The Strangest Surprise
After fourteen hours of heavy rain
(not in the least raining cats and dogs, but more like raining elephants
and rhinos), I found a most unexpected surprise in my bathroom. You see,
to say that my bathroom suffers from damp, would be putting it mildly.
So, one morning after it had rained elephants and rhinos, imagine my
surprise when I went into the bathroom and looked above and found
mushrooms – yes! – mushrooms growing on my ceiling! And real
mushrooms like the ones you buy in Sainsburys and Tesco. Ha!!!
The Best Surprise of All
Before I left for Africa, I had been
told by others who have taught in Africa, not to expect the students to
ask many questions or take part in discussions, etc. However, I have
been so impressed and excited at my students' ability to debate, ask
challenging questions, and generally grill me to death, ahem, be eager
and hungry to know more! They are full of questions and want to know
everything all at once! I seem to spend every lesson responding to a
question with 'just wait one moment, we're getting to that in five
minutes!' Or 'we're looking at that next week!'
Every lesson we seem to discuss the
nitty gritty questions in theology: one time we were pondering over the
fact that if God's plan for each of us is 'to prosper you and not to
harm, plans to give you a hope and a future…' (Jeremiah 29.11-14), then
how do we understand tragedies like the Asian Tsunami? We have been
through everything from getting your head around predestination yet God
wanting all to be saved and none to perish, to salvation by grace
and yet having to 'work out your salvation with good deeds…'. Phew! At
first my favourite line was: 'well, let's discuss this further in an
open debate. What do other people think…?' I think somewhere else it's
called passing the book. I however liked to think of it as encouraging
and empowering others to express their thoughts and ideas. However, now
I am getting used to their eruption of tricky questions, and absolutely
love it! I feel that in my own head things are really starting to piece
themselves together, and it's the best feeling in the world being with
other people and trying to sort out the most challenging questions in
the world! And it's a joint quest, where we all learn from each other.
I love these nitty gritty 'lets not gloss over the tricky bits'
moments! (Having said that, my new favourite phrase is 'Hey, don't blame
me, I didn't write the Bible!'). These students are not afraid to
challenge and question. And these are the times when the students show
that they are not learning theology in a vacuum, but are dealing with a
living God among living people.
The Most Amazing Surprise
For a moment nearly every day, there
is no division between the heavens and the earth. For as the storm
breaks, and the thunder rolls, and the darkness covers the earth,
boundaries are no more. Beginning in the heavens, the thunder rolls down
to earth and roars and shakes and everyone cries, 'the sky is falling
in'. Yes, Chicken Licken was actually a clever bird.
For a moment nearly every night,
there is no division between the day and the night. For as the storm
breaks, and the lightning flashes, boundaries are no more. There is no
night or day, for day becomes night and night becomes day. As the
lightning blazes from the night sky, it washes away the darkness and
fills the land with light – and you can again see the trees and houses
and cowering chickens. And then it disappears, and the night returns,
where you cannot even see your very hand in front of you.
Every day seems to have a moment of
'un-creating and re-creating'. The mighty storms tear away all
boundaries; and yet in this small place there is everyday a moment of
creation, where the heavens and earth are restored to their place, where
the sun and moon restore the day and night, and the people rise up from
their homes and go on their way to live and love and learn.
Well, these are a few of my thoughts
from the past week. I've so many other things to tell you, but I'll save
that for next time! If you would like to pray for the seminary, here are
a few requests:
1. For the students - that they may
make solid friendships here and may not feel too much heartache
from living without their wives and children.
2. There are only two women students
here (training as evangelists, not ordinands). Please pray that they
feel part of this very male dominated environment, and pray that they
may be encouraged and empowered in their ministry.
3. For funding - I don't really need
to say more than the fact that the seminary really is living off air.
4. That God would bless the students
in their studies and give them clear sight. This is most especially
needed, as one lecturer is a Catholic, one is an Anglican liberal, and I
am, well, I'm not too sure but neither of those...! It must be quite
difficult for them at times when the ideas of the lecturers clash in
their different lectures.
5. For the teachers - that we may
have humility in our teaching, gentleness in our actions, and grace in
our words.
Well, if you've got this far, well
done! Sorry, I am just simply bursting with so many things to share with
you, and not having had communication for over a week was nearly
torture! Hope you're all well.
With much love and joy,
Emma xxx
