Day 40: Baby No Cry.

I endured my first sleepless night in Nigeria. With all the dust settling in our neighborhood I knew I was having some sinus problems but the biggest problem ended up being my never-stopping-to-catch-a-breath brain. Thinking too much is a bad combo when you can’t breathe well, so between ten last night and six this morning there was little sleeping to be had. Sometimes I think God wants you to take extra time to really think through things happening in your life so I took the opportunity to pray and process events happening here in Jos, around the world, and the lives I am connected to back home. I have to say for being tired in the morning I think it was worth it.

 

            Breakfast came a little earlier than normal (since I was awake to turn off my alarm before it sounded) and I enjoyed my bowl of cereal with an extra treat of Dayquil. Bring on Monday! Adrie and I decided it was a good day to try out our Nigerian attire before walking down to the sewing school for discipleship class. Kristen led today’s topic of the need for grace and it was interesting to hear the ladies’ perspective on what God’s forgiveness really looks like. Many said they have a constant feel of guilt looming about them because they are told again and again in church that when you sin it is hard to make it up with God. They believe that sins exist on different levels (some are more forgivable than others) and that the Lord wants to punish you for your wrongdoings in order to teach you a lesson. It was neat to see some of the women begin to understand that we serve a God who doesn’t like it when we mess up but understands it is human nature and is always ready to receive us with open arms. I bet that is a freeing feeling for the few people who has been taught you can never be good enough for God to want to be near you, or for the woman sitting behind me who thought we served a God who sat on his throne in Heaven and refused to step foot on this sinful earth. “The Word became flesh...” had a new meaning to those ears.

 

            We stopped by the Clinic for a little pharmacy action and were complimented by everyone we ran into that we were looking very Nigerian. Grace told me that my body was made for these styles...and that I need to wear them all the time back in the States. I think Americans need to look into trying out some traditional ethnic clothing, its really fun! Counting pills led to lunch, which led to checking e-mails and, soon afterwards, a nap for Caitlin. How cool is it to work at a place where they tell you to take the afternoon off to get some needed rest? Timber Mountain and Faith Alive share a lot of commonalities--long meaningful days, lots of activity, and constant care of staff members. When I awoke I set a little time aside for The Book until dinner was ready. Baba has gotten into the habit of reminding us he doesn’t want any help (he physically shoos us out of the kitchen) but is starting to follow up his dismissals with “Baby no cry.” That makes me feel a lot better about life in general. After-dinner conversation revolved around New Year’s parties, over-parented children, and the life-long process of your Dad and Mom revealing their pre-parent lives to you. (Gavin and I are still trying to figure out Dad. ‘One day as I was backpacking the Alps with the Dalai Lama...’) I hope my kids will have an endless supply of crazy life stories that their dad and I can share with them. I bet some will be about Nigeria.