A Conversation

Well done, my good and faithful servant…
Matthew 25:21
"Are you a Christian?"
"Yes. Why?"
"You're so... simple. Not like us."
So ended my conversation yesterday morning with a Muslim police officer who had come to me for a coroner's report. Initially when I saw him that morning, I had been tempted to treat him haughtily and with an air of indifference. After all, I'm been paid a paltry sum to do this penance called "national service" and no-one seems to appreciate it. Well, I didn't. I was cordial as I could reasonably be. Thank God good sense won over. I'm not sure if the policeman really meant to call me simple (expression's not the Hausa man's strong suit). But the fact is, I made an impression.

I thought it may be encouraging to the lot of you who from time to time feel unappreciated and perhaps useless. Whether at work or school, just remember, people are always watching. And so is God.
With love, Doosuur.

Reflections on a Rib

I think I cracked a rib. At least that's what the pain tells me. And I did it running away from a spider (hey guys, I thought it was a scorpion). Oh, the pain!

Two things I wondered about. First, I never knew trunk muscles could be that strong. My abdominal muscles forcibly contracted in an attempt to get me up from bed, pulling strongly on that poor rib. Something had to give (and it's not like I gym or anything). The wonder of God's creation called the body!

But it was the pain that most caught my attention. The most mundane tasks became an ordeal. I slept fitfully that night. Eating, drinking, coughing, walking, even breathing became so much more difficult. I couldn't do anything without thinking about that rib. Because it was hurting.

When Jesus compares the Church to the body he draws several parallels, so I feel at liberty to seek some of my own. I wonder how much the attention of the Church is taken up by the hurting of it's members. If you've ever injured a toe or had a bad tooth, you'll know what I'm talking about. You just can't get your mind off that hurting part. What about us? Which member of Christ's body is hurting next to you? Someone lose his father? Someone had money stolen at gunpoint? Someone fail an exam? All too common hurts around us everyday.

I think Christ's desire is that I show them something of the concern I have for my blasted cracked rib.

With love, Doosuur