Stinky Spiritual Nugget

I have a question.  If I were to step on a rose, and it smelled wonderful I might say, “It smells good because I stepped on it”, would that be true?

 No!  It was the rose’s properties revealed not mine.


So, say I step on a skunk, and I say, “Oh, it stinks because I stepped on it” that would not be true. As I said, it was the skunk’s properties revealed not mine.

When we have trials and our character stinks, don’t blame the trial.  It’s just showing your properties. Whether your properties are good or bad is your choice.

Joshua

Liwale Trip Blog Post Dec 1-17, 2013

Hi. I hope you will like this post.

We went on a LONG trip starting the 1st of this month. We left our house at 4 A.M. to drive the long trip to Dar es salaam the first day.  We were with Temboh (the evangelism school principal), Owen Zimba (the chef from Riverside,  Zambia), and Blaston Kisoso (one of the evangelism school teachers,) and we traveled in the evangelism school vehicle. 

Owen Zimba and Blaston Kisoso

We got to bed late.  After sleeping in Dar es salaam one night we left our hotel at 5 A.M. to go to Liwale in Lindi region. We got there about 5 or 6 P.M.  It was a long trip.  We took the shortcut that went through the Selous Game Reserve. Many people see LIONS but unfortunately we didn’t see any. We saw 13 warthogs!

Our effort in Liwale went well. We had three people baptized. Praise the lord!  And many more people have asked for Bible studies.  Many of the days that we were in Liwale, I translated for the meetings three or more hours a day.  I especially liked translating for Owen in the cooking classes.

Translating into Swahili for Owen Zimba during the cooking class (Temboh in is the background)

 Mom even let me teach for one of her health sessions at the public evangelism effort.

On our way back we left Liwale at 4:19 A.M. and took the roundabout-way that goes through Nachingwea, Masasi, Lindi and finally Dar es salaam.

When we arrived at the turning point to the shortcut or long way around (roundabout-way) we had lunch with some of our previous students. Guess what they had out back? A pet monkey! How’s that for fun? He liked to check my pockets, groom my hair, eyebrows and many other things!

Me and the monkey

 We arrived in Dar es salaam around 9 P.M. We stayed in Dar es salaam for two nights.

We left Dar es salaam around 3 A.M. and arrived in Mafinga around 4 P.M.  It was pouring rain when we got to Mafinga.  There was an inch or more of water running down the streets, and about 4 inches or more running down the drainage ditches. 

We got back to Kibidula safely.  On the 7th of January we will start the Medical Missionary course for one month. 
-Joshua

Trip to Eden Valley Foster Care Mission, Mago Oct/Nov 2013

Hi. 

On the 21st of October we left for Eden Valley Foster Care Mission (EVFCM) in Mago in a double cab pickup with 3 adults and 4 children! The adults were Janet Fournier, Dad and Mom.  The kids were Twalisa, Emily, Helena, and me.  Janet is Twalisa and Emily’s grandmother.  Helena is our friend from Kibidula.  The girls didn’t stay the whole time that we were there, though.  We had a good time together. 

A few days after arriving I heard a strange sound.  When I looked down the one-lane road that passes through EVFCM, I thought I saw one big dump truck.  “Interesting,” I thought. It passes and I hear something else behind it. When I saw it, I said, “WOW!”  It was a LARGE track-hoe! Behind it were two more dump trucks!  They were coming to quarry for rock right beside Janet’s property.  That was Friday.  Then another day there was SEVEN dump trucks!  Because she lives on a dirt road, I/We have to water the road almost ALL DAY to keep the dust down.  I really liked watching the trucks and backhoe. 

We have also been working on Janet's small hydro-electric dam.
My parents have been teaching health to the students and staff.  The class we taught was one month long.  We did two health expos with the students and had a large turnout.  The people really enjoyed
it.

Also there were some donkeys transporting fertilizer and I got to get a ride behind the fertilizer.

Mega Bus

(From our US trip in Sept/Oct)

Hi.  We were planning to ride a bus so while we were in Africa we started looking for cheap tickets. We found Megabus. Some tickets are $1! They have free wifi and 1 electrical outlet for each seat and a toilet. You have to order online at www.megabus.com.  The few bus stops I remember is Ann Arbor - Grand Rapids - East Lansing – Detroit – Chicago – Saint Louis - Normal – Cincinnati – and many more.

Different days are different prices, so if your schedule is flexible check a few days before and after the date you’re planning.

Joshua