Tip of the Week-- November 13, 2014

Home invasion, of the small creature variety, is a fact of life here.  Screened windows and sealed doors notwithstanding, these small pests will ever be your constant home companions.  So I offer you this tip of the week:

Dealing with small creature invaders and the insect hoards in your home is a rather bipolar affair.  Either you embrace peaceful biologic coexistence or you channel your inner William Sherman and wage a scorched-earth, total war on the offenders.  You will be, initially, tempted to employ just war theory, moderated responses, and the like.  However, in time, you will come to the realization that this is a waste of everyone's time and resources, most notably, your own.  You will go tit-for-tat with the invaders, but this will do nothing to discourage their advance, and you will find yourself exerting yourself for zero net gain and a non-attainable peace.

I recommend adopting amicable coexistence as your default mode.  This will be awkward at first, as all new adjustments are wont to be.  You'll see a gecko slither behind the TV cabinet and cringe.  As you wipe your counters, you'll think, "but surely, there must be a solution to these ants!"  In time, however, you will begin to overlook these small vermin, and with a little positive thinking, you'll see that you've become a harmonious member of the local ecology--green living in all its wonder.  The ants remove crumbs, thereby reducing the need for sweeping.  The lizards keep the insect populations in check.  You'll never again return to an empty, desolate home.

But never, ever let this joyful peace lull you into a false assurance.  The day will arrive when war will be proclaimed; treaties you've cherished will be torn in angry disgust, trampled and profaned in the streets.  The insect hoards will pour in without a second thought to moderation; vermin will transgress the very principles that have allowed your hard won peace.  It is hard to say why they choose to do so, why they pursue this sudden change of direction.  You, too, will need to undergo your own transformation--from flower toting hippy to maniacal war hawk.  The response must be quick, firm, unpitying, and total--a complete unleashing of the full arsenal you've kept carefully stocked during the months of peace.  This is the only way to restore balance.

It is good to have trigger points for such a switch:
When the geckos being to repeatedly defecate on the kitchen table...
When the ants attack a package of precious American commodity...
When the crickets' chirping wakes you in the night...
When the rodents begin to make open appearances...
When any of the above touch your bed...
When the termites begin to weaken things of structural importance...
When you so much as make a sighting of a snake... (there is never peaceful coexistence with snakes)

With any luck, and enough poison, you'll be back to ecological oneness in no time.

Prayer requests:

1. Just when it seemed that we were going to be able to proclaim victory in the war on ebola, another, critical case was declared in the capital.  This is very serious, as it involves 3 deaths, which happened under the radar, meaning there is enormous potential for disease spread.  We are making preparations at the hospital to better screen patients in order to protect everyone.  (We will not be an active treatment center, but need to take precautions that a case doesn't unwittingly enter our normal hospital areas.)  Please pray for us as we do so.  Pray for wisdom.  Pray that calm, and not panic, would reign.

2. Pray for continued healing of Issa's arm.  Also pray for wisdom as to what should be done for his schooling.  We had planned to send him to a discipleship course in Senegal, but with the renewed ebola threat, it is unsure if this will be possible.

3. Praise the Lord for a good meeting of the national church, the mission, and the board of the hospital this week.  Pray that the national church leaders and representatives from the mission will have the wisdom to reshape the leadership structures of the hospital.

4. Pray for initiatives to reach out to the local army base.  We are in the exploration phase at this point, but would like to find a way to minister to the young men that are in training there.