Sept. 30 – Oct. 19, 2020

Some “leftovers” that didn’t get into previous posts, and then through October 19 ...

Wed./Thurs., Sept. 30/Oct. 1 (the flight to Addis): On the plane there was a very well presenting black man on the other side of the empty seat between us - ca. 35-40 years of age - who was on his way home to Nigeria (west Africa). We didn’t talk for a long time, but I finally broke the silence and found out he mostly lives in New Jersey, where he has several businesses. In good African custom, I eventually asked if he had family either place (which I assumed he did, thinking of extended family in Nigeria and immediate family in the US). He paused a bit, and then, likely perceiving that I am Christian (since I’m white) and that I would not be accepting of his situation, he began a careful, gently deliberate explanation of his family situation. Yes, he has a wife and children in New Jersey, but he more recently took an additional wife in Nigeria as well (I take it they are Muslim, where this is allowed, and very common). He married his first wife, and they both knew the other woman who had since married elsewhere, but after time that married failed. This man was the only one the second woman could trust, and though he wasn’t inclined at all to marry, his first wife persisted that he should also marry her. I took it that his careful explanation was that he sensed I would not be approving, and maybe that he also had a prick in his conscience about it. Regardless, ... what would Jesus do? But more to the point, what would you do? (I’ll keep my response under wraps for now :) ).

Thurs. – Fri., Oct. 15-16: While accessing my US bank account online, I noticed the last four digits of my credit card number had changed. Perplexed and initially with my attention elsewhere, I finally “came to” the next day that it had likely been hacked – that the crooks had put a dummy account there and spirited mine off (so I thought). At the point this was really registering with me the electric had just gone off, so no way to call back to the States to straighten this out. On a chance that the outage was just here and the SIM* Press compound down the street had electric (or had their generator on), I did the 20 minute hustle down there to see if I could call. They had power, and 20-30 minutes later the issue was resolved.

I had alerted the bank that I’d be in Ethiopia, but on noticing an online purchase I made to a US vendor, they sent one of my POAs (Power of Attorneys) a text asking if the transaction was legit or fraudulent. My POA, not suspecting anything and not recognizing the number the text came from, responded “Fraud,” thinking the text was a fraud. The bank immediately suspended my card and issued a new one. Arghhh! Close shave of sorts, but praise God, all is OK!

Sat., Oct 17: Had noticed a Pizza Hut and had to see what it was like, so stopped in for a personal pan pizza. Had an interesting chat with another American there – his and another family, both from the US Embassy at the far side of town, were making their first celebratory outing since a covid quarantine. In the same store front, across from Pizza Hut is a Cold Stone Creamery ... now there’s a problem! Haven’t yielded yet!!

The big catch of the day though was what happened when I got home. For supper, the hostess wondered if I’d eat with them, but that it would be at least an hour later – I said “Fine.” What she didn’t tell me is they had invited a lot of people from their church cluster for a wedding celebration and feast. Someone from the group and living in Colorado was getting married, and this was to celebrate synchronously, at the exact same time as the ceremony in Colorado. It was a rich evening of “real Ethiopia.” As the only foreigner I was an accessory to the fact, and everything was per undiluted Ethiopian custom, with conversation in Amharic.* The food was incredible – injera* with lamb stew, a ground beef dish, and sodas. After the meal a woman had a lengthy, original poem for the couple getting married. Even though I hardly understood a word, the joy that was communicated was wonderful - everyone was entering it to it. Another person, a wise church elder, had been asked to give words of admonition to the many young people there, and again, I could tell something happy but also very serious was transpiring. I asked him later what he said (I could follow a bit, but it was clear there was much more) – it was an excellent admonition to the young about getting married, taken from the account of Abraham sending Eleazer to find a wife for Isaac. The elderly matriarch also gave a few words. Part way through the evening the hostess, as a courtesy to me, said I was free to excuse myself if I’d had enough. I stayed, and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the evening and the privilege to be part of their celebration!

Mon. Oct. 19: Tinker Teni, the church elder at the wedding celebration who gave the Abraham & Eleazer admonition wanted me to stop by his office to visit, which I did after the weekend. He is director of Media Ministries (print, radio, and social media) for SIM-Ethiopia, and is down the street at the SIM Press compound. Engaging and enjoyable, he is also a straight-ahead, serious, no nonsense man. It’s here that I got the full scoop of what he said at the wedding celebration Saturday night. On learning I’m associated with a conservative congregation, he wondered how churches in the States keep their youth from spinning off into frivolous or damaging things. I responded as best I could, including that divorce is not tolerated and that “technology” is curbed (at least in the very conservative congregations I’ve been relating to). After 30-40 minutes I wondered what was going to become of this conversation in terms of ongoing fruit, so asked if there was anything I could be helpful with. I ended up committing to research possible video editing software for him – it’s an area they are not well prepared for, but see as a major thrust for the immediate future (social media and TV). I said I’d report back in two weeks (which has now happened). ... I’d still like to get back with him and video the 15-20 minute talk, in English this time, on Abraham and Eleazer’s getting a wife for Isaac. It was very well said, and would be worth anyone’s consideration.

More next week!

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* See the Glossary for various names, places, and terms used in the blog.

Whether there will be success or not, whether we know what the future will hold, there are times, at the Lord’s bidding, that we must go.

     And Abraham said to his servant ..., “Put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land; must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. ... So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. 

     Eleazer’s obedience: “I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now thou wilt prosper the way which I go, behold, I am standing by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, “Pray give me a little water from your jar to drink,” and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son. Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew... and said, “Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.” So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 

     Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and rode upon the camels and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. Excerpted from Gen. 24.

A hymn: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken (string quartet). Note: there are beautiful examples here of compound (repeated) syncopation here. Can you find/hear them?