Two days ago, I absentmindedly left the door to my apartment open as I came up to eat dinner and TJ was finishing up his night with Los Pescadores. In the span of an hour, my laptop was stolen. I really thought I was dreaming at first when I realized it was gone, but unfortunately it was absolutely true. TJ spent the majority of yesterday running around town talking to kids and other Dominicans to hopefully track down the culprits. As Holly says, a Dominican pastime is gossip- and everybody knows everything about everyone in this small town. Sure enough, when TJ offered a reward to whomever could retrieve the laptop, little kids were running all around town searching for the missing "La Manzana" as they call my Apple computer.
As of now, there are several different groups of kids that claim several different people are responsible. It is difficult to know who is telling the truth- and what's more, it is nearly impossible to get the kids to tell where it is. No amount of money or bribery seems to get them to break, these kids really don't understand. They cannot even imagine $30, let alone a few thousand for a computer. Even the people who have the computer stores in town have never even seen a computer like mine. The kids will literally never be able to do ANYTHING with my computer. They live in homes with dirt floors and no power and no way to be able to charge it or use the internet, let alone even know how to turn it on. It is purely for the thrill of it all, which is what makes it so difficult for me. It is difficult to know that my computer will sit somewhere, unable to be used by 10 year old Dominican children while it posseses the pictures and papers and other personal things that have filled it for the past three years.
However, in reality it has nothing to do with the money and everything to do with the memories. I feel violated and attacked and it is frustrating to me that I am even upset in the first place. I wish I could just brush it off and not care- but it is much more difficult than that.
I learned in school about the disenchantment stage of culture shock- i think this must be part of it- Thanks Dr. Roper
Please pray that God eases my frustration and anger with these children. I came here to serve and I don't want Satan to use something like this to harden my heart.
3 comments:
I am so sorry Mickey.
I would be mad and frustrated if I was in your position, without my computer. And talking about Satan hardening your heart, you're right. I think this is a way for Satan to derail your mission and drive your focus away from Jesus. From reading this alone, it seems to me that you may be able to relate to the beginning of Job.
...<6 One day the angels [a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan [b] also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.">
Maybe a few parts of this excerpt speak to you. In your case maybe the Lord said to Satan "Have you considered my servant Mickey? ...she is blameless and upright..."
I really am frustrated for you. I also want to encourage you. Know that peace will come, I will continue praying for you and I hope you will have confidence that you will be able to reach some souls even without your computer.
You are amazing and I love you Mickey.
Doodle-
Of course by now, we know that your computer was found! THere are very few things that are more exhilarating than finding something that was lost! God is soooooo good and he answered our prayers! Satan loses! Yeah!!!!!!
Thank you, God for answering our prayers and returning her laptop. I pray that she will continue to use it for YOUR Glory, Lord!!
Now, we need to pray for the one/ones that stole it, that God works on their hearts.
You are doing a great job, Mickey Doodle Page McCloud!!! I love, Love, LOVE, YOuuuuuuuU!!
LoveU4ever!
mom
oh mickey! i miss you more than you know and i think about you all the time! i'm always sending you good and happy thoughts :) i'm sure you're making a giant impression there with your positive messages and incredible smile! well i'm sure you're turning all shades of gorgeous, but i just wanted to stop and tell you that i LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU! and i can't wait for you to come home and spill all your stories to me!!!!!!
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