Honestly, I haven’t even read our last couple of blogs, done by Roger and maybe Renae too. Without internet it’s a bit difficult to keep up with it. So, if this is a repeat, forgive me.
In many ways, life here has settled down to the point that things seem routine, but in other ways, there is nothing routine about it! At least not routine in the sense that every day is predictable and maybe even the same. Maybe routine in the fact that nothing is routine. Anyway, my days are sometimes mundane, sometimes stretching and exciting, but never boring. (at least not with a good book in hand!). I really do love the slower pace here and therefore the conversations that can take place and the connections to people that can be made. There is so much more inviting people over for dinner that goes on, more sitting around fires, more looking at the stars. More time for personal reflection, reading, journaling.
Easter is a big deal around here, and both Friday & Monday are holidays. Many, many people go from the city to their home villages to celebrate, and it’s a time to go to the ‘lands’, or cattle post. Easter Monday we headed out to the village of Bokaa where we had done our village live-in back in 1985, and where we still have some friends. However, we didn’t have a lot of luck finding folks, as Maurice was at the cattle post, and Maria was at the lands. We did talk to Topelo though, who would have been a two year old when we arrived – we wouldn’t have recognized him, but in talking to him we did remember him, his mother and his sister. His mother was the daughter of the woman we lived with. A dam has been built just outside Bokaa so we took our lunch along and went there to eat it. It was very peaceful there with the water, birds, dragonflies and butterflies. Then we decided to go home a different way, and couldn’t have done it without our trusty Land Rover!
Sometimes after being in a village again, I wonder how that could be somehow transported to where we live, either here or in the states. I know it can’t, but I just love the getting back to basics that happens there. We saw SO many people sitting around in the shade, talking or having tea or whatever it was they were doing, but just sitting and being with people. (I’m sure, being a holiday there was more of that than usual). Maybe I’m just lazy with no ambition, but just the simpleness of it is very calming to me. I do know their lives are not simple and they do work hard – but even that has a satisfying quality to it – having to gather firewood for cooking, water for washing by hand. Maybe I’m romanticizing here (probably am), but I do love going to the village, and remember our time in Maun in the village as the best time of our experience over here. Sitting around a fire and looking at the stars at night have to rate right up there with being in heaven!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Thankfully Things Have Changed - Roger
As someone who was with Flying Mission 24 years ago (seconded by MCC), and now has returned for a short time to work with Flying Mission (although now a completely different organization); I was asked to have the devotions at the dedication of our recently purchased King Air 200, since I saw the progression of where we came from. As I was thinking about how Flying Mission is so different today than it was 24 years ago, at times I became nostalgic for the old days. I miss the following:
1. The whine made by the IO-520’s turning the prop tips close to the speed of sound, as the Cessna 206’s struggle to take flight. I still get to hear that on the ramp at Maun!
2. The intimate relationship with the vast remoteness of Botswana and the Central Kalahari Desert. As pilots we knew virtually every corner of the country and spent a lot of time in many remote villages.
3. The conversations and dialog with the doctors from all over the world as we chauffeured them throughout the country, spending many nights in beds at the clinics as we hopped from village to village – at times having to get up in the middle of the night because we often slept in the maternity room, and if a child decided to enter the world that night, well…........., there went our good night’s sleep.
4. Flying missionaries to the many places they lived and worked, and the good conversations that resulted – the nights by the campfires in their villages. We also got to go along and spend time at the exotic places where they would want to vacation – seeing many of the amazing sights throughout Southern Africa – although Victoria Falls got to feel a bit too routine.
Anytime I get nostalgic for the above I only need to allow my thoughts to take the next logical step, and remind myself:
1. I thank God the Cessna is no longer required by FM – and am thankful FM was forced to get a new vision and “go beyond” that. Now we have a King Air to transport patients. It is faster, more comfortable, safer, and has enough room for medical professionals and life-saving equipment. Now I can enjoy the snapping sound of the ignitors and the whine of the turbo-jet engine as it spools up. The only better “aviation” sound is the spool up of a jet engine.
2. I am thankful missionaries can now drive to locations all over the country because paved roads have been built at an amazing speed – shrinking the remote areas of Botswana incredibly. In addition it seems like there are fewer missionaries required – hopefully because many have “worked themselves out of a job”. It is exciting to see so many more trained and capable Batswana, and the standard of living for the local population has improved greatly. The battle now will be to not let “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”.
3. Even though I miss the variety, I thank God that because there are now hospitals and vastly improved health care facilities with full-time doctors staffing them throughout the country, a doctor no longer needs to visit the remote communities only on a monthly basis.
Thankfully one thing feels the same – the fulfillment and satisfaction received from being a part of saving a life. After my first stint in Botswana I seriously entertained the idea of returning to study medicine. I think it would be a very fulfilling profession – however being 37 years old at the time I finally decided to let it drop. If only we had several lifetimes to do the things we want – one is just not enough!
When I worked here in the 80’s my flying was very varied and I remember discussions with the other pilots of which flights were the most fulfilling – some felt more fulfilled in transporting missionaries, but I always received the most satisfaction after finishing a mercy flight and getting a critical patient to adequate medical facilities. The feeling of losing a patient enroute feels the same as it did before, it is never fun, however the feeling of getting a critically ill patient to a facility so their life can be saved also feels the same – it feels GREAT! In the years I worked here before, I’ve had births and I’ve had deaths on the airplane. So far this time I’ve had a death, but have yet to have had a birth, although I’ve had several newborn babies.
Thankfully I don’t have to go back to the “nostalgic” times. Botswana has moved beyond that and I am thrilled to be involved with transporting patients for the Ministry of Health in the “New Botswana”.
1. The whine made by the IO-520’s turning the prop tips close to the speed of sound, as the Cessna 206’s struggle to take flight. I still get to hear that on the ramp at Maun!
2. The intimate relationship with the vast remoteness of Botswana and the Central Kalahari Desert. As pilots we knew virtually every corner of the country and spent a lot of time in many remote villages.
3. The conversations and dialog with the doctors from all over the world as we chauffeured them throughout the country, spending many nights in beds at the clinics as we hopped from village to village – at times having to get up in the middle of the night because we often slept in the maternity room, and if a child decided to enter the world that night, well…........., there went our good night’s sleep.
4. Flying missionaries to the many places they lived and worked, and the good conversations that resulted – the nights by the campfires in their villages. We also got to go along and spend time at the exotic places where they would want to vacation – seeing many of the amazing sights throughout Southern Africa – although Victoria Falls got to feel a bit too routine.
Anytime I get nostalgic for the above I only need to allow my thoughts to take the next logical step, and remind myself:
1. I thank God the Cessna is no longer required by FM – and am thankful FM was forced to get a new vision and “go beyond” that. Now we have a King Air to transport patients. It is faster, more comfortable, safer, and has enough room for medical professionals and life-saving equipment. Now I can enjoy the snapping sound of the ignitors and the whine of the turbo-jet engine as it spools up. The only better “aviation” sound is the spool up of a jet engine.
2. I am thankful missionaries can now drive to locations all over the country because paved roads have been built at an amazing speed – shrinking the remote areas of Botswana incredibly. In addition it seems like there are fewer missionaries required – hopefully because many have “worked themselves out of a job”. It is exciting to see so many more trained and capable Batswana, and the standard of living for the local population has improved greatly. The battle now will be to not let “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”.
3. Even though I miss the variety, I thank God that because there are now hospitals and vastly improved health care facilities with full-time doctors staffing them throughout the country, a doctor no longer needs to visit the remote communities only on a monthly basis.
Thankfully one thing feels the same – the fulfillment and satisfaction received from being a part of saving a life. After my first stint in Botswana I seriously entertained the idea of returning to study medicine. I think it would be a very fulfilling profession – however being 37 years old at the time I finally decided to let it drop. If only we had several lifetimes to do the things we want – one is just not enough!
When I worked here in the 80’s my flying was very varied and I remember discussions with the other pilots of which flights were the most fulfilling – some felt more fulfilled in transporting missionaries, but I always received the most satisfaction after finishing a mercy flight and getting a critical patient to adequate medical facilities. The feeling of losing a patient enroute feels the same as it did before, it is never fun, however the feeling of getting a critically ill patient to a facility so their life can be saved also feels the same – it feels GREAT! In the years I worked here before, I’ve had births and I’ve had deaths on the airplane. So far this time I’ve had a death, but have yet to have had a birth, although I’ve had several newborn babies.
Thankfully I don’t have to go back to the “nostalgic” times. Botswana has moved beyond that and I am thrilled to be involved with transporting patients for the Ministry of Health in the “New Botswana”.
Monday, April 06, 2009
STANDING STILL AND SINGING AT THE SAME TIME – IMPOSSIBLE (ROGER)
I forgot how much I enjoyed the singing in many of the churches in Botswana. We visited several churches when we first arrived and decided to attend a church in Old Naledi – a poor section of the city – composed of many of the original “squatter” houses that were built prior to the first time we arrived in the mid 80’s. The church has a ministry feeding “vulnerable” children from Old Naledi each week day. Jolene and the girls have been helping with that every Friday. If I have a day off during that time I also help. Renae has also been attending the youth group activities Thursday evenings.
One of the highlights of Sunday mornings for me is always the singing. There is a lot of singing and dancing throughout the morning, and it is very lively. It is so enriching to see the people caught up with the music. Since there is no electricity, and no song books or musical instruments the singing is all A cappella. Songs are all started with somebody singing the first phrase, and then the group joining in. Even though there are not that many people in the building, the plain walls and cement floor make for incredible acoustics, and the room is filled with incredibly rich harmony. The special “African” rhythm, accented by the loud clapping, along with the slurring of notes in unison and the rise and fall in volume, and the occasional shrill, high-pitched undulating warble of the old women, is truly a thing of beauty, and a part of the service I very much enjoy. Every time there is singing, and there is much of it throughout the service, everyone jumps to their feet and gets fully involved. There is dancing and enthusiastic clapping and I am convinced it would be impossible for this group to stand still while singing. Sometimes some of the older women move into the aisles and dance while singing, and it is truly a time of worship for them. The expressions on their faces show their enthusiasm and joy. I wonder sometimes what would be going through their minds if they came to my church in the US for a song service. It is just as hard to find somebody at my home church move when they sing, as it is to find somebody in our church in Botswana stand still when they sing. Before you get too concerned let me assure you, Jolene, Renae and I are not completely still when we sing here, but we look pretty lethargic compared to the rest of the congregation. Just a word of warning however, if you sit beside us on the pew when we return, we may sway into you just a bit when we sing the first couple Sundays. Hopefully we’ll remember not to jump up when we first start singing – because that is another thing that happens here – after all how can one sing while sitting down – it just does not work.
One of the highlights of Sunday mornings for me is always the singing. There is a lot of singing and dancing throughout the morning, and it is very lively. It is so enriching to see the people caught up with the music. Since there is no electricity, and no song books or musical instruments the singing is all A cappella. Songs are all started with somebody singing the first phrase, and then the group joining in. Even though there are not that many people in the building, the plain walls and cement floor make for incredible acoustics, and the room is filled with incredibly rich harmony. The special “African” rhythm, accented by the loud clapping, along with the slurring of notes in unison and the rise and fall in volume, and the occasional shrill, high-pitched undulating warble of the old women, is truly a thing of beauty, and a part of the service I very much enjoy. Every time there is singing, and there is much of it throughout the service, everyone jumps to their feet and gets fully involved. There is dancing and enthusiastic clapping and I am convinced it would be impossible for this group to stand still while singing. Sometimes some of the older women move into the aisles and dance while singing, and it is truly a time of worship for them. The expressions on their faces show their enthusiasm and joy. I wonder sometimes what would be going through their minds if they came to my church in the US for a song service. It is just as hard to find somebody at my home church move when they sing, as it is to find somebody in our church in Botswana stand still when they sing. Before you get too concerned let me assure you, Jolene, Renae and I are not completely still when we sing here, but we look pretty lethargic compared to the rest of the congregation. Just a word of warning however, if you sit beside us on the pew when we return, we may sway into you just a bit when we sing the first couple Sundays. Hopefully we’ll remember not to jump up when we first start singing – because that is another thing that happens here – after all how can one sing while sitting down – it just does not work.
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