experience lived, experience gained. the last 10 months in Africa
When we do something challenging, or new, or unexpected, what is the one thing we always gain? Experience. For better or for worse. And with this experience we become the experienced ones, the people who can share wisdom not just from theory, but (yep, you guessed it) from experience.
And my time in Africa has done nothing short of that.
So, without further ado, here are three experiences I’ve had here in Mozambique, and three gifts of wisdom I’ve received from those things.
Family
If there is one thing I’ve learned since living in Mozambique it’s one word: Family. I’ve never met more relational people in my life. Mozambicans are always talking to each other. Whether they have a meeting to go to, are driving down the side of the road and see a friend, or talking to a person selling fruit on the street, they always take the time to strike up a conversation. Even the way they text is relational. They will always start their text with something like “Good morning, how are you?” Pretty standard, right? But then they will proceed to text you for the next hour about how you are doing, your family, and anything else. And they will do this even if they urgently need something from you. Why? Because to a Mozambican the goal of life is relationship. This was incredibly challenging for me initially, coming from my efficiency and production mindset in America. But with time I have come to love this part of Mozambique, and have tried to implement it in my own life. Because, especially for a believer, no other goal is more worthy. Relationship. Relationship with God, and relationship with others.
Lack of Convenience
I always thought I was pretty patient and slow-paced— but then I moved to Mozambique. There are no fast food restaurants. There is a ton of traffic. And if your plan is to get something done quickly… maybe rethink that. I don’t say this to be negative about Mozambique, on the contrary, I think this lack of convenience is one of Mozambique’s strengths (though a Mozambican would probably tell me differently). Any restaurant you go to be at least a 30 to 40 minute wait for your food, usually more. But this is amazing! Because eating food at a restaurant is what it was always meant to be: Time together with people you love. It’s not a get in and get out quick experience (even if you wanted it to be). And the traffic? I will admit I’ve had my fair share of frustration with this. But God has been using this to teach me gratitude. How, you ask? Well, most Mozambicans don’t have vehicles (though enough do to cause traffic), and because of this most use public transportation. And because of the traffic commuting into the city where we live, some Mozambicans take 2 or 3 hours to arrive to work, whereas with a car it would only take 15 to 30 minutes. I always ask the students two questions when asking about how far away do you live: How far do you live by bus? And how far do you live by car? The answer is always dramatically different. So when I’m stuck in traffic for 30 minutes, I try to remember the Mozambican who has been jam packed in a bus for the last 2 hours, with still one more hour to go.
Hardship
This one is hard for me to write about. I don’t want people to get the wrong perspective of Mozambique. Because Mozambique has become our home quickly in the last 10 months. We love it here so much, and the family we have built with our Mozambican brothers and sisters. But at the same time, the reality of hardship is ever present. So many people live on the streets, and requests for money are constant. And you know what the hard part is? These people actually need it, but I can’t give it to everyone I see. Why? Because the requests are consistent, and never-ending. But in the midst of this challenge God has taught me something: Compassion. For some time living here I found my heart growing hard to the requests of people, but then God showed me there is a third option to a hard heart, or just giving money away to get people to stop asking me. And that is compassion. It’s looking people in the eye, asking about their story, and giving them the dignity of an honest no. It’s being sensitive to the Holy Spirit when giving, praying with those who are sincere, and not being unwilling to associate with people who are living in different circumstances than me. This has been the gift hardship has given to me.
And that’s what I would call these three things, family, lack of convenience, and hardship. They are gifts God has given to me that has produced three new things: Deep relationship, gratitude, and compassion. And guess what? You don’t have to move to Africa to learn these things. I guess I just had to learn here because I was too distracted in America and too focused on my things to see what gifts God was wanting to give me. I pray that you wouldn’t have to move overseas to learn these things (but if Jesus is calling you overseas then come on! Let’s do this together). And I pray that this week you will experience family, lack of convenience and hardship. Not so you will struggle, but so you can receive the gifts God has promised to us if we faithfully walk through those difficult things: Deep relationship, gratitude, and compassion.
