Humble Hospitality

While making a cup of instant coffee at a hotel in Lagos, Nigeria, I was taught a humorous lesson in humble hospitality.

Although Nigeria ranks as the largest economy in Africa, and Lagos is the second largest city on the continent by population, many of the Nigerians I’ve met say people are poor and find it difficult to find economic resources. For example, something as common in the world as a laptop computer, a pastor friend told me that he cannot afford a new laptop and that used ones are in poor shape. When I told him that I often purchase used laptops that Americans practically give away when they go to upgrade (as a way to encourage him that even an American like me will buy used) he said, “But it is not like your country where people put good items in the waste. Here, we receive the bottom of the second hand. Markets will sell a laptop with a cracked screen for almost new prices.”

Nigerians have a vision for economic progress, but it is still difficult to acquire the resources necessary for that progress.

This brings me to my lesson in humble hospitality.

I went for the hot water pot in the hotel room. I saw that it was unplugged and I reached for the plug. I first noticed that a wall outlet is nowhere near the position of the pot. To power it, I must take it to the corner of the room and place it on the floor. To my surprise, it was a two prong European style and not the three prong European style that is the standard in Nigeria. This is a problem because the wall outlets in the room are the three prong style. There is absolutely no way to use this hot pot! Why is it in the room? Why would the hotel staff place a useless gadget in my room with an empty coffee cup and saucer beside it? Just to tempt me!?

They did it because I am their guest and as such they want me to feel welcome. They know I come from America and that I might be accustomed to coffee service. They want me to feel welcome and let me know they are thinking of my needs.

“But what about the power issue?”, you might be thinking. Good intentions don’t excuse poor results, as we might demand in America. That’s were the humble hospitality comes in.

The hotel staff doesn’t know it, but I carry a universal power adapter. Once I located the three prong power plug near the floor, then, after I stopped complaining to myself, I remembered the adapter. And just like that I can heat my water and use a packet of instant coffee I had saved in my bag (I forgot to mention there was no coffee pack in the room!).

My experience with Nigerians is that they want to make visitors feel welcome and will provide the best items they can acquire even when the presentation is not complete. As I watched the Nigerian Christians during my conference, I’ve observed that they will provide as much as they can, in the best condition they can, and trust that God will provide the rest when needed.

A seemingly ill-chosen hot pot is the proof. A Nigerian provided me the best he had at the moment: a clean coffee cup and a water heater in working condition. He left the rest to God and God so ordained that a week ago I would pack a power adapter and (get this!) that this morning I would receive an extra instant coffee pack from someone else and I would *just so happen* to place the pack in my bag not knowing if I would use it today.

To greet a guest well, we do not need to stress or go into debt to impress. We offer our sincere best and trust that God will honor our sincerity. Even if the hotel workers are not Christian, they are serving people and serving people is a character trait that flows from God. (For even an atheist who loves his neighbor reflects a part of the image of God in whose image he was created.) The hotel did their best and God took care of the rest.

#FaithJoyGo #Trust #loveneighbor

WhatsApp Angel

Our bags were lost now they are found. Three days after we landed a miracle happened!

Yesterday, I (Evan) spent over four hours contacting four airlines and waiting on hold to be told by customer service agents that our lost bags weren’t their problem and it was the fault of another airline.

Our flight out of New York was the third change for that flight due to Covid test delays and nasty winter weather. After a rush across New York City on the train, Autumn, the kids and I made it to JFK just before boarding closed for the rebooked flight. Our bags were tagged but didn’t make it on board before the doors closed. Just before take off, I received an alert on the airline app that the bags were rebooked on three different flights that would take them from West to East Africa expected to arrive in Tanzania three days after we did.

The baggage tracking system was great until the bags landed in Ghana at which point they went off the radar of the first airline. Maybe the scheduled flight plan would hold, but the last scheduled flight for Monday showed as cancelled on that airline website. I assumed the worst. Certainly, all our belongings were lost in the middle of Africa.

After the customer service agent hung up on me, refusing to help locate the bags, I was frustrated, fearful, tired, and mad! I was mad at airlines, mad at Africa, mad at myself and mad at God. This was just enough proof that coming to Africa was a mistake. Like how the Israelites of the Exodus complained to Moses, “Why did you bring us to the desert to die? We could have done that more comfortably back in Egypt! Some rescue plan this turned out to be!”

I huffed and pouted around the kitchen, growling at the children as they enjoyed the rainy weather and started a dance party when the power went out.

My wise and caring wife, guided me into the dark living room and gathered the children around. She explained to us all that although we don’t know where our bags are, our God above surely does. She asked Jonathan to lead a prayer and with a child like faith he led a simple prayer, “Jesus, please help Dad and find our bags.”

“Pfft! Sure. Whatever”, I thought.

Sure. God “could” find our bags, but how is he going to contact me? The airline didn’t take my information before they rebooked the bags. If bags can get lost in American airports, then what chance do they have in African airports?

About an hour after Jonathan prayed, I was laying in bed and a WhatsApp message from an unknown number appeared.

Mystery Person: hi
Mystery Person: steve kilimanjaro airport
Me: hello
Mystery Person: Did you missed ur bags?

(actual conversation)

I went on to describe the bags and the mystery person asked where I was staying and said someone would deliver them first thing in the morning.

I stared at my phone in absolute shock and wonder.
God answered Jonathan’s prayer through WhatsApp. The bags arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport on schedule according to the first rebooking even though the final airline’s website showed that last leg of the flight was cancelled.

I don’t know how the mystery person found my number. My US phone number, mind you, which he just happened to try on WhatsApp.

As if He was sitting beside me with a big smile on His face, God said, “You spent four hours of phone calls, days of worry, all that anger, and you couldn’t find your bags. Why didn’t you just ask me first. I like finding stuff for my kids.”

After I finished the message with this WhatsApp angel, I did what I should have done at the beginning. Praise God. “You can’t praise God and worry at the same time” (Autumn Stewart). It’s not possible. In the dark, I listened to praise music and danced like no one was watching.

Come on now! The most sophisticated airlines in the world, with all their planning technology, couldn’t locate my bags in their own systems. But God. Oh, but God! God, used a person at Kilimanjaro Airport with a WhatsApp account to tell me my bags were found. This morning, before the sun had fully risen, a man in a van arrived at my house to deliver my bags.

The preparations for this second trip to Tanzania was particularly hard for me. I resisted coming. I kept making excuses and stalling. I started the trip with dread as my vision. Something bad was going to happen and the lost bags were the clear sign of my self predicted future. My heart was full of fear in America and it took a trip to Africa for me to finally accept that the safest place to be is right in the middle of God’s will.

Jesus once said to a crowd, “Why do you all worry so easily? Can worry do anything to change tomorrow? Worry isn’t a super power. Look at the animals in the wild. They never worry because God gives them everything they need when they need it. You are so much more important and valuable to God than the most majestic bird or the most beautiful flower. Seek the Kingdom of God on purpose today and God will give you everything you need today, tomorrow, and after that.” (see Matthew 6)

Jesus wasn’t only talking to a crowd long ago. He’s talking to me and you too.

Tanzania Again?

Howdy friends!

We’ve been keeping updates on our Facebook page, but I forgot to add them to the website. I apologize if you’ve been out of the loop.

The Stewart crew is heading back to Moshi, Tanzania. We will arrive early February 2022 and stay for three months.

This time, we are partnering with our good friends at the Binti Project. This beautiful project is a bridge of hope to Tanzanian women who feel trapped in the darkness of the sex trade. The Binti Project provides a safe place for women to rest and recover, to receive spiritual life and renewal and to learn basic job skills to help them succeed in a life after prostitution.

Autumn will assist with marketing ideas to allow the women to sell the products they create as they learn new skills like sewing, beading, and other forms of crafts-womanship. Evan will assist with IT support for the on campus staff and teach weekly Bible studies and devotions for the students and staff.

We met the team leaders, Vince and Vicki Welch, when we lived in Moshi during 2019. We love the project they started years ago and we love their vision to create a Tanzanian led Binti Project.

We’ve committed to a three month partnership and, by God’s provision and support of friends, we were able to raise the funds necessary to complete this short term stay.

Follow us on Facebook to see more current updates of our journey (and also stay tuned here for updates).

Also, check out this video from the Binti Project to learn more of this life saving ministry.