5 Nov 2014
Dear Family and Friends,
We are in our third week of classes since we last wrote, and all is going well. We have a smaller class at the seminary--14 students, 1 female and 12 males. At first we thought this may be more of a challenge to engage the students in class discussion---but this group is very alert, interactive, and full of questions when they don't understand or disagree! Last week I gave an assignment in which the students were to compare an individualistic culture with a collectivistic one (such as theirs). One student wrote regarding an individualistic culture that it is like the Tz culture, a man can force a woman to do things. I wrote back on his paper that is not true in America because of equal rights. At break time the student came up to me and said, "How can this be? I don't understand!" As I tried to gently explain this major difference in our cultures, his face became more shocked with disbelief. Finally, I think out of despair, he looked at Tim and desperately said, "Pastor, is this true? What about what the Bible says?" I have a feeling that this is a topic that will be revisited many times this semester!
As always there's some confusion and some amusement especially during the first class. Some of the students' names catch our attention, either because they are soooooooooooo long or because of their meaning. This year we have a record breaker with one student's first name being 14 letters long---and of course that's the name he wants to be called by--not by his last name which only has 5 letters!
Another student has a name that seemed curious, so I asked him what it meant. He said it means "Pharisee," and the class all looked downward and said nothing. He meekly added that he didn't know why he was named that-- obviously I didn't pursue it any further---nor did I ask anyone else the meaning of their name!
We also have a Bishop in our class. He is an ordained pastor and just became a Bishop in January for a new diocese. His plate is extremely full combining studies for a Bachelor's Degree in Divinity with his numerous duties as Bishop. He's a humble, insightful man, and we are fortunate to have him in our class.
Tim has had his first flat tire in Tz! Fortunately for us, it happened on campus! So the campus fundi (repairman) was able to take care of it, and Tim learned what to do if/when it happens again! It is a 3/4 ton, 4 wheel drive "bush vehicle" and the jack was broke, so he was grateful to have some help. The roads are unbelieveably pot-holed here and the tires (as well as people's spinal cords ) take the brunt of it!
Since the last posting, I was asked to lead a women's retreat on dealing with stress. The kind of stress and/or the sources of stress are somewhat different here than in the States.
I had to stop writing this post so that I could go to the Dispensary. I have had an extremely itchy and draining eye for the past week and it's getting worse. So I entered our new Dispensary and was greeted with a nod by the nurse who had a really ugly knife in her hand, and she pointed with the knife for me to take a seat while she proceeded to hand the grotesque instrument to the doctor who was waiting at the end of the hall. I quickly obeyed and thought, oh my gosh---what am I doing here? I'm feeling better--maybe I should just leave. I sat a bit trembly, waiting to hear a piercing scream---only to see the doctor return to the hallway, using the knife to cut open a box!
I was eventually motioned to go into the doctor's office and I explained my situation, emphasizing how I was feeling better already! After hearing my account (no looking at my eye), he left then returned with some eye drops. He stated that I have a bacterial eye infection and I must shake the bottle each time I use it--then proceeded to show me how to shake the very small bottle. Then he removed the bottle cap and squirted some of the contents right onto the floor next to his desk. "Fine," he said. "It works!" Then he looked at me to see if I understood. I think I do.
So on my walk back from the Dispensary, I read the label on the package. It simply says, "Eye/Ear Drops." I need to close now so I can use my multipurpose drops. I will shake it, then poor some on the floor, then put 3 drops in each eye---I don't think I'm suppose to put it into my ears since he didn't demonstrate that!
Hoping this finds you healthy, stress-free, and with a good sense of humor,
Much love from both of us,
Tim & Diane
No comments:
Post a Comment
All comments will be read by the Sonnenbergs -- however, they will not be published.