No Mercy

We have come a long way, but we are often told now that there is not mercy.  The deeper we get the harder things become to accept.  The things that remain now are some of the most challenging things left in culture for us to accept.  However as we press on, we are positive that under this layer there will be another layer of challenges for us to face.

However here is what has been recently on our plates:

• Wolof – There is no mercy now.  Cecil and those around often throw in Wolof.  “Your French is good enough, it is time to move on”  I get to where I understand French and now they take that way from me.  It is good for me, I know, and it will come just a French did, but it is hard to let go of my comfrot zone and step into the world of the unknown again.
• Move in on in Cooking – I started learning to cook with the meat and chicken dishes, because I was used to cooking those in the states (even though it is vastly different) and so it gave me a head start.  They are also often the dishes at big events so they were the most important for me to learn.  What is left now is the fish dishes which for me are very challenging.  There are so many different types of fish and each one has a different cleaning and cooking process.  I am too the point where I am comfortable assisting with them, but she will not rest until I am taking the lead.
• Don’t Ask, Demand – It is deep within my people pleasing nature to always want to give people a way out.  “You are welcome to stay for dinner if you like, but I understand if you need to go”  To do that here would be the same as saying don’t stay for dinner.  Instead you just demand, “You are staying for dinner” and when they decline you insist at least 2 or 3 times to show you mean it.  Joel is a lot better at this than me…I always feel like I am pressuring them!
• It is Always a Good Time for Visitors – No matter when they come visitors are always welcome, even though deep down I don’t feel welcoming.  However it doesn’t mean that I need to sit and talk with them forever.  It is okay to leave them in the living room with the TV on.  Yet no matter how much I know this is okay, I always feel bad.
• Don’t say “No” or even “No Thank you”…it is “Another Time” and you might have to say this 3 or 4 times because remember they need to insist!  “Eat!” “Oh that was good”  “You need to eat” “My stomach is full”  “You hardly ate at all, keep eating” “Maybe later right now there is no room”  “Come on you can do it, just a little more”  I am getting there, but I always feel like caving.

No matter how far you come, there is always farther to go, that is the process of becoming.  It is not about a certain destination, but it s process of continually asking what is the next step we need to take.  So we press on and continue to make an effort knowing that the deeper we go the more we understand and the more effective our ministry will be.

How About A Little Juice Making

I thought I would share a little about how to make juice here.  There are 5 common local juices that they drink.  Over the past 2 years I have learned how to make them.  I decided to share one of them with you for those who like that type of thing.