Greetings from South Africa! 16 Sept. 2006
As you read this email, appreciate that miracles still happen. When I first started writing this email, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, life seemed simpler. When I started trying to send it off one or the other problem occurred so that it couldn't go, so I added more, then tried again, etc. One time the network was down at the local coffee shop. One time I had saved it to a flash drive, but in a format that couldn't be read at the Internet cafe. I can't remember them all. Then, a few days ago, a door opened to come to Durban for a vacation. Louise and I BADLY needed some time to rest, so we came. We always have a wonderful time driving together (see photos). Durban is by the sea and has nice beaches, so people think we are enjoying waves, warmth and sunshine. The truth is that it has been rainy, chilly and very windy (see photos), which actually suits us just fine. Neither of us do well in the sun or like the ocean, other than to walk beside it. With this weather it is perfect, because there are almost no people and we don't get sunburned. The view looking out from the beach is not entirely lovely, since the ocean is full of commercial ships (Durban is a busy seaport). We are staying in a guest house established in 1914 for missionaries and ministers, which is quite cheap. It is very, very UNfancy, but it suits our purposes just fine. So, now I am adding yet more text and some nice pictures. I am CONVINCED that today all will be well to get this thing sent off. Calling things that have not yet happened as though they had - HALLELUYAH!
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Good news! No, we didn’t get a phone line yet. And, while we DID have four (4) power outages in the past ten (10) days, the electricity is on now. . . and still is . . . WOW! This reliability thing is pretty good! The good news is that, although I spent most of the past week sick, I am now pretty much better! It has taken a while to get used to the big differences between how medicine is practiced and health-related products are sold here vs. in America, but by now I am. Take medicines, for example. Here, there are four or five categories of prescription medicines. The lower categories are available at pharmacies, but must be dispensed by a pharmacist. Higher categories require more work, up to a prescription by a physician. A couple years ago I had a nasty spider bite (which has pretty much healed, but only just now). I went to a pharmacy and talked things over, then they decided what would work the best and made me a custom blend of a couple of different creams. I NEVER had that happen in America.
While ya’ll in America are now in the last part of Summer, we have just entered Spring. That also is a bit different. Rather that formally attaching seasons to dates that relate to the position of the earth in its orbit around the sun, here they attach them to the usual dates when the weather changes. So, instead of waiting until the 21st, Spring starts of the 1st of September. In fact, it actually is getting noticeably warmer. It almost makes sense, huh?
The question has been raised after our last email as to what the value is of teaching Hebrew to a congregation. The first and easiest answer is that almost everyone wants to learn it. The deeper answer lies in the loss of meaning with translation in general. One example is the Hebrew word “shalom”. This is generally translated into English as “peace”. The meaning of this word in English is rather limited to ‘a state of calm, an absence of conflict’. The meaning of the Hebrew word ‘shalom’, however, is MUCH bigger. At heart it indicates a state of RIGHTNESS in all area, which indicates health, happiness and prosperity. In Strong’s we find that ‘favour, friend, great, (good) health, prosper (-ity, -ous), rest, safe (-ty), salute, welfare, (e.g., all is, be) well’ are all associated with shalom. A bit beyond ‘calm’, wouldn’t you agree? It is very significant that in Hebrew the word ‘shalom’ is not so much used to describe something as it is to confer a blessing. In the Scriptures people relate to each other actively in relationships that really matter. This explains why we ‘bless rather than curse’. If I speak with a view to DESCRIBING someone who does evil to me and others, then I speak of that which is evil in him. But if I share Father’s heart for redemption, then I speak blessings in order to agree with the good that is not there now, but which Father wants to bring about. I choose not to be a victim but a co-worker with He who creates.
Another example is the English word ‘praise’, which is used to translate a variety of Hebrew words including ‘bless’, ‘sing’, ‘shout’, ‘play an instrument’, and ‘lifting of hands’ as well ‘praise’. Because of this, a number of shades of meaning in the Scriptures are lost in translation. A very significant problem with translation is found in association with the Hebrew word ‘chesed’. This is translated by a wide variety of English words or phrases, such as love, compassion, mercy, faithfulness, and others. The word ‘chesed’ is perhaps the most foundational term that captures the character of the Father, but none of the English translations begins to capture the whole of what is intended. A very common word in the Scriptures for believers is ‘chesid’, i.e., people who share the character of Father (‘chesed’). We are not ‘chesid’ if we do not live a life of ‘chesed’. In English all this may be seen as a disputable matter of theology, but in Hebrew it is simply a matter of clear definition. If all of you could share in the revelations that people in our congregation experience as they encounter the Scriptures in their original language you might want to learn Hebrew yourselves!
Dancing in the congregation - what a joy! I mentioned in a previous email that this has a profound effect on everyone who participates, washing away the concerns of the day, producing joy and a readiness to receive the Word. Our congregation’s little 2 year old boy loves to dance, especially with flags, and it is wonderful to see whole families dancing together. Dancing is also quite inspirational for those who just watch (see photo). You can study it for years and not run out of new things to learn, yet beginners can join in the very first day. As far as I know ‘it just don’t get much better than that!’
Love from Africa,
Lary and Louise
