www.denamoore.com

It has been almost a month since my last post.  When I have stretches like this when I do not write a  post I find it difficult to return to writing.  I have so many thoughts swirling through my head that I have difficulty sorting through them and choosing a thought that is short enough to put in a post yet has an interesting catch.  Then there is the choice of which story to start the ball rolling.  I have not been absent just ultra busy and sometimes writing just has to take a back seat.

I just finished my newsletter and updating the brand new website with my name.  Go to www.denmoore.com to find all future posts for this blog or cooking with bare necessities.  On my website you will find more information on me and this ministry.  You will be able to view the latest newsletter, blogs and any other updates.  You will have access to my bio and resume there.

So with the Easter Holiday so close I think the next few posts will certainly have to be about the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  To read those over the next few days visit my website at the link above.

SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKE!!!!

SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKE!!! Bring the machete it’s in the kitchen!

Yep, as I was “dusting” for ants I found this lovely jewel hiding behind the pots. I had been putting off doing this little chore  of dusting because I have a couple of geckos that live in my house and if I poison their food supply (ants) they will die too.  I just can’t take the ants any longer so reluctantly I got the Sevin Dust out and said a sad farewell to the geckos.  The geckos (a lizard like creature who eats ants and mosquitos) have become a comfortable sight in my house.  They mostly stay on the walls and only come out in the evenings to feed.  One gecko you may have heard me affectionately refer to as Melba the Marvelous.  She is an 8 inch gecko that has apparently had babies here.  I should point out she has legs, the thing I found hiding behind the pots didn’t.

If it wiggles it’s a little questionable.  If it wiggles without legs that is just not right!  I don’t care what anybody says.  I will never get used to the snakes.  Okay so this time I did maintain composure enough to take a picture and then taunt the injured snake in an effort to get a photo of it trying to strike.  I don’t know if it was poisonous and don’t really care.  It was a SNAKE!  It is not welcome in my house.

So there.  That is my tirade for the day.  Add this to the you know you’re a missionary when…list.

There is a whole symbolism and devotional thought here but I will have to come back to that.  Right now I am too worked up over the fact that it was in my kitchen less than 3 inches from my hand before I saw it.

the dream continues

Fulani girl

A couple of years ago I was given the 2 minutes to share who I am and what I was preparing to do.  A day or two ago I ran across a scribble of what I was going to say in that 2 minutes.  It read:

My name is Dena Moore and I’m a missionary recruit with Pioneer Bible Translators whose purpose is to take God’s word to the world in every language.  I dream about living among a people group who does not know God because they do not yet have the scriptures in their language.  I look forward to the day that we will share the Word that has been translated into the language of their heart.  I would love the opportunity to share the vision of PBT with you and talk about how you might help.

I am pleased to say that some years later I am serving as a missionary in East Africa with Pioneer Bible Translators living those dreams of working with the least reached of the world.  The words I spoke that night stand true today.  The dream continues.  I would love to share the vision and how you could help.  Contact me for more information.

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You know you are a missionary when…

You know you’re a missionary when….

I have been asked how I like being a missionary.  The short answer is… “I love it!”   My life has changed dramatically in the last few years.  I went from living in a small town in Arkansas to living in rural East Africa, from working in a photography studio to working for the King, from thinking the bottom line was a dollar figure to knowing the bottom line is salvation.  So when a friend asked me recently how my life has changed it sparked the following list.  Most of these are from my own experience, but some were suggested by friends who are missionaries.  Most of these I think are comical but mom calls them gross.  Read and laugh with me!

You know you’re a missionary when….

Your idea of what is ok to eat changes.

• You open a new bag of flour and find bugs, and instead of being surprised and throwing it all away, you sift out the bugs and use it anyway since it’s the only flour available. (Please tell me I’m not the only one…) 🙂
• Dried minnows (better known in East Africa as dagaa) is a good meal.
• Freeze things to kill ants then eat anyway.
• You boil your cornmeal instead of baking into cornbread.
• All water HAS to be filtered or boiled before you will even think about using it.

Your idea of what is “clean” changes.

A good hotel simply has to have a towel and water.  If it has hot water it gets an extra star.

Your best friend is 8 time zones away.

You routinely “go off the grid” and think nothing of it.  Meaning you have no electricity, water, cell phone, internet or all of the above.

You sleep in your truck because you are stuck in a mud hole and there is a hungry lion on the prowl.

Your idea of being “tucked in” at bedtime is more like a tent than being snuggled in warm covers.  (a mosquito net can feel like a tent.)

A machete is kept handy because there could be a snake hiding in the door frame when you step out.

• You chop the head off a black mamba in your bathroom…
• When you see a snake in the bush outside the window you look it up to see if it is a green mamba.  (and it was)

Sweeping the grass is “good housekeeping.”

‎…when you ride in a minibus for 2+ hours to your destination and still have to walk several miles through ankle deep mud to get to where you are staying…and you love it!!!

Your idea of a pet and how they are kept changes.

• You buy your daughter a donkey as a pet.
• Dogs are not man’s best friend they are guards.
• Cats are great outdoors, because they are good hunters of both snakes and rats.

The “traffic jam” is because an elephant decided to rest in the middle of the road.

A game of tag involves a baboon.

On a drive “home” you see zebra, impala, wildebeest, giraffe and other assorted exotic animals.

You routinely dodge goats downtown.

When you pull out of your driveway you honk at the cattle grazing in your ditch.  (ok, maybe that one is universal.)

The dala dala you are on (a 15 passenger minivan used for public transport) has no less than 27 people, you are standing on some else’s foot and have your behind in another person’s face, but that too is normal.

You arrive for church 10 minutes late only to find you are the first one there.

Your top of the line stove has 2 burners that are electric and 2 that are gas because you never know when one or the other might be out.

You keep a jiko (a small stove like a hibachi charcoal grill) for cooking on charcoal just in case both the power and gas are both out.

You see someone who is obviously American in a public place and want to run over to them and hear all about exactly where they’re from and why they’re in town if only so that you can speak in English for a little while.

You catch the rain water so that you have water to flush the toilet.

And my personal favorite (hat tip: to my dear friend Jackie Guccione)…When someone is touched by something you have done or said.

Five things worth learning

I subscribe to a weekly newsletter for artists.  The author often recounts his own experiences and comments on letters he receives readers.  In one of his recent letters he lists five things worth learning about art.  I jokingly said there were five things you need to know to be a missionary then stopped to think these are just good things to know where ever you are, whatever your life style is.

Bush Mechanics– When setting up and maintaining a house in a rural area like the one where I live now you need a basic understanding of how to install and fix electrical, plumbing, and building basics. You may be able to hire a skilled worker to do the actual work needed but if you can’t tell them what you need they may not fix the problem.  Some people think DIY projects are for those who can’t afford to have someone else do it.  In my opinion it is just common sense to be able to take care of the basics yourself.  Besides it is a lot of fun to do projects with the kids like building a solar oven.  You can use a cardboard box, aluminum foil and a black pot to cook bacon and eggs or brownies.  I built one that had temps reaching over 190°.

Primary health care– Learn how to treat yourself and others when there is no medical care.  Ok so maybe this one is extreme.  You may not need to know how to handle Malaria, bubonic plague or Dengue Fever but you should know basic first aid.  I’m not talking about slapping on some Neosporin and a band-aid.  I mean giving CPR or stabilizing a fractured bone until you can reach medical care.  Check with the local Red Cross to see when the next training is being offered.

Bush cooking – Learn to feed yourself if there is a disaster.  That means knowing how to light a charcoal or wood fire without lighter fluid or fire starters.  Learn how to properly prepare food and clean, safe drinking water.  I have found that between drinking and teeth brushing I use almost 4 liters a day.  That’s a lot of water!  To really kill all the parasites in water it needs to boil at least 20 minutes and that doesn’t filter out the minerals so it might still taste funny.

How to dress– So this one is personal preference and some societal influence.  In some cultures it is highly inappropriate to show your knees or a bare shoulder.  People will judge you by your appearance.  If you are dressed sloppy people notice, just as they notice when you are dressed up for a holiday like Halloween.  Ladies think twice before wearing tank or strapless tops.  Guys let me suggest that you investigate how, where and why young men started wearing droopy jeans.  Who do you “belong” to?

Jesus is our Savior – This is the most important thing you will ever learn.  Know it well and share it with others!

Lightening Bugs

It has taken me a couple of weeks to process all that happened in the village.  There were some real highlights and a few lowlights.  The challenges were different than I had expected.  For example I had seen visible malnutrition before but it was different to experience the inability to help.  I was not prepared for how I would feel about it.  With many emotions and thoughts tumbling through my head my mind felt a little like a kaleidoscope.  I would like to tell you one of my best memories which is about lightening bugs.

A couple weeks before I went to the village a funny thing happened.  As I was getting into bed I noticed a lightening bug on my mosquito net.  The thought crossed my mind that lightening bugs were God’s way of reminding us He is there even in the dark.  I posted that thought to Facebook, went to sleep and forgot about it.

Weeks later when I had been in the village about a week another funny thing happened.  I had dealt with about all I was capable of handling.  I was frustrated to tears.  I decided to take a bucket bath and try to cool down before I went to bed that night.  I went to my not so private space and began to pray as I bathed.  (I know that is not reverent and not so respectful but this was my only “alone” time.)  I had my eyes closed attempting to rinse my hair.   I prayed “God why did you put me here?  If you don’t show me soon I am just not going to make it.”

Suddenly I felt covered in bugs!  I opened my eyes to find that I, the wall and the palm fronds next to me were all aglow with lightening bugs.  I wasn’t simply covered in bugs I was surrounded by God’s love.  What a spectacular and visible way for Him to show me He was with me!  That night was the only time I saw a lightening but while in that village.

Sometimes we look for miraculous signs when He is already there showing us His presence in little ways like lightening bugs.  All we need to do is open our eyes.

 

Expectations

In the last post I mentioned that I am reading a book called Expectations and Burnout; Women surviving the Great Commission.  I am finding it very helpful to see some of my thoughts in print.  As with all good books, as I was reading a few statements stuck out.  One comment is on page 14, “…if what we do becomes the determining factor on which we base our worth or significance, we may be in big trouble.”

This is a statement of clarity not just for missionaries but for everyone.

 In America when we are first introduced to someone we often ask as a lead in question, “what do you do?”   We ask, as if that short question is going to give us some clue as to the nature of the person to whom we are talking.  Many people do in fact feel as if their identity is tied up in their occupation even though they fill many roles such as parent, spouse, little league coach, church leader, PTA member, etc.  The list can go on and on.

We set these lofty goals but if we don’t reach them in the timeline we laid out we begin to feel like a failure.  In her book All that is bitter sweet, Ashley Judd says “Expectations are premeditated resentments.” (pg 386) Everyone has expectations whether realized or subliminal.  Fighting a natural temptation to believe them is the struggle.

I say that because I always set my goals just above what is realistic in reaching.  I have always done that.  My expectations usually follow those goals, being just beyond realistic.  I will often truly believe that these expectations are going to happen.  That is often about the time when I hear someone say it is in God’s time not ours.  So what about when He says “no”?  How do I fit that into the expectations and timeline?  For me that is a struggle.  

I move on with the thought in my head from 1 Cor. 4:17.  “For our current struggles are small and won’t last long.”  My struggles are small and many are either self created or magnified due to my actions.  So I ask you to join me prayer.  This time the prayer is for me, that I can make realistic goals and curb my expectations into manageable ideas that are more helpful.  Pray that I will have the strength to go after those goals and serve in the manner I was placed here to do.

 

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Struggles

Not all that a missionary does is dramatic events or comical moments that lead to a great ending or punch line.  I promised to share this entire journey with you and am still committed to doing that.  I said in my last post that it has been difficult to write because of the struggles.  Most of what I have experienced so far has been very positive, most has been reaffirmation from God on the reason I am here. 

I want to be clear that I am not trying to complain or look for sympathy for myself.  I had some pretty lofty goals set out for myself when I arrived in country a few months ago.    I had been told not to be disappointed if those goals were not met in my timeline but to look for them to occur at a later date.  I am finding those tidbits of advice from my leaders and seasoned missionaries to be fulfilled prophecy. 

I was recently given the book Expectations and Burnout; Women Surviving the Great Commission by Sue Eenigenburg and Robynn Bliss and asked to read it.  I am only a few chapters into the book and am feeling as though it were written to me.  I came with idealistic expectations, so when I did not meet those expectations it began to feel a bit like failure.  As I read this book I am seeing that it is not just me and these are not failures.

I’m not talking about a major event.  It is more about the little things that are wearing on me.  When we listen to the stories of missionaries they rarely tell you about the day the clothesline broke with all the clean wet clothes that you just hand washed landing in the mud.  We don’t hear about the day you started the car five times before you got it in gear and backed out your gate.  Although we may hear about language barriers we don’t realize the frustrations of not being able to get the groceries you need, can bring you to tears.  We don’t consider how a simple act like going to the market can become a major event wiping out all the energy you have.  

It is just more difficult to live here.  Simple everyday tasks such as filling the car with petrol can take hours.  It is not at all uncommon to get ready for a shower and discover as you are turning the knob that the tank has run dry or to finally sit down in front of a fan in an attempt to cool off only to have the power go out.  It is the little conveniences like being able to buy a loaf of bread that you begin to miss the most.

I was told before moving here that once on the field your life is under a magnifying glass.  That is true, but I am finding that everything seems magnified including my blessings.  I have always loved flowers and seen beauty where others simply glanced at a bloom.  Now it is not just a flower.  There is a rich velvety texture in each petal.  I see shapes and colors more clearly.  Where I once saw a graceful elegance in a flower I now see God’s love and a reminder that He is with me everywhere I look and in everything I do.  I am grateful for the trials because it seems to be making my vision clearer.

I was reminded of Romans 5:3-5 last night.

“…we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  A hope that does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us.”

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Getting oriented

This is my first post since Christmas and I have no idea how to start.  A lot happens in a month.  I had promised to share both the ups and downs of this journey and somehow just can’t bring myself to share the struggles.  Things are ok, just different than I had anticipated.  I will start by telling you about one of the trips I took this month.

Part of my orientation was to visit Dar Es Salaam, the capitol city and get oriented.  I needed to know where the airport and bus terminals were.  I needed to find the trauma center and embassy.  The branch administrator’s wife agreed to go with me more importantly she drove.  Whew what help that was!  We stayed in a guest house that was relatively clean.  It had towels, hot water AND an air conditioner!  WOOHOO!  That was the first air-conditioned room I have seen since arriving in late, late August.  With the rising temps and only a fan in my home that was a very welcomed treat.  The guest house had a good bed.  I got a wonderful night of rest the first night. 

While we were in Dar we hit a couple of the shopping centers.  I was able to get dishes, pans and some other house hold goods that I had been looking for.  I got prices on a fridge and stove which I will wait a couple of months to purchase.  Hoping I can get a better deal if I wait for a sale.  Even the full price is within my budget, just thinking if I could save enough I might be able to get a washing machine too.  That would be so wonderful. 

When we returned I was pretty busy preparing for a two week stay in a village near Mikumi National Park.  The next few posts will deal with the things that I saw and experienced while there.  With this trip my orientation phase is drawing to a close.  I am growing into a fully fledged missionary.  But that is far from where this story will end.  Follow these posts as I share the ups and downs of my journey.

 

Christmas blessings

Christmas is over.  The dishes are all washed and the floors are mopped.  The Christmas tree is coming down and looking for a good storage place until next year.  Friends have gone home and the leftovers are dwindling.  I had hoped to write another post or two about Christmas, the Magi, and what I was doing.  I just ran out of time. 

This is my first Christmas in East Africa.  It is not the first time that I have spent the holidays away from family.  I know all too well what it is like to wake up alone on Christmas Day.  I had thought about going to a beautiful beach and enjoying some time alone with God.  My thinking was “He knows my heart and will give me what I need.”  He did give me what I needed but not in the form of a cresting sun over an idyllic beach.  My plans to go on hiatus were canceled. 

As the holiday approached I learned there would be some special church services.  I also heard that some friends were going to only spend one day in town between advanced language classes and vacation.  I asked their family of 6 to join me for lunch.  Then I learned other friends from Norway would be here in a local hotel for a couple of days.  As time passed opportunities grew.

On Christmas Eve I baked cakes and made candies.  In the evening I went to a special service at the Church next door to my home.  We sang Christmas hymns by candlelight and listened as scripture was read.  When it was over I came home and had tea and chatted with my guard who knows no English.  I checked Skype before going to bed and had the blessing of talking to my family.  The kids were watching Santa travel around the world and had checked to see when he would be arriving here.  What fun that was.

When I woke Christmas day I felt an extra measure of peace and joy.  I had 16 people, from 3 countries, coming to my home for lunch.  I made a somewhat traditional American meal complete with cornbread dressing.  We ate, laughed and fumbled with languages.  Then in the evening I went to a social next door.  We sang carols, laughed some more, ate again and watched the Nativity Story. 

I realized that my best memories of Christmas were lots of people and lots of food.  God knew that and provided exactly what I needed when I needed it.  This was a fabulous Christmas!  It is my prayer that you were equally as blessed.