Letters, Letters Everywhere . . .

Perhaps it is just an "occupational hazard," but . . . ARE THERE MORE LETTERS IN THE WORLD THAN THERE USED TO BE???  Everywhere I turn I see l-e-t-t-e-r-s!  Now I know it is partly that I am living in a French-speaking country, and, as far as it appears to me, the French waste letters by putting them in words that are perfectly good without them!  But since I do not speak French, what do I know?

I remember how much fun it was to have small children in the 4-and-younger age group where you could still have a conversation with an adult by speaking AND SPELLING words, but I realize now that has backfired on us.  With the onslaught of  social media, our "once-spelled-in-front-of children" are getting their revenge - BIG TIME!  Just check out facebook and see how much communication takes place through letters that don't spell anything!  I consider myself pretty savvy;  I know that "LOL" = "laugh out loud," "JK" = "just kidding," and "BYU" = "Bob's your uncle" . . . no, wait . . . that comes from our Dutch friend, Sjoerd, and means "Then you're done!" or "See, it works!" However, I still cannot decode my granddaughter's messages on facebook!  Could there be a reason???

Recently I have learned of two more sets of letters (other than OIA = "only in Africa"), which have caused me some serious thought:  FWP and TWP.  Really, they stand for questions:  First World Problem? or Third World Problem?  (Thank you Jenny and Ruth for your thought-provoking creativity!)

Living in a "third world" country has its share of difficulties, especially for the people who claim this as their homeland;  for those of us from westernized cultures - not so much.  Yet we complain:  "Internet off AGAIN???"  "A mouse has eaten my tee-shirt!"  "How long will the power be out this time???"  "Rice or potatoes for dinner?"  "My refrigerator won't keep anything cold in this 110 F. weather!"  (So far, I only see FWP's: I have internet AND a computer to access it;  I have clothes to spare; We get electricity;  I have enough food to store some?  We have choices of what to eat, or do, or buy, or learn, or drive, or . . .)

What do TWP's  look like?  Malaria, typhoid, burned babies who die, and those who don't but have life-long disfigurement.  Crops with too little rain and trees cut down for cooking fires.  Schools where doors were stolen for shelter, and desktop wood was removed for firewood or to sell for income.

Women with too many children and too little food for them . . .

and so it could go for this country on the bottom rungs of the "human development index" . . . EXCEPT . . .

Except that God called many people here to make a difference - to be a (different kind of) "letter" from God to these people in such need here.  Like Paul says of the  Corinthian believers, "You show that you are a letter from Christ . . . written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, written not on tablets of stone, but on . . .  human hearts." (2 Corinthians 3:3)  Change has to be in God's time; obedience in ours.

Oh, and BTW - the new term is now "two-thirds world," rather than "third world," - just FYI.

Led Like a Lamb . . .

I have never been particularly interested in visiting the Holy Land, but I have  realized God has many ways of making the accounts in the Bible come alive, or become more visually accurate, which is something I have definitely experienced in our two years in Galmi!  For example, in my mind, the stable where Jesus was born is not a bed of sweet hay, with clean animals far in the background to lend authenticity, but maybe something more like this:

One Family's "Stable" in Galmi

Or, it could have resembled this (with probably an overhead covering):

A Different Family's "Stable"

Life here for Nigeriens is just so "basic."  I can't help but think that God, who came to Earth to be not a King ruling in royal robes, with Earthly finery, but to be king of our hearts and lives, would come where and how most people live --- which for 2/3 of the world is very "basic!"

It is easier for me to experience God in Galmi.  I need Him.  I have questions. I am looking for answers.  I am finding His presence more readily as I live life in the context of His calling.  So it should not have surprised me when I "heard His voice" on my way to school one day just before Easter.  I was just passing the last house when I heard the very loud "BAA-A-A-A,  BAA-A-A-A" of a small ram, which compelled me to investigate.  He was tethered to the small animal pen in front of the house, and happened to be one of the half-black/half-white kind that I see a lot of here.  They look "painted" because there is such a distinct line around their middle.

"Baaa-aa-aa-aa!"

I am not sure why, but I went up to the pen and started "talking" to the animal, which of course, was a very one-sided conversation, interspersed with some "baa-a-a" on his part.  Although I am neither a vegetarian, nor particularly fond of animals in general, I was saying words like, "Gosh, I am sorry about your fate (Easter dinner)," which didn't get much response from him!  He would be taken away, fearlessly following, not knowing his destiny, until . . . and then the impact of what would happen brought to mind another lamb --- a perfect lamb --- Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.  "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter."  (Isaiah 53:7)  He did not need to be tethered; no "baa" of protest left his lips; yet he went willingly, even knowing full-well the suffering that He would endure and the fate that would be His. But unlike my "friend in the pen" above, His sacrifice would not be enjoyed for just a day, or talked about for a week, but would be THE SACRIFICE -  sufficient for all eternity, and a joyous celebration for all who claim Him as personal Savior and Lord!

HE IS RISEN!   HE IS RISEN, INDEED!