Big Schmuck

As a general rule, cats are poorly treated in Cyprus. Maybe it's because they are an epidemic - literally hundreds of cats roam the streets here. The vast majority of them are skinny, diseased, and abused. They do not come to people, they are afraid when people approach because of past experiences, they are not even pleasant to look at. Except Big Schmuck. One girl here, Amber, loves cats. And she found Big Schmuk - a fat, white haired Persian who would let himself be petted, and even let us pick him up. Until one day... one day we went to visit Big Schmuck and he was different. He cowered at our approach, wouldn't let us come near; he was afraid. We knew that something had happened to him, something unkind, something to change the way he viewed people, something bad. It was so sad because we knew the before version of Big Schmuck - he's not just another Cypriot nasty cat - he was our friend. And I got to thinking about people - in one way or another we're all Big Schmucks. Unkind and bad experiences have molded us to be different than we were intended to be. The difference is some are so long ago that no one knows the "before" versions of us; sometimes not even ourselves. So I got to talking to God about it, and reflected on some of the places I've been hurt in my life that I've let shape who I am. The not for the better kind of shaping - the hardening, the wariness, the defenses. So as I thought about how I would be without all of these walls, I said to God "Wow... I was supposed to be amazing." He answered me about all peoples everywhere "Yeah, you all were." Our wounds and deep hurts and subsuquent defences were not His idea. They are the result of fallible hurt people redoing what has done unto them. They are the result of sin. We are not only the victims but the perpetraitors. Often not intentionally - I believe the majority of people do the best they can with what they have, we are all wounded and unable sometimes. We have all hurt one another when we've been in these places. The great news of the message of Jesus is restoration. No matter where you are or what brought you there, He wants you back. We don't have to live there forever. Here I am learning about recognizing wounds, forgiveness, and freedom... hope to learn. I want to love better than I do in the season and not just after it's done. I wish with hope the same for all of you. We can't escape being broken sometimes... the good news is that there is a Healer. For all peoples everywhere - yes - you too.

Pics this week are from last weekend's trip to Larnaca - we ate Mez-ay (? for spelling) which means a whole whack of food; couscous, beans, lamb, beef, pork, chicken, salad, fried cheese, yogurt, etc. etc. Then we did Meze ice cream for dessert - getting ourselves fattened up for India:)

Forbidden fruit etc...

Right now I'm sitting in the kitchen, just finishing the topping for a happy birthday cheesecake. Freshly picked mandarine oranges from a tree just down the street. In fact, I've been picking oranges from this tree all week - they've been amazing. And to be honest, simmering with a little cinnamon, allspice, and brown sugar, they smell pretty good too. Well, they're forbidden oranges... I found out today that the tree I've raided all week belongs to someone. Without knowing it, I've stolen them. It's not that I didn't wonder about the tree - it's a beauty and heavy laden, and I marvelled that it would be in this alley. But mid-pick today the owner returned to his house (the house this alley is beside) and was understandably upset. "It's ok," he said "but you should have asked." And the truth is, if I'd have stopped to think about this well taken care of tree in an alley...adjacent to a house...I would have suspected it belonged to someone. This was the second bust of the week... the first was Thursday night when a local missionary let our small group (6 of us) come to his house to play games. Well, one of those games ended up being Mennonite Madness (many of you are smiling from our good mems and understanding, aren't cha?:)) leading the neighbours to believe that someone was being assaulted, which led to the police arriving to see what the matter was. Our friend arrived home at the same time and had to explain that it was just a bunch of psycho foreigners screaming bloody murder trying to get the pen. Sigh... do you know what has annoyed me more than anything this last week? Inconsiderate people... everyone's epidemic in close quarter living. Do you know what got me busted twice this week? Being inconsiderate. Both times I was just enjoying life and never stopped to ask or consider the literal neighbours. Yikes... how many times have I been selfishishly unaware and not gotten busted? (I'm sure some of you are tempted to take this opportunity, eh?:))Oh, and here are some pics from our last weekend trip to Paphos - the first time I've ever been to a biblical city. And I know the pics don't reflect it - but 5 days a week really are intense:) Oh - and a very happy birthday to you, Lynn! I love you very much!

Feels like summer, looks like fall

This last weekend, 6 of us headed to Troodos to do a little hiking... it really was beautiful. We spent Saturday on a couple of different trails (and one crazy off-roading experience through a terraced grape, nectarine, apple orchard- despite the pic I'm posting, I wasn't the driver for this one:)) We went to the top of Mt. Olympous which was a really funny tourist experience - a major tourist site - the highest point in Cyprus- surrounded by military bases, so you can't really take pictures of the view - but it's amazing! We slept under the stars that night, roasted marshmallows, and ate copious amounts of nuts from a multitude of vendors. It was here amidst people who a month ago were strangers that I was remided of... me. I love this kind of stuff - trekking, camping out, wearing a toque to bed, eating nuts for breakfast. In every country and place, with whoever - this is me. I love the little tidbits of life that remind us who we are - whether it's to break up the mundane of normality or provide connection in a world that is totally unfamiliar. It was wonderful refreshing weekend... enjoy the pics. A fall scene, the Canadian girls, the 6 of us, and scenes from the hike - the mediterrainian sea in the background of the mountain shot:) Finally got an internet connection that lasted long enough to post pics - YAY!