#96 Shanksteps – Selfishness

 

How many times does the Holy Spirit have to scream in your ear before you finally give in?  What does it take for you to realize that you are self-centered?  For us it took the angelic face of a 12-year-old girl who appeared on our doorstep one evening.  

Her name is Dzaoda.  This courageous young girl is the very first female in her village to continue her education past elementary school.  Her mother and brother, who are from a village about one hour away by motorcycle, decided to send her to the Adventist Secondary School in Koza.   This is her first year here.  Up until now she has been living with her aunt here near here. However, last week, four weeks before the end of school, her aunt kicked her out of the house demanding that Dzaoda give her

two bags of millet or she couldn’t come back.  Dzaoda came to our house to ask if she could hide her books on our porch because she said that if she left them with her aunt, her aunt would throw them away.  (The school is right next to our house.)  She said that her mother was coming in 3 days to arrange everything with her aunt.  We offered that she could stay here until her mother came, and our guard thought it best for her to sleep on our front porch. We gave her a mat and mosquito net, and fed

her for the next several days.  

Now, at this point I know there are some of you saying, how could you leave a young girl outside like that. First, let me say that everyone here sleeps outside during the hot season.  You also have to remember that the people here live by the concept that if you “have” and I “need”, it is perfectly okay for me to “take”.  Unfortunately, the inside of our house would be too great a temptation for almost anyone, with all of the “American stuff” we have.  Even if they weren’t tempted to “borrow” any

of it, they would certainly tell all of their friends how “rich” the Americans were.  So, to avoid these and many other problems, we don’t usually invite people that we don’t know VERY well into our house. 

Several days ago we went out and she was crying. After calling our hospital chaplain over to help talk with her, we discovered that she was afraid that we would be angry with her and think she was a liar because her mother never showed up.  We assured her that we were not angry and promised to try to work things out for her.  Our Chaplain went and talked to her aunt and others who knew what was going on. Well, yesterday morning, we met the Aunt.  She said with her mouth that Dzaoda could come back

to her house, but with her tone/mannerisms, it was quite clear that she was not welcome or wanted.  So, yesterday afternoon, Greg drove Dzaoda to her village to meet with her mother and brother.  (Her father died when she was 7.)  Greg planned to drop her off, but made her promise to come by our house on Monday morning (to make sure that she was ok, and that she was planning to finish her last 3 weeks of school.)  He talked for a while with her mother and brother (all translated, as no one in the

village speaks French), and in the end, realized that she had nowhere to stay if she was to finish out the year of school.  So, Greg agreed that she could stay at our house until school ended.  

Last night, we again had Dzaoda sleep on our porch with the idea that we would try to find a good Mafa family to stay with in town.  Now, I have to tell you that for the past week as this saga has been unfolding, I have not really felt at peace about her sleeping and eating outside; despite the fact that she was okay with it; despite the fact that it was culturally appropriate; despite the fact that our guard was out there with her.  I have been continually rationalizing that it was okay, while in

my “mother’s heart” it was not.  So, after almost a week of struggling with the voice of the Holy Spirit (some would call it a conscience), we have taken her in as one of the family – rules and regulations included.   And finally, my heart is at peace with my head.  I also realized that if God wants us to take her in, then he would protect our “stuff”, or make us realize that we really don’t need it anyway.

It’s obvious that we are different from the people of Koza, but sometimes I forget how different.  I was again struck with how much we do have, and how little the people get by with.  When I was showing Dzaoda around the house, I realized that I had to teach her how to turn on the water in the sink, use the toilet, and switch on the light in the room.  We are so blessed, and yet unfortunately so selfish with our blessings.

Try not to use this reminder to point out how others are selfish, but look inside yourselves to see how you can share your blessings with those around you.

In the service of One who is completely unselfish, Audrey (and Greg and Sarah)

#96 Shanksteps – Selfishness

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