People ask me all the time if living in Africa is hard. It does have its downsides, most notably the fact that it’s located thousands of miles from my family. The public restrooms are atrocious, and I’m not free to express myself in my mother tongue. Other than that, it’s really not too hard to live there. In fact, I feel that living in Africa facilitates a lot of good things in my life. Here are a few that come to mind:
1) I have easier access to solitude. Because I have a limited network of relationships and because not much happens after 9pm there and because I have my own place and because I don’t have a television, I seem to find more evenings to spend in prayer or doing a creative endeavor or just reading.
2) I am more generous. The Congolese obligate generosity. There are just so many needs and they tell you about them and ask for your help. To be a real friend you have to be giving.
3) I am less of a consumer/garbage generator. There’s just not a whole lot to buy. Things don’t come with as much packaging. I don’t get junk mail. I can give stuff away that I don’t need anymore, including empty jars or plastic bottles.
4) I am constantly improving myself. You just can’t get away with a lot of junk in your life; it comes out ugly under the stress. I am always surrounded by seasoned missionaries who voluntarily mentor me and help me grow. The challenges that I face force me to become a better person.
So yeah, it can be hard. But I wouldn’t trade the benefits for anything. I’m happy to be going back in 4 weeks. In spite of the distance. And the toilets.
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3 comments:
Good post, Jess! Makes me want to go live abroad again too, but I know that I have lots to learn and many ways to grow here as well.
Ditto - good post. I am glad that you can write what you did after 18 months, or almost, with Annette and me! We love you! Byron
Well said. I lived in Mali for a year, and you are completely right. I wasn't with SIL, but worked closely with alot of SIL people there, and it was great. Another thing that is good about Africa is that it helps eliminate all the divisions that the church so easily constructs here in the US, because there isn't another church around the corner.
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