Arrived!...but not yet there

Earlier today I enjoyed the challenge of explaining to the translators the meanings of the English words "optimism" and "pessimism." An attempt at "glass half full" and "glass half empty" explanations only led to undoubtedly empty stares of confusion on all three of their faces.  Eventually, I optimistically think I got the idea through to them. Could they use it correctly in a given circumstance? Pessimistically speaking, I doubt it. 

Some days I struggle to see the silver lining in our lives, other days I drink deep of its refreshing pool, but most days are a mixture of both perspectives. Tonight as I lounge in the Catholic Father's guesthouse for yet another night away from home, I definitely feel that tension. I can't help but enjoy life right now, at the peak of mango season, surrounded by lush trees whose tired arms hang low with the divinely inspired candy. My craving for delicious fruit is intensified by the one guava over there on the table, which somehow manages to permeate the whole room with its sweet aroma.

 And after hearing of the nasty, long winter many of you endured, I likely shouldn't get into the weather we are enjoying these days. Besides, I'm sure none of you can relate with the need to pull on a long sleeve shirt when the temps drop down into the low 70s.

Yet, not all is perfect as my eye catches the remains of the scorpion over in the corner of the room, and the cleaning crew, that is, the trail of ants, starting to carefully dismantle and carry away it many parts. Tomorrow morning, I'll have to finish the job by sweeping up the part they always leave behind – the tail, or course. Not only that one, I'll have to do the same with the other two scorpions I killed in my room tonight. Yea, the rains have come forcing these bad boys to come out from under their rocks in search of new homes outside the flood plains. So far this year, as a family, the score is about 15 to 0 in the war against these unwelcome housemates. We're hoping to keep that shutout going through this whole scorpion season.

 The war between optimistic excitement and pessimistic melancholy wages most with regard the project I've undertaken to do tonight. I just spent an hour printing off the first ten copies of Luke's gospel in the Gmz language. And now, after fixin' and snarfing down some quick mac 'n cheese, I popped in a movie ("I am David") and have set myself to the task of folding the booklets. Once my fingers learned the ropes, I set them on autopilot. What an exciting time it is to see the gospel of Luke finally in print! We did it! After years, even decades of dreaming of this day, we've finally arrived at seeing the ripened fruit of Bible translation. Or have we?

 Although the excitement of having arrived is there, it is definitely notched down a bit by the reality of the situation. These first ten copies are actually not being printed for Gmz people at all, instead they will be given to certain anonymous project donors back in the States. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to share the joy with ALL those who are part of this work with us! Absolutely. And the official print of Luke's gospel is seemingly in the works, but even when those boxes arrive, the pessimistic voice of realism will still have its megaphone pointed directly into my joy. The mere existence of Scripture in the Gmz language is NOT the goal, not the destination we are striving for. What good are these ink spots on paper to the 90-some % of Gmz who can't read? What harvest will this text reap in the many, many fields that seemingly have yet to be planted?

It's a sentiment that is beginning to feel really, really familiar. In 2009 we came to Ethiopia – we've arrived!…but yet we can't do what we came to do until after a year of language school. Then we moved out to the Gmz lands – we've arrived!…but yet we can't begin translation until we learn the language. Seven months of study gave me a good foothold into the Gmz language – we've arrived!...but then we had to wait another year for the official translators to be hired and the project started. Last December, we finished the final step in Luke's gospel – we've arrived…but now we are still waiting for the publication process. We will soon have Luke officially on paper – we've arrived? Not so fast. I have grow very comfortable with the feeling that whatever goals I am striving for today, they are really only mile-markers in the marathon we're running. Even when/if we see the New Testament published in the Gmz language and being used for the strengthening of the Gmz church, will we finally kick back and enjoy the feeling of having arrived? I seriously doubt it.