Building a mission station is quite an undertaking. You have to have residence for the missionaries, school houses, chapels and other houses. The great problem is materials. When we first came, there was nothing but local material to build from. We built the walls from clay – burnt bricks – and the roofs from straw and wood. The making of bricks was no problem because we had clay and we made wooden molds. The Africans quickly learned how to mold bricks. The problem, however, was laying the bricks, as cement, for mortar, was not available then.
About one hundred miles from our station, the government built a factory to burn sandstone that would serve as mortar to lay the bricks on. We could buy it from them, but transportation was the next problem. We had no wagons or anything to hold the materials. The only available transportation was a donkey. We ended up filling sacks and placing them on the donkey’s back. Much of the material was lost on the way because of the bad sacks we were forced to put it in.
Arriving at the stations we had still another problem. There was not a man in the country who knew how to lay bricks. I often had to tear down what helpers had built up during the day, but I had to be careful, or I would be reprimanded. Sometimes I would do work over at night. My wife would hold up a lantern while I tore it down and rebuilt.
It appears my Grandpa was a bit of a perfectionist, huh? An article written and published about him after he died said that “Revne is further remembered for his careful construction of buildings at the various stations on the field. He loathed sloppy work. Every wall must be straight and plumb.” (C. Christiansen, Nov. 20, 1963, Faith and Fellowship)
I just have to say, “Really, Grandpa... Does every brick have to be placed exactly so? You’re in early, twentieth-century Africa for crying out loud.”
Can you see how we’re different? (Until I read about him, I did think I had some perfectionist tendencies in me, but I will tell you I would never re-lay bricks in the middle of an African night. Not with snakes, bats, tigers and more in the vicinity... And what do I think of my Grandma’s lantern-holding? I think she loved Grandpa very much.)
I’m not exactly sure why, but the statement that Grandpa “loathed sloppy work” makes me smile each time I read it. I think it might be because when you add up all the accomplishments of Grandpa’s life, he almost seems like some sort of super human person to me. Someone I would never measure up to... But he was just a man, with a great and mighty God working through him. His natural tendencies and personality didn’t disappear so he could do God’s work. He worked (and struggled no doubt) with those tendencies and from that personality.
Too often I long to be someone I’m not. Or think I need to be someone I’m not... A little less opinionated, perhaps, or less analytical, or more patient… Not that I shouldn’t try to improve myself, or offer my best to God – but He did make each of us uniquely different. And we bring those personality traits with us when we follow Christ – by design.
I plan to travel to Cameroon in January (Lord willing) where I will see some of the buildings Grandpa built all those years ago. I’ve heard that many have stood the test of time quite well (no surprise there). I know I will smile when I see them...and cry some tears of joy at getting to see them…because that is the way God has wired me.
No comments:
Post a Comment