Patience is a Virtue

 

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Proverbs 19:11 Contemporary English Version

¹¹ It's wise to be patient
and show what you are like
    by forgiving others.

 

In 2003 we had rented a car in Nairobi, Kenya, then headed south towards a meeting we had in Arusha, Tanzania. When we got to the Kenya-Tanzania border, we passed through the Kenya border with no problem. At the Tanzania customs, the official looked over our documents very carefully. Then he demanded to see my log book. I explained that they don’t require nor give log books for car rentals.

“No! You have to return to car rental and get a log book. You cannot enter Tanzania without a log book.” He was adamant.

I knew he was pushing me to give him a bribe. I don’t believe in bribing people. I could feel the ire coloring my face. My nature wanted me to shout at him and threaten him that I would report him. I was between a rock and a hard place. I didn’t know how much to bribe him with, even if I were willing to do so. I knew what the car rental place would say—they don’t supply log books. Besides it was 155 km (about 100 miles) and three hours’ drive one way back to Nairobi. After talking with the official for a while, just to be friendly, he indicated that I still needed the logbook. Finally, I walked out of the office and sat down in my car.

I grew up in Africa and knew a little of the African way. So, Sylvia and I sat there for well over a half-an-hour. We chatted about our predicament with each other. We prayed silently but displayed only patience—what else could we do?

Eventually, the official came out to our car. “Ï have my aunt here, and she needs a ride to Arusha. Can you take her there?” S well-dressed middle-aged woman with several packages stood behind him.

“Sure,” I said. “We’ll be happy to take her.” I got out and put her things in with ours and made room for her in the back seat of the car. He gave us the correct documents and sent us on our way.

Our passenger spoke excellent English and told us all about the area we were driving through. She was familiar with Tanzania Adventist College (Now Arusha University). She promised that if we dropped her at her place, she would send someone with us to guide us to TAC. He turned out to be a good guide. Without him, we would have had a terrible time finding the place. We paid his bus fare back into town, and he was happy with that.

My red hair, what hadn’t fallen out, indicated natural impatience within me. Reluctant patience paid off, however, benefitted us, and saved us more time than we spent waiting.

Thank You, Lord, for a lesson in patience and for resolving the predicament. Thank You for doing exactly that over and over again with us.

 

 

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[1] https://cdn.britannica.com/34/153434-050-863E8023/Mount-Kilimanjaro-Tanzania.jpg

Adventist Missionaries to Africa

[i]

Acts 2:17 

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams

This weekend the Fellowship of Adventist Missionaries to Africa (FAMA) held its biennial meeting in Cicero, Indiana. I had been planning to be there for two years now, but my cancer treatments nixed that possibility. I have been leading FAMA for most of the last 4 years but left it in the very capable hands of Charles Schlunt. Imagine my delight when Dr. Russell Staples phoned me Sabbath afternoon and gave me a firsthand report of the meetings.

In 1954 my father, C. Fred Clarke, was called to Solusi Mission, then a 10 grade high school to convert it into a 4 year college for the training of Africans to prepare them to be leaders in the Adventist Church. He overcame almost insurmountable obstacles, and in due course they graduated their first four students. When I was in Tanzania, I had the privilege of working very closely with Thomas Lisso, one of those first four graduates.

Dr. Staples, Professor of World Mission, Emeritus, at Andrews University is a pioneer Adventist missionary both from Africa and to Africa. He started teaching at Solusi with Dad. Then he became the second president of the university and set it on its very successful course. It is one of the major universities in the country of Zimbabwe and was the only university to remain open during the worst of that country’s tragic financial collapse. Solusi has had as many as 5,000 students from many parts of Africa. It is practically at the center of the Southern Africa—Indian Ocean Division of Seventh-day Adventists, apparently the largest division of the Adventist Church.

Dr. Staples reported that of the close to 22 million Adventists in the world, 11 million live in Africa, and of those 3.5 million are in the SAIO Division. This success can be traced back to the far sighted leaders who yielded to the leading of the Spirit to prepare for this vast need and tremendous growth.

Last summer Sylvia and I stopped by the Staples home where we were hosted for several days. I encouraged Dr. Staples to give a presentation at the FAMA meetings. At the time he turned me down, but I was delighted when Charles visited him, and he agreed to do it. He gave an overview of the history of missions in Africa, and his presentation was well received.

If you would like to be placed on the mailing list for the FAMA Newsletter, please contact me by responding to me on this blog.

Lord, thank You for the Outpouring of Your Holy Spirit and for those willing to follow Your leading.

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[i] http://solusi.ac.zw/event/voluntary-week-of-spiritual-emphasis/