kilcups in africa: March 2013

Since we've returned, many people ask us what the trip highlights were. It's a great question to be honest. The go-to answer is really pretty easy. For both of us, it's the safari like you are in the Lion King, gorilla trekking, etc. For Rob in particular he really loved the Nile. For me in particular, I really loved going back to Ibulanku and reconnecting with dear friends with the most amazing hearts. Seeing the well in Kabira from Racing for Relief was also a big highlight and a beautiful site to see.

For both of us though, the real highlight that is hard to describe, is what you take away from an experience like Africa. God teaches you and humbles you when He guides you into situations like we experienced. Alongside our daily walks, talks and interactions with friends and locals, we were ending our days with a book titled "Love Does". The front cover says "discovering a secretly incredible life in an ordinary world". Bob Goff is the author of this book, and allows the day-to-day to deliver a "whimsical" and meaningful chance to make Faith simple, real and fun.

The book is a breath of fresh air. It's not a how-to or self-help book on how to follow Jesus, but rather many little short stories of Bob's life in which he seized the moment to do what Jesus would do, or what Love would do: to live out a faith-filled life... often a humorous, unpredictable and inspiring life. Bob's short stories make the reader smile, laugh, and really think about how often do I, personally, say YES to love? Yes to Jesus. Yes to risk, chance, others and LIFE? I know often times I do say an absolute yes to Christ, to love, and to others. But how often is it on my own terms? When it's convenient for me. Or when do I say no because I just don't believe 'it' can happen?

After getting about half-way through the book, I'm starting to be incredibly impressed with Bob's all-out responses to life and adventure in 100% loving others, no matter the cost. Literally. No matter the cost. That's the caveat that kept getting to me. It seemed that Bob's wallet was limitless. I'm thinking, of course he can say an enthusiastic YES to love! Why? Because he is crazy rich. So, then I feel my heart getting jealous of his ability to serve others so unswervingly. I'm thinking, well, I'd live and love that extravagantly if I could, right God? I remember falling asleep one night pondering over this question.

The next morning after a lovely crepe breakfast served on our veranda (we were blessed indeed), I headed into the local little town/village to get some bottled water. Our handy water filter had a minor problem, so we decided to not risk getting sick again and were getting bottled water the last few days. Water at our hotel/bungalow was $2,000 TSH a bottle, but in town it was $1,000 TSH a bottle, so worth a little walk. Of note, $2,000 Tanzanian Shillings is just about one dollar.

So, after walking around town and picking up the necessities (mangoes, more mangoes, snickers and a random souvenir or two), I was ready to grab some water. I walked up to this lady's very small and simple shop, where she was selling very few items, one of which was bottled water. I saw she had 6 large bottles all connected, but it looked really heavy. So I decided I'd buy 4 of them, especially considering I only had $5000 shilling. I asked her how much for 4 bottles (to confirm) and she said $4,000 shillings. I only had a $5000 bill, so I asked her if she had change. While she was looking for change, I was absorbing the surroundings.

This lady and her little baby crawling around on the dirt floor were definitely lacking some basic necessities. The baby was very dirty and had the classic distended belly that commonly is a result of lack our nourishment. My mind and heart are telling me that I should let this lady keep the change. So, as I'm processing that, I'm thinking - Bob Goff would do that. Jesus would, too. Love does. And so should I. But then, I'm also thinking "does giving money just reinforce an inferiority complex?"... "my book Helping without Hurting clearly states that giving shouldn't just be handing out money - for many reasons". So amidst my conflicted mind, I decided that my heart was telling me to tell this young woman to keep the change. So I did, with a smile and trying to say hi to her little girl. As I say it, I'm also internally embarrassed of my selfish thoughts along the way.

After I tell her "no worries, please just keep the change", she turned around to grab my water to hand to me. Except she didn't grab 4 of them, she grabbed the 6 pack and handed it to me. I said, "oh goodness, no thank you! It honestly looks really heavy, but thanks so much". I think she had very limited English, but I could see by the look in her eyes and her big, genuine smile, that she was definitely not going to let me not accept her gift. There I stood, amazed at this woman's generosity, as I accepted the 6 bottles of water that I (almost reluctantly) paid $5000 shillings for. This lady had such a pure and giving heart. In front of her stood a "mzungu" who she could presume has plenty of material blessings and cash. There she stood, making her sale for the day... and simultaneously blessing me with showing me what a true servant's heart does. Many africans are always trying to increase prices on mzungus -- and to be honest, I might too if I was them. They make an average of less than a dollar a day in most places, and what we make is insane compared to that. But this woman really showed that Love Does. Jesus teaches us to bless others and to give - even to our last drop. As I was walking away almost moved to tears at what God was teaching me, I was thinking of this verse:

Mark 12:44 - "They all gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything -- all she had to live on."

God showed me right there that I don't need to have resources like Bob Goff to serve Him and love others extravagantly. All I have to do is give the Lord and his people more than I have, or think I have, and with that, His love will be known and felt. A simple faith of simply giving LIFE all we have. And when we do that, we really get to experience the whimsical, adventurous, humbling love that Bob Goff describes and that Jesus calls us to. A way to take an ordinary life and ordinary decisions... and turn them into YES, LOVE DOES! Pretty exciting stuff. Thanks God for teaching me that through the lovely woman who I will never forget. I went back every day for the remainder of our trip, and I could never find her again. I think she was an angel teaching me how to love extravagantly.

kilcups in africa

Sunday, March 10, 2013

love does - reflecting thoughts

zanzibar photos

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