Faces of Mokanji

Thank you so much for those of you that have supported me this summer. This was not my ministry, it was yours too. I was the one that was physically in Mokanji, but those of you that were praying, support me financially, donated school supplies, or spent time sharpening close to 1000 pencils with me - you were here in spirit. God worked through your prayers and giving in the same way he worked through me. You made a difference in the lives of the people I met and interacted with. Because you also joined God in what he is doing in Mokanji, I want to introduce you to some very important people in Mokanji…

Shadrach and Fatmata Hubbard - Mr. Hubbard is one of the most humble men I have ever met. It was a joy to teach their daughter Milondo in nursery school. One of my favorite parts of my day was walking down the the Hubbards store and visiting Fatmata. Usually I needed bread or some other food, but there were times I would just walk down there, sit, and enjoy a coke as I talked with Fatmata and the kids. They would also let me stay under their shelter when I got caught in the rain. This family is great. I really can't say enough good things about them!

Reverend Joseph Moseray - Joseph is the national host for Global. He was the one that met me at the airport, got me to where I needed to go, and answered all of the many, many questions I had.

Osmani and his son Ibraham - Osmani was the driver. He was willing to take me anywhere, even though many times I chose to walk when it was within Mokanji. However, if where we needed to go was not in walking distance, Osmani had it taken care of. His son Ibraham was a huge help during the daily children's Bible studies during the last 3 weeks of my time in Mokanji. Ibraham was also one my favorite people to play cards with.

Priscilla and Juliana- These were two teachers at the nursery school I worked at for 3 of the weeks I was in Mokanji. I enjoyed our many talks about what God was teaching us or the importance of education and teaching.

Alpha - The best tailor in Mokanji! He created many beautiful shirts for my family and I. He is wanting to become a pastor and is hoping to get trained in the next year.

Ashia, Rose, and Sia - They run the Children's Home. They care for 27 children, most of whom do not have anyone else to care for them. These women are great examples of Jesus' love. They are laying down their lives daily, giving everything they have, to make sure these kids know they are loved, get an education, have a safe place to sleep, and eat everyday. I am in awe of these women!

The Kingdom of God Belongs to Such as These

Matthew 19:14 ~ "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Very few things warm my heart as much as a smiling and laughing child. Put 27 children, most of whom are orphans, in a Children's Home and there are many smiles. They laugh and smile as they swing on their new swing set. They laugh as they chase the dogs and roosters around the compound. They cheer when they score a goal on their dirt football field (soccer field). They giggle when they see a snap (picture) of themselves. They run, laugh, play, and smile. Yes, they have pain, sorrows, and tears, but they show their smiles far more often.

These children also work hard. I had the privilege of tutoring them in the afternoons. They would work at their schoolwork for an extra two hours every day after school was over. They didn't complain and they completed their work daily. Many of these kids had not been in school before, so they are working hard to catch up. It was good to see all of their hard work pay off when their teachers would comment on how well they were doing and how fast they were learning. I really enjoyed my time teaching these kids. They have a lot to be proud of. When they got their results of the school year, we took a day off of studying to celebrate!

These children can teach the world a lot. These children are a blessing to everyone that has a chance to meet them. I am so thankful I was given the opportunity to meet these kids and spend six weeks with them. I will always remember these 27 wonderful children. I will remember the games played, the hugs given, and the laughs shared. I will remember their songs, their cuddles, and their smiles. These kids are no longer “orphans in Africa” or “needy children” in my mind as they were when I first found out I was coming to Mokanji. Now I know their faces, names, and stories. They are my friends. They are brothers and sisters in Christ and they will be in my heart forever.

Bad Attitudes and Selfish Hearts

About halfway through my trip I was sitting in church. The church was a good size. The pews were made of wooden boards. The windows were open to allow some airflow, but even so it was very hot. There were no fans, no air conditioning, like we are accustomed to in America. There was no fancy projector showing video announcements. There was no sound board or expensive instruments. There were no snacks, coffee, or juice. Church in Africa is very different than church in America on the outside. We may look at what they have and think they are missing things churches need. They are not. They have the joy of the Lord in their hearts. They have hearts that want to worship and sing songs of praise. They are thankful to know Jesus; to know the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus has sent the same Spirit to live in their hearts as he has sent to live in ours - location does not matter. With joyful attitudes like this, church in Africa is simple and it is a lot of fun. It is filled with joy. Even if you don't understand the language, you understand their prayers and praises.

With that being said, this particular Sunday was a little different for me. My attitude did not become more joyful or thankful during the service. In fact, my attitude deteriorated. I went in very happy to be there. I went in excited to worship with them, and by the time I left I was just thankful it was over. Let me explain. This service lasted much longer than usual because it was Mother's Day. Church here is 1 1/2 to 2 hours usually much like in America. I was there for almost 4. Yes. I got there about 9:30 AM and left at about 1. I was hot and sweaty. My bug bites were itchy, stinging, and hurt. I was tired of kids staring at me and touching me. I did not understand the sermon because it was in Krio and Mende, so therefore I was bored. I was exhausted and I was hungry.

The problem was not the circumstances of the day. The problem was that all of the things that I was thinking about centered around me. It was all about how I was feeling, how comfortable I was, and if I had what I wanted. I was not thinking about anyone else. I was not thinking about how others hearts were being encouraged or how much they were enjoying worshipping together.

Bad attitudes stem from a selfish heart. When we stop looking for the what's best for other people, and turn our attention inward, attitudes can quickly go from good to bad, thankful to selfish. However, when our concerns are centered around the well-being of others and we stop thinking about whether we have all we need (more often than not, it's whether we have all that we want), we realize how much we have been given. We can see what we have been blessed with and how we can meet the needs of others. We stop focusing on the blessings we receive and start focusing on how we can be a blessing to others. (Matthew 25:34-40)

God is showing me how selfish I am, but he is also teaching me that through his power, that is not who I have to be anymore. No one is perfect at thinking about other's needs over our wants, but God is teaching me. He is teaching me to be grateful for what he has given me in this moment and not to worry about what is to come. (Matthew 6:25-34) He is teaching me to look outward and to use what He has given me to meet the needs of those around me. I am far from perfect at this, but thankfully God is patient.

That Sunday church would have been a lot more enjoyable had I had a thankful spirit and a good attitude. If I could have stopped thinking about myself and looked around to see the mothers we were celebrating and the joy the people were sharing, I would have been blessed. In the days afterward, people were still talking about the wonderful church service that Sunday and how happy they were that I was there to worship with them. All I could think about was what I had missed out on because of a selfish heart and bad attitude. I prayed that the next Sunday I would be able to enjoy the worship service they way they had, with a thankful and joyful heart.

Many Names

I have been called many things here in Mokanji. I have been called Auntie, Teacher, Mommy, Ann (it is difficult for them to say Erin) and most often pumuwe, which means 'white person'. Pumuwe is yelled as I walk down the street or drive by in a car. I can't go anywhere without hearing the word pumuwe. Occasionally, I am called Erin.

One night during dinner I was given my African name. After we had eaten, I was sitting with three men who I have been working with and who have been my hosts. They were teaching me useful Mende and Krio phrases and words I should know. They also laughed with me at my stories of how I was attempting to embrace the culture here. Then they mentioned how I needed an African name. They said names were given as they watched people interact with the community. The name should reflect personality. I was a little nervous at this point thinking my name would mean 'one with lots of questions' or 'one who worries about silly things.' However, as the talked about previous names given, they came up with one for me.

They named me Nyanda, which means 'one of our own.' It was touching that they would give me such a wonderful name. They said they were giving me that name because they saw I was trying to be like the women in the community. I wanted to embrace their culture. They also mentioned that if I were one of their own I would want to return to Mokanji after this summer. I do not know what God has in store. I do not know if I will ever return to Mokanji. I do know, that for this summer, I am Nyanda - one of their own.

Joy in the Simple Things

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ~ "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

I have found the hardest times here are the times I am by myself, not doing anything productive. Don't get me wrong, it is great to have time alone to read a book, pray, or journal and reflect on the day. But the times, when I don't have anything to keep me focused, are hard. The times I am not teaching, spending time with the people here, or growing in my walk with God are the most lonely and discouraging. However, just like anywhere else, you have to choose what you focus on. Either the sorrows or the joys. It does not take much to find joy here. Some might think it would be hard to find considering the lifestyle, but it is not.

Joy is found in the simple things. Joy is having a child in worn and torn clothing running to give you a hug. Joy is being able to encourage a fellow teacher to continue to love her students even though it would be easy to justify leaving the profession for a better paying one or one that pays at all(the government here is not very good at paying teachers in a timely manner, so many of them go without pay for long periods of time). Joy is looking into the eyes of an orphan and being able to tell them that they are loved, not only by me and their Aunties (caretakers), but by the One who created the universe. Joy is giving the thirsty a drink of water and the hungry something to eat. Joy is giving headmasters school supplies and seeing their faces light up knowing their teachers have more resources to teach and their students have more resources to learn (by resources, I mean a pencil and paper). Joy is walking everywhere and getting to constantly meet new people. Joy is teaching an elderly man how to use a camera and hearing him exclaim, "I am perfect!" after looking at a picture he just took. Joy is listening to people's stories. Joy is telling someone about Jesus, the God who loves them so much that He died for them. Joy is simple.

Life is Hard, but It Can Still be Fun

Life is hard in Mokanji. Before the war, this village had a lot. It had good schools, electricity, and a healthy population. The war destroyed a lot. Life is hard here, even for the "wealthy." Basic chores here consist of walking to the well with a 5 gallon bucket and carrying it back home on their heads, cooking a meager meal over an open fire, doing laundry by hand and hoping it doesn't rain long enough to let the clothes dry. It is hard for people here to afford school for their children (there are 3 terms, each term costs about 35,000 leones, the equivelant to $8.75). It is hard for people here to afford food as well. Life here is hard and I have great respect for the men and women who are able to keep their families and households running.

On the other hand I am very blessed here. I am staying in a house that is very safe with locking doors. I have electricity, running water, and one of the only refrigerators in Mokanji. Heck, even the toilet flushes. The worst part is that there have been many times I have caught myself thinking, "If only I had this or that…" Seriously, I am disgusted (and to be honest, pretty embarrassed) with myself. How selfish my heart can be. This is why I need Jesus. I need Jesus to continually show me how great he is and how I am not.

I will be honest, even with the "luxurious" house I get to stay in, it is still Africa. I still come home to find lizards and many insects in my house. In fact there are so many insects I have created a few games that I get to play every night. The first is simple - how many ants can I kill in my kitchen. The tricky part is as soon as the light turns on they run. You have to be ready with weapon in hand, whether that is a cup or shoe or book. My record is 9. The second is also very simple - to shower before I count 10 bugs. The first few days I did not do very well at this game and often lost. However, I have now gotten quite good at showering in 5 minutes or less and can usually win. I have not been able to win the nights I have to shave, but I will keep practicing. :)

Just because life is hard, does not mean life is not fun! This is what I have learned from some of the poorest of the poor. Life is fun, but sometimes you have to get creative!

The Jesus Film: Old and New Memories

A few days ago I had the privilege to go with the Hopkins to a nearby village. Mike teamed up with some local pastors to do an outreach with the Jesus Film and some preaching. As I sat there with people I did not know, watching the Jesus Film in a language I did not understand, I couldn't help but think of my two weeks in Angola three years ago. I thought of the team I went with and all the good memories. I thought of the people who couldn't help but to touch our hair. I thought of the starry night sky we sat under. I thought about our hosts and the friendships formed. But mostly I thought about the 1600 people who came to Christ during our time there. I thought about the people we met and the lives God changed.

Now when I watch the film, I will think about Sierra Leone as well. I will think about sitting next to Moni and Adi. I will think about how they were fascinated with my hair and skin. I will remember their laughter and their smiles. I will think about the villages God wants to transform here in Sierra Leone.

It was so good to be reminded of what God has let me be a part of in Africa before this trip and what he is allowing me to experience and take part in this summer. I am very blessed and thankful to be able to be here and to have the life I do.