I read quite a while ago an account of how the Americans had spent a lot of time, effort and money on researching the manufacture of a pen that could be used up in space - and then discovered that the Russians used pencils!
Eugene (the missionary we support in Mocambique) was telling us how well the Ndau version of the Jesus Film was being received and understood in the region in which he ministers (compared to the Shona version - Shona being a related language). After a showing of the film and time of ministry with the leaders in the area, one man expressed his desire to give his life to the Lord but said that he was in the process of taking a third wife, and wanted to know how this would affect his decision. Eugene asked why he was acquiring another wife, to which he replied that his first wife was getting old, his second wife had children, and so he needed another wife to work in the fields. Eugene then asked why he didn't just hire a worker - to which there was a stunned silence. And then the elders started laughing - and then Eugene said he 'clicked', and expressed what was not being said by the others: it wasn't about having someone to work in the fields - it was about having sex. Typical fallen humanity - trying to cover up the real issue at hand with something that seems more acceptable or reasonable.
I learned the other day that donkeys are very territorial and will defend their territory and all that is connected to it 'viciously'. Thus, one of the cheapest and most effective ways of defending one's sheep from predators like caracal or jackal is to have a donkey with the flock. Some farmers put out dogfood pellets for the jackal - which helps of course to prevent them from tring to feed off the flock. And this is better than shooting them out - which in turn would cause an increase in caracal attacks, because the caracal prey on the jackal. A seemingly simple way of keeping the balance and succeeding in a farming venture.
Another agricultural 'trick' - this time with a pest like the stalk-borer that is the bane of any mealie farmer's life - is to use a sort of 'push-pull' system, in which a plant which repels stalk-borer is planted between the rows of mealies, and a plant that would attract stalk-borer is planted on the perimeter. The mealies are happy, the stalk-borers are happy, and of course the farmer is happy - and the consumers would also be happy to not pay for imported maize.
Have we become so technically minded that we are no longer able to think of simple solutions?
Do we, perhaps, imagine that the simple solutions are not good enough - much like the lady who asked if she wanted a local anaesthetic before having her tooth filled said indignantly that she would prefer the international kind!? Do we think that we have to go to great expense in our endeavours to overcome difficulties in life? With all the visual media and aids to understanding that are available to us - are we perhaps forgetting how to really think? I wonder!
Eugene (the missionary we support in Mocambique) was telling us how well the Ndau version of the Jesus Film was being received and understood in the region in which he ministers (compared to the Shona version - Shona being a related language). After a showing of the film and time of ministry with the leaders in the area, one man expressed his desire to give his life to the Lord but said that he was in the process of taking a third wife, and wanted to know how this would affect his decision. Eugene asked why he was acquiring another wife, to which he replied that his first wife was getting old, his second wife had children, and so he needed another wife to work in the fields. Eugene then asked why he didn't just hire a worker - to which there was a stunned silence. And then the elders started laughing - and then Eugene said he 'clicked', and expressed what was not being said by the others: it wasn't about having someone to work in the fields - it was about having sex. Typical fallen humanity - trying to cover up the real issue at hand with something that seems more acceptable or reasonable.
I learned the other day that donkeys are very territorial and will defend their territory and all that is connected to it 'viciously'. Thus, one of the cheapest and most effective ways of defending one's sheep from predators like caracal or jackal is to have a donkey with the flock. Some farmers put out dogfood pellets for the jackal - which helps of course to prevent them from tring to feed off the flock. And this is better than shooting them out - which in turn would cause an increase in caracal attacks, because the caracal prey on the jackal. A seemingly simple way of keeping the balance and succeeding in a farming venture.
Another agricultural 'trick' - this time with a pest like the stalk-borer that is the bane of any mealie farmer's life - is to use a sort of 'push-pull' system, in which a plant which repels stalk-borer is planted between the rows of mealies, and a plant that would attract stalk-borer is planted on the perimeter. The mealies are happy, the stalk-borers are happy, and of course the farmer is happy - and the consumers would also be happy to not pay for imported maize.
Have we become so technically minded that we are no longer able to think of simple solutions?
Do we, perhaps, imagine that the simple solutions are not good enough - much like the lady who asked if she wanted a local anaesthetic before having her tooth filled said indignantly that she would prefer the international kind!? Do we think that we have to go to great expense in our endeavours to overcome difficulties in life? With all the visual media and aids to understanding that are available to us - are we perhaps forgetting how to really think? I wonder!
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