ISAIAH 40:8

DOING GOOD...GOING ABOUT.

In Spring, 1967, I was staying in East St. Louis and beginning to work at the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, 

based on helping the impoverished and gang-struggling people.  It was also supported by the National Methodist Church organization.

When I was in the manager's office, glancing at her desk, there was a small piece of paper under the glass cover.  It said this:

I read in a Book
    That a Man called Christ
        Went about doing good.
It is very disconcerting to me
    That I am so easily satisfied
   with just
           Going
                       About.

For all these years, various times I have had this in a purse, or in a Bible, on a wall, on the fridge.  I have also given it to others.

Until this very moment, I had no idea who had written it.  I put part of the phrases on Google, and found the story of the author.  I was very surprised.

The man who wrote it, Toyohiko Kagawa, was a Japanese Christian pacifist.  He had become a Christian as a young man through Presbyterian missionaries that were teaching him; he was an orphan and they took him into their homes.  He went back and forth between Japan and the States and to a variety of theological colleges.  He chose to live in poverty and he worked however he could to provide for the poor.  He tried to draw more Christians to care for others.  AND he was in prison at least twice while standing up for changing that was needed in Japan.

He wrote more than 150 books and was nominated for both the Nobel Prize in Literature [1947,'48] and the Nobel Peace Prize [1954, '55].

He died in 1960, 7 years before I saw this quote.  And, 45 years later, I finally know who said it.  [The author was  "Anonymous".]

What a surprise and a blessing to know his story and his history.  And he ain't just a poetry-oriented person.  He truly knew what people in many circumstances were forced to walk through... and he wanted to walk with them.

I'm impressed.  I'm touched.  I'm convinced it is going to continue to be one of my main forever-loved proses.

A STORY: THE NILE RIVER.

Cary pinched her arm and twitched.  “Yep, proves it.  I’m not dreaming.”

A young Luo tribesman in Uganda looked at her quizzically.  “Madam, I see you are not asleep.  Why did you try to hurt yourself?”

Cary laughed.  “I need to do that every once in a while here in Africa.  I’m still so amazed that God has allowed me to be in this wonderful place and meet so many lovely people.”  She tapped his arm.  “And you, Simon, are one.”

“But dreaming about Africa instead of being here when you are?  Why?”  He stopped and pointed at the shore.  “Oh, Madam!  See the elephant across in that tall grass — near those trees?

That does not happen very often on these rides.  God must be giving you a gift.”

Cary grabbed her camera and took a photos.  All she could think of while she kept looking around was how blessed she felt.  On a tourism boat to the Murchison Falls on the Nile River with a short-term team from the orphanage where she worked,              

looking at the elephant, seeing wonderful eagles,

crocodiles all over the river banks with birds walking around next to them, hippos in and out of the water,

an isolated wild ox with a beautiful small white bird, the ox's friend to chomp at the bugs that would irritate his old and tired body.  

And Cary’s thoughts went on and on and on, with great excitement and joy.
 
Simon touched her.  “Madam, I must ask you again.  Why did you pinch your arm?”

“If we can talk and look around at the same time, I’ll tell you.  Is that OK?  You can interrupt me any time you see something I might miss.”

“Good.  I want to know.”

“When I was young, I read many, many books about many, many places in the world.  I loved thinking about going places and meeting people and seeing things that are beautiful or exciting.  But I was raised in a poor family, and we looked pretty scruffy much of the time.”
 
Simon stopped her.  “What is ‘scruffy’?”

Cary chuckled.  “Sorry.  It means not very clean and not dressed very nice.”

“But you are from America.  Everyone in America has everything they could ever want.  They do not have to work.  They can eat anything they want, always.  And ... ”

Cary shook her head, and Simon stopped.  “Not true," she said.  "We do have more materials than most people in the world, I’ll admit.  But most Americans also work hard on their jobs and around their house and yard.”

Simon had a puzzled look on his face and shrugged his shoulders a little bit.  He said, “Well, that is not what I have ever heard, but if you say it, it must be true.”

“I hope the day will come when you can know for sure.  In my case, believe me, I was poor compared to many others.  And I truly wanted to see the places I had seen in the books."

"So, Madam, you are here now.  How? When?”

 "I was forty years old before I could go almost anywhere, even near my home.  I was too busy with my jobs, and my kids, and didn’t have enough money to allow the trips.  Then I married my dear husband and everything changed.  And five years ago, we were surprised, because the Lord dropped Uganda into our lives suddenly.  We had never thought we would be coming to Africa, but we were invited and asked to help other missionaries."

"Madam, did something special happen when you came?”

 Cary winked at Simon.  “Do you know that GOD knows more than I do?  What I have learned is that He has always needed to plant certain people in my path, so we could encourage or help each other.  That wouldn't happen until exactly the right time.  Obviously it has, because I have now met you, my first Luo friend."

Simon smiled.

As the boat passed close to the bottom of the falls that were about 140 feet high and the river roaring through the narrow gap and water spraying all around, it was too loud to talk.  Cary just let the water drench her and loved every second of it.

When the boat turned around to head back up to the dock, with an hour left for the tour, she and Simon just talked a bit, but mostly looked at the scenery and he pointed out different animals.  “I wish we had giraffes  here, but you'll see them

tomorrow during your drive through our park.  An armed guard will go with all of you on the lorry because there have been reports that the Kony rebels are not far away.  You will see places where resort hotels used to be, but the buildings were destroyed during our civil war. 

You might even be able to walk through the ruins.” He paused.  “But be careful.  Sometimes snakes will be laying out on the bricks.”

Cary cringed.  “Don’t worry, Simon.  I’ll be more careful than anyone has ever been in history.  I’m terrified of snakes. Period.” 
 
Simon nodded, as he, like many Ugandans, understood that feeling.  “However, Madam, you will see many other animals ... monkeys or baboons,

 

antelopes, wild boars, wart hogs.  

I am certain you will have a very good time.”

“I’m very sure I will, too.  What’s funny is that I could go see almost all of these animals at the zoo in the town where I live, but coming here, ten thousand miles away from home, and seeing the animals where they live and watching them move around together and — like the crocodiles and hippos and birds all being in one place at one time and none of them fighting or trying to kill each other — that’s a whole different picture than I would have expected.  And, seeing the land, and being on the Nile River with friends and with a guide like you... I couldn’t ask for anything nicer.”

Cary gave Simon another gentle squeeze on his arm to say “thank you” and then said, “Now I just have to prove to myself one more time that I’m not dreaming...” and she gave her own arm a quick pinch and twitched...

And they both laughed....

================
This is a portion of a Grandma Cary story about this Murchison Falls National Park trip in Uganda.  If confusion hits you re: those last photos... they truly were taken the following day during our truck drive through the other portion of the Park.  And the armed guard was with us with an AK-47, always on alert.  The trip was a treat!  The cost for me for the whole safari?  $15.00.  Not a bad deal, right?  Here's how I looked when we reach back at the orphanage about 100 miles later on dusty roads. I had 3 showers before the layers of dirt were removed.  What a hoot!

BHUTANESE WEDDING TODAY

What a treat!  Ranjit and Sarmila were officially married.  They were married in Nepal in a rather elopement connected to either a national system or a spiritual one.  They were Hindus at that time.

They arrived here June 12th, so this week will be the 4th month.

 She was pregnant, and quickly entered a local OB clinic.  Then, as I had become involved with Laxman, Ranjit's brother, and the birth of their baby, which occurred September 11th, Sarmila switched to their clinic so I could be the delivery helper for their baby.  The baby's due December 2nd.  This is Baby #6 for me since August 13, '11.  Quite an interesting God-job, believe me.

ANYHOW, they came to the Lord shortly after their arrival.  They were baptized a couple weeks ago.  And, because they were now Christians, it was necessary in their culture that they have a Christian wedding.

So, I went to the church today and hung out with my dear ones and was blessed to be with all of them during the service.  Their family-related pastor preached for quite some time... this is an opportunity he always uses to open hearts wider and wider who are still waiting to step to the Lord.

 I can never understand anything.  But I can hug, touch, hold, and bless my dear ones at the back of the fellowship hall.

The photos didn't come through well, but I'm going to toss them your direction.  You'll get the idea.  And one of the big noticeable issues:  She is 4'7" ... and that baby is already taking up lots of space.

They are now officially married, exchanged rings -- which isn't always done -- and were blessed and loved by many.

I will be taking her to the Dr. on Thursday.  Since I'll be out of this area for 3 weeks after that, a friend/"sister" from church, Marge, will be taking her in while I'm gone.  That takes pressure off of me;  I feel very intense and responsible for this baby's arrival plans.

This isn't particularly spiritually and artistically focused.  This is just a news bit.

I'm so blessed to be part of these families.  [Great-grandma, Grandma, Mom, Sister] And could never have imagined it.  

But God...

GENESIS 9:17

UGANDA '95, BACK AND FORTH

Back and forth was NOT intended.  In September, 1994, we arrived there to work and serve the Lord and thought we'd live there forever.  That was definitely our hope.

However, within a few months we were pretty much out of our savings and our credit card debt was increasing.  We had a few people donating to us, but we were independent and that put us in a rather unnoticed position by most people.  [We realized later that the main reason God had sent us there was NOT so we could stay, but we would meet Sam, "adopt" him as a 25-year-old son, and he, through us, would have his past prayers answered for education and other skills.]

In March, 1995, I had gone to the British Airways office to find out the cost needed to fly home and guesstimate a schedule.  We intended to leave by early May, and would simply return to Omaha, and restart and revise our lives over here.

WELL, that very day our orphanage founder/director friends of New Hope Uganda, Jay and Vicki, picked us up in Kampala to go out to visit them for a couple days.  On the way to their place, when I mentioned the B.A. schedule, a subject was immediately brought up.  The homeschool teacher who had been with them for a couple years, needed to leave and couldn't teach the next year. 

[We took this photo when we were in Uganda in January/February, 1991, and they were among the many we were to meet at that time. 

 Their family was a blessing!]

 

Jay and Vicki would be returning to the States in Spring, '96, for a rest time and seeing and meeting with many of the organizations and churches that were supporting them. Their kids would be going to a Christian school during that break from Uganda.  So, before they were leaving for the States, they needed a teacher, and knew it was something we had wanted to do.

Within a couple hours the four of us had worked it out.  Dave and I would return to Omaha for four months to earn enough money to go back and serve.  At the orphanage, we would have a free house -- the one Jay had had built for their family teachers --  and provide a salary.  We were more than thrilled with this idea and opportunity.  We loved their kids. [Still do.]

All that info is to let you know what our summer was like and was a real treat from the Lord.

When we made it to Omaha, we had less than $200 in our bank account.  We stayed at our former home that we had sold to our daughter and her husband.  We had a room to sleep in, but no bed.  Our first challenge.  A few days later, found a futon at a garage sale; cheap and sufficient for our needs.

Dave and I found jobs.  I was a temp at a probation office.  It was a GREAT job.  I didn't have to answer the phone with sweetness and light and if anyone was cranky or rude, I could hang up.  As a receptionist, that was very easy to handle.  [I DID try to be nice, but with my tough family background, it felt very good when not putting up with foolish, angry or drug-induced behavior.]

And then Dave.  He began to work with a man from our church who had a very small construction company and only needed Dave and one other guy for the summer to do certain yard and house projects.  Dave hadn't done that for years, but he was good and enjoyed his time with Doug and Carl.

His challenge?  It was a hot summer.  Dave was working outside nearly always and it was in the 100-degree range, sometimes up to the teens, and humid.

One of my very favorite photos of Dave took place that summer.  His boss decided that the 3 of them would work at Habitat for Humanity for a few days.

One day I went to pick Dave up. He was absolutely filthy.  It was a HOT day, so with the dirt and sweat he didn't smell good - much worse than usual at the other work projects.

We had enough money, between the two of us, from jobs and family and friends, to go back to Uganda for that next 8 months and do the teaching... and that was a treat.  We loved it.  [Dave also repaired generators, installed electricity, taught piano, and helped and helped and helped some more.  Besides teaching a couple classes, I secretaried for up to 5 of the leaders and trained someone before I left.  Dave and I were very busy.]

ANYHOW, to me, the blessing was knowing how Dave was being used  blessedly on both sides of the oceans in both continents.  But today when I was scanning the photos from that year, and came across this Habitat picture, all I could do was grin.  

Back then, we were so glad he, and many others, through Habitat, prepared a house for someone who needed it.  This God-job touched his heart.  Touched mine.

RAPUNZEL

Am I a "dolly" person?  Uh, uh!  Except for a couple special dolls as a young-ish kid, I was a tree-climber, jackknife keeper, quarterback football player, and lots of other intense tomboy behaviors.

Except for a few "girly" gifts I put in my daughter's life, I simply didn't head that way.

Now?  I have several dolls.  Why?  My Mom had them.  She started purchasing the dolls about 25 years ago.  I've never known why, and it certainly didn't seem to fit her personality, but when I dropped into her apartments in Tacoma, sometimes dolls were on shelves.  Then, shortly after I arrived another time, what I discovered was that she had put the dolls in a storage area, and damage was occurring to her boxes and she was worried.  

Not long after that, when I had driven out there from Omaha, she decided I, the oldest of her girls, should bring boxes home with me and keep the dolls in a safe place.  We loaded my car and I took a bunch.  The next couple years, the same thing happened.  I ended up with a pile of boxes in my basement.  I usually dug through them to just check them out, but rarely entered a "love zone". Occasionally, however, I did put the more fragile ones in a curio cabinet to keep them in a safe place, not buried under each other.

When Mom died, January 30, 2011, I waited until Spring to drive out there.  My car was loaded with those boxes of dolls.  My sisters and nieces went through them and took what they wanted.  [I had given some to my daughter and granddaughters before I left.]

There is one, however, that I did not take out there and no one could have had.  Another "UH, uh!"  Why?  It reminds me more of mom and I than any of the others. She is Rapunzel.  She lives very comfortably in my curio cabinet.  No one picks on her or orders her to do something ridiculous, as was the case of the fairy tale.  When I die my daughter or granddaughters will have her.  But not until then.  SHE IS MINE!!  

 Why would I be so selfish, so materialistic?   For a stretch of time, at one of mom's apartment buildings, she was on the 2nd floor and facing the street with a balcony.  When I arrived and needed to go inside, I would stand on the grass down below and holler, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, throw down your key."  Mom always came out and tossed it, and she grinned.  [A few years ago, the building was changed so it had a security system in place and the keys no longer worked.]  

Even though the new security manner was safer, I was disappointed,  Why?  It was nice to see mom grin, which was not a common experience between the two of us during the vast majority of our lifetime.

Ever since then, for at least 10 years, Rapunzel has lived at my house.  And though many would consider my attitude silly, I consider her a "God-gift". 

I can never walk through my living room and pass the cabinet on the way to the kitchen and not see Rapunzel.  And any time I see her, she reminds me of my mom, and my eyes light up, rejoicing that the day will come when I will see mom in heaven and we'll be grinning at each other... Big Time.  Forever and ever.