The Angry Teacher (Journal Entry)

4:34 pm - We had mandazi and tea for breakfast. Then Martin did a devotion on Matthew 11:28-30 and Michael commented on it. Then I went to teach the second day of the Genesis class. When I began I asked for someone to share from their notes on chapter 5. One of the students named James (one who is the most active or interactive in class) told me some basic details. So I taught from Chapter 5 about the genealogy of Adam and how everyone dies now. I taught about how there are “sons and daughters” born to each generation, other than the specific ones named, and about the ages of the people and how they were able to pass along the oral tradition so easily since they lived so long. I shared about Enoch walking with God and about the rapture and the types we see, and many other things. So we finished up chapter 5. When I then asked for someone to tell me what they learned form reading chapter 6 nobody would share. So I asked them to raise their hand if they read chapter 6 and nobody had. I was so angry and really had to concentrate not to let it show and to be mad at them in a sinful way. I told them that if this happened in the class I teach in Kigoma that I wouldn’t teach until the students did their homework. I was concentrating on not being angry and trying to think of a solution when Michael suggested that they take 30 minutes to read the remaining chapters and then I would come back. So I came back and taught on chapter 6 and then 7,8, and 9. It was a really good time actually. I’m enjoying teaching again.

I thank You Lord SO MUCH for Your tremendous mercy and grace to guide me, change me, control me, mold me, and still use me even when I’m such a punk! Thank You Jesus! Bwana Yesu asifiwe!

I have to interject now that I’ve been listening to iTunes while writing and I put on Sherwin Gardner because it’s supposed to be decent christian reggae and so it would sound a little bit “African”. Anyhow... I just realized that I really don't like most of it. Maybe there was one or two good songs I heard, but right now I just listened to at least part of 4 or 5 of them and I had to turn it off. Now I’m listening to Redcloud. He’s a trip. Back to the day... Oh wait... I just heard a car and it might be James Olal and Vicky so I’m going to go check it out.

8:26 pm - Yes it was them. We talked for a bit. Then I showered and put on my Samoan pant/shorts and t-shirt and then sat around and talked with Raymond until dinner came. It didn’t come until 7pm, but it included mac-n-cheese and condensed mushroom goo for the rice. I had only rice with mushroom goo and mac-n-cheese. I had a second helping of each. Vicky and Raymond and I stayed after the others left and continued talking about their trip to Juba, Raymond’s time in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and spiritual things in general. The topics were familiar to Vicky and I as missionaries... American comfort and complacency in regards to the body of Christ, separation from family and other missionary hardships, the bombing of the compound here in 2000, the idea of staying in a war zone or other dangerous place because that it where God called. Why would we leave if the people we are called to serve can’t leave. Vicky mentioned that book, “Abandoned to God”, about Oswald Chambers. It’s the same one Bond was reading. I want to get it. Anyhow, gotta go and study for tomorrow now.