ten: Qs and As
Time for some Q&A. My Qs, your As. Wait a minute…??? Never mind. Moving right along.
Here are ten questions. Feel free to answer one or all of them. Don’t think too hard—just write the first thing that pops into your brain. And you can give short answers or long, it’s entirely up to you.
Ready?
- Breakfast for dinner—yay or nay?
- What’s your favorite Christmas tradition?
- Do you prefer Starbucks or no-frills coffee shops?
- What’s your biggest hope for 2009?
- What’s your least favorite noise?
- What song best describes you today?
- What’s the oddest thing in view, right now, wherever you are?
- What are you praying most for yourself these days?
- What’s your favorite nickname (your own or someone else’s)?
- What’s one blog I should read that you don’t think I already am?
nine: years ago
1999. The end of a millennium.
Nine years ago the world was preparing for Y2K, thinking it was the end of the world. Or, at the very least, that all the computers were going to crash. There were rumors of Armageddon and the second coming of Christ. Bomb shelters were built, generators bought, and I think a record-breaking number of canned foods purchased.
I wonder if people were more relieved or disappointed at 12:01 on New Year’s Day 2000.
What were you doing on New Years Eve 1999?
eight: years and counting
Eight years ago I married the man of my dreams. I couldn’t believe my luck—cause you know I believe in that sort of thing—I found a man of God who loves me and loves the people of Africa. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Our marriage has never been easy. I blame that on the fact that we work alongside each other in ministry every day and are from completely different cultures. And because I’m not the easiest person to live with.
Our marriage has always taken work, but so does everything else that I love. Every passion I have takes effort. My marriage is no exception.
And it’s worth every ounce of relational sweat.
Right now, Niel and I need to work extra hard. For reasons that are unnecessary to share, we’re in a place of needing to dig our heels in deep, and fight. Not each other, but together. For our marriage. And we’re both committed to doing whatever it takes. Whatever it takes.
We looked each other in the eyes and committed to put our marriage first.
seven: out of ten
We had ten amazing interns this year. I know I say every group is amazing, and I swear I’m not lying. The statement is never intended to be a comparison between internship classes; they are all handpicked by God to be here at the time He wants them here, and I love all of them to bits.
Okay, moving on…
Over the years, we’ve somehow managed to maintain a 30% “return rate” of interns coming back as staff. This year, that stat’s been blown out of the water. Seven of the ten are going to be back with us next year as part of our staff team. We are humbled that so many want to return and use their gifts to help us lead Africa to thrive.
The three interns who are stepping into different things—those with non-Thrive next steps—are each heading off to do great things. We are excited with them and for them, and while we’ll certainly miss them, they’ll always remain part of the Thrive family.
We love our interns and we’re so proud of each one of them.
Stop for a second and think: Who are you proud of? Why?
six: days and then rest… or death?
All too often I work on the Sabbath. And apparently, that means I should be long dead by now.
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.
Thank the Lord for grace. I’m just sayin’.
I wanna hear from you:
What does Sabbath mean to you? How diligent are you at keeping a day of Sabbath each week? Got any tips for keeping one day “holy to the Lord”?
Talk amongst yourselves.
five: euro for condoms
Did you know there are condom vending machines in Italy? There are. Right along the busy streets, next to Louis Vuitton and a myriad of lingerie stores.
Every time we saw one of the condom-dispensing machines, we joked about buying some. We finally went for it. In went five Euro. Out came a pack of six condoms.
Definitely worth the money spent. (That’s what she said.)
four:th of a nation
They say that one in four South Africans has AIDS.
And I know it’s true. I see it all around me: In the funeral tents that dot the horizon, in the sunken cheeks of a woman my age, in the lifelessness of the eighteen-month-old boy in my lap…
He says that there is hope.
And I know it’s true. I see it all around me: In the faces that light up when they hear—for the first time—that there’s a God who loves them, in the signed commitments to save sex for marriage, in the smile that spreads across the face of the lifeless toddler in my lap…
Sometimes it’s easier to see the reality of what they say. But if I look closely, I can’t miss the reality of what He says.
Lord, give me eyes to see…
three: miles
A few weeks back, I joined Amy for one of her morning walks. I was overly proud of myself for tackling the three-mile-round-trip road to the main gate. And then… I haven’t walked with her since.
Ugh.
What’s hard for you to stay motivated to do?
two: Rs
Only a few of you have known me long enough to know about my Merrry Christmas faux pas. (Did you even catch it that time?)
Wondering what I’m talking about? Take a gander back in time with me…
Note to self: Merry should only ever be spelled with two Rs.
Or maybe I should stick with Happpy Holidays.
one: left
You know that revolving door I’m always talking about? It’s going around again this morning as we say goodbye to our interns (who’ve been with us since January). One is staying behind for a few extra weeks but the rest are boarding a plane this evening and flying home.
After our week of debriefing together, I’m confident that this year in Africa changed each of them. And after watching them engage in ministry for a year, I’m also confident that they changed Africa. They’ve each left their mark, their footprint. And Africa will never be the same.
Neither will I.
