Waiting and Other Things

Waiting. I find myself waiting often here in Lesotho. It is just part of life. Right now I am waiting. A meeting is scheduled, but no one is yet here and the meeting was set for twenty minutes back. The other day I sent someone a note, asking whether we should meet at a certain time on Saturday or set a time for Monday. No response. But then around the tentative meeting time a call. “I am waiting.” Her response to my cajoling about letting me know in advance was simply, “I thought I would let you know when I arrived, and then I would wait for you.” She thought nothing of having to wait, and really, in this case she was being thoughtful of this 'lehooa'; she didn’t wish to keep me waiting.

Or maybe folks here like meetings no better than anywhere. When it is going hiking with the same folks, they are right on time. I sure enjoyed a couple of recent hikes we took. Instead of heading for the mountain tops, we went down into the river valleys. It is spring and the air and days are still cool, but come the hot days of summer I will be looking forward to getting back to some of the falls and beautiful pools we found.

Reflections

Wendy had most everyone on the 'water slide'

and into this pool.

Climbing up a water fall.

In my last entry I mentioned wondering where and how God would lead in the days ahead. It looks like another move for us. Again, we have been asked to vacate our premises, to make room for someone else. I was telling Wendy that folks are not too interested in places until she gets her hands into them, adds her touch of charm and turns a bland, unkept space becomes a welcoming home. Then those who were ambivalent about the space decide they would like to have the space back. Our current home is actually a YWAM location. Their suggestion was they had no need for it back in late 2008, so we could stay in it, ostensibly for as long as we desired. However, folks from YWAM who have recently visited have commented on how nice it now looks. So now … now we will see where God has for us next. Wendy commented that it is God’s way of reminding her not to put down roots in a place, but rather, in the lives of others.

The sunsets we will miss when we have to move.

The Mustard Seed (Lesotho) Society (MSS) is now a registered entity in Lesotho. The process went reasonably smoothly everything considered. Today when the team again met, we developed a modest plan to have some small programs in place by December. The most important initial program will be simply to compile information on how to access school funding for girl orphans, and to assist them in the application process. We also want to offer opportunities for the girls to develop confidence and a sense of self worth, as well as teamwork skills. There is an organization here that offers one and two day such workshops so we will be looking to organize such an event in the New Year. So, though the Mustard Seed still feels a bit unstructured we are beginning to develop some programs. Hopefully in the next couple of months I will feel more comfortable, and less in that ‘in between place’, as we begin to provide concrete supports to girl orphans and young women here in Lesotho.

The Mustard Seed - Mark 4:30-32

But back to waiting. When folks finally all arrived today and we at last got started (only an hour late), I asked the group why it was that for hiking they were ready on time, but for meetings not so? Were the meetings that bad? They verbally said it was not the meetings, but the unreliability of the local transport system on weekends. There may be some truth to their excuse, as when hiking I tend to pick them up at their homes. Maybe I don’t’ need to go scrounging up a John Cleese video on meetings after all.

~ Benno ~

This pool was clear, but cold.

I'm looking forward to coming back on a hot day this summer.