What a busy 2 weeks! It was really, really good, but really tiring! I'm so glad to be back in my own home and bed! Living conditions seemed rougher there. It was HOT, more desert-like even than where we are. The workshop was fantastic! My "Scripture Use mentor" Margaret Hill has been working with Wycliffe and SIL doing Scripture Use work all over Africa for many, many years. She is an incredible teacher and communicator, so understandable to really anyone, yet showing a great deal of knowledge and expertise in all areas of Scripture Use. It was a real privilege and gift to watch her example, be under her teaching and tutelage, and to work along side her. The contents of the seminar are various chapters in a workbook she and a co-worker wrote themselves (creatively called, "1001 Ways to Use the Bible"). We share an appreciation of the writings of Henri Nouwen, as references to his works are cited in her book. Here is an abridged list of some of the sessions that the participants noted as their favorites (we had them fill out an evaluation): Language in the Plan of God, How to do a Bible Study, Ethnomusicology- Using Scripture in indigenous music styles, Bible Meditation, Using Scripture in Communicating with Muslims, Teaching about AIDS in local churches, just to name a few. We really appreciate your prayers. I got a lot of great interaction, participation, and feedback on my session on meditation. Several said it was their favorite session. Going into this workshop, after being away from Africa for so long, with my French being so rusty, I was expecting to have more of a spectator role at this first seminar. But I ended up having sort of a major role (though not as major as Margaret's of course). I taught 5 sessions, lead 2 morning devotional times, and coordinated and led the closing day program on Friday (Margaret left Thursday night for another workshop in another African country.) So, all in all, it was a very real hands-on experience, and was also very rewarding (yet exhausting). I felt wiped out after it was all over. I had a really great personal meditation time very early one morning while in Niger. I went off with a chair into the middle of an isolated, open field, overlooking the Niger River. There was huge pile of brush and branches in the middle of it. And I sat there in front of the pile, feeling sort of lonely and melancholy, trying to "create space for God to work" (Henri Nouwen's definition of spiritual discipline). Then the Lord gave me a great (though not original) idea of envisioning a healing journey to a garbage dump. I had a wonderfully real sense of Jesus walking beside me on my journey, and being there with me, helping me unload the burdensome bag that has been weighing down my shoulders lately. It was a tearful and beautiful time.
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