I am going to miss travelling to the Philippines and Japan this summer. There will be an exciting new element to this year's trip: a contingent from South Korea. I know their (SK) pastor, because we went to church together while he was in seminary. [Anyung haseyo!]
.
I'll miss the long days jam-packed with all kinds of events. I'll miss the fellowship as we travelled back and forth in the crazy Manila traffic between all the stuff we had going on. I'll miss the hard work of practical things, like pouring a concrete basketball court for the church's Inspiration Center. I'll miss the education and broadening of my horizons I received from my exposure to other cultures. And the people... it makes me a little sad that I will not have the opportunity to hang around with my pals this year..
There is a whole lot more, but I'll stop now. Maybe I'll pick it up again later, but do you know what I don't miss? There were roosters everywhere. Some people raised these fighting birds for sport. These cruel animals never let me sleep past four in the morning! The first one to start cock-a-doodle-doo-ing woke all the other ones up, and it was like waking up in a clock factory!.
But I would do it again in a heartbeat! The early mornings spent praying and in the Word were priceless..
I dunno, maybe I ought to put a few roosters in my suburban backyard... Nah!!!.
Image by Rey Nocum
Posts
15 comments:
Good for you doing your work Craver and I love that rooster shot!
I wonder what the Philippino and Japanese and South Korean word is for "cock-a-doodle-doo"? In German it's "ki-kirri-ki" (pronounced kee--keerrrree-kee).
I don't think anyone, especially your neighbors, want to know what Chicago roosters say.
This post reminds me of the mission trip I took to Guatemala. Changed my life. It's a good think God gives us missions in the neighborhoods and jobs where we live everyday.
Yeah, Martin. I would have loved to get a shot at a few more roosters. Unfortunately, missionaries are discouraged from using firearms. (There is a photo credit at the bottom of the post.)
Chicago roosters would be utterly confused, because things don't shut down at night. You'd be hard pressed to find a truly dark spot outside at night.
I wish I could talk about Manila driving, but it's hard to believe unless you've actually experienced it. The painted stripes on the street mean absolutely NOTHING! Nobody uses turn signals, they just all kinda use "the force." I was amazed at how many times we came close to an accident. It was nonstop; I couldn't count! Eventually, I just had to stop looking out the window and pretend I didn't see the Kamikaze motorcycles buzzing all around us.
If you put the roosters in the back yard, maybe they would eat the dandelions since you are sans chemicals there!!
Craver -- It's interesting to see you still longing to go on the trip this summer, even though I know from previous posts that the Lord has directed you otherwise. I'm feeling something similar right now -- a decision to follow Christ in one direction, but a heart tug for a different direction. Makes me realize none of these longings of our will ever be fully satisfied until heaven.
My brother and his family live in the Philippines. When I asked me nephew if he was going to finally get a dog, he said, "Nope. But I've got a goat and some chickens now!" A different world, indeed!
G'day Craver,
``Waking up in a clock factory'' - now that's a great word picture.
Cheers
David
Do you still wake up at 4:00 in the morning? (your own rooster, right?)
;-)
Mark's still got me thinking about what a rooster would sound like in Chicago. Here's the image that comes to mind: I picture a rooster miming the actions of crowing, but the cacophony of the city's noise just drowns out the poor bird.
Either that, or you can have a blues rooster with shades, crooning out a mellow raspy vocal tone with a lazy cigarette barely hanging from his beak.
I don't know... Which one would you say is more "Chicago?"
Hey Craver,
It's been great visiting your site from time to time. I think it's time to bow out. Maybe I'll reply one more time but that's it.
A Chicago rooster? There's one in our neighborhood. I'll have to pay more attention next time the windows are open and I hear him. Could be a blues rooster...
I've been feeling that same wistful longing to be overseas (mission trip or otherwise). My two trips to Russia took place in the summer and certain sounds and smells of summertime take me back, even though it's been many a year since I was there.
Charity, it has not been easy to let this go, but I think I have. In fact, I have even seen something good about not being on this year's trip. We have about a tenth of our church doing some kind of misson thing and since I am not going, I was able to support this trip in a different way than if I was planning to make the trip.
Do you remember how King David's men risked their lives to bring him water, and then he poured it out as a drink offering? I would not be surprised to learn that your response is worship through the whole experience, regardless of how God leads.
LM, I have seen many American pets who's living quarters and day-to-day comforts exceeded some of the standards of living in certain areas. See my very first post, for example.
David, have you ever heard one calling, "vindaloodle-doo?" My son's soccer team is mostly Indian. I'll have to get myself invited to somebody's house, because I have never eaten vindaloo. I have never eaten vegimite, either. I understand your book is now available through Amazon in the USA?
Just Journaling... "time to bow out?" Did I offend? I'm sure I can be exasperating, but I wish you wouldn't go. Plus, I still haven't figured out if we have ever met face-to-face.
Yes, Craver, bow out. I've been spending too much time reading blogs, like yours, and it's taking too much time away from other (important) things. My thoughts have been more into wondering what's been posted or replied. That started to concern me which brought me to the place of my own reality check. Should I take a nice l-o-n-g break from all this or just bow out? I think me bowing out is the right choice, at least for now.
Offend? Hmmm.....
Met face-to-face? Don't you just love mysteries? ;-)
Take care, Craver. It's been fun!
ps: Don't you ever take a break from all this? I'm sure everyone here would miss you but at the same time, they would truly understand.
We don't have roosters here. We have the wonderful garbage truck that comes at 4:30 in the morning. You have the normal banging of the cans against the truck, and occasionally we the workers see fit to smash the aluminum cans in the middle of the street as well. Tim and I have seriously considered a covert water balloon attack from the balcony.
Craver, I love that image of David pouring out the water as a drink offering. It's not one I remember from my own reading. Interesting thought that there are no formulas for what one does with the blessings that come... (unless, I guess, we consider "love God, love one another" as the formula).
Post a Comment