“Are you meditating?”

Camera… check. Money-Belt… check. Fresh Battery… check. Pocket Bible… check. New Tape… check. Tripod… no, I left that in Iowa. Anything else…? I think that’s about it.

The idea: To capture the beautiful sky God has provided, on video, this afternoon.

The plan: To find a nice open area where I can point my camera skywards; without the use of a tripod. Then to wait a full 62 minutes while the camera empties a tape. Meanwhile, the pocket Bible comes out, therein drawing me closer to God through the reading of His word.

Sounds like a good plan… right?

After walking around the African Nazarene University for all of seven minutes, camera in hand, I came to the perfect place to complete my mission. About ten feet off from the main sidewalk, right out in front of the University’s apparently abandon central building, I found a small cement slab. More like a monument, actually. None the less, it was something to prop my camera against. After five minutes of struggling to position the lens in a semi-skyward position, I came to the conclusion that I would need something to help support the camera. Reaching into my pockets, I withdrew the only two items I could find… My wallet and pocket Bible. Reluctantly, I ended up using both to bring the camera to the angle I desired and pressed record. Now comes the wait.

As my pocket Bible was in use at the moment, and I couldn’t exactly leave, (for fear my camera would walk off on its own) I decided to sit it out, while praying. A noble desire, possibly? Though, has anyone ever tried to sit perfectly still, while the sun bakes their skin for an hour, and just... prays? Trust me when I say it sounds a lot easier than it actually is. “Dear Lord, thank you for allowing me to come before you in prayer today. In your word, which is currently under my camera at the moment, you tell us that…” Oh look, an African beetle. Wait, focus… sorry about that Lord. Now where was I, “In your Word, you remind us that the prayer of a…” Is that a speckled rock?!? No wait, seriously, that rock has green speckles… Oh, sorry Lord. *cough* “In your word, you tell us that the prayer of a righteous man is both powerful and…”

“Are you meditating?”
“Hmm, what?” –Me
“Are you meditating?” asks a passerby with a heavy accent, on the sidewalk not more than ten feet from where I am sitting.
“No… no, I’m praying… and videotaping” -Me
“Ok… well, have a nice day.” –Male Pedestrian
“Thanks, you too.”

At about this point, a class must have gotten out or something, because a steady stream of students started to pour out of the central building, in front of where I was still sitting. Little did I know, that over the next fifty minutes, several hundred students would continue to exit the building as classes dismissed. There goes any hope of solitude.

Now, I was positioned in place as far away from trees as possible. It was basically an open field with a sidewalk going right through the center of it. So, I was pretty easy to spot by any passersby. And as God would have it, everyone on campus did glance my way. Now, it probably wouldn’t have been so bad… except every single student here is black… and many of you may recall, I am not. As the only white teen for kilometers, I tend to draw attention. Not to mention, I’m just sitting in the middle of a field, with my back to a rock. As people walked by, eyes would turn and heads would follow. Everyone stared. I would just sit there, smiling, daring to make eye contact, not willing to interrupt my camera’s recording. The hour continued to trickle by, as did the students… pointing at me with their eyes, whispering in Swahili to each other, a few saying hello. I would return the greeting, wishing I could be alone, cheesy grin plastered to my face.

I was different. And even though I was surrounded by God’s children, I felt alone. One teenage girl passing by must have noticed this, and thus dared to venture off the path to see the strange white boy.

“Hello,” she greeted me.
“Jambo,” I replied in the native tongue.
“How are you?”
“I’m good,” I responded unconfidently, then thought to ask, “How are you doing?”
“I am doing fine,” she responded. “What are you doing?”
“I’m filming the sky.”
“Oh.”
[Awkward Pause]
“Ok.” More akward pausing, “Are you a student here?”
“No. Are you?” -Me
“Yah.”

Needless to say, the conversation was brief after that.

Another passerby, a teacher by appearance, later stopped to ask if I was alright. I really wasn’t sure how to respond.

Let me just add, I’ve never been happier to see the ‘Tape has reached the end’ display on my camera.


Disclaimer:
This is simply my discreet way of saying I’m homesick.
Please be praying for strength, as God continues to teach me to fully rely on Him. Thanks!