Paul's Parables

Making early hay is always a challenge, but it is more difficult when the bale launcher shears a pin, the knotter fails and rain is threatening.  Dropping the heavy bales on the ground to hand load into the wagon might work for young men, but it had to be done. The horse watched our efforts.  I decided I had made enough hay.

Life on the farm can be idealized, especially by a visiting sister who loves to tell stories. The old retired farmer was finding it harder and harder to keep his equipment running to make hay for his young beautiful horse. Zack had no idea grandpa was retired. He simply lived with no work and no responsibilities. He expected someone else to care for him.

My young horse didn’t really get old but the joy of owning him faded.  He refused to submit to any authority, not even the one who worked with him until he gave the signal of submission.  I read the book, Horses for Dummies, but had to conclude that I was the dummy and the horse had his way, not interested in doing anything for me.

When I bought my horse from a woman who rescues unwanted horses, it could be called bait and switch.  I signed an agreement with the seller that made me wonder if he really did belong to me.  Zack turned out to belong to no one except himself, and didn’t fulfil my expectations, but he did willingly follow a little one who loved him.

One learns a lot about life in the effort to care for a variety of animals on a small farm.  The income from the farm is unlikely to cover the expenses but life in the country and meeting the daily challenges bring real value to living life in harmony with God’s creation. Life and death are part of the daily experience.

Kittens grow into cats that reproduce exponentially and then what can be done? Some grow into the perfect pampered pet, others may be a pain. How does one get rid of an unwanted pet? The value of animal life has been so elevated that their care is of more concern than what happens to unborn babies. A loved pet finds her way to a new home. 

The grandkids love to come to the farm, especially to grandma’s big kitchen. My desire to have the perfect horse didn’t work out as I had planned.  Of course the grandchildren expected to have grandpa give them rides on his horse.  Zack was a beautiful horse, but had ideas of his own as to why he existed and who could tell him what to do.

Doesn’t a real farmer have to make a living from the animals he cares for?  Great-grandpa Lawrence said, “Around here it is produce… or else.” A farmer builds a relationship with the creatures he works with every day to the point where they could be called pets on his Hobby Farm.  He searches for the one that is lost.

What do we do with the dominion we have been given over God’s creation? The Zande, the sportsman, and the two farmers each treated guinea fowl differently. Our different perspectives determined what we did and each man’s actions may be viewed very differently by those who aren’t quite sure what a guinea fowl even looks like!

When hunting guinea fowl with Mboligihe in Africa, I made a bargain with God and then had to keep it!  Starting before the sun rose, walking for hours, and checking every peanut garden we had all but given up.  We would never find them in the blistering heat!  God answered then and has even now given me some guinea fowl to enjoy on the farm.

Building an incubator to hatch Rhode Island Red chicks at Rethy proved to be quite a challenge.  As the one who thought himself a skilled craftsman and an intelligent science teacher, I scored zero against the little hen from Zandeland who hatched 100% of her eggs.  God designed the hen and I failed with my intelligent design.  Chickens evolved? NEVER!

Any farm will have chickens around somewhere and the first chickens I cared for in Africa were descendants of the little red jungle fowl given to Ellen by the Zandes.  That small colorful bird had no idea that birds four times his size were of any threat to him.  I think the Banties I now have on Grandpa’s farm have inherited the same attitude.

Learning about farming with my father in law was quite different from caring for my own animals.  My calves grew up demanding ever more to drink as I did everything I could to satisfy their thirst.  When the spring on the hill stopped flowing and the stream became became a trickle we turned to an old well in the marsh.  Then freezing weather came.

We certainly weren’t in control of events when we were asked to evacuate Congo the second time. We didn’t even fully understand the reasons behind the decision. We were absolutely certain, however, that God had not lost control, even though we had no idea what was next for us. We missed our group debriefing and went swimming instead.

We are simultaneously faced with three events: drought, locusts and COVID-19.  Why?  A disease far more deadly than the Corona Virus originated in the garden of Eden.  It has a 100% death rate and is inherited from the first man.  God communicates with His people in these days too, and offers a way to heal the land. 

To enjoy a time away from Rethy at the Koda river falls, like we did every vacation, we needed to avoid Kabila’s young soldiers who were looking to commandeer vehicles.  We actually enjoyed our picnic in peace.  Working together at the RTK studio building site offered lots of very special times and challenges.  It was a good vacation.

With Jeff home from boarding school for a month we were privileged to have two old motorcycles, a box of tools, and a pick-up truck to use.  Teaching my son how to repair the bikes and drive the truck was easier than getting a driver’s license or a learner’s permit for him.  He was three years too young but the arbitrary authorities helped solve the problem with a white rag.

While we were preparing places for other returning missionaries, and working on the possibility of once again offering a school for missionary children the country was becoming less and less settled.  Unrest between tribes was intensifying and the government authorities were focused on collecting taxes.  What was to happen to the unfinished projects?

Just a few months after some of our family came for a visit we received instructions from the church authorities that we were to evacuate once again. We were unaware of the deadly tribal conflict that had started in the Blukwa area and that there were concerns that it was spreading.  To be the advocate for missionaries, trying to evacuate without passports, was amazing.

On our first furlough I had a farm job and lived in a trailer behind the main farmhouse with my small family. I eventually bought part of the family farm including the other old farmhouse where we are now retired.  I have come to enjoy caring for the animals we have accumulated, many teaching us very basic lessons about our relationship with God

A disease far more deadly than the virus that is now shutting down our activities threatened us in Zaire many years ago.  Those contracting the pneumonic plague, without treatment faced a 100% death rate, yet employees happily showed up for work.  It was easy to get around the barriers.  We had more than a Posy in our pocket.

Ongoing news from Congo made it ever more evident that government efforts and fences cannot settle tribal differences.  So much of what we do in our own strength does nothing to communicate the Love of God and what He has provided to give mankind a reason for living.  The RTK radio broadcasting has been blessed of God.  Only He can build His church

Shortly after leaving Rethy we heard of undreamed atrocities as hatred spilled over between the Lendu, Hema and Alure tribes.  There had been indications earlier in the struggle for control of the church.  The ancient Alure story teller, Lawi, fully understood what was happening when I went to see him after the dorm cows had entered his corn garden on a moonlit night.

Trying to solve problems the way I thought best didn’t necessarily help reduce tribal tensions.  I was an outsider even though I had lived at Rethy from my childhood.  My son found adjustments to boarding school to be difficult.  With workers from several tribes God blessed us as we built the radio station and erected the tower to hold the four bay antenna for RTK.

After the rebellion, the missionary radio communications and the travel connections to Rethy didn’t exist.  News of my mother’s death arrived after a delay of several days following no news for months.  Traveling by bus across Uganda was uncertain, untried by us, and definitely dangerous.  Uwor reassured us, “If it is your day, it is your day”