Naomi's Letter to her CCS Grade 2/3 Class

[We] Have Been to the Mountaintop ...

For what it's worth, our house is just to the right of where Ezekiel's watch would be (on his left hand) - of those three houses, ours is the bottom one.

I've Been to the Mountaintop is, of course, the popular name of the last speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr., April 3, 1968. The next day, King was assassinated. 
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkivebeentothemountaintop.htm

In light of the Memphis Sanitation Strike, King calls for unity, economic actions, boycotts, and nonviolent protest, and challenges the country to live up to its ideals. At the end of the speech, he talks about the possibility of an untimely death.  And he speaks about the Mountaintop.

 

We took a stroll up the hill (mountaintop) behind our friends’ place recently and enjoyed a feast for the eyes.  It was inspiring.  We were accompanied by Ezekiel Sudu and his son Victor, Martin Koroma and Zach Adams.  Under the 4 PM African Sun, we found ourselves sweat-covered and dust-saturated in no time.  But, it was a mountaintop experience that was well worth the pilgrimage.  And mountaintop experiences often lend inspiration when it is difficult to gain perspective from life in the valley below.

 

Sometimes people ask (sometimes those people are my children, sometimes they are Ella or me), “What are you doing here?”  There are lots of reasons.  Some of them are good; some selfish.  On good days I like to think we would say, “Because we somehow think it is the right thing to do with what God has entrusted to us.”  I think we (Ella and I) feel close to these words from King’s speech. (Without seeming overly pious or lofty; rather these words are convicting.):

And you know what's beautiful to me is to see all of these ministers of the Gospel. It's a marvelous picture. Who is it that is supposed to articulate the longings and aspirations of the people more than the preacher? Somehow the preacher must have a kind of fire shut up in his bones. And whenever injustice is around he tell it. Somehow the preacher must be an Amos, and saith, "When God speaks who can but prophesy?" Again with Amos, "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Somehow the preacher must say with Jesus, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me," and he's anointed me to deal with the problems of the poor."

 

We know that we have not gotten – and will not get - this right all the time.  But we also have a sense of persuasion from another part of the speech, where King talks about The Good Samaritan:

And so the first question that the priest asked -- the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"

That's the question before you tonight. Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to my job. Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers what will happen to all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week as a pastor?" The question is not, "If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?" The question is, "If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?" That's the question.

Throughout the speech, there is a wonderful prophetic analogy.  Moses, leader of the Israelites, is followed by the people because of (among other things) the prospect of life in the Promised Land. Before they reach it however, Moses is informed by God that he will not allow him to enter into the land and that he will only see it with his eyes.

"Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo... There the Lord showed him the whole land... Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob... I will let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."

—Deuteronomy 34:1-4

King, the gifted preacher and orator, delivers such a stirring Kingdom vision here in his conclusion (and elsewhere), which is all-the-more potent given his assassination the following day.  I would make no comparisons to the cost that King incurred to our own; not in a million years.  But I do think that Dietrich Bonhoeffer is right, there is a cost to discipleship.  King:

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.

And I don't mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!

And so I'm happy, tonight.

I'm not worried about anything.

I'm not fearing any man!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!

"I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth."
Psalm 121

Mountaintop experiences can give us "mine-eyes-haves-seen-the-glory-of-the-coming-of-the-Lord" perspective and vision.  I think this happens when we meet God - in public worship, through close communion with others or in creation (literally ON a mountaintop). In one of C.S. Lewis' Narnia books, The Silver Chair, Aslan says this:

• I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances.

[That's the end of the sermon.  But here are some more picture-words from the trek.]

Rev. Ezekiel Sudu and Victor Sudu

More 'life' on the moonscape:  The fires on the hills opposite our house (in the pictures you might have seen from a couple weeks ago) took place here.

Emerging flowers amidst the scorched earth.





 



Pineapple!





Naomi, living on the edge.

Martin Koroma and Zach Adams enjoying the view.

Daily Routine - Ella

Note: Ella wrote this on the weekend, but due to some generator issues at the office and a trip to Makeni yesterday, I am just now able to post this.
Yesterday marked three weeks in Kabala already, and, being creatures of habit, we are slipping into a new routine.

Naomi is our early riser now, and the first one to sleep at night. So our day begins just before seven. It has taken a while to get used to the sounds of night here. Our house is situated on a hill and all the sounds from town and the houses around us drift up to us. In fact, the quiet we are used to in Terrace doesn't begin until 4 or 5am. So for the first week or so mornings were tough. I don't notice the noise as much anymore and only roll over now when the dogs are fighting it out. We fall asleep to the sounds of the bats(I can identify them now that we had one in our room), and wake to the birds.

Breakfast consists of bread and peanut butter or cereal, bananas, and milk with tea and a daily vitamin (plus anti-malarials on Thursdays). By the time breakfast is finished the first few kids getting a ride with us to school have arrived so it turns into a "hurry up, get dressed, brush your teeth, did you fill your water bottles? Jacob you still aren't dressed? Get going!" So far we have managed to get out the door by 8am. Everyone piles into the pickup, inside and out, and we head off to school. There are usually 11-14 of us. The CRC bus.

  At school, Naomi is in class II, Jacob is in class V, and Maria is in JSS I. I also spend the day at school. So far I have been there whenever the kids have, but I think that will change. A few people have asked what my role is at the school, myself included, and it is slowly coming together. The plan right now is that I will spend a week with each of the teachers at the school in their classrooms. During that week I will observe, encourage and try to be a support for the teacher. This past week that meant modeling reading aloud to the class, teaching a math lesson and a reading comprehension lesson, and discussing ideas for time management, reading strategies, lesson planning, and teaching methods. I have felt very welcomed in the school and given privileges that staff don't even have. The principal, JT Koroma, has even made a point of giving us fruit or North American veggies everyday so far.

The resource "room."

 

School ends at 2pm for Naomi and Jacob, and 2:30pm for Maria. Many kids (18) have clued in to the fact that Joel comes to pick us up with a pickup truck, and they all hop in the back, and bang on the roof when they need to get out. When there are no safety rules, common sense takes over and life becomes quite simple.

By the time we get home Adama, our cook and house cleaner, has prepared dinner and hung laundry out to dry, so we get to relax and play games with the neighbors that show up, or read. Joel usually gets back from the CES office by 4:20pm, and we try to eat by 5pm. Then the neighbors show up again and more games are played or adventures taken around the house, or walks in the neighborhood.

We usually head inside around 7pm when it gets dark to wash up, do our JUMP Math, and read or watch part of "The Blue Planet". We found the DVD set here when we arrived, and we all enjoy it. After that, the kids head off to bed, we read a little longer and then turn off the generator and head to bed ourselves.

Coming into Focus.

I know that it is dangerous to think that you know what the future holds, particularly in ministry and, specificly, ministry in Sierra Leone.  Still, I've discussed with two of my colleagues here (Rev. John Phiri and Rev. Ezekiel Sudu) whereI will be helping while I'm here.  Not accomplishing.  Not achieving.  More being than doing, as hard as that sometimes can be. Tentatively, we're talking about the following:

• Plans are coming together for a CRC pastors' conference in Foria from February 20-25, where Timothy Leadership Materials (TLT) will be used). 
• A few of us (my family will likely come, too) plan a trip to Freetown to explore what Reformed Theological education is available.
• A smaller-scale pastors' conference in Bo, the second-largest city in Sierra Leone, where there is a growing movement and hunger for things Reformed.
• A meeting with the local head of the Kabala Pastoral Council (equivalent to a "Ministerial Association") to propose and plan the use of TLT materials cross-denominationally here in Kabala.
• A series of three mid-month gatherings (March, April and May) in Kabala with leadership of the CRC in SL, where we will explore Reformed teachings and their impact on the church.



I have the privilege of preaching at the Kabala CRC this Sunday.  Here is the evidence of me modifying a sermon on Ephesians 2 for the Sierra Leonean context.  (Complete with contextually-appropriate 'Squeez', a local Orange Crush-like drink.)

The 'worship team' at the CRC school.

The tailor is on-site at the school right now, mending and hemming and altering the uniforms (including those of our children).

 

That's right, those are hot coals in this iron, which is used by the tailor to press the newly-fitted uniforms.

Naomi and Maria striking a pose in their 'formal' dress uniforms - as opposed to their everyday ones (yes, I know it is sideways, but once it was uploaded, there was no turning back, unless I wanted to wait).

This is a bat which shocked Ella when it was flying around our room one night.  We managed to corner it and Souliman caught it and kept it until morning, when it managed to free itself from the plastic bag.  Did I mention that we have since covered the attic access in our room?

Most trucks have a religious saying or two, like this one, embossed across the hood or tailgate.

The origins of some of the phrases are, to use a common Terrace phrase, a bit sketchy.

As per request, more flora ...  this one is for free.  You'll be happy to know (my kids were!) that our recent houseguests, Tim and Kim Vanstelle (from Denver, helping with a gravity water project last week), sent a case of peanut butter, some knock-off Nutella and some type of sugar-laden cereal to us -- from a grocery store in Freetown as they were departing the country.

The view from the CES (Christian Extension Services) office.  Not a bad place for an office.

More Kids' View.

January 19^th, 2012 (Jacob)

I woke up this morning Lazy and went to the bathroom.  Got back in bed started to read Harry Potter and the half blood prince.  Got dressed in my school uniform.  Had breakfast – okay. We had to take are malaria medication (Pill).  Then we brushed are teeth and went to school.  We had an assembaly.  (Had to stand for ½ and hour)  Then we had to write (copy) off the third temtation in the Bible. … after another ½ day at school we went home and had a good (exalant) Lunch.  then, well, I finished my book.

January 20^th, 2012  (Maria)

Today on the way tot the CRC school Dad started honking at a biker to let him know that we were coming.  But when the biker moved, out popped a duck and Dad kept on honking and the duck kept on walking.  Dad slowed down (hoping the duck would make it through).  And luckily it did – we drove right over it and it went between both sets of wheels and came out the back, wings flapping and beak quacking.

When it was dinner time we went to the roundhouse [at the CES office, for supper with Paul and Mary Kortenhoven, former missionaries who are visiting this month].  We had a meal of NO rice!  It was noodles and cabbage and meat.  We came home and there was a bag of beans and other green stuff.  That is from Mr. JT Koroma, the principal of the CRC school.

Today at school Jacob had a BIG wipe-out.  He was playing with the kids lassoo and he was chasing them and he tripped and fell and skinned both his knees real bad.  And it looks nasty. 

January 23, 2012

today was Monday  we went to school.  (pink unaforms). (crc).  yester … wait … two days ago wen we were getting eggs Dad dropt them  the dogs liked that.  yesterday we cot martin a mouse, mom named them martin and stephiny  today at school we had chocolat things they were like cofey crisps  they actuly are called bonbons

Bye-bye
Naomi

Scattered Images.



City Center of Kabala.  The "Hondas" congregate here (Honda is used here like Canadians use the terms Kleenex or Q-Tip for facial tissue and cotton swab respectively.) These "Okadas" are like taxi motorcycles and are exceedingly cheap but only occasionally risky.

Lunch on the veranda consists of bread toasted with "Topper" (margerine) and slathered with Laughing Cow Cheese.

Landscape shots, as per requests.  Future requested photos will cost one jar of Kraft Peanut butter.  Delivered.



Gift carrying her baby brother Immanuel.  Both are children of Ezekiel and Tabitha Sudu.



We caught "Marten"!  For the record, nobody ate him. 

We attended Sunday School and the lesson was James 5:1-10.  You can imagine it was exceedingly convicting to be an affluent North American in one of the poorest places in the world and the text of the day was read aloud: "Now listen you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you..."

20 Pictures. Equivalent to Twenty Thousand Words.

It frustrates me that some of the pictures are distorted, but such is life with intermittent internet connectivity ...

... under an African sun ...

The view from our front porch.  Those are 'controlled' burns on the hillside across from us ...

Freetown:  Cellular shack surveillance shot.

The best vehicle in the CES (Christian Extension Services) fleet.  It is getting a real workout these first couple months of 2012. 
A plug:  CRWM aims to inject some money into vehicles soon, with your help ...

We are not in Kansas or Terrace anymore ...

Bustling streets.

Our night watchman, Souliman, trying some western 'chop' (pasta and beans).  If you think the toque is something, you should see the load of clothes he wears overnight, when the temperature plummets to 16 Celsius.

More landscape within view of our home.

Our Sierra Leonean residence until June.

Adama is 'planting' Maria's hair.  This is required for school (either that or shorn hair, like Jacob).

The neighbourhood kids often gather on our veranda in the evening.

Helping carry water up to the house - African style - for clothes washing.

Some games translate more easily.

Naomi's skirt is her own creation.   Keeps her cool!

Ella with 'Mama' Tabitha (wife of Ezekiel Sudu) and Immanuel, from Nigeria.
I work with Ezekiel, whose role is leadership development in the CRC in SL.

Freshly squeezed oranges and water from a bag ... in our living room.

It's all I can do to make my two left hands clap, let alone drum as well as these boys.



In the spirit of contextualization, my children and I think Terrace CRC should spring for some snowmobiles (notice the CRC logo on the bike?).

OK, it was 21 000.