Humility

What really is humility? A lot of my thoughts from the past few weeks connect to this. Humility. Humbleness. Giving up your pride. Mostly it’s painful.

For example, learning a new language. You become like a child again – unsure and unable to express yourself adequately. You have many things to say, but how can you say them? I can rattle it all off in English, but what do the people get out of it? Almost nothing. My tongue stumbles over unfamiliar sound patterns even as I enjoy trying to speak Chichewa. The people are patient and helpful. They wait while you search for words, they correct your mistakes. They might even laugh with you when you mix up 2 similar words. But it takes humility. My pride wants my speaking ability to be perfect. My impatience doesn’t want to take the time to learn it well. I want to know it now.

This concept also translates into other things besides speaking a new language. When you enter a new culture, a different way of life, you regularly encounter scenarios where you don’t know what to do. How do you react? It takes humility. Putting down pride and being willing to listen, to learn, to let another teach you and guide you.

Humility means becoming small. Doesn’t this also resonate with this Easter period? Jesus was humbled. He was led to the cross. Must we not then, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, become small – as nothing – that He might be everything? Must we not let Another, lead us and guide us in everything we do? Does this not take humility?

Another example of a situation requiring humility here. It’s harvest time which means many people are harvesting what they can from their crop of maize that was planted. They remove the cobs from the field by hand and make a pile. Then all of the kernels must be stripped from the cobs by hand. The children at Stephanos were busy helping various people with this the last few days. I thought it would be fun to help, but quickly realized these children can outwork me when it comes to stripping cobs! I only had a tiny pile and then I had to quit because I had blisters on my hands while some of the children had already been doing it for hours. Pride.

In the pictures, you can see the piles of kernels they make by using their hands. It’s incredible!

This past Saturday, I also took a hike up Chilangoma Mountain with +/- 43 children. It’s a “mountain” that can be climbed in less than an hour. It’s located right behind the Stephanos compound. As you can see, it was a gorgeous day! 27°, blue sky and bright sunshine.

I am settling in more and more, and couldn't be more grateful to be here, doing my work!