Sights, Sounds and Smells - August 19, 2010

I have a moment of complete silence while the kids are gone with Scott and Jeff to play volleyball at the church and April is resting – moments of silence are a rare treasure in house of 9 people and 2 dogs.

I decided to dedicate today’s blog to the senses.  Last night while lying in bed I stopped my mind for a few a minutes and just breathed in the smells and soaked in the sounds.  The windows in our bedroom were open so the smells were from outside not in.  The smell was dry and dusty and full of wood smoke.  They burn fires to stay warm and to cook.  There is always a faint smell of smoke in the air no matter where you go in Botswana.  I took notice of the sounds last night.  They were the sounds of mostly dogs barking – not the dogs that live in the house with us – but all the dogs for blocks and blocks.  It reminded me of “101 Dalmatians” when they sound the alert and one dog calls the next one and they keep passing it on.  There was the occasional sound of a car passing on a back street but mostly dogs.  The sight last night on the back patio was a sky full of stars and a bright moon – wide open – no street lights to dull the view. I thought about all of us seeing the same moon no matter where we are in this great world. The sky was absolutely stunning and the air was crisp and cool.  We stayed out a while after dinner just to soak in the beauty of the night.

The evening time at sunset is my favorite time of day.  It is that time I as I write 5:30 pm, the sun is hiding leaving the sky a peachy pink color and the air is cooling.  The birds are all singing, chirping and flitting about. There is more road traffic and people walking.  The people here walk everywhere.  The women tie their babies to their backs and carry umbrellas for shade.  We have seen lots of women balancing large buckets or bundles of wood on their heads as they walk.  I guess the most interesting sight are the cows just wandering.  We were riding in the middle of town a couple of days ago and here comes this group of about 10 cows walking right along the side of the road and then right across the middle of traffic.  I couldn’t believe it.  They were all by themselves there was no one to guide them or keep them together.   The goats are the same way there is just a lot more of them when you see a group wandering.

I ponder these things and thank God for His beautiful creation.  I thank Him for familiar things like sounds and smells that are all the same in this Big world He created.  I thank Him that He loves us ALL!!!!       TONYA

As Tonya pondered the 5 senses of the mind, I was about to loose mine, my mind that is.  I know God uses people around us to give us teaching moments and to let us know He is orchestrating a wonderful world around us.  But today I felt like a hamster running in a wheel to nowhere as I went from place to place and building to building in this 15 square mile city.  First of all the agent we are using to help with document control and to speed up the process is as organized as Josh and Joe.   I did notice a lot people sitting and waiting at least we were going upstairs, down stairs, down the hall, up the hall if you catch my drift.  We started the adventure at 10:00 AM to make fingerprints for Tonya and me.   By 4:00 PM I had paid the government of Botswana $100 USD and still no fingerprints.  Here is what I did get for at day of running around and $120 later:

You take passport photos in front of the immigration office under a tree with a blue sheet behind you for government photos.  I got to meet a young lady working part time because she is out of school who was studying theology.  She wants to work with children but knows nowhere in Botswana who is doing this.  I got her name and email address after I told her why I was in Botswana.  She then told me the Lord provides and He will provide a way for her to go into ministry.  I saw places so modern and up to date that rival a lot of cities in the US and then around the corner, people sweeping the sidewalks with hand made broom heads.  I saw goats and chickens in the streets walking as if they owned the place, stopping traffic and another delay in my effort as we drove all over Botswana.  Everywhere I went, someone had a story of why they were there no matter how much of a hurry I was in to receive the documents so I could get my fingers printed.  I received another promise to meet at 10:00 am for fingerprints.  In the US we do not talk to people around us and our convenience stores and shopping prevent us from having relational conversations with the people God has put around us.  I will be rested tonight to be ready for the hamster race tomorrow.  God is good and God provides in His own time.  My journey today was a reminder of who is in control, it is not me.         Scott