A little fun along the way...

Today I was reminded of a great time this past June as I was out in Seattle for the week long Training of Trainers. In her in December Prayer Letter, CVM Director of Training, mentioned a number of us that are either already serving on the field long term or heading there. Two of the stories were from TOT. One was mine....

Emily is also going to Uganda.  She is a single woman who has been working as a veterinary technician for several years but was forced to resign from her job when she developed a severe allergy to the chemicals used in x-rays.  At first it was hard to see how God could turn this tragedy into good, but it was the way God moved Emily into a long term calling to serve by working with the traditional healers in the Karamojong tribe to research and document the use of natural medicinal plants (ethnoveterinary medicine)  passed down for generations. What had seemed a devastating loss of career turned into a cause for rejoicing. Isn’t that just like God, to take what looks to us like tragedy and use it for good in surprising ways?  Emily has just returned from a couple months of preparation in Uganda and is eager to get back full time as soon as her prayer and financial support is raised.  Emily came to the training I did in June and we got to know each other better. She and one of the other trainees faked a quarrel on the lake front and ended up in the lake-just to see my reaction!!  Look out Uganda!   

So here is a photo just moments after our 'quarrel'. The look on face of the 'other trainee', Lindsay, is priceless here. Everyone had just finished canoeing when I arrived at the beach. I had been busy getting my flight changed so I could stay in Seattle after the training to meet with CVM staff at the home office and go through my psychological evaluation. Yes, really, they think I'm sane enough to go to Africa! Though I'm digressing. So I had wanted to go swimming to say I swam in Washington State. So I had my swimsuit on under my street clothes. The plan developed very quickly as Lindsay and I talked. We announced rather loudly that we were going to go canoeing. But I was warned to take of my shoes because the canoe was wet. Um, sure. So we started walked down the dock when she slammed her canoe paddle down, turned to me and started yelling. "That's it, I'm tired of it... ALL WEEK....." I turned, throw down my paddle, and yell back demanding to know "REALLY, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM". As I dramatically stretch my arms out to my sides she gives me a big 'ol shove. I think it was believable for a few split seconds until I surfaced and we both started laughing uncontrollably.

The "other trainee" and I had a lot of fun together. We first met sharing a hotel room together the night before the training. I got in several hours earlier and was sound asleep before she arrived. The afore mentioned Director of Training had suggested we share a room to save money. But then she was worried we wouldn't be okay with that, having never met each other before. So it became a joke that we could really be axe murderers. It's plausible right? Axe murders attending a 'by invite only' CVM training. So my nickname became 'Vic' and her nickname was 'Axe'. It was a running joke throughout the week.

So we also developed another plan. We talked the director of the camp we were staying at for the training in to letting us borrow an 'axe' (yes, I know technically the pictured tool has a different name, but it's all we could get). The last day EVERYONE met in the girls cabin to listen to Dr. Fred Van Gorkom speak. As everyone was settling down I excused myself to go to the bathroom. A short time later Lindsay excused herself to go brush her teeth....lol. So there we were, in the bathroom, conveniently the very room we had stashed the axe. A short while later I let out a scream and throw myself at the wall. Then Lindsay yells, chases me through the cabin (and everyone sitting there), and out the door with the axe. HAHAHAHAHA.... good times!

So who said being a Christian was boring?!


Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. -Psalm 126:2-3

Yes, we did also learn a lot during that week. But our fun helped break up the intensity of it all!