The Egg

I have preached or taught in many churches in many places from Texas to Nigeria, from Oklahoma to Brazil. I have preached to goats and pigs, swatted mosquitoes and sand flies while I taught, and have spoken while toddlers clung to my legs, dogs licked the blisters on my toes and while everyone ran off to see who was arriving in the port below. I've been amazed in each of those situations that God still works and manages to communicate with the hearts of people amid all the distraction.

Sunday morning in Tres Islas Ashéninka community on the Apurucayali River. I thought I was doing OK going through my prepared lesson: a detailed explanation of God's plan of salvation. In the open church building there are no doors to close in order to keep out the dogs or the chickens. No one knew that a certain hen had already "laid" claim to the place. She came in the side door about six feet from where I was standing on the small platform. She came in "full cluck" making herself known to all that she had arrived. It was not readily apparent why she was so determined to get into the corner beneath a stack of unassembled bench parts left there. I gave her a start to get her back out the door and continued my teaching. Mrs. Chicken was not finished. She returned more determined than ever, but with less noise. While someone else was reading a bible verse I decided to take a peek into the corner and there was confirmed my suspicion, she had a clutch of eggs in there on the bare wooden floor.

She eventually won and gained access to her dark corner. Later in the day I wanted to see if she was actually sitting on those eggs since we can always use fresh eggs. I was surprised to see four eggs instead of the three I saw when I originally checked. The lady clucker had deposited another egg while I was speaking. Now in English we have a term that reflects having badly spoken or failed in an effort, so my mind quickly applied it to my situation. In my preaching I had "laid an egg." The chicken was not returning to sit on the eggs so I wondered if the Lord had sent her as a sign, a messenger, to tell me I needed to improve my efforts. 

Now I don't know if God speaks to His people through chickens, probably not, though He certainly could, but if it wasn't a pointed reminder to put forth my best for the Lord, it was at least fun to think about Him trying to get my attention through a noisy hen and her eggs. I'm sure I didn't "lay an egg" in my preaching as there was one man who responded to the gospel invitation. I'm not sure where the chicken is this morning, but her eggs are on the breakfast table. Was that fourth egg a letter of warning to me to do better? Maybe not. But breakfast delivery in remote quarters of the jungle isn't a bad thing!

Turning 50

On October 19, 1960, in West Plains, MO, Darlene Mathis McAnally and Leo Dean McAnally, both Missouri natives, brought into this world a round, bald-headed (but very handsome) baby and named him Marty. On October 19, 2010, Marty (me) celebrated 50 years of life and many years of adventure in the Lord. As often happens the date fell during a time of ministry travels in the jungle. How did I spend my birthday this time? 

We had been in the Ashéninka community of Carachama (Kah-rah-CHAH-mah) for several days teaching God's Word and helping the Christians there to clear the ground around their newly constructed church building. October 19 was the set date to move from Carachama to the community of El Milagro (The Miracle). Before we left Carachama, we joined the believers in a worship service followed by a fellowship meal. Afterward we loaded the boat and pushed off for the short trip to El Milagro. 

Turning 50 I have pondered the question of how much longer I can keep boating, hiking, and carrying to get to jungle communities. I wake up in the night many times and moan with my back pained from sleeping on a thin mat under a mosquito net and I wonder how many more nights I can do that. I have even called out to the Lord to just yank us out and send us to a place where I can forevermore sleep on a thick mattress under a ceiling fan and step from the bed onto a nice soft rug. 

I am becoming more and more dependent on younger people to carry my loads. Many things I no longer attempt because I figure that if I hurt myself I'll be no good to anyone and besides that it's a very long way to medical care. After El Milagro we journeyed to Tres Islas (Three Islands) community where I did attempt to carry the outboard motor up from the river on my shoulders. It's only a 15 HP motor so it weighs only about 80 lbs. and should be no problem. I found my legs to have plenty of strength, but poising it on my shoulder as I marched up the sandy trail toward the hut caused my lower back to strain and I had to pass it off to Quilmer to finish the chore. 

The casual onlooker would never know, perhaps, about these compromises in the amount of physical exertion that I do, but I'm aware. A part of the humiliation is having younger missionaries and Ashéninka friends "look out" for me. But there are some benefits to all this as well, not the least of which is fewer back aches. I'm reminded of my own limitations and my utter dependence on the Lord to do this work. It also reminds me that what is most important in this jungle ministry is not who carries the motor or the firewood, but whether God is glorified in everything we do, be it physical work or spiritual ministry. And for every fruit He gives, to God be all the glory!