So, it was almost a year and a half ago that I got back from Africa. I had been in Central Africa for two years, the countries in which I spent my time being Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. I was there serving a two year, full time, religious mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I loved my time there incredibly. It was a great blessing to me, and has changed my life in many ways, ways that I'm still learning about even now. I kept a journal for those two years ( . . .well, I did my best. There are some gaps), and the memories that these hastily written pages bring me are precious and valuable. However, due to time constraints I've found those entries, mostly of the form "Today I did this, and this, and this, the end" to lack much of the insight I'd received, as well as actual detail of what happened. For these reasons, I've decided to do something like a "Second Revision" of my journals. Hence, this blog. I'm not too positive how it will all be organized yet, whether each post will be a period of time, or story of people, or just a general theme that I've noticed. Actually, odds are it will be a mixture of everything. I have no idea how often I will update, or what the general length of each post will be. We'll just discover that as it comes along.
Anyway, I'm going to go back and start digging through my Journals to figure out where to begin.
Enjoy the trip.
-Henry Lisowski
Disclaimer:
1) Names. For the sake of privacy, the only 'real' name that will appear in this blog is my own. This is so I can feel free to explain what happened, and go into detail, without worrying about denying people their privacy. I will keep recurring names consistent, but once again, they won't be the person's actual name.
2) I'm not going to go to great (or really any) efforts to be "Politically Correct". Things such as skin color will be addressed openly and without bias because, simply, it's not a big deal in Africa. Talking about skin color was not taboo. It was done as freely and frequently as eye color, hair colour, body size, etc. Talking about skin color is not racism. It's racism when you use someone's skin color as a basis for hate, mistrust, judgement, praise, glory, or exoneration. Often we would sit down with people and they would joke back and forth with us about skin color. They didn't mind being called black, and we didn't mind being called white. I am not going to exclude these conversations for fear of being labeled 'racist'. I was born and raised just next to Toronto, Canada. As far as I could tell, there was no such thing as a minority. My friends and I in school took pride in the fact that each of use had ties from completely different Countries. We'd sit down and try and figure out how much of the globe we covered. Every single family in my home ward came from different backgrounds. There was nothing that made me happier then, when I first got home from Africa, going to Church and hearing each talk, testimony, or conversation held in a different accent. At times throughout the course of this blog there will be some encounters with racism. I will address them as such. If I don't, I'm not being racist.
3) A lot of people don't agree with the concept of a Religious Mission. Going around and preaching the gospel to people is considered by some to be obtrusive, obnoxious, annoying, and inconsiderate. How dare they impose themselves on me, and try and force me to believe what they do, when clearly I don't want it? I used to have feelings in that regard. That was one of the greatest struggles of my mission; going out and talking to people. I figured if they were interested they should ask, otherwise I shouldn't bother them. I was wrong. When you have something precious and wonderful, a knowledge of something that brings you great joy, then that joy is something you want to make others aware of, so they know how to receive it too. We do not force people to accept anything. All we do is simply try to let people know that these teachings are there, that it exists and can make them happy. We try and make them aware of things they did not yet know, and at that point allow them to choose for themselves whether or not to accept it. Simple as that.
4) After hearing about my mission, many people would ask why I was going there to teach Religion. The concern being, why are we pushing religion on them when they clearly need more temporally-based help, such as building schools or homes, or helping provide food and water. First of all, there are missionaries there that are called to serve for that exact purpose. They spend years looking for ways to help the people with home, water, food, whatever, and then organizing ways to do it. You will catch glimpses of these efforts every once in a while, as I've been witness to a few, and played part in a few. Not only that, but we were encouraged, wherever we were, to offer English classes free of charge. However, my mission, and thus this blog, was focused on teaching the gospel, which was just as important. Almost everyone we met was in poor conditions, and seemed to have no way out. Though we did not have the resources to help each and every person out of their poverty, we did still have the means to help them live happier, fuller lives. I have met people who were in the direst of circumstances, who were miserable beyond belief. But, as we taught them, and as they accepted and put into practice the things we taught, I've seen their lives changed. Their problems were not fixed, they were still there. They struggled from day to day. But I watched as their burdens were lightened, their hearts softened, and their joy increased. Many of them are still in the same circumstances they were before. But they are generally happy, and their lives have been changed. Almost all of them proclaim how the Gospel has helped them in ways no other Humanitarian Aid can. I in no way mean to diminish the importance of Humanitarian Aid. Just to point out it's not the only important step.
I might add to this list as I see fit.
A Year or Two In Africa
