Stay out of neutral

Eek! Has it really been that long since I’ve posted?! Oops. Well, apparently people have been too busy with crashing markets and clashing politics to care because I haven’t had a single inquiry as to weather I’m still alive over here. Don’t count on someone writing a post for me to inform you of my death! OK, that’s a little morbid...moving on.

SOO much to fill you in on. Because the most exciting thing happened recently, I’m going to go in reverse chronological order. That way, in case your attention span cuts out before you reach the end of this blog, you’ll have heard of the coolest news. Remember that time I went up to the desert, played on dunes and got stuck in some crazy mud hole? (Right...last post) And remember how a connection was made with that village and this all M-sl-m village chief said he was going to have his people listen to the “megavoice” every day during the month of Ramadan? Well, “Ma” and “Pa” W, went back up to visit them all last week. I’m a little fuzzy about all the details because I heard about this through a text message, BUT basically, 11 men have expressed a desire to follow Christ and made a confession of faith!! The chief (!!), 5 elders (!), and 5 others, one being our hero-Ahaji Muhammed! Ma and Pa have labored faithfully up there in northern Nigeria for 14 years, and for the most part, have seen very little fruit to show for it. That’s to say, these things don’t happen very often. Usually it’s a really long, slow process and even then, if a M-sl-im wants to follow The Way, he’ll do it in secret in fear of being kicked out of his community or killed. I totally have tinglies all over my body as I type this. Chad Verbeck, a friend of mine from camp BW/DR, sings this song, “Another One for the Kingdom.” (has a groovy sound so click here to download it for free yourself)
Another one for the Kingdom
Another defeating sin
Another one who’s loving Jesus
Another one’s been born again.
Another one who is lost and now is found
Another one who’s not alone.
Another one who is no longer tied down
Another one who’s comin’ home.

And I know the bells are ringing
Up in heaven I can hear the angels singing
And the Lord is smiling down
Cause He knows that we will live eternal
And wear a golden crown
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord
Get up on your feet and praise the Lord!

AND, the village wants Ma and Pa to come up every Friday at noon to tell them more stories about Jesus aka, they want to be discipled! Cool huh? And it never would have happened if we didn’t lodge ourselves helplessly in a mud pit, desperate for help. Maybe, just maybe, it was our lack of expertise, our vulnerability, and our need for, well, grace, that opened the door. Maybe not, but the whole experience has certainly taught me a thing or two.

Speaking of stuff that happened up in northern Nigeria with M-sl-ms, at the end of September I joined in the Eid-al-Fitr celebrations in Kano. That’s the Islamic holiday at the end of the month of Ramadan and in Kano, the Imir throws a party called the Durbar, for hundreds of thousands of people. Since Eid-al-Fitr meant 2 days off work, followed by the public holiday of Independence Day (happy 46th Nigeria!), a few friends and I thought it’d be fun to check out this thing. PLUS, Kano has one of the largest fabric markets in Nigeria =) We spent quite a bit of time meandering through fabric stalls, ooing and aahhing at all the gorgeous colors and patterns, and trying, in vain, to not but too many.

We also took some time to check out the famous indigo dye pits in Kano. I wish I could remember all the details about them, but basically this artisan craft has been a trade of Northern Nigeria people for hundreds of years. Though suckers like us are the main ones buying the fabrics now, the intricate handiwork is stunning. I couldn’t resist buying one of them for my own cool Africa stuff collection...nor could I resist getting in one of the pits = P

Many more stories from the Durbar, but I’ll refer to you the captioned pictures on my web album to keep this blog short. Check it out, seriously.

My final blog-worthy happening was a 4-day backpacking trip a couple weeks ago. (I know...not really breaking news). Once again, a handful of fun-loving singles were rallied together for a little adventure. Donned with backpacks, food, stylish attire (note pink pants on Dana), and flexibility we trekked deep into Shere Hills, the mountainous terrain just south of Jos. Though we got l--, I mean, took the long way at few times, we had an absolute blast. For example, we gave out some trail names:
Our group --“Team Sexy” ; Kari –“Pre-heat” because she made the brilliant decision to wear non-breathable rain pants during one long day of hiking; Dana—“Pink Panter” for her lovely pink medical scrubs she wore every day; Hanna—“Swiss Miss” because she’s from Switzerland; Lisa—“Toasted Kiwi” because she’s from New Zealand and got totally fried in the sun; Matt—“Snappy” for his constant photo-taking, plus he’s british an “snappy” can sound really English; Marc –“Blinkin” after the blind guy from Robin Hood-Men in Tights. Poor Marc had the responsibility of leading us and got turned around a few times; myself –“Jukebox” for my ability to come up with a song for anything.

As you can see, we had a pretty international group, which made the whole experience all that much more interesting. And all the sore shoulders, scratched up legs, blistered feet, and funky smells were far-outweighed by our great fellowship and breath-taking views. Not only did we camp near a 100ft waterfall, but we also hiked up to the tallest point in Plateau State, affording us a 360 degree view of this stunning country. **sigh** Again, I’ll refer you to the web album for more pictures and tidbits. All sorts of nostalgia from the Appalachian Trail washed over me on this trip and I was reminded of my deep appreciation/infatuation with hiking. (By the way, if you’re ever super bored and want to read about my adventure hiking the AT, go to www.trailjournals.com/reneandjess
This blog might give the impression that I’m having the time of my life, moving from one fun-filled adventure to the next. I can’t lie, I AM having the time of my life...but ironically, this past week or so, I have wrestled with feelings of stagnation. The thought keeps circling around that I’m ignoring little opportunities to make a difference. That I’m displeasing God not by my actions, but by my inactions. I gravitate toward adventure and am inclined to take big risks and yet, I ignore the seemingly smaller chances to exercise my faith. Sure I’ll make time for my “official” discipleship group, but will I take 5 minutes to stop and help the little sales girl with her homework? And while I take a hike in Nigeria’s wilderness for 4 days, why can I not walk down the street on Tuesday evenings to the church’s youth fellowship group that could use some encouragement? You see, you don't have to live in Africa to treat each day as pregnant with opportunity. Really, it's just about "refusing to live a life in neutral and valuing the irreplaceable nature of every moment."(E. McManus) Not sure about what will happen? That's ok...God's into calling us out of comfort into uncertainty.