8 Days in Africa

I don't know how many people have already said to me, "You're going all the way over to Senegal for only 8 days?" Well, technically, once you figure in a day for travel each way, it's only 6 days. True, it's just enough time to adjust to the new time zone (6 hours difference), then we turn around and come home. But I'm just excited to travel again, to have the opportunity to get into another culture, and that's worth it to me. And more importantly, whether it's financially, physically, or emotionally, what price is too high to pay for an opportunity to bring the light of the gospel to people living in a very dark place?

The team consists of six individuals, and possibly a seventh, if a miracle happens. Johnny, Mac and Jackie, Eric, Orangel, and myself. Johnny is the team leader. He has been taking teams to Senegal for the past 15 years or so. I went with him two years ago. Mac and Jackie are married, and he is a retired minister. Eric has a school supply store, and was able to get five suitcases of school supplies donated, which we will give to the villages we visit. Orangel is a Hispanic pastor. We also have Becky, who served as a missionary in Senegal for two years. She came on board a little late, and doesn't have a ticket yet. By now, airfare is around $3500, so that's why I said she'll come only "if a miracle happens."

We will be working with long-term missionaries once we arrive. These missionaries have been invited to share the gospel in two neighboring villages, Ndubor and Jomngel. We are prepared with a "Creation to Christ" story that we will share, through translators, in these villages. Senegal is a Muslim nation, but it is typical, especially in the rural villages, for the people to mix their animistic beliefs, such as praying to their ancestors, with the teachings of Islam. Many Africans live in deep fear of the spirit world, or "gods," so they will try anything to protect themselves from the gods, whether it be a special charm, requesting help from the local sorcerer, Muhammad, or even Jesus Christ. What often happens when an African hears about Christ, they add Him to his already long list of beliefs and practices.

Our goal is to successfully share with them that Christ is the only way, and that He is all they need, because He is more powerful than any of their gods and traditions, and He is the only way to eternal life. I am excited for this opportunity. Please keep our team in prayer as we travel and share the gospel. We leave April 24th and return May 1st. Below is a list of prayer points.

-Safe travel for the team to and from Africa
-People in the villages of Ndubor and Jomngel for ability to comprehend the Gospel
-Chief Cole Marone of Ndubor who has confessed Christ
-Good health, strength, discernment and direction for the team
-The team will function as one
-Jerry and Monica, our missionaries

I'm starving!

Man, it's hard to go for a long time without food. Usually the time between breakfast and lunch is all I can take, especially if it's a late lunch! Try going 12 days. I had this brilliant idea that I would go on a Detox Fast. Not eating anything for a long time allows the body opportunity to clean out the toxins that build up in it from eating such things as big macs and twinkies. Well, I had been hearing all kinds of good things about this, so I decided I would give it a try. What could it hurt? Some interesting things happened to me during this time, and if you want to hear about it, just continue reading. I must warn you, however, that this is not the most pleasant topic...Definitely not for dinner conversation.

It was hard, especially when you live with a whole bunch of people who eat, and you see and smell food. You don't realize how much food consumes us until you go without it for awhile. The first day I had an extreme headache. Apparently, all these toxins built up in my body get re-absorbed into my bloodstream because the body is trying to get energy from something, since the stomach is empty, so this caused the headache. As part of the fast, I periodically gave myself enemas. (If you don't know what that is, you can look it up, but basically it is flushing water through your digestive system to rinse the bad stuff out. Some people do it if they have bad constipation or something.) Well, I gave myself an enema at the end of the first day. I was shocked with the quantity of stuff that exited my system. But after that, the headache went away.

For the next couple days the process continued - no food, drinking lots of water, and an enema at the end of the day. Now, an enema is quite uncomfortable, but let me tell you, it does the job. Night after night more junk was leaving my system, and I would usually feel pretty good after the process. I was surprised, because after about the third day or so, I found that I had a lot of energy, at least a lot more than I expected. The first few days I was going to bed early and sleeping in because I was so tired.

After the first week, I started drinking homemade fruit juice and carrot juice. It tasted so good! It was like an infusion of energy. I felt so light, like there was an extra bounce in my step. The first thing I ate was a banana. Later, I ate a second banana, and for dinner, a salad. Then the next day, it was Easter, so we had feast, and I pigged out. I ate a lot of things with high-sugar content, and honestly, I felt kind of sick after that. All in all, I went 11 days without any food. I lost probably 10 or 15 pounds, but I have gained almost all of it back already.

Now when I eat, I think I have a new perspective. I do eat a lot of things that aren't really healthy for me. I haven't actually stopped eating the unhealthy things, but at least I do think before I eat now. Ridding my body of all the toxic things and refilling it with highly nutritious stuff (the juice) was very good for me, and it is probably something I should do from time to time throughout my life. A couple of weird observations from the detox: an increase in acne activity on my skin, and a decrease in body odor. Normally, I need my deodorant, but during the fast, I didn't. Bad breath was not an issue either during this time.

Not only did I detox my body, but I also used this time to detox my mind and my heart. God brought up certain issues in my life that needed work, like impatience when I relate with people, and a kind of silent rebellion in refusal to fully submit to and respect authority in my life. I had to walk through conflicts in certain relationships, which requires humility. God challenged me in regards to where I place my trust and priorities with my finances. And the time that I usually spend eating food? I spent it praying and reading my Bible. Out with the bad and in with the good.

The detox was not an easy thing to do - I was uncomfortable, hungry, tired, and at times lonely, but it was worth it. I grew through it and learned a few things. You know, I may actually consider doing it again sometime! Just not for awhile. (As I indulge in one of my Grandma's homemade, award-winning Special K bars!)

the rest of the story...

Since I just left you all hanging on the story of my taxes, I thought you may want to know the ending. I was walking through a field, and noticed what looked like a sinkhole. Upon further examination, I discovered it was really a buried chest of gold. Unbelievable! I wish. I would have had enough money to pay taxes for the rest of my life! Actually, Jim helped me discover a new way to figure in enough deductions to eliminate everything that I owed. So no, it's no chest of gold, but thanks to God nonetheless for a way out of that pit.

taxes!!! cue scary music...

For the last couple years I have been under this impression that because I have a very minimal annual income, I don't have to pay taxes, so I haven't filed the past couple years. But this year I decided to break down and at least file, still thinking I wouldn't owe anything. Imagine my suprise, when going through the steps of one of these online-file programs, I discover that I owe $991 in federal taxes! Talk about an unpleasand weight on one's shoulders. I can't afford a tank of gas in my truck, much less nearly one thousand in taxes!

Thankfully, with the help and advice of others, using different deductions, like using my truck for business purposes, etc., I have whittled that amount in half, and now I only owe $496. It's not as bad, but I still don't know where that money is going to come from, and it's not like I have all kinds of time to come up with it, since I procrastinated so badly. But I try not to worry. I know that my circumstances don't change who God is, and I know that God is my provider, and God is a Father who loves his children. And Jesus told me that if I ask the Father for anything in Jesus' name, He will give it to me.

God knows how much money I owe, and although I don't know where that money will come from, He does. Trying to rest and be at peace is the challenge. Trusting God is not always as easy as it sounds.