Luxury

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

Growing up in Indonesia, I had a missionary uncle who often said, “You can live without the necessities if you have a few luxuries!” Immense appreciation for some of the luxuries in my life overwhelms me from time to time. What are luxuries in Cameroon?

October. A month between rainy season and dry season. A beautiful time to enjoy the beauty of Cameroon without mud or dust.

A hot shower. What a pleasure to wash away the grime and dust of dry season or the mud during rainy season, to have not only water, but hot running water.

My front porch. Solitude and quiet in the cool mornings as I take a few moments for meditation and to enjoy the roses, hibiscus, dahlias, and lilies growing in my newly established flower bed. This continues to be a lovely place to sit since here in Africa we won’t be seeing snow this year.

A cook. After almost a month without her due to her father’s illness and death, I realize that though we can get by without a cook, my life is far more manageable with her around. I can do the marketing and get simple meals on the table along with homeschooling and laundry. But without a cook I have time for nothing else except sleep. The month without her was exhausting. With our very lovely and skilled cook, my time is freed to enjoy my family, to correspond, to become involved in the lives of people around me, and my family enjoys meals I would never have time to prepare myself (like hamburgers and tacos – grinding all the meat, making your own buns or tortillas, etc).

Cheese and chocolate. At $40 for a ball of cheese, every pizza we enjoy is a luxury. Swiss chocolate is also available for a price; in my humble opinion, it is well worth every penny.

A haircut. Haven’t had one of these for awhile and really wish for one.

A mission vehicle. We have been blessed with the use of a Toyota Land Cruiser able to maneuver on the worst roads for the rest of our year here. We can make to the trip to the city now at half the cost of public transport and far more comfortably for our family. We have regained a taste of “independent” living, being able to come and go as we please and hope to make a few outings to enjoy some nearby cliffs, fields of rock, and waterfalls.

The internet. Our service is quite sporadic. Moments of communication, receiving news of the world, family, and friends, are precious luxuries after days of failure to connect.

Isn’t He a wonderful Father, providing so much more than we need, but providing food for our souls as well? Thank you, Father, for the luxuries we enjoy.

Exuberant gratitude

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1

…tragedy
Tragedy abounds. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear another heart rending story. A woman dies leaving her five young children in the care of an irresponsible and drunken father who has other wives and takes no interest in them. A baby dies of AIDS and the mother’s family is blamed even though the father was the carrier of the disease. Another father disappoints his children by “forgetting” to pay the school fees after running off to the city. A mother kills her own child by putting a stick in its mouth shortly after giving birth. An eight year old schoolboy is tricked into becoming involved with witchcraft. A cornfield ready to harvest is destroyed by wandering cows and a family staves off starvation this year. A drunken husband beats his wife and children, and in a fit of rage throws all the children’s clothes and kitchen supplies into the toilet.

…comfort
Joy abounds. I have never seen a people so ready to laugh, to enjoy one another’s company. They are a people who in spite of immense heartache find moments of comfort, especially by being together. We never hear of an ailing or troubled person left alone to deal with his trouble. A sick person’s room is filled with well-wishers. Children left to fend for them selves find a place to eat and sleep by a neighbor’s or auntie’s fire. The community shares the joy and the pain.

…gratitude
Hearts are full of gratitude despite the many reasons to become discouraged. It is said, you are as many people as languages you have learned. Although I still speak English here, a new facet is emerging in my worship and way of thinking as I live in this culture. I have never been so close to the earth, to life, to death, and to the tragedies and triumphs that are experienced on this level before. As I worship alongside my Cameroonian colleagues and neighbors, I am learning to rejoice in God as never before. The sincere gratitude for God’s provision eloquently emerges as our harvest offering becomes the highlight of our worship. Our offering consumes well over half an hour as each of the 800 people attending dance forward and bring the first fruits of their crops to present to the Lord. The exuberant singing evidences their complete faith in God’s sufficiency to provide for every need, emotional and material. Above all He provides for our souls and gives us hope for the future. He is truly our Jehovah Jireh, our provider. His grace is sufficient for me.