F L A M E

African Journals

"Overcoming Disappointments"

Each year we have come back to Guinea Bissau we rejoice in the good things that have happened in our absence. We also have disappointing things to deal with upon our return. Many of our disappointments stem from too high of expectations. Our American culture causes us to see things through “colored glasses” in comparison to things as they are here but we are slowly learning to be more realistic.

We have mentioned previously about the security wall and gates we are constructing around the Jesus’ Industrial School and Chenda’s church. The 78” high back wall and both sides were done prior to our leaving on December 30, 2007. Also, the cement block wall was up 39” high along the front. The plan is to have security iron work up to the 78” height across the front with two gates, one for vehicles the other for people, 39” (the gate is that wide, not the people). Prior to leaving December 30 we gave money to Guinean leaders and arranged things with suppliers to complete the front wall and the gates. To our dismay and shock when we visited the school on December 6 nothing had been accomplished. Stepping back to correspondence received by us while we were in America, there was reference to “the wall”. However, our Guinean Coordinator was referring to the walls to formulate the computer classroom and Headmaster’s office, not the security wall. Oh, the pitfalls that come with lack of or miss communication!

What about the money that was left for the wall? That is another sad story. Our Guinean Coordinator was in Bissau and was pick-pocketed of FLAME’s money, about $1,300. It happens. The story doesn’t end there. In May 2008 a welder who was selected to do the iron work for the school front wall was advanced $850 on the job to repair his welding machine. In the meantime the welder was in a serious motorcycle accident and broke his leg. We believe the welder is an honorable man and will repay us the $850 when he can. In the meantime we have hired another welder to do the job. There is still more to this story on the financial crisis. On December 23 after our return to Guinea Bissau, our Guinean Coordinator brought back from our Bissau bank account a substantial amount of money. Before he brought the money to us, he distributed some of it from his home, paying the payroll and much of the port fees for the container, and took the balance to his home. While he was taking a shower someone burglarized his apartment and stole approximately $1,400. Our man is not a careless person. Every nickel and dime (FCFA here) is precious to us over here. Our Guinean Coordinator and Chenda’s family have anguished over this crisis. At this point in time we do not have the money needed to complete the security wall. The completion of the wall is extremely important to provide security for all the computers, auto mechanic tools and equipment, the sewing machines, plus the 84 solar panels soon to be installed on the roof and the equipment to go with them. We have three security guards but they are spread very thin.

Another disappointment we faced on our return was the news that Francesca, our sewing instructor had died of cancer and the sewing classes had stopped.

One thing that plagued us in America was the lack of communication and not receiving accounting information in a timely manor. We have concluded that making reports in a foreign language is not as easy as “we” think it ought to be. Some very good news to us is that our computer instructor who is skilled in bookkeeping and the English language has volunteered to take over FLAME’s books and sending monthly reports. Praise God!

The word “maintenance” is not in the Portuguese Kiriol dictionary. As time goes along we have come to see what happens as a result. We had left a list of things that needed repairing at the school. Most were small items such as large chips out of the veranda wall, touch up painting, etc. None of these things were done in our absence. In fact, the list has grown larger. It is discouraging to us to come out of our culture to see the building in disrepair. We have a big challenge to find ways to communicate that the school’s image is affected by things in disrepair.

The laptop computer we purchased in November 2007 was converted over to the Portuguese language. It makes good sense for the users here because that is their official language. For us it has been a source of irritation. There are many little messages that pop up on the computer screen requiring us to make decisions. Martha is exercising her limited Portuguese. Part of it is guess work. Thankfully we have been able to work around, over or under these messages.

Last Thursday January 22, our generator quit running. We really didn’t need more bad news! It is now a week later and it is just getting back into service. This has been another big drain on our finances. Without power, computer classes are cancelled and sewing classes are hampered, although we do have seven treadle sewing machines.

Shifting our attention to the Mission house; we were discouraged at the damage done by mice. We keep food in sealed containers but they even ate holes in the plastic covers of #10 tin cans. What really frustrated Herb was a mouse ate a hole in two of his new window screens! Mice determined that screen material tasted so good they began eating a roll of screen material in our storage area. It must have been lean pickings for the little creatures to be eating those things plus chewing on the edges of our drawers.

We have one luxury item that helps in our meal planning and that is our Butane operated refrigerator. It hasn’t worked properly since our return on December 5. We sense some well meaning person made some adjustments that have created the problems. WE don’t know. For seven weeks we have been trying to get a refrigerator repairman to come and service it. So, every day, at least once, sometimes twice, Herb shuts down the refrigerator, cleans the soot build-up in the stack and re-starts it with Martha’s help. He has gotten it down to a nine minute operation! Some day a refrigerator repairman will come and you may hear Herb’s ecstatic response all he way to America!

Just one more thing we would share with you in regard to our woes. Because we don’t have running water anymore, all our water is hand pumped from our well by Chenda’s family. The hand pump on the well is not working properly. In fact, it almost stopped working at all! The ladies went to a neighbor’s well and pulled every drop up with a bucket on a long rope. Herb convinced Chenda we needed to get the pump repaired. We agreed to pay half the expense of about $75. The ladies in Chenda’s family love us!

By now you may be asking yourself “Why they are telling us all these things?” The biggest reason is so that you will pray all the harder for us to be “over comers” and to raise above all these distractions from God’s work here in Canchungo. When you understand more clearly what we are up against in regard to discouragements you will know more specifically how to pray for us.

<u>NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS! </u>

FLAME’s 1987 Suzuki Samari is still running. In Chapter 1 we said it was a 1985. That is not true. The parts we buy are very inferior in some cases and also expensive. We ahd a set of spark plugs last less than four weeks and they cost $32. When we take trips to Bissau we specifically pray to God not only to keep us safe but also to get us there and back to Canchungo.

We thank God nearly every day for what we see happening in our sewing classes. We now have over 30 students in the afternoon class and more than fifteen in the morning class, and it keeps growing. Inez our new sewing instructor and her assistant Kunsa area kept very busy. Martha goes almost daily and is kept busy too, mostly working on the machines, often getting thread out of places it doesn’t belong. We have a waiting list for those desiring to take computer classes. We desperately need laptop computers to accommodate more students. We also need to replace our eight desk top computers because they consume so much electricity. (They need at least Windows XP and Office XP on them). The Auto Mechanics program continues to grow and next ear, Lord willing, we will start graduating some of the students with a diploma for a three year program. The majority of our students do not “yet” know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Our prayers to God most every day include intercession for the students to come to Jesus through our example as missionaries, and the devotions that are led every day.

We recognize the need of supervision of the school in our absence as missionaries. The FLAME US Board has requested us to from a “Canchungo Jesus’ Industrial School Board” to oversee the headmaster and the school. Our goal is to have seven members. We now have commitments from five good solid Christians and others are prayerfully considering the position. We are very thankful for a door of opportunity God has opened up for us through a translation center in Chenda’s old house in the Bitam located on the western edge of Canchungo. The translation center is working on the bible being translated into the local Manjako language and they have an internet connection to Bissau. They have allowed us to come over on select days and times and use their connection. This allows us to connect and respond much quicker than to have to wait until we go to Bissau every two to three weeks.

We will be so thankful when our new solar power system is installed and operating. This should happen by February 13. Our contractor, Eric Youngren, volunteered his services for two weeks to oversee the installation and train the local people to install and maintain the system. We are in much prayer to God that the efforts of Satan to interfere with this installation will be held back by God’s angels.

Our “infirmary” taking care of cuts and wounds (actually administering first aid), has a daily stream on kids and some adults. We always “ora” pray with each child or adult regardless of how bad their wound is. Some come back to thank us. We kindly remind them o thank “Sinor” God, not us. This work brings joy to our hearts. Martha ends caring for more of the kids than Herb.

Who was it who said “necessity is the mother o invention”? It is true. Without electricity Herb couldn’t make toast for breakfast so he got creative and now does it in the frying pan the way the English do. Our skin is getting darker as time goes on, but we haven’t caught up with the local people.

Teresina, Chenda’s wife is such a “jewel”. They live right next door to us and so she is able to observe our way of life. She always seems to know when the day is past and we are tired and have not had an opportunity to prepare supper. Bless her sweet heart. She comes over with a delicious Guinean meal.

We summarize this chapter by reflecting on the Old Testament of the Bible relating to God’s reminders to Israel about remembering how He rescued them from the Egyptians; brought them out of their slavery; parted the red sea; destroyed the Egyptian army and brought them to the Promised Land. Many times God reminds His people of what He has done for them.

Focusing on the good things that God does in our lives builds our faith and trust in Him. Dwelling on our disappointments and problems is not the answer. We want to be “Overcomers”. Please pray for us to that end.

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