Walking Mirror

Have you ever just sat down and asked yourself some of the following questions – what do I like? What do I value? What offends me? Do I want to do that or do this? The questions can go on and on, but the main question you should ask yourself is, who am I? This question is like an umbrella covering tons of other questions.

I will share with you a short story. One time I was spending time with my friends back home in Zambia after a long college lecture. Everybody was exhausted so we decided to gather around to chat and pass time until the next lecture which was in two hours time.

Basically, we were talking about our take on the long lecture and college life, and as we began to share, one of my friends told an offensive joke. Everyone in the group laughed so hard but to their surprise, I did not even smile so most of them said to me, “What’s wrong with you? We will stop joking with you because you take things too seriously.” I responded by saying, “I found that joke offensive and it was not funny.” They all just continued laughing and after some time, another lecture began.

When I went to my room, I felt bad because I was the only one who found the joke offensive. I asked myself, “Why did I do that? What’s wrong with me? I should have followed the crowd,” but as time passed I realized one thing – I was not a fan of offensive jokes. I could not change that, that is who I was and still am. I realized that we are all different and what’s funny to one person may not be to another.

My point is that we should not try to “fit in” to gain acceptance. We should not pretend or try to be who we are not. We should not put on masks to suit the environment. We should be “walking mirrors.” When you get up in the morning and look in the mirror, what do you see? Your reflection. Your reflection can never ever change, no matter what. You can never wake up one morning and reflect another person’s image, it’s impossible.

In that same way, we should never hide our identity, never hide our faith when things get rough, never forget who we are or what we stand for, never deny what we value or what we cherish or what we fight for or even why we speak the way we speak! Never feel embarrassed because we are different from everyone else because God in Jeremiah 1vs 5 said He set us apart and knows us.

Don’t be shy to be different. Don’t be shy to speak up. Don’t be scared to stand up because you are different and your difference can never be matched. Be real and be you. Don’t let the world change you because you are special in your own way. I challenge myself and everybody reading to step out of our boxes and begin to show our true colors, who we truly are, to the world.

Alick Mvula

United Methodist Department of Health

Liberia

GMF International, Class of 2015-2017

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Addictive Caffeine

Isn’t it funny how many people look down on those who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, or money (to say the least), yet they themselves have addiction for others things like phones, internet, video games, etc.?

There is this discriminatory mindset that we have many times when we talk about people who have an addiction. We do not want to spend time with such kind of people; we try our best to distance ourselves for different reasons.

Maybe we think they might harm us. They look dangerous? I am not really sure the answer to this question but you can see the desire not to have relationships with such people.

Many of us are addicted to something in one way or another and we all need help. Today, people all over the world are glued to their phones, one of the most addictive gadgets by far. Let’s face it, you can do almost anything with a phone – play music, watch movies, access social media, take pictures, you name it! This has made us so attached and addicted that we forget to execute our daily set out activities.

We deny that we are not addicted and yet, we cannot stay an hour without looking at our phones. We waste a lot of time on the internet, chatting with friends, downloading, or even watching something interesting.

Then we have video games, food, anything that we become slaves to is very bad. This is a kind of addiction that I call ‘Caffeine.’ Most of us have our own caffeine, of which we need to let go. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with playing video games or Facebook or any sort of entertainment that we like. The only problem is when we allow such entertainment to govern us, if we become slaves to it then we need help.

We need prayer, counseling, friendly talk, something that can help us come out of this hole. Many times we ourselves cannot see that we are addicted. It is difficult because it has become a normal system to us. We go to the extent of doing some of these habits in church, during sermons, when our parent(s)/guardian are speaking with us, when crossing the road, in the bathroom, during lessons in class, meetings, etc. This is when you should know you are addicted.

In as much as alcoholics need help, we, as well, are victims in a different pattern. They need a helping hand, just like us, so let us not discriminate against such people. Let us find time to sit down and talk to them, hear them out, share ideals.

When we do this, it would be easier for us to deal with our addictions as well.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say-but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”- but I will not be mastered by anything.” (1 Corinthians 6:12)

Alick Mvula

Imani House

Monrovia, Liberia

GMF International, Class of 2015-2017

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You wanna know?

Some folks have been asking me, “How are you faring on that side? What are you going through? Do you want to come back?” These and many other questions have been ringing in my head for the past three and a half months now.

The question I ask them is, “Do you really wanna know?” I will be honest with you, this journey has been good, bad, and ugly.

Let me take you back to before I arrived in Liberia. When it was confirmed that I would be going to Liberia for my mission work, I was very shocked and surprised because Liberia was never on the list of countries I hoped to go to. Immediately I begun to research the country, started to learn more about the foreign land; mathematically I was prepared to go, as this was God’s choice, not mine.

The very first day I arrived in the country was the very first day I wanted to go back to Zambia. I felt some sort of fear, fear of differences, not of death. Almost everything was different, apart from the skin color of my fellow Africans.

Immediately I begun writing my resignation letter to the Director of the program, I told myself I would finish it and send it the next morning. I was scared, lonely, and uncomfortable, and I felt let down by God.

The next morning I felt a bit better after I prayed over the whole situation. To be honest, the first two months were the worst months of my whole life on this planet. However, I could not send the letter because something told me to keep trying.

In Liberia I have been stretched in so many ways, but again I have prayed more, read more, believed more, waited more and thought even more. It has been difficult, fighting for a car to go anywhere, the language barrier, cultural differences; indeed ‘Culture Shock’ has played a big role in my time here.

It has not been easy to deny myself and accept different opinions and ways of living. God has been present, but she has brought me here to learn and to see how to appreciate others even more.

Did I ever think I would use a bike as a mode of transport in my life? No. What about cook on a gas stove or eat Garry (Pounded Cassava soup) or go to the beach or see graves being decorated? NO. I am almost four months in, and I can say that my situation has been improving. I have made a few friends, talked to many people, and some of the missionaries here have helped me settle down.

Sometimes I feel like giving up, feel like quitting, feel so frustrated that I want to punch a person in the face, feel so annoyed that I want to lock myself indoors for many days, but I always tell myself to try, try, and keep trying. There is a purpose for everything; God never forsakes his children, so I believe that my being here is not in vain. He loves me so much.

West Africa is a different world, has different values, a different culture, a different way of living, and above all, it is a foreign land. All I can do now is be patient, be prayerful and let God take the wheel.

 

Alick Mvula,

GMF International, Class of 2015-2017

Imani House, Liberia

#3022125

 

LIBERIANA

It has been barely nine weeks that I have been in Liberia, but yet I feel I have been here for a longer time. It has been a challenge, a ride that has not been smooth, but by the Grace of God, it has been adventurous.

Adaptation has been quite a stumbling block–new culture, new people, new buildings, to say the least–I feel that I am in a different world, yet I am among my African sisters and brothers. The English that is spoken here is very different from the English I can speak, so  my job has been to listen attentively and try to ask as many questions as I can. It has not been easy.

When you migrate from the Southern part of Africa to the West, you will know that you are in for a ride. Mathematically I had planned for this. I knew everything would be different, so adjustment has been my number one priority.

On the other side of this journey, I feel Liberians are friendly and easy to get along with. It is awesome to see how God is working in this country. I feel like a ‘Liberiana‘ because I am doing things that most Liberians do: learning the greeting, different signs and gestures, cooking up Liberian meals, and so much more.

Being part of Imani House has made me realize how much life needs humanity and service. Regularly going over to the clinic and seeing many individuals receive treatment has been one of the highlights of my career. Imani House deals with everything from literacy classes to office work, but one of their main areas of focus is serving lives through the clinic.

For me, just to see a person get treatment, regardless of their religion, age, sex or skin color, is amazing; serving mankind for a productive world is awesome. Liberia has many more things for me to learn about.

Alick Mvula,

International Track, Class 2015

Imani House, Liberia

#3022125

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