John Shrader in Zambia Pt 5: Witnessing, Weeping & Wondering

[Marshmallow World]

With this picture they're implying that they live in a hut. :shifty-kitty:

Oh, but doesn't everyone in Africa live in a hut? And hunt lions? And have some sort of voodoo king reigning over the tribe? :roll:

[Handmaiden of Dog]

Going back to the previous meme about the "Chinese Rake $10.00." I was showing my husband this page because he takes an interest in Team Zambia!!! and he pointed out the weirdness of "Chinese Rake." He says that he has heard of the descriptor "Chinese" as in "Chinese Wheelbarrow" used as a modifier meaning cheap. We couldn't find anything on Google about a specific "Chinese rake." If you look at the images all sorts of things come up. Anybody have any idea what a Chinese rake might be?

[gustava]

I thought a Chinese rake was a Chinese man who's a womanizer.

[slickcat79]

With this picture they're implying that they live in a hut. :shifty-kitty:

When in fact, it's not even in Kafue. They took the pic when they went to proselytize the mourners at that funeral in the eastern province.

[happy atheist]

I guess it's a really swanky hut, with a washing machine, and a matching fridge and freezer.

[nastyhobbitses]

When in fact, it's not even in Kafue. They took the pic when they went to proselytize the mourners at that funeral in the eastern province.

Wat. All of my wats. I don't keep up much with the Shraders, but on the list of absolutely tasteless things to do at a funeral, I think "proselytizing to mourners" is right up there with "giving the bereaved a lap dance before taking a selfie with the corpse".

[halcionne]

If John was going to wear that shirt why didn't he take off his tie? It looks even more stupid on him with the tie.

I think that John is really, really, REALLY mad that Rea got control of the Team Zambia website and removed him from it.

He needs the tie. It says "I'M A PREACHER, RESPECT ME!!!!"

[Peas n carrots]

That photo makes me facepalm. Why oh why give out the names and birth dates of all your kids? And John looks stupid wearing the shirt and tie under his top.

[salex]

That photo makes me facepalm. Why oh why give out the names and birth dates of all your kids? And John looks stupid wearing the shirt and tie under his top.

So that his leghumpers supporters can send birthday gifts to each child, and to prove his consistent fecundity, of course.

And I have no real heartburn with them wearing local clothing (i'm big on when in rome, etc) but the shirt and tie underneath, unless that is common, is stupid. Plus, their bad fundie habit of making sure they all match in the picture is annoying.

[nastyhobbitses]

So that his leghumpers supporters can send birthday gifts to each child, and to prove his consistent fecundity, of course.

And I have no real heartburn with them wearing local clothing (i'm big on when in rome, etc) but the shirt and tie underneath, unless that is common, is stupid. Plus, their bad fundie habit of making sure they all match in the picture is annoying.

At least the girls' dresses are pretty. And I'm not sure if the shirt and tie under the traditional shirt is a thing in southern Africa, but I do hope that they patronized a local tailor or clothing seller for those clothes; the least they can do is bring some money into the local economy (and tailoring/bespoke clothing in many parts of Africa can be very reasonably priced).

[nastyhobbitses]

They may be legit names. My daughter ran into a few people with similar kinds of names in Ghana. There was a Pope named Innocent.

Sorry to double post, but in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, it's common for people to have these kinds of names. The former prime minister of Nigeria is named Goodluck Jonathan and his wife is named Patience, for instance. There's also the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novel series (which takes place in Botswana), in which the main character is named Precious Ramotswe. I think it's a combination of attributive names being common in local languages (I knew a girl in college whose family was from Nigeria, and her name meant "she will be loved and pampered" in Yoruba) and holdovers from the more old-style Christianity that missionaries brought (look at the manifests of ships like the Mayflower, where people were named things like Remember or Wrestling). Heck, John named one of his kids Agape, which is the Greek term for sacrificial love, usually in reference to Jesus's love for mankind. And our very own Barack Obama's first name means Blessing in Arabic.

So I wouldn't be at all surprised if John was running into people named Innocent, Blessing, Precious, Goodluck, God's Gift, or Sunday; it's just a cultural thing.

[slickcat79]

At least the girls' dresses are pretty. And I'm not sure if the shirt and tie under the traditional shirt is a thing in southern Africa, but I do hope that they patronized a local tailor or clothing seller for those clothes; the least they can do is bring some money into the local economy (and tailoring/bespoke clothing in many parts of Africa can be very reasonably priced).

He probably ordered them from Etsy and had someone else ship them over :lol:

I mean, I'm laughing but...it could easily be true :|

[turquoise]

I think it's a combination of attributive names being common in local languages (I knew a girl in college whose family was from Nigeria, and her name meant "she will be loved and pampered" in Yoruba) and holdovers from the more old-style Christianity that missionaries brought (look at the manifests of ships like the Mayflower, where people were named things like Remember or Wrestling). Heck, John named one of his kids Agape, which is the Greek term for sacrificial love, usually in reference to Jesus's love for mankind. And our very own Barack Obama's first name means Blessing in Arabic.

So I wouldn't be at all surprised if John was running into people named Innocent, Blessing, Precious, Goodluck, God's Gift, or Sunday; it's just a cultural thing.

U.S college basketball fans might remember a player at St. John's a few years ago who was named God's Gift Achiuwa. I'm not sure if he ever made it to the NBA or not. His siblings are named Promise, God's Will, Precious, Grace and Peace. His family is from Nigeria.

baconsports.com/our-new-favorite-basketball-player-gods-gift-achiuwa/

[SPHASH]

Who the hell digs dirt wearing a tie?

[DarkAnts]

Who the hell digs dirt wearing a tie?

Someone who is not doing the real manual labor.

[salex]

At least the girls' dresses are pretty. And I'm not sure if the shirt and tie under the traditional shirt is a thing in southern Africa, but I do hope that they patronized a local tailor or clothing seller for those clothes; the least they can do is bring some money into the local economy (and tailoring/bespoke clothing in many parts of Africa can be very reasonably priced).

In the comments he says they "befriended a tailor" who "Gave them an awesome deal" which they needed since they are moving house because of the demon landlady....

[Peas n carrots]

So that his leghumpers supporters can send birthday gifts to each child, and to prove his consistent fecundity, of course.

And I have no real heartburn with them wearing local clothing (i'm big on when in rome, etc) but the shirt and tie underneath, unless that is common, is stupid. Plus, their bad fundie habit of making sure they all match in the picture is annoying.

Silly me for assuming people would want to protect their children from perverts and ID theft! We are talking about Shraderfreud...

[HerNameIsBuffy]

Wat. All of my wats. I don't keep up much with the Shraders, but on the list of absolutely tasteless things to do at a funeral, I think "proselytizing to mourners" is right up there with "giving the bereaved a lap dance before taking a selfie with the corpse".

One more to add to your list: bitchy neighbor who never liked your family recently became a realtor and hands you her card as you're walking into the sanctuary for your mom's funeral...because she knows we want the house sold by someone who 'cares about the integrity of the neighborhood.'

And is it me or is Stephen photoshopped onto that pic? If not how is he being held? He looks like he's levitating in mid air which I'm pretty sure violated some tenant of their faith.

[SPHASH]

One more to add to your list: bitchy neighbor who never liked your family recently became a realtor and hands you her card as you're walking into the sanctuary for your mom's funeral...because she knows we want the house sold by someone who 'cares about the integrity of the neighborhood.'

A few days after my grandma's funeral the pastor who officiated called my dad and asked if he would be willing to sell her mobile home to a family who needed a larger place to live. Ugh! Dad hadn't even filed for probate yet.

[church_of_dog]

One more to add to your list: bitchy neighbor who never liked your family recently became a realtor and hands you her card as you're walking into the sanctuary for your mom's funeral...because she knows we want the house sold by someone who 'cares about the integrity of the neighborhood.'

And is it me or is Stephen photoshopped onto that pic? If not how is he being held? He looks like he's levitating in mid air which I'm pretty sure violated some tenant of their faith.

It looks to me like he's half sitting, half-standing in Esther's lap. I do agree it looks odd, but I think it's because all the different people wearing the same fabric has made it hard to tell where one person ends and the other starts... :snooty:

[formergothardite]

John has written a long post called:

Package Problems Provide Practical Potential for Producing Patience!

:roll:

Basically a package he had shipped from China got lost so no one in America needs to whine about waiting in long lines because things are harder for him. They don't even have good parking in Zambia.

Someone suggested he offer the people in charge a Bible as a gift because they will totally work to find his lost package. :cray-cray:

[halcionne]

I'll bet it took him all day to come up with that alliteration. All in a hard day's work!

[happy atheist]

Winning the Zambian Print Ministry Wars is our newest post count title! :dance:

[Peas n carrots]

John has written a long post called:

:roll:

Basically a package he had shipped from China got lost so no one in America needs to whine about waiting in long lines because things are harder for him. They don't even have good parking in Zambia.

Someone suggested he offer the people in charge a Bible as a gift because they will totally work to find his lost package. :cray-cray:

I'm still gobsmacked by the fact their standard of living is actually BETTER in Zambia but all he does is bitch.

[slickcat79]

John has written a long post called:

:roll:

Basically a package he had shipped from China got lost so no one in America needs to whine about waiting in long lines because things are harder for him. They don't even have good parking in Zambia.

Someone suggested he offer the people in charge a Bible as a gift because they will totally work to find his lost package. :cray-cray:

I love how he never actually said what was in the package. You know it was something completely useless...if it were actually "ministry materials" he would bring it up, just to show how hard it is to get his work done :roll: