Our intentions are good, our BO is not!

As I sit down to write tonight, the smell of smoke is in the air. Normally that could alert a firefighter, however here you get used to it. The normal practice here is to pile the garbage on the street, then burn what can combust. The rest that doesn't burn...well, stays on the street. They have no public systems here to take care of such things, so they "Debrouyait" (make do). And now, since I've walked to my room, to find out how to spell that word, I'm reminded of another aroma that that I've grown accustom to, the smell of sweaty stinky shirts. All of us have been doing our best to rotate shirts and wash shirts in the shower (or in the pool, thanks to Curtis). However the best attempts are not working out so well (especially for me). I watched as Dan grabbed a shirt from the pile of clothes we had dried. He got the shirt over his head, grunting loudly and making every effort to retreat from his newly found torture chamber, he pulled the shirt off and threw it on the floor. Looking up, he states firmly "that's not my brand". So in an attempt to make do, I filled the shower with water, by plugging the drain, added laundry soap (which my wife made me bring), and soaked/scrubed my shirts. Drying them in the sun I thought this will work well and I will have shirts of plenty. Well now I know why my wife tells me that she washes my work shirts in a separate load than all the other clothes, I still can't use them.  I would throw them in the garbage, but as you know already that's the side of the street, and if anyone decided to burn these shirts there may be a small explosion. I'll probably end up buying a shirt or two here, maybe I can get one like the one I saw today, with a superman symbol and the words "Super Mommy" written across the shirt. The big guy wearing it was obviously proud of his shirt (without knowing what it actually said). 

Our construction has carried along well today. We have 3 sections done with spots for windows, only needing the pillars poured in between and the top lentil above the window left to do in those sections. We also got allot done at the front of the structure and we got one pillar formed and poured. Along with more rebar columns being built it was a very productive day yet again. 

As today was still a holiday, due to carnival, the kids were at the construction site again. They helped again along with other members of the Bon Berger Church. We have built also some great relationships with this community of believers. One lady, Madina, from the church baked us a cake with the CMA symbol on the top. It was a very nice gesture. We have felt very loved by them and have seen their willingness to serve along with us, and into their community. This morning Durand had decided to have us walk to the church, which is only 1 Km away. On the way he pointed out different peoples houses from the church, and one lot that he said the house had fallen apart and they had helped demo. These folks are involved in helping their community, and teaching them the love of Jesus Christ. They have also been really great in trying to teach us Creole. At times I have been a bit overwhelmed, not just from the language, rather from my personal space issues.  I have been surrounded by people trying to teach me Creole trying to read me the book that I've been using to help me learn.  Very caring folks, but when I say "you're in my personal bubble", they just laugh. "What's a bubble?"  Plus with my fore mentioned problem, I'm not so comfortable with being so close to others.  Oh well they didn't say anything, in English or Creole (I think). 

Guess God is growing us in accepting other cultures here. We can look at the way others do things, and just reject them or try to change them. Or we can look at others, and love them for who God made them to be. Also remembering, changing someone on the outside does not matter. We need to share the good news of Jesus to others.  Then when God redeems them for His purposes, He will change them from the inside out. 

Romans 5:6-8

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.