Lover's Quarrel with the World

Today I got up early with the girls and we walked to the river- about 2.25 miles away from the compound. On the way there was saw a small boy, probably 6 or 7ish wearing tattered clothes, leading two large cows. His shirt was out of control. There were no distinguishable arm holes or sleeves, one tear ran all the way from his collar to the bottom. I cringed when I thought about how our team had had shirts made for us and our trip to Mali. It seems so frivolous to have “team shirts” in order to come to a country where kids walk around in shredded clothing that they wear with pride and dignity. Life is so backwards and out of control and it seems like there’s no one there to stop it, to turn it around and make everything alright. Sometimes it’s hard for me to see God. His presence can seem so distant, his face so far away. We get in the way and mess life up so badly that everything becomes dangerously wrong.

At home my family has a garage full of bikes, half of which don’t ever get ridden. Here, bikes rarely have multiple gears and some are completely without brakes; but it’s a blessing to simply own one. Mine collect dust in the garage while in Mali a bike becomes a main mode of transportation, often transporting more than one person at a time. Our team offered to buy two bikes to use while here and then leave for the family when we return to Bamako. The care and thought that went into finding the bikes was comparable to how an American would shop for a car. The family was so excited about two Walmart quality mountain bikes. It made me realize that my reality is no longer just America and the five bikes in my garage. I’m slowly beginning to understand the gravity of what I take for granted.

Everything is so completely different here. Dogs aren’t pets, bikes aren’t toys, girls are women, walking isn’t recreational, babies don’t cry, and life still goes on at its own strange pace. But through it all God remains God. I’m not sure what that looks like here- in this world. In America we’ve replaced and disguised our need for Him with our own remedies and devices. I’m not sure what the Malians do with Him. I’m not sure how much they actually let themselves feel the longing for something greater than themselves. Feelings and desires are luxuries that fade in importance compared to the task of simply living.

On a lighter note, I have seen some more creatures to add to my list. At the river I saw an overgrown Salamanderish thing. It reminded me of Joanna from the Rescuers Down Under. I’ve learned that Disney Videos can be pretty educational. Shortly after discovering the snake with legs, I saw an actual snake. It was probably ten feet from me and was sixish feet long with yellow and black markings. Seeing things in their natural habitat just isn’t the same as being at the zoo. It’s amazing how reassuring a pane of glass would have been.

Class started this week. We will be extensively studying Islam and Animism. I’m excited to just have some structure, a schedule, a plan. I never thought I’d say that. Life is funny. I find myself clinging to any semblance of order I can find. It’s been good for me to not be busy, to actually have time to think and process and struggle- to notice life. I’m glad I came here; I have so much more to learn.