Alida Sharp

I "met" Alida early on when I was first begin looking to connect with other Pastor Wives (that was nearly three yrs ago). She was actually one of the first african american pastors wife I knew of with a blog besides moi!  Over the years we have "talked" a lot, prayed for one another and I'm hoping the day will come (soon) that we will actually get to meet in person! Alida amazes me with her strength and the endurance it must take to live out the life of a missionary and wife. I'm not sure if I could do it, but through her blog I have gained a new respect and appreciation for missions and those who dedicate their life to it! Tom and Alida served for five years on the mission field in Russia. They moved there with their two sons, teenagers at the time, to work in the area of Christian Recovery. Tom was able to train prison psychologists, pastors, and lay people to work with addicts and alcoholics. He also counseled people on various things such as family life, marriage, grief, parenting and healing childhood trauma. Alida served as his translator during counseling sessions, as part of the leadership team for MOPS at their local church, ran a women's recovery support group and sang on the worship team. After five years in Russia they are currently serving in Central America in the country of Belize.

 In the early days of our life in Russia I was petrified. I was afraid of making a mistake. I was afraid of the police. We had heard such horror stories about the Russian police, corruption and the old Soviet gulags. I was afraid of something happening to one of my sons. I was afraid of offending people at church or unknowingly insulting one of our neighbors by using the wrong word or pronouncing something wrong. I was afraid of not being able to understand or of not being understood. I was afraid of being laughed at, yelled at or ridiculed or taken advantage of. I was even afraid that we had heard God wrong and that perhaps we should have stayed in California. And for a long time I was so afraid to speak.

Anything that we did or said required advanced planning. Even something as simple as asking for something at the meat counter in the supermarket required me to think. I had to think “what is the word for beef?” “How do I ask her to grind it for me?” I had to give myself reminders to use the polite form of the word ‘you’ and so on. In those early days as we were acquiring language skills and growing in our cultural awareness there was so much to process. And it wouldn’t you know it but the more we learned it actually got harder. Once I knew that there were multiple ways to ask or state my opinion I wondered which was best for reflecting me. Am I saying it in a way that truly expresses what I mean and who I am? I even remember thinking that if I struggle so much with asking for an item at the deli counter how will I ever be able to share my testimony?

Thinking before speaking was an acquired trait for me. But it was a trait worth learning… a trait worth meditating on. You know what I mean? Go ahead and ask yourself “How often do I speak words that are just off the top of my head?” “Do I make flippant comments in an attempt to be funny?” “Do I truly take the time to think about what my opinion really is?” And lastly “What is the best way to express my opinion in a godly manner?” There are many lessons that God taught me in Russia, but this one, the value of words well spoken… truly struck at the core of my being. And it continues to stretch me as I step out of my comfort zone here in Belize to give a sermon at church, or a lesson on purity in a high school or speak at a Women’s event on the spiritual needs of those who have been sexually abused or affected by commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. There is not a language barrier here but I have an American accent that makes it hard for some people to understand my words. So I have to slow down, think how best to say it and then speak. 

And I wonder… how often does God have to do this with me?