One Life

"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with lights."
- Ion Keith-Falconer

The Power of Prayer

“I told you not to bring the witch doctor here!”

A woman attending our church (let’s call her Beauty) has a husband who has been sick for five days with a fever. He has gotten so ill that he lapses into times of unconsciousness. Beauty’s friends encourage her to send for the witch doctor. She refuses, claiming they no longer do that since they follow Jesus now. When Beauty leaves the house to go get food, the friends ignore her request and bring the witch doctor to the man’s bedside.

Beauty returns as the witch doctor is putting a poultice on her husband’s bare abdomen. Horrified, she cries out, “I told you not to bring the witch doctor here! You should not have done this!” As the witch doctor spreads the poultice, her husband goes into convulsions. Beauty runs out the door and heads to the house of our pastor and his wife.

- - - We interrupt this story with a quick note: our pastor’s wife has been visiting the town where Beauty and her husband live regularly, sharing the gospel in people’s homes. The townspeople have been nice, but not very receptive. The pastor’s wife is on her knees daily praying for the people of this area. Now back to our story… - - -

Arriving at the pastor’s house, Beauty frantically tells them what is happening. They all stop and pray. They pray for the healing of her husband. They pray that the witch doctor will be gone by the time they get back to the house. Lifting their heads, the three of them then walk back to the woman’s house.

Ducking down to enter the wooden hut, they first notice the absence of the witch doctor. Beauty goes over to her husband and behold, the Great Healer has moved and he is better – no convulsions, no unconsciousness, no fever! Praise the Lord!

Beauty’s friends stand wide-eyed in the corner of the hut. The pastor’s wife looks over at them. “If you want me to, I will come tomorrow and share with you what God’s Word says about witch doctors.”

When the next day arrives, the pastor’s wife heads back to the hut, Bible in hand. Her heart leaps as she sees the place FILLED with people who are eager to listen. She opens the Word and begins to read God’s Truth to them.

“We didn’t know!” the people cry out. “We didn’t know God did not want us to do those things.” Deeply moved, they begin to pray and sing in response to hearing the Word of God. “Please come next week and teach us more about how God wants us to live,” they beg the pastor’s wife. Amazed, the pastor’s wife praises the Lord in her heart. So many hours praying for these people. So many hours visiting with these people, sharing the gospel. And now, God has chosen to demonstrate His power and people are hungry to hear more. Praise His name!

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Let me share this with you. I have not been overwhelmed by the spiritual darkness here like so many have. Not because I am impervious to it, or because I am a ‘super Christian’, but by the power and grace of God moving in my life because of your prayers! You have asked for this, and that hearts would be prepared ahead of time to hear God’s Word. That they have! My friends, thank you. God is so good.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

You can also be praying for me in the next step God would have me to take. I know six months seems like a long time, but it is just flying by. I am content to wait for God to tell me what to do next (Psalm 27:14), but would like to hear His voice clearly and be obedient to follow whatever He asks me to do. :)

I love you all,
Cara :)
Isaiah 40:3-5, 27-31

10 Talents

As we head to South Africa for a cluster meeting and community development/disaster relief training, I have been reflecting on some of the skills Madagascar has been teaching me over the last year and a half. Due to my time here on the island, I can now:

1. Divide by 2000 very, very quickly. The exchange rate between Malagasy ariary and US dollar fluctuates, but is always in the general vicinity of 2000ar/dollar.

2. Drive stick shift on sketchy (curve, pothole, animal, and people-filled) roads. And how try to “counter-attack” start the car while someone (Heather - ha ha!) pushes the car…in the rain…great friend. :-)

3. Kill roaches (and other such various and sundry disgusting creatures) without yelling, “Daaadddddyyy!” Although I expect to revert RIGHT back to my old ways whenever he or my little brother are around. *grin*

4. Speak Malagasy. Yeah, that’s a pretty big one. I am not “fluent” by any means, but it still thrills my heart to see the surprise and joy that comes across the peoples’ faces here when they realize I am speaking their heart language.

5. Dig out sand fleas from peoples’ feet (my own included – and that, my friends, takes talent. ;), give IV meds by candlelight, create and teach medical lessons, and other such odd medical talents. :P

6. Not stop at police checkpoints. Legally! It’s a fine art and I’m not quite 100% yet, but if you don’t make eye contact till the right time and then smile and wave while not slowing down, 9 times out of 10 the police will wave you on through. When my parents and little brother come next month, I’m going to try for a 100%. Not because I am scared of the police, but because I am scared my little brother will try to buy their AK47s off them...and succeed. ;)

7. Minimalize. When you carry out everything you need to the village, you learn how to need very little. However, our car does get quite full, still, when we do our re-stocking trips for 2-3 months at a time!

8. Be an e-pen-pal. I LOVE IT! Very few things brighten my day like getting a personal email from a friend! I love getting updates on life in America and all over the world. :0)

9. Never think normally again. Seriously, yesterday I asked Heather a question mentioning the border crossing from Kansas to Missouri. It’s up in the air whether abnormal thinking is a good or bad thing, so, being the optimist that I am, it goes here on the talent list. :D

10. Siphon gas. Again, legally. :P The closest gas station is over an hour away, so we keep some on hand in case we ever get too low to make it there! Along with the gas theme, is cooking with a gas stove/oven and learning how to change out propane tanks without blowing myself up. ;)


P.S. While holding a chameleon is something I have done first here in Madagascar, I don't exactly consider it a talent. This pic just made it up on here because I don't have one of me siphoning gas or killing bugs. :P

A Short Tale In Which I Almost Get Eaten Alive and Receive a Bouquet of Flowers

An older woman in my church everyone just calls “Grandma” has been absent the last two Sundays. A couple weeks ago someone mentioned she was sick, so after she didn’t show up at church yesterday, I decided to go visit her.

Whistling gaily, I climbed the hill to her house. This is when terror struck. Well, actually six terriers. They all came running at me with the express purpose of chomping my ankles off. Sure, there were a lot of them, but I knew I could kick them away to save my life, if need be. Then came a growl and a deep bark. I slowly raised my head from the throngs of yappy dogs to see a huge German shepherd bounding towards me.

Now before you bite your nails or pee in your pants in anxiety, I didn’t die. There was no blood loss. No pain. For while I was contemplating whether to climb a tree or jump onto a large object, the smallest, sweetest woman you can imagine saved my life by calling off the dogs.

Heart still pounding, I chatted with this woman for a few minutes (she’s Grandma’s housekeeper) till Grandma heard me outside and invited me in with a booming voice. “MONDROSOA!” Forty-five minutes of very animated conversation later, I said I needed to go home. On my way out, she responded as excitedly to my passing comment of “that’s a pretty red flower” as she did to my entire visit, quickly calling to her housekeeper “bring the shears!” Snipping away, she cut some flowers out of her garden to make me a bouquet. Which is now on my kitchen table.

As I turned to leave (again), Grandma wrapped her arm around my waist in a gesture of true friendship and started walking me down the hill. I returned the gesture, wrapping my arm around her, in friendship, yes, but mainly so the German shepherd wouldn’t eat me on my way out.

Good to the Last Drop

Sweat glistening on our brows, my Malagasy friend, Mirana (pictured above), and I drag ourselves into the village of Ambohinihaonana. We plop down, our backs resting on a mud hut. The 22 kilometer trek to get here has been arduous, yet full of good conversation. Parched, I reach around my side to grab the water bottle from my backpack; I see movement out of the corner of my eye and stop.

A little old woman, hunched over a tray, is shuffling our way. On the tray are two cups of coffee - steaming and looking very black. I don’t know if y’all know this, but I do NOT like coffee. I enjoy the aroma, but the bitter taste – ugh! No sir, not for me! Not even a caramel macchiato can disguise it. And have I mentioned that it is HOT and HUMID and we have been hiking for hours?! A war begins in my mind.

“How can I get out of drinking that coffee?” “Come on, Cara, you can’t tell a sweet old woman ‘no’ when she’s being so nice!” “But I don’t want it!” “This relationship is more important than your soon-to-be damaged taste buds.”

“It’s the chief’s wife,” Mirana whispers to me. Even better. There is no way I am going to refuse the hospitality of this woman. Reaching out my hands to accept the token of welcome, I slowly take a breath and bring the cup to my lips.

*GULP*

One sip down. Oh my goodness. I might not be able to do this. Can she just turn around for a second so I can dump this out? No? Masking the turmoil going on inside my mouth, I smile at the woman and say thank you. I take another gulp. I am seriously disgusted (yet at the same time, honored at this gesture of kindness. This sweet elderly woman had no idea the havoc this would wreak within me). Glancing over at Mirana’s empty cup, I make the decision to be a terrible friend.

“Oh you finished! Would you like the rest of mine?” The grin was still plastered on my face, but my eyes were pleading for a way out. Recognizing my plights, a wonderful girl name Mirana said, “Sure.” I decide right then and there that she is my best friend for life. *grin*
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Okay, okay, so this drama-filled story was (in the grand scheme of things) really not that bad. It wasn’t blood chunks or intestines I had to choke down, just coffee. However it wasn’t something I wanted to happen. Certainly not something I enjoyed doing. But definitely worth it to develop a relationship with this woman.

Something God has been showing me lately is how worth it all He is. In the little things and the big things. The things that “go wrong,” that I would rather not have happen, things that are downright painful, He is completely, totally, utterly, hands-down WORTH IT ALL.

Now don’t get me wrong – life is good! I still love it here in Mada and being blessed beyond imagination. It is just so true that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). My friends, because of this truth, we should be living lives that by words and deeds proclaim that God is worthy!!!

Pray for me, that I might walk worthy of God who has called me, live every moment for His glory and good pleasure, and increase in the knowledge of Him (I Thess. 2:12, Col. 1:10).

In God’s exceedingly abundant love,
Cara :)
Revelation 5