is flung wide open.
A delightfully calm and peaceful morning.
And here I am, unable to enjoy it, because someone seasoned my coffee with broken worry.


"Don't worry, the Bible says, rest your cares on the Lord," my Superego says to my Id.
"Listen, I didn't just pick up Worry because I thought she was pretty! She's growing on my like a fungus! I can't get rid of her!"
"You can do all things through Christ Jesus," Superego recites dutifully.
"I wish I could get someone to call me back about this PD trip! Even if they told me no, someone extending the courtesy of returning my calls would be so ...nice," Id laments.
"I wish I didn't have to raise money for this. I just had money. Or I was paid like a normal employee. Or anything!" Id continues.
"That's rather selfish. You get to go work to fulfill the Mission of God and you don't want to let others have their chance to contribute to the Mission? Not nice."
"They don't want to contribute to the mission!"
"Yes they do. They just don't know that they do. You have to tell them."
"And how can I tell them if they wont take my calls!"
Sensing that Id's emotional levels had risen to the brink of dangerous, Ego stepped forth.
"I'm going to go try to make some more phone calls. If at first you don't succeed!"
Ego picks up the phone.
"$10 that everyone she talks to blows her off."
"Gambling is a very irresponsible way to handle money," Superego sniffs disdainfully.


Needless to say, I'm a little stressed out. My heart longs to see Papua New Guinea again, and I have an opportunity in February, but I fear I won't have the funds to do it. The past ... many years of my life have been focused on this goal of going to PNG. And now that I've been to PNG, seen the love and hospitality of the people, seen the desperate desire for the Word of God in their own language, seen their proactive efforts that can, alas, only get them so far without a Translator, it makes not being there so much harder.

So, if you would, pray that sugar seasons my coffee instead, that people get back to me about this PD trip, and that God communicates to me somehow what He wants me to do, and that I can learn to hear.

Friday, September 16, 2011

A Textbook I Enjoyed ... What?!?!


Textbooks are traditionally something to be endured, not enjoyed. And I will assure you, I've had plenty of textbooks this semester that had to be endured. But The Upside-Down Kingdom by Donald Kraybill was one that I enjoyed.
Written as if an oral transcript, the book is easy to read and points are told in the fashion of a narrative.
The moment that I decided I liked this book was, within the first 75 pages, when the historical climate of world about the time of Jesus was discussed, putting background that I didn't have the delight of knowing in Bible College on individuals like Herod the Great.
For example, it mentions that "Herod placed a golden eagle, the empire's royal symbol, over the great east gate of the city [of Jerusalem]. This so enraged some forty pious Jews that in defiance they tore the eagle down. Herod retaliated by burning them all alive." (pg 41)
This book enables you to empathize with the Jews. The Jews, who after the exile, finally decided to obey God, who tore down the symbol of Rome that tainted the city of Jerusalem, even when it meant their death. The Jews who repeatedly took their stand, as futile as it may have been, against the Romans to preserve the Temple of the Lord, who wanted to be freed from this pagan reign, who were very disappointed that Jesus wasn't going to be the one who did that. But all their Scriptures say He'll bring a new Kingdom, that He will resume the throne of David. It's no wonder they hated Him. They had expectations and He wasn't it.
This book makes the Jews not the Jesus slayers, but broken and lost people who have cried out to God to save them, with some preconceived notions of what they needed to be saved from. And when Jesus presented Himself as the Messiah, it's no wonder that they thought he was an impostor, a false prophet.
And what do you do with false prophets who invite you away from God? "You must put them to death" Deut 13:9. But Jesus preformed miracles! “Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before— do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul." Deut 13:1-3
This book made the good intentions of the Jews clear. Because lets be honest, few people wake up and say, "I think I'm going to be the villain today." The Jews had good intentions, God-fearing intentions. They just weren't willing to admit that their interpretation of Scripture might be wrong.

And how often do we do that?

Great book. No footnotes though! How can I trust that his words are true if there are no footnotes! Facts need footnotes! Footnotes!


Also it said a bunch of other good stuff too.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

PNG Branch Needs Prayers

2 months.
2 months is how long I spent in Papua New Guinea. And not even two months spent with one missionary.
2 months is how long it took me to fall in love with a country. I didn't realize I had fallen in love with the Branch, too.
But I started to realize it. First at the passing of Eunice Messersmith, a woman I had the honor of speaking to for perhaps 3 hours total. But a woman it only took 3 hours to come to love. The pain of this loss, the pain of the Branch wrecked my heart.
I continued to realize it when, instead of being miffed that I didn't get a reply to my emails within several weeks, I became concerned with how hard the Branch must be working itself and how exhausted it must be.
And I realize it today, when two unfair, tragic stories reached my ears, stories that come to hurt 2 strong translators on our team, stories that remind us of the sin in the world.
Today, again my heart screams at the pain for the members of the Branch.
A part of me wants to go now, not necessarily because I can do anything at all, but because it seems right, to go where people are hurting.
And a part of me wonders what tragic stories are going to come to try to hurt me.

Pray that the PNG translators who've received unfair news will stand strong.
Pray for this Branch.
Pray for my Branch.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Tropical Ulcer

A sequel to “Jais: Paradise is Danger”


I woke in a cold sweat many nights to the terrible nightmare that I would awake to find my leg encased in coral, like this fellow to the right.
The coral that had scraped me at Jais now tried to grow inside of me. A pursuit that my team leader and I worked to thwart.
Lindy first told me to always keep it wet. (If you know anything about wound care, you know this is a stupid idea. Keep it dry is the rule of thumb. Bacteria likes the wet. Do not try these remedies in a non-tropical area!!) But in the tropics, keep it wet. With bleach evidently. For days, Lindy poured bleach into my open wound. Pain abounded.
But the efforts of the coral to encase me redoubled.
So we shifted our tactics accordingly. Lindy poured sugar into my open wound. (If you know anything about wound care, you know this is a stupid idea. No sugar is the rule of thumb. Bacteria likes sugar. Do not try these remedies in a non-tropical area!!)
But alas, this effort too was in vain, (although it didn’t hurt as much).
“Lindy,” I wailed, “I don’t want to amputate! Just throw me in the ocean! I’ll just be part of the Great Coral Reef”
(Lindy literally poured sugar into my blood stream. It caused me to be a little hyperbolic.)

But Lindy had not written me off as dead yet and we tried something else.
We put wet gauze on my leg and waited until it dried and then peeled it off. The ulcer had morphed back into a common scrape. The battle against the coral had been won and there was much rejoicing.