the only good writing is re-writing.... :)

Now if I can only remember my Trainer's Word, then I can keep my balance and actually inch forward..... (vance over a barrel)...

6/28/08

Yesterday was instructive. Some stress with editing, visions, and re-visions. The work isn’t yet done. But my course is different than any of the others. The other authors are doing their opinion of evangelizing to an Arab culture and selling it to the Chinese m-worker; or theology, or missiology, with one culture’s Bible being the same as the next. I’m a non-Chinese westerner trying to peddle USA psychology to Chinese missionaries whose answer to everything is scripture. Some of my teaching parables are 20 years out of date due to source info that comes from that era. Some of the teachings on imagery, breathing, journaling, therapy for moral failure, and techniques for money management is just a little too weird for them. A different kettle of fish from the other courses.

At one point the western administrator, who speaks Chinese, had to get me to leave the room so the editors, Chinese missionaries themselves, could feel free to speak without offending me. They have been taught not to contradict "the Teacher". So, once I back in an hour, they were all smiles, nodding, happy faces--and a complete revision of many chapters needed. So once I mastered my discouragement and need for complete adulation, I set to work the rest of the day and made some progress with one of their point people. The work as it is will go to the leaders, get new examples from many of their work, and then be woven back together in the fall.

At night, after the evening meal, another author and I took a cab across town to see a local circus. During this crazy 45 minute ride among high rise this or that, between meshing traffic chaoses, my colleague unloaded to the "resident shrink". Member care shows up unannounced in the weirdest places... Anyway, this was like drinking from a fire hose: Years of mistreatment as a worker from various agencies, no recognition for his academic work, summary dismissals, autocratic pronouncements, lack of funding or retirement savings, his whole family of six living out of suitcases for 15 months, cargo containers getting lost between Africa and Europe, psychological ills among himself, his wife and children, physical disabilities, addictions, PTSD from treating AIDS victims, elder care for his mother…. The list didn’t seem to end. I prayed, was empathic, and contained. He is close to my age and sees nothing much good in mission work, God, or his fellow man. sad to see him so unraveled.

I think I could and still can hear our great Enemy laughing. If not a belly laugh, a quiet sneer of contempt. This is no fault of my friend. If in his place I’m not sure I’d be able to rise up and take nourishment. It would be a struggle to put one foot in front of the other. I told him so. In spite of all that we enjoyed the circus—really amazing; http://www.clcircus.chimelong.com/. Reminded me of Cirque du Soleil. I think this kind of resilience, this ability to shift from tragedy to amazement, is the hallmark of not just as survivor, but a thrivor. A merry heart, medicine… you get the picture.

After some further editing work today, a little shopping, and then off to the airport. I leave here at 9 pm and get home at 6:30 pm the same day. Double dipping on Saturdays! Blessings to you all for keeping track of our adventures, growth, and trials. Bye.