Working with the ladies

This week I really started to develop some relationships with the women in Mapanza. Blu doesn't like hiring the women, for several reasons. First of all, they have a lot to do at home (fetching water, cooking, cleaning, taking care of babies), so he knows they don't really have time to work. Secondly, the men complain when the women make as much money as they do for not working as long. It has just caused problems. But since I was there all week, I told Blu that we were going to give the women jobs all week. By the end of the week, I had 30 women working!! (along with about 30 babies tied to their backs!)

The first day we cleaned out our house. Guys are messy builders. So we took out bricks, lumber, etc. and made the house and yard look great. The next day, we hoed the yard, along with a big circular area in front of our house where we will probably put a big gazebo for entertaining visitors. To hoe, the women all use a very small piece of wood from the bush with a blade attached to it. (called a jamba) Then they all get in a line and hoe their little area. It's the kind of thing you can only do for about 3 minutes and then you stand up to rest. I tried it out, but they laughed at my efforts, and I was relegated to the official role of Wheelbarrow Pusher. I was exhausted at the end of the day!

To be immersed with these women for 3 days where only one of them spoke about as much English as I do Tonga was interesting. I thought I had a pretty good grasp on the language until this week! I had to make them understand me and try to understand them with no interpreter. It was tough!

To be immersed with these women for 3 days meant I had to let go of myself. In America, I am a confident person. Most Americans are. But to step into another culture where I am the outsider means I have to be vulnerable. They laugh at me, but I know they are enjoying the fact that I am trying. Some of them have their guard up and won't even smile at me. It's a tough place to be to let go of that pride and that confidence that we Americans typically have and to put myself in an environment where I DON'T know everything, not by a long shot.

I am building relationships with Ethel, Joyce, Liz, Cecilia, Lois, Sharon, Mildred, Joster, Margret, Majole, and Yvonne. I often look at them and wonder if I will get to see the day they find Jesus...I wonder if they will attend Mapanza Baptist Church one day...I wonder if ten years from now they will be my closest friend. Please pray that I will be able to continuously rid myself of me so that these women will only see Jesus.