Please check out Blood:Water Mission

If you haven't checked out this website before, I highly urge you to do so; and if you have, please do so again:

http://www.bloodwatermission.com

Blood:Water Mission is an organization founded by the lead singer of Jars of Clay, Dan Haseltine, "committed to clean blood and clean water to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic, to build clean wells in Africa, to support medical facilities caring for the sick, to make a lasting impact in the fight against poverty, injustice and oppression in Africa through the linking of needs, talents and continents, of people and resources."

These are areas (poverty, the need for clean water, the need to fight HIV/AIDS) which we have witnessed firsthand here in Tanzania. We assure you these problems are very real.

God bless.

-T.M.

Missionary Haircuts

Where do missionaries go when they need their hair cut? Guys often revert to the buzz cut or some variation. But for us girls, the answer is a bit more complex. If traveling to a major city is a possibility, then a side trip to a real salon is not out of the question. I did this when we were in Dar following language school.

But what if one doesn't have such plans on the horizon? The answer is to find the person in your town who would do the least suckiest job. It must be an expatriate (Mzungu) since I have yet to meet a Tanzanian who knows what to do with my hair besides touch it with an astonished expression on their face! Here in Musoma I have become the resident hair-cutter. Not that my skills are profound or that they wouldn't embarrass the likes of my hair-stylist friend, Sunshine. Still, I pride myself in dabbling in most things artistic or crafty and I can do some of the basics pretty well...

My challenge was what to do for my own hair. I was getting bored with my hair, so I started to hack it off. I layered the mid and bottom levels and cut long bangs, but I still needed someone to cut a nice straight line for me at the bottom-- about 3-4 inches shorter than it was. I found a great helper. Kim was quite nervous, especially when I told her how much I wanted cut off, but she did a good job. Here are a couple of the "result" photos. No negative judgments, folks, unless you've cut your own hair and did a better job than this! It sure beats having "Missionary Hair," which is one of my most profound yet superficial fears in being a missionary.

The front-- just for the record, the sides are NOT uneven. Tim and I had trouble getting a good picture because of the angle I was sitting at and the light and all that. This was the best of the many we took! It is actually quite even on the sides in the front.

The back-- it curves down a bit in the center. I haven't decided if this is a problem yet, since it seems to lay well the way it is. Any thoughts?

-JLR

(photos deleted March 2011)

A Tale of Two Situations: Rich and Poor

So, the question I posed around a month ago was, “Who should a missionary live like?”

75% of you answered that the missionary should live like the people he’s serving, while 25% said that he should live with less than the average American. But what does that even mean? My desire is not to fault anybody for their answers, as I merely wanted to use the question to spark some discussion. A little background information: The CIA World Factbook ranks Tanzania as the 5^th poorest country in the world with around a $600 GDP-per capita. The United States is ranked as the 3^rd richest nation in the world with a GDP-per capita of around $37,800. Just a note: that’s 63 times the GDP-per capita of Tanzania. So, how should a missionary live?

Jeana and I have experienced a struggle in regards to this question. How do we handle appearing to be extremely rich in a very poor country? In regards to the first question, it seems we could err in two extremes: (1) Try to create a mini-United States here in Tanzania. Buy a new Toyota LandCruiser. Try to keep up with all the newest entertainment technology. Bring shipment after shipment of items from the States. (2) Sell everything we own. Walk or bike everywhere. Live in a mud house and eat ugali every meal, every day.

Both of these extremes are potentially wrong. In the first, we may be denying the fact that we live in Tanzania, and are trying to compensate by creating an area of “comfort” for ourselves. In the second, we may be denying that we come from the States and the people we are ministering to know this. In fact, in this area of the world, at least, it is very offensive to try and live like the people do. People think you’re crazy (and not in a good way). You lose your effectiveness in ministry. But you also lose your effectiveness in ministry by being greedy and hoarding your wealth. Then, what is the right thing to do?

I’ve been reading in 1 Timothy lately and Paul has some things to say about all of this. In 6:6 he says, “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment...” and in 6:18-19 he says, “ [The rich] are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” Paul points out several pertinent things in this chapter, mainly that God desires a certain type of heart. Hearts consecrated to Him, concerned with His kingdom, hopeful on Him, thankful, humble, content, and generous.

It seems then that the best thing to do is any circumstance we’re in is to have this kind of heart. Whether we have a lot or a little. It seems more effective to minister by providing work for Tanzanians, helping them financially when their kids get sick, or giving them food when the rains don’t come. To be generous with what we’ve been given by God for the purpose of extending His hand of mercy to the poorest of the poor.

-T.M.

Rollerskates

I can't remember the last time I wore a pair of skates... but doesn't this look like fun? Thanks Uncle Jeff and Aunt Ally for the great birthday present! Micaiah is loving them. (and I am loving the knee and elbow pads-- they really calm a nervous mother's heart!) Micaiah is able to skate inside our house since all the floors are concrete. It's just as well-- we only have rocks and some sandy soil/grass outside, so that wouldn't be much fun.

-JLR

Confessions of a man with an identity crisis

I’m about to confess something pretty serious. Something I’ve been struggling with. I just want to prepare you all: you might want to take some time after I say what I’m about to say. Maybe go get a tonic water or some warm milk and just kind of calm down a little bit. I have to say I’ve been carrying it around for awhile, at least since late last year. But I think it’s best now to just get it out in the open.

I think I might vote for a Democrat.

Yes, that’s right. I know, I know, I know. But this doesn’t mean I have to start listening to Fleetwood Mac, or liking Michael Moore movies. It doesn’t mean I have to hate Rush Limbaugh, or be really happy for Al Gore and his Nobel Prize. Or does it?

If we moved back to the States, would I have to move to the west coast? Would I have to start driving a hybrid? Would I be obligated to recycle?

I’m having a bit of an identity crisis.

I think I’m an Obamacan.

I should have expected this. I knew this whole “experiencing life in a foreign country” thing would affect me.

In all seriousness, here’s some of my thinking:

1. I’m disillusioned with what the Christian right thinks a President can actually accomplish and/or change while in office.

In past elections, for example, my main reasons in voting for a particular candidate revolved around his/her views on abortion and homosexuality, i.e. social conservative issues. I haven’t changed my views on these subjects, only in how to go about changing them. Abortion and homosexuality are evil. But does change revolve around having a socially conservative President, or making laws against these things, or having the right Supreme Court justices? Or does change revolve around Christ so invading a culture as to bring about widespread social change, to one day making these rare things instead of common?

What good does it do to have a law against something, and yet the root problem still remains in the hearts of a majority of Americans? What are some of those root problems? Selfishness. Pride in possessions. Individuality. Consumerism. Focus on productivity. Naturalism. Denying God.

The question is: can any President change these heart issues?

2. The Bible does not mandate having a Christian President.

The Bible mandates that we are submissive to the government that God has established over us, regardless of what that government looks like. (Romans 13; 1 Peter 2:13-17) But who are we to vote for? Is our main obligation to vote for whoever looks to be the most Christian? Who is that even in this election?

3. The War in Iraq.

I don’t have any easy answers. Honestly, I’m torn. I just want to say one thing: I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s flawed to say that the answer for all the governments of the world is democracy. Democracy will not work in many places around the globe, and it’s naïve at best and arrogant at worst to think that it’s a one-size fits all solution.

4. Foreign policy.

This has become probably the most important issue to me (for good reason, I think). I have experienced firsthand a glimpse of what the rest of the world thinks of us. I think the U.S. has generally taken a very isolationist approach, while at the same time being a world superpower and being very active in foreign affairs. To explain more of what I mean, I think the rest of the countries of the world (or more specifically countries who are part of the U.N.) take being part of the U.N. very seriously. It’s very important to be a part of that community. The U.S., even though a part of the U.N., are seen as putting themselves above/outside that community.

I also think that Bush has made a habit of not meeting/negotiating/engaging in diplomacy with his enemies. I think these are exactly the people the U.S. President needs to be meeting with.

I also want to see more interest taken in African nations. Tanzanians are still talking about Bush’s trip here, and the generosity of the U.S. in giving money to fight AIDS/malaria and to help build roads/infrastructure. That trip went a long way in combatting the common image people have of Bush/America.

5. The environment.

I’m much more inclined to be environmentally conscious now than ever before. I would probably recycle now in the States. I’m rethinking my ideas regarding global warming, i.e. I think there’s a lot more we could be doing to curb our greenhouse gas emissions, even if Al Gore’s wrong.

6. Concern about Darfur, Sudan.

It seems to me that there’s a lot more we could be doing that we’re not. Did we not learn anything from Rwanda, Somalia, etc.?

Please send your comments/questions/concerns/violent verbal backlashes, etc.

Thanks for reading.

-T.M.

Do you know what VORP is?

Until the end of last year, I always avoided playing fantasy baseball because:

1. It seemed really nerdy.

(not that I’m necessarily opposed to being really nerdy, after all I’m a linguist, but maybe it’s just the combination of too many nerdy activities at once)

2. It seemed potentially addictive.

3. I never understood why it was called Rotisserie League baseball.

(and it kind of bothered me that it was called that—the French don’t even play baseball).

However:

It seems like a lot of fun.

Yes, it seems really nerdy to know Chad Tracy’s OPS from last year (exactly .800!), and to know what WHIP and VORP are. But, I had a knack for knowing these sorts of things anyways, so what do I have to lose?

Here’s the summary of my team for this year:

C Bengie Molina
1B Mark Teixeira
2B Orlando Hudson
SS Hanley Ramirez
3B Aramis Ramirez
OF Andruw Jones
OF Mark Kotsay
OF Aaron Rowand

P Roy Oswalt
P Barry Zito
P Jeff Francis
P Adam Wainwright
P Adam Eaton/Matt Morris

CL: Jason Isringhausen

-T.M.