Isaiah 61
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul
will exult in my God; for he has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has
wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a
garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings
forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the
nations.
The grass
here is nearly indistinguishable from the dirt beneath it. It has been a
difficult summer for the rural communities, especially for those who depend
upon the yield of the land. I have heard speculation that the disappointing
crops will result in a sharp climb in the overall price of food. I spent $14 (70,000
kwacha) on a burger, chips, and a Coke two nights ago. Tonight, I spent $10
(50,000 kwacha) on a pasta entrée, a side salad, breadsticks, and another Coke.
If predictions are correct, I will soon be paying even more to dine at these
locations.
No, it is
not guilt I feel. Nor is it regret or
disappointment, not entirely. The nights since my return from Zambia have been
restful, but the distractions from honest thought have been ample. It is not a
matter of apathy or indifference; simply put, I am just too busy. However, if I
shall hope to continue with my work and my studies, I must come to understand
the impact of the last two months on me and on those I met. It is at least a
pivotal period in my life and the foundation for a lifelong vision.
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| Debrief at Kalimba Farm |
Betserai
never agreed to meet with Bryce and me again; he never responded at all. Was it
too little too late? I wonder how a surgeon in the thick of war is to determine
whether a patient is lost. When death is imminent, he finds a way to make the
passing more comfortable, but he spends no more time on the dead that he might
save the living. However, the surgeons of this war have a much harder decision
to make. When do we move on? How long shall we keep striving with the dying? It
is a final pronouncement, for all of eternity, to give up on a fatally wounded
brother. We have all been hit with the shrapnel of a shell detonated many
generations ago. Those who are saved will continue to enjoy life forever. The
others…
When we
left, we left behind men like Kolezi, Evans, Gerald, Blessings, and Matthews.
Bryce and I had unfinished work in Kitwe. These students are our hope for the battle
and the harvest at Copperbelt University. They are the men we pray will give
Chapo the help he needs to save men like Betserai and Williams in A307, but if
I will be honest to myself, I have doubts about the longevity of our
investments.
Vanity will
be the withering of all that we spent time tilling, sowing, and watering. I recognize
that nothing is ever a guarantee apart from certain things I cannot see. It is
arrogant for the farmer to boast in the growth of the crops, to gloat in the
fruit of the harvest. However, it seems good that one who labors should expect
a resulting reward. Is that not our prayer collectively as children of promise that
the pains of spiritual childbirth would yield a harvest which shall reproduce into
many generations of righteousness? I cannot know for sure how this will end.
Yesterday,
the heavens released its waters over me. In faith, I have certainty.
