Tonight I finally started going through my journal from Africa. My plan was to make a list of the lessons I had learned over the summer in order to write that "concluding post" I had talked about earlier. However, I got to the end of May and realized that my list was quickly filling up already! I was pleased to bits to see how often God had spoken to me over the summer, but I could only wonder "How am I going to write about ALL of this in one post??"
So this is my plan. This blog is going to continue for awhile longer. That wasn't the original plan--it was only supposed to record my journey while IN Africa. But there are things that I feel like I NEED to share with everyone! And what better way to do that then to go through, day by day, lesson by lesson, and write about them on my blog?
I'm really excited about this because it means that I'll get to spend even more time reflecting on the lessons God has been teaching me. I hope that by being in constant review of them they'll become sweet to my soul once more and help me grow deeper in my faith.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
A Reposting
I just saw this post on the "Seeking the Songhai" blog that I follow! I thought you all might like to read it--I know I enjoyed it! If you'd like to keep up with the missionaries me and Emily stayed with this summer, you can read their blog too! It's... http://seekingthesonghai.blogspot.com/
Ok, read on! :)
----------------------------------------
"God's Sheep Hear His Voice"
If you've sat through our on-field orientation then you are familiar with the title of this blog. Our ministry philosophy is summed up in two presuppositions:
1) God's sheep hear His voice
2) Wide sowing equals wide reaping.
Practically this simply means that we speak the name of Jesus boldly and often in places it's never been spoken and to people who've never heard it.
These came about from years of ministry among the Songhai and seeing the same words being received differently. As we shared Christ in a group, there would be 2 who got up and left, 2 who ignored us, and 2 who were acting as if they were hearing the voice of their Father! We shouldn't be surprised by this. In fact, these presuppositions are nothing new and are based on Jesus' parable of the sower. The point is that our job is to share the name of Jesus and trust God for the fruit.
I am writing this after seeing it displayed on two separate occasions in two different villages.
*Sam in Boubon:
We had the first believer in Boubon accept Christ a few weeks before the May Living Hope team came. One of our national partners had led him to Christ and our LH team spent the week discipling him. We were all amazed at how fast he was growing. He is almost 60 years old and he can read. These are two things that separate him from 90% of our other believers. After the team left we got the whole story about Sam.
He told us that around 20 years ago he had some interaction with a Nigerian Christian in Niamey. This man didn't really share his faith with Sam but he did give him a New Testament. So for 20 years Sam has been reading this New Testament but not really understanding it. Then we sent 2 national partners to Boubon to live for 3 months.
As one of them was walking by Sam's house, Sam called out to him and said, "Why are you here?' Our partner was a little worried he'd run across an iman or maribou who wanted to pick a fight. But our partner answered boldly "I've come to tell people about Jesus, the Messiah." Sam's heart leapt as he said, "Please come tell me about him, I've been waiting for 20 years to understand who Jesus is." Sam became a new creation that day.
David in Kouli Kwaara:
We've spent the past week in KK painting a clinic but also sharing in the village. There have been some obvious attacks on our group and our time. Yesterday, our two translators were not able to go out in the village and story so my initial thought was, "Let's just hit the clinic really hard and finish the painting." However, I asked if some of the group wanted to story and they said, "Yes," so off we went. I had seen a group of women and children (since most the men were out farming) and was heading to talk to them. But a man came to us out of his compound and was greeting us.
We went through the typical greetings and I was still planning on going to the women's group when he said, "Wa kokari," which means something like "take courage" or maybe more appropriately "you're really doing something good here." He said, "You need to change the children [this generation] with your message, they need to hear it." I responded that he was right but that he too needed this message.
His eyes sort of lit up and he scurried into his house to produce a mat for us to sit on. He called all his children onto the mat to listen to our story. You could just see each of the words sinking into his heart. When we got towards the end he exclaimed, "I believe, I want Jesus!" This 56 year old man became a new creation yesterday. He said that he would now lead his whole family to find salvation in Jesus as well. He said he'd been waiting for 3 years for someone to explain the story of Jesus to him after receiving a cassette that many years ago.
So why do Sam and David respond to the Gospel when so many others don't? I don't know.
Why did God use the same dream 4 nights in a row to call Ibrahim but not Alassan? I don't know.
I don't know how God's sovereignty and human responsibility work together but that's sort of the way mysteries work: they're mysterious.
But one thing I've learned in 5 years of ministry among the Songhai is that God's sheep hear His voice. The only problem is that there aren't enough people looking for those sheep. How many more have waited 3 years or 20 years for someone to come and tell them about Jesus. Will you be one of the ones to carry the name of Jesus to those who've never heard?
Ok, read on! :)
----------------------------------------
"God's Sheep Hear His Voice"
If you've sat through our on-field orientation then you are familiar with the title of this blog. Our ministry philosophy is summed up in two presuppositions:
1) God's sheep hear His voice
2) Wide sowing equals wide reaping.
Practically this simply means that we speak the name of Jesus boldly and often in places it's never been spoken and to people who've never heard it.
These came about from years of ministry among the Songhai and seeing the same words being received differently. As we shared Christ in a group, there would be 2 who got up and left, 2 who ignored us, and 2 who were acting as if they were hearing the voice of their Father! We shouldn't be surprised by this. In fact, these presuppositions are nothing new and are based on Jesus' parable of the sower. The point is that our job is to share the name of Jesus and trust God for the fruit.
I am writing this after seeing it displayed on two separate occasions in two different villages.
*Sam in Boubon:
We had the first believer in Boubon accept Christ a few weeks before the May Living Hope team came. One of our national partners had led him to Christ and our LH team spent the week discipling him. We were all amazed at how fast he was growing. He is almost 60 years old and he can read. These are two things that separate him from 90% of our other believers. After the team left we got the whole story about Sam.
He told us that around 20 years ago he had some interaction with a Nigerian Christian in Niamey. This man didn't really share his faith with Sam but he did give him a New Testament. So for 20 years Sam has been reading this New Testament but not really understanding it. Then we sent 2 national partners to Boubon to live for 3 months.
As one of them was walking by Sam's house, Sam called out to him and said, "Why are you here?' Our partner was a little worried he'd run across an iman or maribou who wanted to pick a fight. But our partner answered boldly "I've come to tell people about Jesus, the Messiah." Sam's heart leapt as he said, "Please come tell me about him, I've been waiting for 20 years to understand who Jesus is." Sam became a new creation that day.
David in Kouli Kwaara:
We've spent the past week in KK painting a clinic but also sharing in the village. There have been some obvious attacks on our group and our time. Yesterday, our two translators were not able to go out in the village and story so my initial thought was, "Let's just hit the clinic really hard and finish the painting." However, I asked if some of the group wanted to story and they said, "Yes," so off we went. I had seen a group of women and children (since most the men were out farming) and was heading to talk to them. But a man came to us out of his compound and was greeting us.
We went through the typical greetings and I was still planning on going to the women's group when he said, "Wa kokari," which means something like "take courage" or maybe more appropriately "you're really doing something good here." He said, "You need to change the children [this generation] with your message, they need to hear it." I responded that he was right but that he too needed this message.
His eyes sort of lit up and he scurried into his house to produce a mat for us to sit on. He called all his children onto the mat to listen to our story. You could just see each of the words sinking into his heart. When we got towards the end he exclaimed, "I believe, I want Jesus!" This 56 year old man became a new creation yesterday. He said that he would now lead his whole family to find salvation in Jesus as well. He said he'd been waiting for 3 years for someone to explain the story of Jesus to him after receiving a cassette that many years ago.
So why do Sam and David respond to the Gospel when so many others don't? I don't know.
Why did God use the same dream 4 nights in a row to call Ibrahim but not Alassan? I don't know.
I don't know how God's sovereignty and human responsibility work together but that's sort of the way mysteries work: they're mysterious.
But one thing I've learned in 5 years of ministry among the Songhai is that God's sheep hear His voice. The only problem is that there aren't enough people looking for those sheep. How many more have waited 3 years or 20 years for someone to come and tell them about Jesus. Will you be one of the ones to carry the name of Jesus to those who've never heard?
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Sweet Home Kentucky!
I'M BAAAAACK! :)
I've been back in the States for a little over a week now and it's been incredibly bittersweet.
It was so wonderful to arrive at the Louisville Airport Sunday night and be surprised by so many friends that were all anxious to welcome us back with lots of hugs and CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES!! :) And I've so enjoyed getting to spend time with some of my very best friends, catching up on life and eating all the American food I can get my hands on! I loved getting to talk to my Aunt ON THE PHONE--not just over email! And I'm also keeping busy with moving into my new apartment with two of my best friends! Needless to say, I'm really excited about this new change! :)
But I've missed Africa so much. I miss the people mostly... I've already cried my eyes out in my first breakdown, struggled with jet lag, and dealt with many weird experiences and emotions. For instance, I freaked out (in a good way!) the first time I realized I could put dishes in a dishwasher (as opposed to filling up two buckets with soapy water and bleach and scrubbing and drying everything by hand.) I'm not usually so attached to my dishwasher, I promise! Or, there have been many times when people will say things in English to me and I won't comprehend it for a second--it takes a moment to process that I actually understand what they're saying. And of course, thanks to my henna "tattoos", five guys with ear gauges have hit on me since yesterday. Little do they know that I have about ten guys in Africa are expecting me to come back and marry them. The ear gauge men will be sorely disappointed I'm sure. ;)
America is strange. And all these emotions are strange.
But I've missed home. :)
When I talked to my Aunt, she encouraged me to write a follow up of sorts to conclude this blog. I'd really love to share with you all the lessons that I came to learn this summer and just write a little bit about what God has changed in my life.
At the moment, I'm not near my journal (which is key to helping me phrase this last blog post) but I figured I could let you all know that you can be on the lookout for the final post!
Thank you for reading this blog. I hope you realize that by reading this account, you were able to share in one of the most important milestones of my life. (That's a big deal to me!) I love you all and it means the world to me that you cared enough to keep up with my life this summer. I pray that God took my words and made them truly mean something to you...I hope they'll stay in your hearts for a very long time. :)
I've been back in the States for a little over a week now and it's been incredibly bittersweet.
It was so wonderful to arrive at the Louisville Airport Sunday night and be surprised by so many friends that were all anxious to welcome us back with lots of hugs and CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES!! :) And I've so enjoyed getting to spend time with some of my very best friends, catching up on life and eating all the American food I can get my hands on! I loved getting to talk to my Aunt ON THE PHONE--not just over email! And I'm also keeping busy with moving into my new apartment with two of my best friends! Needless to say, I'm really excited about this new change! :)
But I've missed Africa so much. I miss the people mostly... I've already cried my eyes out in my first breakdown, struggled with jet lag, and dealt with many weird experiences and emotions. For instance, I freaked out (in a good way!) the first time I realized I could put dishes in a dishwasher (as opposed to filling up two buckets with soapy water and bleach and scrubbing and drying everything by hand.) I'm not usually so attached to my dishwasher, I promise! Or, there have been many times when people will say things in English to me and I won't comprehend it for a second--it takes a moment to process that I actually understand what they're saying. And of course, thanks to my henna "tattoos", five guys with ear gauges have hit on me since yesterday. Little do they know that I have about ten guys in Africa are expecting me to come back and marry them. The ear gauge men will be sorely disappointed I'm sure. ;)
America is strange. And all these emotions are strange.
But I've missed home. :)
When I talked to my Aunt, she encouraged me to write a follow up of sorts to conclude this blog. I'd really love to share with you all the lessons that I came to learn this summer and just write a little bit about what God has changed in my life.
At the moment, I'm not near my journal (which is key to helping me phrase this last blog post) but I figured I could let you all know that you can be on the lookout for the final post!
Thank you for reading this blog. I hope you realize that by reading this account, you were able to share in one of the most important milestones of my life. (That's a big deal to me!) I love you all and it means the world to me that you cared enough to keep up with my life this summer. I pray that God took my words and made them truly mean something to you...I hope they'll stay in your hearts for a very long time. :)
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
No TIme To Waste!
I don't have much time to write, but I thought I should send a quick update from the other side of the world!
God has blessed us in so many ways over the past week or so, concerning sharing the Gospel with the Songhai. Since we don't have the language capabilities yet, Emily and I have been playing recorded cassettes with the Gospel message in Zarma for groups of women. Some of them seem interested, so please pray that as we finish our time here we are able to communicate clearly with these particular women and find out exactly what their thoughts are! Thankfully, we'll be having our translator back with us for a couple of days, so she'll be a HUGE help in communicating with them! We're SO excited for the opportunity to have more in-depth conversations about Jesus!!!
I'm struggling with mixed feelings about our time here coming to an end. I wish with all my heart that I could stay, but the responsibilities waiting for me back in the States are constantly in the back of my mind. Please pray for me, that I will use the rest of my time here wisely, and that I will be able to begin to adjust to the idea of coming back to a life in the U.S.
Before I go, here are a couple more names of some women that you can be in prayer for:
~Mariama 1, Alima, and Alima's Mom (neighbors of the Foxes)
~Mariama 2, her sister, their Mom, Baby Luke, Fati, and the rest of their compound (neighbors of the believer)
~Mariama 3, her children, and her compound (more neighbors of the Foxes)
(Yeah, I know, everyone here is named Mariama...I'M even named Mariama!! Haha!)
Thanks once again for all your prayers and support! We love you all! Kala Tonton!
God has blessed us in so many ways over the past week or so, concerning sharing the Gospel with the Songhai. Since we don't have the language capabilities yet, Emily and I have been playing recorded cassettes with the Gospel message in Zarma for groups of women. Some of them seem interested, so please pray that as we finish our time here we are able to communicate clearly with these particular women and find out exactly what their thoughts are! Thankfully, we'll be having our translator back with us for a couple of days, so she'll be a HUGE help in communicating with them! We're SO excited for the opportunity to have more in-depth conversations about Jesus!!!
I'm struggling with mixed feelings about our time here coming to an end. I wish with all my heart that I could stay, but the responsibilities waiting for me back in the States are constantly in the back of my mind. Please pray for me, that I will use the rest of my time here wisely, and that I will be able to begin to adjust to the idea of coming back to a life in the U.S.
Before I go, here are a couple more names of some women that you can be in prayer for:
~Mariama 1, Alima, and Alima's Mom (neighbors of the Foxes)
~Mariama 2, her sister, their Mom, Baby Luke, Fati, and the rest of their compound (neighbors of the believer)
~Mariama 3, her children, and her compound (more neighbors of the Foxes)
(Yeah, I know, everyone here is named Mariama...I'M even named Mariama!! Haha!)
Thanks once again for all your prayers and support! We love you all! Kala Tonton!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A Little Prayer Goes A Long Way!
Well, tonight I don't have the time or the energy to be writing a ton, so I just planned on giving you all a list of people that you could pray for! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE continue to be in prayer!! I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!! No matter what you might think, your prayers ARE working!
Before I write my list, I'd like to give you a quick short example of how your prayers are making a difference in the ministry being done in Boubon:
Boubon is a BIG town. It seems like we discover a new compound every other day! One precious little neighbor girl--Fadida--has decided it is now her job to be our "guide" around the town and take us to new places. We don't know where she got this idea--she just took us by the hand one day and we followed her! The amazing thing about this is that EVERY place she has taken us to has opened up new opportunities for us. I call her our little angel because it seems she has been sent by God to lead us to the places where we are needed! It's been awesome to experience and I KNOW that you all are praying for us to be led to the right people and for doors to be opened--rest assured your prayers are being answered!! :)
Ok, time for my list, then I'm hittin' the sack!
Please pray for:
1. Our "family"--the Chief, his wife, and their four children.
2. Fadida (our little angel!)
3. Busara (one of the kids in our compound)
4. Leilah (neighbor kid) and her mom (neighbor)
5. Bilaley (neighbor kid)
6. Samsia (neighbor kid)
7. The believer in Boubon and his family (who remain unbelievers).
8. Hawa, Hamsa, and Baby Mariama.
9. "Granny"
10. Hama (the Chief's brother)
11. Rukaya (a teen girl we've gotten really close to!) and her family
12. Baby Boubakar (a very sick baby who doesn't look like he has much time to live! Please pray for his health to be restored so that he can grow up and hear about Jesus!)
13. Nafisa (neighbor kid)
14. Nafisa (a girl about our age who is trying to learn English) and the other women in her compound.
15. The compound next to the Foxes' house...they're new neighbors!
16. Ishmael (someone who claims to be interested in Jesus, but is more like rocky soil than fertile soil...)
And that's all I can think of off the top of my head. (I had written a list earlier in the week, but I cannot find it, for the life of me!) But this is a good start--plenty of people who need prayer! Also, PLEASE continue to pray for the Phillips, the Saleebys, and myself and Emily. There is also a team of fourteen high schoolers here this week to work in Tagiboty, so be in prayer for them as well! :)
Before I write my list, I'd like to give you a quick short example of how your prayers are making a difference in the ministry being done in Boubon:
Boubon is a BIG town. It seems like we discover a new compound every other day! One precious little neighbor girl--Fadida--has decided it is now her job to be our "guide" around the town and take us to new places. We don't know where she got this idea--she just took us by the hand one day and we followed her! The amazing thing about this is that EVERY place she has taken us to has opened up new opportunities for us. I call her our little angel because it seems she has been sent by God to lead us to the places where we are needed! It's been awesome to experience and I KNOW that you all are praying for us to be led to the right people and for doors to be opened--rest assured your prayers are being answered!! :)
Ok, time for my list, then I'm hittin' the sack!
Please pray for:
1. Our "family"--the Chief, his wife, and their four children.
2. Fadida (our little angel!)
3. Busara (one of the kids in our compound)
4. Leilah (neighbor kid) and her mom (neighbor)
5. Bilaley (neighbor kid)
6. Samsia (neighbor kid)
7. The believer in Boubon and his family (who remain unbelievers).
8. Hawa, Hamsa, and Baby Mariama.
9. "Granny"
10. Hama (the Chief's brother)
11. Rukaya (a teen girl we've gotten really close to!) and her family
12. Baby Boubakar (a very sick baby who doesn't look like he has much time to live! Please pray for his health to be restored so that he can grow up and hear about Jesus!)
13. Nafisa (neighbor kid)
14. Nafisa (a girl about our age who is trying to learn English) and the other women in her compound.
15. The compound next to the Foxes' house...they're new neighbors!
16. Ishmael (someone who claims to be interested in Jesus, but is more like rocky soil than fertile soil...)
And that's all I can think of off the top of my head. (I had written a list earlier in the week, but I cannot find it, for the life of me!) But this is a good start--plenty of people who need prayer! Also, PLEASE continue to pray for the Phillips, the Saleebys, and myself and Emily. There is also a team of fourteen high schoolers here this week to work in Tagiboty, so be in prayer for them as well! :)
Monday, June 20, 2011
We Are Missionaries, Not Superheroes
I've learned something in our time in Boubon.
(Wow, if that's not the understatement of the century, I don't know what is!)
I've learned that we are missionaries, not superheroes.
A big struggle for both Emily and myself is that we live in the middle of poverty and really can't do anything about it. We technically HAVE things--like medicines and extra granola bars and money--but if we were to give one thing to one person, we'd have the whole village at our front door demanding we give them something too! Everything we own would run out in a matter of hours and when there would be nothing left, the people would still demand MORE...
Something one of our translators said at the beginning of this trip is that the Songhai people live in a very moment-by-moment mentality. They just want something to keep them going to the next moment because "they know they are already dead." What a state to be constantly living in! It breaks my heart! But that's really how it is here. They ask for a gift--any gift--because it is just one more thing to have and use up before the moment is over.
Honestly, it makes me kind of depressed. How are we supposed to help people without feeding into this corrupt mindset of theirs??? How do we help them understand that the best gift we can give them is knowledge of Jesus, not just another material object???
Honestly, since it was so hard for me to draw the line on this issue, I kind of shut down and said, ok NO gifts of any kind! I just didn't know what would be wise and what would be unwise and I really didn't want to mess things up. But! I was given a glimmer of hope the other day. Something that made me realize that we CAN do a little bit more for these people...
There is a little boy that lives close by (we'll call him *Billy.) Billy comes to our compound almost every day with the same group of children that just LOVE to play with us! He is such a little sweetheart--probably not more than 2 and 1/2 years old, maybe 3. Anyways, he has this sore on his nose and Emily noticed it the other day while the kids were playing. Since there were no parents around to harass us for medicine and since the other kids really weren't paying attention, Emily was able to give him a little bit of Neosporin and a tissue to help heal it in a small way. Even though he was only a couple of years old, he knew that she was helping him and his face just SHONE with happiness! Later on, when I was sitting outside, taking a little break from playing with the kids, he came over and sat on my lap and just snuggled so close against me. He just sat there like that for a long time--so content to snuggle instead of playing with the others. There were a couple of times when I would look down at him and he would look back up at me with this big smile, and oh my goodness my heart was just OVERFLOWING!!! In the middle of all of this, I realized I WAS helping him! I was making a difference in this boy's life just by taking a little extra time to wrap him up in a hug.
We can't save the world. We can't save Boubon. But we can make these people aware about Jesus and His Saving Grace! And along the way, maybe we can add a tissue or a hug or a smile.
We're missionaries, not superheroes. And I like it that way. :)
(Wow, if that's not the understatement of the century, I don't know what is!)
I've learned that we are missionaries, not superheroes.
A big struggle for both Emily and myself is that we live in the middle of poverty and really can't do anything about it. We technically HAVE things--like medicines and extra granola bars and money--but if we were to give one thing to one person, we'd have the whole village at our front door demanding we give them something too! Everything we own would run out in a matter of hours and when there would be nothing left, the people would still demand MORE...
Something one of our translators said at the beginning of this trip is that the Songhai people live in a very moment-by-moment mentality. They just want something to keep them going to the next moment because "they know they are already dead." What a state to be constantly living in! It breaks my heart! But that's really how it is here. They ask for a gift--any gift--because it is just one more thing to have and use up before the moment is over.
Honestly, it makes me kind of depressed. How are we supposed to help people without feeding into this corrupt mindset of theirs??? How do we help them understand that the best gift we can give them is knowledge of Jesus, not just another material object???
Honestly, since it was so hard for me to draw the line on this issue, I kind of shut down and said, ok NO gifts of any kind! I just didn't know what would be wise and what would be unwise and I really didn't want to mess things up. But! I was given a glimmer of hope the other day. Something that made me realize that we CAN do a little bit more for these people...
There is a little boy that lives close by (we'll call him *Billy.) Billy comes to our compound almost every day with the same group of children that just LOVE to play with us! He is such a little sweetheart--probably not more than 2 and 1/2 years old, maybe 3. Anyways, he has this sore on his nose and Emily noticed it the other day while the kids were playing. Since there were no parents around to harass us for medicine and since the other kids really weren't paying attention, Emily was able to give him a little bit of Neosporin and a tissue to help heal it in a small way. Even though he was only a couple of years old, he knew that she was helping him and his face just SHONE with happiness! Later on, when I was sitting outside, taking a little break from playing with the kids, he came over and sat on my lap and just snuggled so close against me. He just sat there like that for a long time--so content to snuggle instead of playing with the others. There were a couple of times when I would look down at him and he would look back up at me with this big smile, and oh my goodness my heart was just OVERFLOWING!!! In the middle of all of this, I realized I WAS helping him! I was making a difference in this boy's life just by taking a little extra time to wrap him up in a hug.
We can't save the world. We can't save Boubon. But we can make these people aware about Jesus and His Saving Grace! And along the way, maybe we can add a tissue or a hug or a smile.
We're missionaries, not superheroes. And I like it that way. :)
Home Sweet Home
It's finally happened...I'm in the capital and I MISS BOUBON!!
Granted, I am so thankful for our time here because it's usually the only time we get nutritious food and a full night of rest. But if I could just take the food and the rest with me, I don't know if I'd ever leave the village! (Provided that the Phillips and Saleeby's would constantly visit us--lol!) :)
This week I got to the point where I finally loved and appreciated a bucket bath and our filtered water. Some of you might remember how at first I said the filtered water tasted like sulfur...Now, I don't even need a flavor packet to chug a bottle! (Will Burnham, I hope you're reading this because I am drinking several bottles of water a day now without any complaints! Be proud!)
The language is still a huge struggle for me, but I'm catching on to more words and phrases. I can now tell when I'm about to be married off to the nearest young man and I can successfully say in Zarma "I did not come to look for a fiance in Niger." ("Ay mana kaa arwasu ceeciyan Nizer laabu.")
I'm finding that there's more and more people to love every day. Just the other day we met a "new" group of women (I say "new" because we had met them once before when the LHBC team was here, but we hadn't seen them since and didn't remember most of them...) and already, there were some precious people that I'm excited to go back and visit!
You know, this place has a habit of throwing you for a loop, turning your world upside down and inside out, and just when you feel like you can't stand it anymore, you discover that it's buried itself deep down inside your heart--and you wouldn't have it any other way! :)
Granted, I am so thankful for our time here because it's usually the only time we get nutritious food and a full night of rest. But if I could just take the food and the rest with me, I don't know if I'd ever leave the village! (Provided that the Phillips and Saleeby's would constantly visit us--lol!) :)
This week I got to the point where I finally loved and appreciated a bucket bath and our filtered water. Some of you might remember how at first I said the filtered water tasted like sulfur...Now, I don't even need a flavor packet to chug a bottle! (Will Burnham, I hope you're reading this because I am drinking several bottles of water a day now without any complaints! Be proud!)
The language is still a huge struggle for me, but I'm catching on to more words and phrases. I can now tell when I'm about to be married off to the nearest young man and I can successfully say in Zarma "I did not come to look for a fiance in Niger." ("Ay mana kaa arwasu ceeciyan Nizer laabu.")
I'm finding that there's more and more people to love every day. Just the other day we met a "new" group of women (I say "new" because we had met them once before when the LHBC team was here, but we hadn't seen them since and didn't remember most of them...) and already, there were some precious people that I'm excited to go back and visit!
You know, this place has a habit of throwing you for a loop, turning your world upside down and inside out, and just when you feel like you can't stand it anymore, you discover that it's buried itself deep down inside your heart--and you wouldn't have it any other way! :)
Monday, June 13, 2011
A Couple of "Firsts"
When I was little, I loved watching storms on the porch with my Dad. Now, I am 21 years old and I'm still getting excited about storms...only this time, they're made of dust, not rain...
I've experienced a couple of "firsts" over the past few days in Boubon: My first African dust storm, my first African rain, and my first African sunburn.
The dust storm was by far one of my favorite experiences I've had here. (What can I say? I'm easily entertained.) It was literally this WALL of dust stretching so far up into the sky and so far across the ground...Me and Emily saw it coming and rushed into our house and immediately got out our headlamps and cameras (yes, we took pictures!!) The whole world turned ORANGE! Yes, orange! It was phenomenal.
After the dust came the rain. And with rain comes cooler weather. (Hallelujah!) Today it was 90 degrees outside, but we could've sworn it was in the 70's. THAT was a good feeling. :)
However, just because cooler weather came, that does NOT mean that the sun went away. I'm proud to say that I made it almost ONE FULL MONTH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA before getting sunburned. Kudos to me. :) Now for those of you who are going to freak out momentarily, it's really not that bad. No blisters, I promise. I've doused my arms in aloe and the redness is practically non-existent now.
At the moment, I'm wondering how many of you actually care about this information, so I guess I should write about something substantial for a moment.
I would really like you all to pray about something for me (along with everything else as well, of course!) Most of you are aware that we're living in the same compound as the chief's family. Folks, his kids are probably the most precious kids EVER and I love 'em to pieces, and his wife has been so kind and patient with us (which I am SO grateful for!) Needless to say, this family has found a very special place in my heart. I really would love for you all to pray for them specifically. Pray that they will come to know and love Jesus and follow Him. Pray that God will bless them abundantly for the kindness they have shown us. And pray that we will be able to continue to grow in our relationship with this family as a whole.
Thanks (as always) for the prayers and happy thoughts you're sending our way! And thanks again to everyone who is taking the time to read this--it means a lot that you care enough to keep up with us! :)
I've experienced a couple of "firsts" over the past few days in Boubon: My first African dust storm, my first African rain, and my first African sunburn.
The dust storm was by far one of my favorite experiences I've had here. (What can I say? I'm easily entertained.) It was literally this WALL of dust stretching so far up into the sky and so far across the ground...Me and Emily saw it coming and rushed into our house and immediately got out our headlamps and cameras (yes, we took pictures!!) The whole world turned ORANGE! Yes, orange! It was phenomenal.
After the dust came the rain. And with rain comes cooler weather. (Hallelujah!) Today it was 90 degrees outside, but we could've sworn it was in the 70's. THAT was a good feeling. :)
However, just because cooler weather came, that does NOT mean that the sun went away. I'm proud to say that I made it almost ONE FULL MONTH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA before getting sunburned. Kudos to me. :) Now for those of you who are going to freak out momentarily, it's really not that bad. No blisters, I promise. I've doused my arms in aloe and the redness is practically non-existent now.
At the moment, I'm wondering how many of you actually care about this information, so I guess I should write about something substantial for a moment.
I would really like you all to pray about something for me (along with everything else as well, of course!) Most of you are aware that we're living in the same compound as the chief's family. Folks, his kids are probably the most precious kids EVER and I love 'em to pieces, and his wife has been so kind and patient with us (which I am SO grateful for!) Needless to say, this family has found a very special place in my heart. I really would love for you all to pray for them specifically. Pray that they will come to know and love Jesus and follow Him. Pray that God will bless them abundantly for the kindness they have shown us. And pray that we will be able to continue to grow in our relationship with this family as a whole.
Thanks (as always) for the prayers and happy thoughts you're sending our way! And thanks again to everyone who is taking the time to read this--it means a lot that you care enough to keep up with us! :)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Thoughts While Taking R&R in Niamey...
I have been spoiled today. :) I'm not gonna lie, I have taken advantage of ALL of the wonderful amenities that Niamey has to offer (such as American style bathrooms--complete with REAL showers!, beef fajitas at the American embassy for lunch, A/C at the Phillips house, and indulging in some movie watching and card game playing!)
I look at today and compare it with the past couple of days that we just spent in Boubon, and honestly it feels like I'm in a completely different country when I'm in Niamey! I think I have successfully adjusted to African city life, but village life?? Shoot, that's a different story!
I feel like I could talk for hours about what life in Boubon has been like over the past couple of days. It's probably been the best and worst time of my life. God has taught me SO MUCH, but my faith has been tested in ways that I never expected...which has been hard to say the least. To keep it short, my biggest blessing has been the closeness that I've felt with God from having to rely on Him for EVERY SINGLE DETAIL OF MY LIFE. My biggest hardship has been the physical, emotional, and mental toll that village life takes on my body. I have had more physical problems here in the past 5 days than I have had in the past 5 years! But it's just another thing to give over to God...that's what I constantly have to do: give it to God and trust that He's going to take care of me.
Awhile ago I made a blog post about how my mantra has been that God is so faithful. While God has continued to remain faithful in ways that I can't even begin to describe, my mantra seems to have changed to: Jesus never said following Him would be easy. I think I'm finally learning what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ, and it's a hard lesson to learn!! But I am SO CONFIDENT that it's worth it. It's worth the blazing heat that makes my skin feel like it's burning off my body; it's worth drinking the dozens of bottles of water that smell (and taste) like sulfur; it's worth the sleepless nights and waking up to donkeys and roosters and cats and who-knows-what-else; and it's worth the persecution that we've already had to face.
No matter what happens this summer...whether we see fruit from this experience or not...I know that this will not have been in vain. I think it will be easy to go through all these hardships and become discouraged if we don't see any immediate results. But God's teaching me to rely on Him and HIS time table. He's the one who's COMPLETELY in control and at the end of the day, if I'm doing work for God, I know that in the end He will be glorified. And that's really all that matters. :)
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(This is the blog post that the Phillips had on the Songhai blog about mine and Emily's time in Boubon so far. I thought it covered things pretty well, so I copied it and posted it below so that y'all could read it too! Enjoy!)
Please be in prayer for Emily & Erin this week. These girls are our summer interns who are doing ministry in Boubon. They have completed their week of language learning & their first 3 day stint in Boubon. They have great attitudes & have already formed relationships with women in Boubon. As our national partners have worked in this village for 3 months, their focus was to reach the men of Boubon. Emily & Erin's goal is to find women or groups of women who are interested in the Gospel & begin to minister to them.
The first few nights in Boubon were tough for the girls as it is unbearably hot. They are in a new country, speaking a new language, dealing with a difficult climate in a very unfamiliar environment. Just imagine going from "college life" to sleeping outside in 100 degree weather (at night!) while donkeys bray at 3 am, dogs bark all hours & women are chit chatting way past midnight. You wake up & have to get your own water in a bucket, use the "restroom" which is a hole in the ground, shower outside with said bucket, eat breakfast & then try & figure out what you are going to do that day with your very limited language.
You walk around & people stare at you, they say things that you don't quite understand, you feel like a child because you can't put a complete sentence together ... oh & it's 115 degrees & there is no a/c &, if you're lucky, the power may work for a few hours & you can get a nice cool breeze from your pedestal fan. And that's all before 10 a.m.!
That is what these girls signed up for this summer!! And, although they still have great spirits about their new life & passion to see the women of Boubon worshipping the one True God, the environment that surrounds them is, nevertheless, draining & difficult.
Would you please pray for them this week? Pray for them to continue to find joy in their struggles. Pray for them to excel in their language. Pray for the nights to be cooler & their bodies to adjust quicker to the heat. Pray for them to learn even quicker how to survive in Boubon so that they can begin to thrive. Pray for God to draw them to the women that He is already calling to Himself. Pray for rest & peace at night while they sleep; that they may sleep deeply & their ears to be muted to the 10,000 other sounds that would normally keep them awake. Pray for them to remain healthy & strong as the heat takes a toll on their bodies.
I look at today and compare it with the past couple of days that we just spent in Boubon, and honestly it feels like I'm in a completely different country when I'm in Niamey! I think I have successfully adjusted to African city life, but village life?? Shoot, that's a different story!
I feel like I could talk for hours about what life in Boubon has been like over the past couple of days. It's probably been the best and worst time of my life. God has taught me SO MUCH, but my faith has been tested in ways that I never expected...which has been hard to say the least. To keep it short, my biggest blessing has been the closeness that I've felt with God from having to rely on Him for EVERY SINGLE DETAIL OF MY LIFE. My biggest hardship has been the physical, emotional, and mental toll that village life takes on my body. I have had more physical problems here in the past 5 days than I have had in the past 5 years! But it's just another thing to give over to God...that's what I constantly have to do: give it to God and trust that He's going to take care of me.
Awhile ago I made a blog post about how my mantra has been that God is so faithful. While God has continued to remain faithful in ways that I can't even begin to describe, my mantra seems to have changed to: Jesus never said following Him would be easy. I think I'm finally learning what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ, and it's a hard lesson to learn!! But I am SO CONFIDENT that it's worth it. It's worth the blazing heat that makes my skin feel like it's burning off my body; it's worth drinking the dozens of bottles of water that smell (and taste) like sulfur; it's worth the sleepless nights and waking up to donkeys and roosters and cats and who-knows-what-else; and it's worth the persecution that we've already had to face.
No matter what happens this summer...whether we see fruit from this experience or not...I know that this will not have been in vain. I think it will be easy to go through all these hardships and become discouraged if we don't see any immediate results. But God's teaching me to rely on Him and HIS time table. He's the one who's COMPLETELY in control and at the end of the day, if I'm doing work for God, I know that in the end He will be glorified. And that's really all that matters. :)
------------------------------------------------------------
(This is the blog post that the Phillips had on the Songhai blog about mine and Emily's time in Boubon so far. I thought it covered things pretty well, so I copied it and posted it below so that y'all could read it too! Enjoy!)
Please be in prayer for Emily & Erin this week. These girls are our summer interns who are doing ministry in Boubon. They have completed their week of language learning & their first 3 day stint in Boubon. They have great attitudes & have already formed relationships with women in Boubon. As our national partners have worked in this village for 3 months, their focus was to reach the men of Boubon. Emily & Erin's goal is to find women or groups of women who are interested in the Gospel & begin to minister to them.
The first few nights in Boubon were tough for the girls as it is unbearably hot. They are in a new country, speaking a new language, dealing with a difficult climate in a very unfamiliar environment. Just imagine going from "college life" to sleeping outside in 100 degree weather (at night!) while donkeys bray at 3 am, dogs bark all hours & women are chit chatting way past midnight. You wake up & have to get your own water in a bucket, use the "restroom" which is a hole in the ground, shower outside with said bucket, eat breakfast & then try & figure out what you are going to do that day with your very limited language.
You walk around & people stare at you, they say things that you don't quite understand, you feel like a child because you can't put a complete sentence together ... oh & it's 115 degrees & there is no a/c &, if you're lucky, the power may work for a few hours & you can get a nice cool breeze from your pedestal fan. And that's all before 10 a.m.!
That is what these girls signed up for this summer!! And, although they still have great spirits about their new life & passion to see the women of Boubon worshipping the one True God, the environment that surrounds them is, nevertheless, draining & difficult.
Would you please pray for them this week? Pray for them to continue to find joy in their struggles. Pray for them to excel in their language. Pray for the nights to be cooler & their bodies to adjust quicker to the heat. Pray for them to learn even quicker how to survive in Boubon so that they can begin to thrive. Pray for God to draw them to the women that He is already calling to Himself. Pray for rest & peace at night while they sleep; that they may sleep deeply & their ears to be muted to the 10,000 other sounds that would normally keep them awake. Pray for them to remain healthy & strong as the heat takes a toll on their bodies.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Child of the Naval
You might be wondering what in the world I mean by my blog title...well, I am pleased to say that that is the literal translation of the word "bellybutton" (or, "fumay-ize") in the Zarma language!! :) (Also!! Fingers--kambe-izey--are translated as "children of the arm" and toes--ce-izey--are "children of the leg"!!)
You can probably guess that we've started our language training. :) Today was our first day and man, I feel like my brain might explode already!!! We went over the alphabet (which is pretty much the same as the English alphabet, just with 2 extra letters), syllables, long vowels, double vowels, double consonants, greetings, prepositions, colors, and the human body--as well as SEVERAL random words which we just happened to learn in the course of BB giving us examples and exercises. (BB is our teacher, or "cawundiko!" She was also our translator in Boubon, so it's really helpful that we already know her.)
We have 6 hours of studying per day with BB. Our first session is from 9am-12pm, and the second is from 2pm-5pm. Of course, that doesn't include the HUGE amount of studying and memorization that me and Em are attempting! Basically, we will be eating, breathing, and sleeping Zarma for the next week as prep for our move to Boubon!
~Please pray that me and Em will pick up on this language QUICKLY!!!! It is a necessity that we get the basics down before our move so that we can do simple things in Boubon like know the time, get around the village, and buy food at the market.
Speaking of the market, we had our first experience preparing market vegetables for our sandwiches today!! I'm happy to report that we didn't keel over and die. :)
I'm learning A TON of new things here in Africa and one of them that is essential to us "anasadas" is how to correctly prepare our food (especially if we buy it from a street vendor!) Today I learned that you have to soak your veggies in bleach water for a good 10-15 minutes. Then you have to rinse them really good in filtered water.
Parker also showed me how to work a gas stove for the first time! It seems easy but I'm really hoping I don't get over-confident in my stove-lighting-abilities and blow up the guesthouse!! ;) (Y'all might want to consider that a prayer request...haha!!)
Before I sign off, I thought it would be fun to share some new words and phrases that I learned today! :)
~Yesu go ay bine ra! = Jesus is in my heart!
~Yesu kuro kande faaba! = Jesus' blood brings salvation!
~Ay ga ba how hum. = I like cow meat. (This is the closest translation I can have to I like steak. They don't really have a word for steak here. Sad day.)
~Coca ga kaanu ay se gumo! = Coke is my favorite! (This was what I repeated SEVERAL times when Parker brought us some surprise goodies! I had my first Diet Coke in WEEKS today and man was it tasty!!!! The treats and drinks also gave me and Em a HUGE sugar high...poor BB! Haha! But we were SO THANKFUL to Parker!!!)
~Bico go sako cire. - The pen is under the purse. (This was my first sentence that I correctly created/translated today!!!!)
Ok, well that's all I have time for...we're about to go make spaghetti for dinner! YUM! Gotta take as much advantage of the stove and refrigerator while we still have access to it! :)
Kala ton ton!!
You can probably guess that we've started our language training. :) Today was our first day and man, I feel like my brain might explode already!!! We went over the alphabet (which is pretty much the same as the English alphabet, just with 2 extra letters), syllables, long vowels, double vowels, double consonants, greetings, prepositions, colors, and the human body--as well as SEVERAL random words which we just happened to learn in the course of BB giving us examples and exercises. (BB is our teacher, or "cawundiko!" She was also our translator in Boubon, so it's really helpful that we already know her.)
We have 6 hours of studying per day with BB. Our first session is from 9am-12pm, and the second is from 2pm-5pm. Of course, that doesn't include the HUGE amount of studying and memorization that me and Em are attempting! Basically, we will be eating, breathing, and sleeping Zarma for the next week as prep for our move to Boubon!
~Please pray that me and Em will pick up on this language QUICKLY!!!! It is a necessity that we get the basics down before our move so that we can do simple things in Boubon like know the time, get around the village, and buy food at the market.
Speaking of the market, we had our first experience preparing market vegetables for our sandwiches today!! I'm happy to report that we didn't keel over and die. :)
I'm learning A TON of new things here in Africa and one of them that is essential to us "anasadas" is how to correctly prepare our food (especially if we buy it from a street vendor!) Today I learned that you have to soak your veggies in bleach water for a good 10-15 minutes. Then you have to rinse them really good in filtered water.
Parker also showed me how to work a gas stove for the first time! It seems easy but I'm really hoping I don't get over-confident in my stove-lighting-abilities and blow up the guesthouse!! ;) (Y'all might want to consider that a prayer request...haha!!)
Before I sign off, I thought it would be fun to share some new words and phrases that I learned today! :)
~Yesu go ay bine ra! = Jesus is in my heart!
~Yesu kuro kande faaba! = Jesus' blood brings salvation!
~Ay ga ba how hum. = I like cow meat. (This is the closest translation I can have to I like steak. They don't really have a word for steak here. Sad day.)
~Coca ga kaanu ay se gumo! = Coke is my favorite! (This was what I repeated SEVERAL times when Parker brought us some surprise goodies! I had my first Diet Coke in WEEKS today and man was it tasty!!!! The treats and drinks also gave me and Em a HUGE sugar high...poor BB! Haha! But we were SO THANKFUL to Parker!!!)
~Bico go sako cire. - The pen is under the purse. (This was my first sentence that I correctly created/translated today!!!!)
Ok, well that's all I have time for...we're about to go make spaghetti for dinner! YUM! Gotta take as much advantage of the stove and refrigerator while we still have access to it! :)
Kala ton ton!!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Home-Sick
Well, I'm not homesick (I mean, I miss all of you, but not to the point where I'm sick about it!) BUT! I am home, sick. I've been confined to the guesthouse today because when I woke up this morning I was feeling "off" (haha, they call it "off"...I call it "I feel like I just did a P90X and Insanity workout all at once!) Mark said I should stay home just to be safe. So even though I don't technically feel "sick," I definitely feel worn down.
I'm bummed that I couldn't go to Boubon today. :( I'll miss getting to see all the women and kiddos. But hey, at least this gives me time to catch y'all up on life here! :)
Today is going to be the LHBC team's last day in Boubon. They'll be leaving late tomorrow night. I'm really going to miss having them around. It was just really good to be able to have more people around the guesthouse and we've just gotten so used to having them with us!
Beforehand, since I wasn't able to go to ANY of the team prep meetings (due to my work schedule) I didn't really feel like we were a "team." I felt like it was Me and Em, and then "those other guys." But now I really feel like we've been able to become a REAL team. They've all looked out for me this week (especially Will and Travis with my water bottle! Who am I going to have constantly harassing me about not drinking enough water once they leave??? Haha!) and hopefully I've been able to encourage them or help them out in some way while they've been here.
At the same time though, I'm excited for them to go home! It means that they'll get to tell their stories to people back in the States and get more people to pray for the Songhai and for us and the Phillips and Saleeby's while we're still here.
One thing that has continued to pop up in conversations with elders in the villages is how they are glad we are there because visitors mean a town is growing--that it's name is getting out in the world. They all say (but I especially hear it in Boubon) that they wish for their village and their people to become famous some day to the world. Well, that's our hope too, although maybe a little different from theirs... We want Boubon (and the other villages) to become famous to the world BECAUSE OF HOW GOD HAS WORKED THERE. When the LHBC team goes back to America, they will be spreading the name of Boubon all over the place! And with it will be the stories of how God is being glorified and how He is working in the hearts and minds of the people there.
I hope that one day THE WHOLE WORLD will know of Boubon and the strength and faith of the Christians there. What a great hope!
I'm bummed that I couldn't go to Boubon today. :( I'll miss getting to see all the women and kiddos. But hey, at least this gives me time to catch y'all up on life here! :)
Today is going to be the LHBC team's last day in Boubon. They'll be leaving late tomorrow night. I'm really going to miss having them around. It was just really good to be able to have more people around the guesthouse and we've just gotten so used to having them with us!
Beforehand, since I wasn't able to go to ANY of the team prep meetings (due to my work schedule) I didn't really feel like we were a "team." I felt like it was Me and Em, and then "those other guys." But now I really feel like we've been able to become a REAL team. They've all looked out for me this week (especially Will and Travis with my water bottle! Who am I going to have constantly harassing me about not drinking enough water once they leave??? Haha!) and hopefully I've been able to encourage them or help them out in some way while they've been here.
At the same time though, I'm excited for them to go home! It means that they'll get to tell their stories to people back in the States and get more people to pray for the Songhai and for us and the Phillips and Saleeby's while we're still here.
One thing that has continued to pop up in conversations with elders in the villages is how they are glad we are there because visitors mean a town is growing--that it's name is getting out in the world. They all say (but I especially hear it in Boubon) that they wish for their village and their people to become famous some day to the world. Well, that's our hope too, although maybe a little different from theirs... We want Boubon (and the other villages) to become famous to the world BECAUSE OF HOW GOD HAS WORKED THERE. When the LHBC team goes back to America, they will be spreading the name of Boubon all over the place! And with it will be the stories of how God is being glorified and how He is working in the hearts and minds of the people there.
I hope that one day THE WHOLE WORLD will know of Boubon and the strength and faith of the Christians there. What a great hope!
Hungry, Hungry, Hippo!
So on Tuesday we went on a Hippo Hunt! Since I'm not going to load many more pictures until we're just about to leave for Boubon permanently, I thought it would be fun for y'all to see a couple of these at least! So, enjoy! :)
Ayorou and Karma
This week we've been able to visit some of the other villages in the area around Niamey--specifically, villages that our home church "adopted." Any of you who go to LHBC know these villages by now...Boubon (our "home" village), Tagaboty, and Karma. These villages are all part of a program called "The Road to Karma." The plan is to send missionaries to these villages and for our church to be praying CONSISTENTLY for these villages back in the States. Us being here is already proof that LHBC is serious about reaching out to these people, which just makes me even more excited for the future of "The Road to Karma." There is also the village of Ayorou (much further down the road than any of the other villages! It's almost 3 hours away from Niamey!) where Mark and Parker lived and worked for 3 1/2 years. There is a firm body of believers there and though they are few in number, they are mighty in spirit.
For the past 2 days (Tuesday and Wednesday) we were able to visit 2 of these villages, Ayorou and Karma. We were not able to visit Tagaboty as planned because we ran out of water in Karma.
Karma has one believer and a national partner (a believer-missionary originally from Niger.) The national partner has been kicked out of 2 homes so far for being a Christian and has faced much persecution for his faith. However, he was able to find a place with a man that we called "the father." He is a very old man, the uncle of the chief, and a true man of peace. Though he is not a Christian himself, he has defended the national partner against the elders of the village (which is a BIG deal!) and while he has also faced ridicule for letting the national partner stay in his home, "the father" continues to defend him.
~Pray for the national partner and the believer. Pray that they will be able to continue to be strong and courageous while they live out their faith. Pray for their protection. Thank God with us that they have continued to be provided for, despite all the persecution.
~Pray for Karma. It is a dark place and desperately needs Jesus' light. Pray for a strong church to arise.
Ayorou makes my heart hopeful. :) I pray that what has happened in Ayorou will happen in Boubon (and the rest of the villages) while we're here this summer. Though Ayorou does not have MANY believers, they have a grounded church. These men and women have persevered through so much and honestly, I was almost brought to tears by some of their testimonies. These people have TRULY heard the calling of God in their hearts and have responded SO FAITHFULLY!! They amaze me and I thank God for them. My favorite part of visiting Ayorou though was FINALLY meeting H and M (the two women I've been praying for for over a year and a 1/2 now!!) I was given pictures of them at a church function and was asked to pray for them and at the time I NEVER thought I'd get to meet them in person...but now I have!!! H and M are both so sweet and even though I didn't get to talk with them except for a quick minute, it was the best minute of the day for me!!! I gave them the pictures I had of them and had Mark translate that I had been praying for them and that I would continue to do so. I was also able to get some NEW pictures...only of me WITH them this time!! :)
~Pray for the church in Ayorou. They are facing WAY more than we in America could even imagine. They are exiled from their friends and families and the village has made it hard for them to even go to the market and buy food. They are facing sickness and death, and yet in the midst of it all they still praise Jesus and declare His Name. Pray that God will uphold them and strengthen them, that their hearts will be encouraged daily, and that they will be BLESSED beyond comprehension!!
~Pray for the rest of Ayorou. Pray that they will understand the Gospel message and that their hearts will be softened towards it and that they will come to love Jesus as much as the believers in their village do!!
For the past 2 days (Tuesday and Wednesday) we were able to visit 2 of these villages, Ayorou and Karma. We were not able to visit Tagaboty as planned because we ran out of water in Karma.
Karma has one believer and a national partner (a believer-missionary originally from Niger.) The national partner has been kicked out of 2 homes so far for being a Christian and has faced much persecution for his faith. However, he was able to find a place with a man that we called "the father." He is a very old man, the uncle of the chief, and a true man of peace. Though he is not a Christian himself, he has defended the national partner against the elders of the village (which is a BIG deal!) and while he has also faced ridicule for letting the national partner stay in his home, "the father" continues to defend him.
~Pray for the national partner and the believer. Pray that they will be able to continue to be strong and courageous while they live out their faith. Pray for their protection. Thank God with us that they have continued to be provided for, despite all the persecution.
~Pray for Karma. It is a dark place and desperately needs Jesus' light. Pray for a strong church to arise.
Ayorou makes my heart hopeful. :) I pray that what has happened in Ayorou will happen in Boubon (and the rest of the villages) while we're here this summer. Though Ayorou does not have MANY believers, they have a grounded church. These men and women have persevered through so much and honestly, I was almost brought to tears by some of their testimonies. These people have TRULY heard the calling of God in their hearts and have responded SO FAITHFULLY!! They amaze me and I thank God for them. My favorite part of visiting Ayorou though was FINALLY meeting H and M (the two women I've been praying for for over a year and a 1/2 now!!) I was given pictures of them at a church function and was asked to pray for them and at the time I NEVER thought I'd get to meet them in person...but now I have!!! H and M are both so sweet and even though I didn't get to talk with them except for a quick minute, it was the best minute of the day for me!!! I gave them the pictures I had of them and had Mark translate that I had been praying for them and that I would continue to do so. I was also able to get some NEW pictures...only of me WITH them this time!! :)
~Pray for the church in Ayorou. They are facing WAY more than we in America could even imagine. They are exiled from their friends and families and the village has made it hard for them to even go to the market and buy food. They are facing sickness and death, and yet in the midst of it all they still praise Jesus and declare His Name. Pray that God will uphold them and strengthen them, that their hearts will be encouraged daily, and that they will be BLESSED beyond comprehension!!
~Pray for the rest of Ayorou. Pray that they will understand the Gospel message and that their hearts will be softened towards it and that they will come to love Jesus as much as the believers in their village do!!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Boubon
Oh my goodness, where to begin??
Ok, well, today was our second day in Boubon (the village that Em and I will be calling home soon!) I'm still getting used to it, but hopefully by the time we move into our house I'll be well adjusted! I'm liking the town more and more thanks to the people--they're hard not to love. :) Even when all you hear from the kids is "Caado! Caado!" (gift!) or "Anasada!" (white person!) you still can't help but just love 'em to pieces.
I guess I should start with Day 1. Me, Em, and the Living Hope team ventured out to Boubon early in the morning. The group split into men and women. The men went to meet with the one believer in the village to disciple him and encourage him in whatever way they could. We women began to prayer-walk and meet other women and the children. We started in the chief's compound (that's home for us for the next 2 months!) and just walked from there. We met A TON of people and while we got to share our faith a lot, the kids were more interested in gifts and the women wanted the same (they were just a little more sneaky about asking.) I'm not gonna lie, it kind of saddened my heart a bit. By the end of the day I thought "Is this how it's going to be all summer?? No one wanting to get to know us for anything but gifts??" Oh me of little faith. :)
That brings us to Day 2. Coming into Boubon today we had the same plan for the morning. I was expecting the same responses that we had gotten the day before (just because we were still so new to the town) but apparently word had already gotten around about all the "Jesus people" (yes, they seriously called us that, haha!!) So while we still met new women and their families, they already had an idea of why we were there. Because of this some were gracious and interested from the start, and others said they would listen to us talk but only if we would give them a gift (again with the caados!!) But there was a COMPLETELY different response from the kiddos today which REALLY surprised me. Instead of begging, they allowed us to teach them some songs and tell them a Bible story. We also taught them how to say "Sup?" (complete with the gangsta head nod!), how to high five (which they LOVED!) and a few of them picked up on the thumbs up sign and when to give that. And it made my heart soooo happy when they would see me and Emily and say, "Fati! Mariama!" (Mariama being my African name and Fati being Emily's.) :)
If I could tell more, I would. But let's be honest, if I were to tell every detail I'd never be able to stop writing! The important things you need to know are how you should pray for us and the precious Songhai people:
1. I'm getting my malaria meds switched!!!! PTL!!!! For all of you were praying about my side effects, thank you, but please keep it up! I won't be able to switch till Wednesday so I still have a little time. God has been so gracious to me though and the intense panic and paranoia I've felt has definitely not been as bad since I last wrote the other day. Please pray that it stays that way!!
2. Pray for continued health for the team here. One of the women (Tiffany) hasn't been able to go to Boubon with us yet because it's taken her so long to adjust to the climate and time difference. She's going to go out with us all tomorrow, but we'll be at a different village (that's 2 1/2 hours away!) So please pray that she'll be ok, as well as the rest of the team!
3. Pray for the Songhai mindset. Apparently several years ago some missionaries came through Boubon and just started handing out things. They even bought some goats for a man so that he would listen to them preach! I don't know who these people were, but to say it in the nicest way possible, they kind of messed things up for all the missionaries to come after them. This is why the people in Boubon see us and EXPECT to get gifts! I can't say whether or not the previous missionaries heart's were in the right place or not (that's not for me to judge) but I don't believe the Gospel should ever be used as a bargaining chip. Now when we talk to people about Jesus and they ask for a gift we tell them "Jesus is your gift." Please pray that they will come to understand this...that their minds will not be so wrapped up in material possessions that they will miss the meaning behind the message. And pray for this also so that when Em and I live there we will not constantly be harrassed to give people things. We want to become their friends and live and work among them for the time we are here. Our purpose is to build relationships and if people refuse a relationship just because we have nothing to give them, then that just makes it harder on us to reach out to people.
4. Pray for the chief of the village. We got to meet him yesterday and he seems like a very great and honorable man. He assured us that we would be under his protection the entire time we were there, which I am SO thankful for!! (And I know our families are thankful too!) He seems very open-minded which I'm hoping will lead to him hearing about the Gospel and accepting Christ. If the chief and his family were to become Christians, it would calm the people's fear of being rejected...which leads me to my final prayer request for tonight...
5. The people are interested. We know that much. But no one is WILLING to make the choice because of cultural taboos. Because there is only 1 believer in all of Boubon, it's easy to say that 99.9% of Boubon is Muslim. When people talk of Christianity, others who oppose it say, "If you convert we will not bury you" which is a HUGE deal in the Islamic faith!! One of the believers in another village experienced this recently when his wife passed away. The village elders said they would not bury her, but PTL because the sweet, small group of Christians rallied around this man and buried his wife themselves. In Boubon it's a bit of a different story since there's only 1 believer. There's not even a FEW others that would be able to reassure and encourage each other when it comes to situations like this. So please pray that people would see that following Jesus IS WORTH IT. None of us make an easy choice when we choose to follow God, but it's the best decision we've ever made and I hope that these people will come to see that.
Ok, well that's all for now. I'm going to go try and upload some pictures for y'all to look at! Kala tonton! :)
Ok, well, today was our second day in Boubon (the village that Em and I will be calling home soon!) I'm still getting used to it, but hopefully by the time we move into our house I'll be well adjusted! I'm liking the town more and more thanks to the people--they're hard not to love. :) Even when all you hear from the kids is "Caado! Caado!" (gift!) or "Anasada!" (white person!) you still can't help but just love 'em to pieces.
I guess I should start with Day 1. Me, Em, and the Living Hope team ventured out to Boubon early in the morning. The group split into men and women. The men went to meet with the one believer in the village to disciple him and encourage him in whatever way they could. We women began to prayer-walk and meet other women and the children. We started in the chief's compound (that's home for us for the next 2 months!) and just walked from there. We met A TON of people and while we got to share our faith a lot, the kids were more interested in gifts and the women wanted the same (they were just a little more sneaky about asking.) I'm not gonna lie, it kind of saddened my heart a bit. By the end of the day I thought "Is this how it's going to be all summer?? No one wanting to get to know us for anything but gifts??" Oh me of little faith. :)
That brings us to Day 2. Coming into Boubon today we had the same plan for the morning. I was expecting the same responses that we had gotten the day before (just because we were still so new to the town) but apparently word had already gotten around about all the "Jesus people" (yes, they seriously called us that, haha!!) So while we still met new women and their families, they already had an idea of why we were there. Because of this some were gracious and interested from the start, and others said they would listen to us talk but only if we would give them a gift (again with the caados!!) But there was a COMPLETELY different response from the kiddos today which REALLY surprised me. Instead of begging, they allowed us to teach them some songs and tell them a Bible story. We also taught them how to say "Sup?" (complete with the gangsta head nod!), how to high five (which they LOVED!) and a few of them picked up on the thumbs up sign and when to give that. And it made my heart soooo happy when they would see me and Emily and say, "Fati! Mariama!" (Mariama being my African name and Fati being Emily's.) :)
If I could tell more, I would. But let's be honest, if I were to tell every detail I'd never be able to stop writing! The important things you need to know are how you should pray for us and the precious Songhai people:
1. I'm getting my malaria meds switched!!!! PTL!!!! For all of you were praying about my side effects, thank you, but please keep it up! I won't be able to switch till Wednesday so I still have a little time. God has been so gracious to me though and the intense panic and paranoia I've felt has definitely not been as bad since I last wrote the other day. Please pray that it stays that way!!
2. Pray for continued health for the team here. One of the women (Tiffany) hasn't been able to go to Boubon with us yet because it's taken her so long to adjust to the climate and time difference. She's going to go out with us all tomorrow, but we'll be at a different village (that's 2 1/2 hours away!) So please pray that she'll be ok, as well as the rest of the team!
3. Pray for the Songhai mindset. Apparently several years ago some missionaries came through Boubon and just started handing out things. They even bought some goats for a man so that he would listen to them preach! I don't know who these people were, but to say it in the nicest way possible, they kind of messed things up for all the missionaries to come after them. This is why the people in Boubon see us and EXPECT to get gifts! I can't say whether or not the previous missionaries heart's were in the right place or not (that's not for me to judge) but I don't believe the Gospel should ever be used as a bargaining chip. Now when we talk to people about Jesus and they ask for a gift we tell them "Jesus is your gift." Please pray that they will come to understand this...that their minds will not be so wrapped up in material possessions that they will miss the meaning behind the message. And pray for this also so that when Em and I live there we will not constantly be harrassed to give people things. We want to become their friends and live and work among them for the time we are here. Our purpose is to build relationships and if people refuse a relationship just because we have nothing to give them, then that just makes it harder on us to reach out to people.
4. Pray for the chief of the village. We got to meet him yesterday and he seems like a very great and honorable man. He assured us that we would be under his protection the entire time we were there, which I am SO thankful for!! (And I know our families are thankful too!) He seems very open-minded which I'm hoping will lead to him hearing about the Gospel and accepting Christ. If the chief and his family were to become Christians, it would calm the people's fear of being rejected...which leads me to my final prayer request for tonight...
5. The people are interested. We know that much. But no one is WILLING to make the choice because of cultural taboos. Because there is only 1 believer in all of Boubon, it's easy to say that 99.9% of Boubon is Muslim. When people talk of Christianity, others who oppose it say, "If you convert we will not bury you" which is a HUGE deal in the Islamic faith!! One of the believers in another village experienced this recently when his wife passed away. The village elders said they would not bury her, but PTL because the sweet, small group of Christians rallied around this man and buried his wife themselves. In Boubon it's a bit of a different story since there's only 1 believer. There's not even a FEW others that would be able to reassure and encourage each other when it comes to situations like this. So please pray that people would see that following Jesus IS WORTH IT. None of us make an easy choice when we choose to follow God, but it's the best decision we've ever made and I hope that these people will come to see that.
Ok, well that's all for now. I'm going to go try and upload some pictures for y'all to look at! Kala tonton! :)
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Hello from Africa!!!!
Well, here we are!! :) Hello from Africa (finally!!)
Me and Emily arrived on Tuesday and have been trying to make Niger our "home sweet home" for the next couple of months. It hasn't gone exactly as I imagined it would, but then again, does anything EVER?? (haha, we all know God loves to change my plans and perspective on just about everything in my life...)
Some things you could pray for would be first of all for my health. Ever since we got here I've been struggling off and on with nausea (probably due to the extreme heat and lack of good rest.) I haven't been able to sleep soundly since Monday night at Emily's house... (I've never been able to sleep on airplanes and then of course if you throw jet lag into the mix my system's just all over the place.) Something else that's really effecting my sleep right now is my paranoia (one of the side effects of my malaria meds.) I haven't had crazy dreams or hallucinations (praise the Lord!!!) but my anxiety and paranoia levels have been through the roof with certain things. It's gotten to the point where I'm debating about not even taking my malaria meds anymore (since we found out when we got here that the malaria strain has built up a resistance to the particular brand I'm on anyway.) So honestly, if there's a chance that I'm going to get malaria either way, I'd rather not be going out of my mind while I have it. ;)
Besides that, also please be in prayer for the Songhai people. We haven't even gotten out into our village yet and already the need for Jesus is just so obvious. I don't even know how to go into detail on this one...just pray for their hearts to be open to the calling of Jesus. We keep getting told something here that I've never really taken to heart before this--When the Shepherd calls, His sheep hear His voice and listen. I believe that God is going to lead us to the people whose hearts He has already softened towards the Gospel, but we still need lots of prayers that the Songhai will actually RESPOND when they hear their Shepherd. And pray specifically for the village of Boubon and the people there. This is the village that Emily and I will be living at for the next 2 months. We get to visit for our first time tomorrow with the other team from Living Hope (sooo exciting!!!) After the team leaves, we'll go into a week of intense language training, and then it'll be move-in day!!! :)
That's about all the main prayer requests I can think of for the moment, so in closing I'll leave you with some fun tid-bits from our trip so far (that way you might get a smile out of this instead of just a headache from all the straight up info...)
1. IT'S SO STINKIN HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I could eat or drink anything I'd like all day, every day, because I would just sweat off all the calories. Seriously, I have NEVER sweat this much in my entire life. For instance, I took an ice cold shower yesterday (best shower of my LIFE!) and within 15 minutes of getting dressed I was sweating again. (What's the point of even showering if you're just going to get sweaty right away?!?! Blaaaah hygiene.)
2. I was given my African name yesterday!!! :D It's MARIAMA. A sweet lady named Biba gave it to me. I pretty much love it. It doesn't mean anything fancy, it's just the Zarma way of saying Mary. So whatever Mary means, that's what Mariama means I guess! :)
3. I can successfully say a few things in both French and Zarma now!!! The French mostly came from having to navigate the Moroccan hotel and airport and the Zarma has come from, well, being in Niamey of course!
4. I can also successfully transfer American dollars into cfa's!! Yay!!
5. The Phillips (Mark, Parker, Izzie, and Luke) are super wonderful and I've just enjoyed being around them so much! We've also gotten to meet Randy and Susan Saleeby (or Grandy and Grusan as little Izzie likes to say!), another missionary couple here in Niamey. I'm so thankful that we'll be working with these people and getting to learn from them this summer!
I wish I could tell you all more about the people and the food and the place but we're still just settling in and all of that will have to come later. Hopefully pictures will come with those stories too! :)
Love you all!
Ay sabu, kala tonton! (Thanks, see you soon!)
Me and Emily arrived on Tuesday and have been trying to make Niger our "home sweet home" for the next couple of months. It hasn't gone exactly as I imagined it would, but then again, does anything EVER?? (haha, we all know God loves to change my plans and perspective on just about everything in my life...)
Some things you could pray for would be first of all for my health. Ever since we got here I've been struggling off and on with nausea (probably due to the extreme heat and lack of good rest.) I haven't been able to sleep soundly since Monday night at Emily's house... (I've never been able to sleep on airplanes and then of course if you throw jet lag into the mix my system's just all over the place.) Something else that's really effecting my sleep right now is my paranoia (one of the side effects of my malaria meds.) I haven't had crazy dreams or hallucinations (praise the Lord!!!) but my anxiety and paranoia levels have been through the roof with certain things. It's gotten to the point where I'm debating about not even taking my malaria meds anymore (since we found out when we got here that the malaria strain has built up a resistance to the particular brand I'm on anyway.) So honestly, if there's a chance that I'm going to get malaria either way, I'd rather not be going out of my mind while I have it. ;)
Besides that, also please be in prayer for the Songhai people. We haven't even gotten out into our village yet and already the need for Jesus is just so obvious. I don't even know how to go into detail on this one...just pray for their hearts to be open to the calling of Jesus. We keep getting told something here that I've never really taken to heart before this--When the Shepherd calls, His sheep hear His voice and listen. I believe that God is going to lead us to the people whose hearts He has already softened towards the Gospel, but we still need lots of prayers that the Songhai will actually RESPOND when they hear their Shepherd. And pray specifically for the village of Boubon and the people there. This is the village that Emily and I will be living at for the next 2 months. We get to visit for our first time tomorrow with the other team from Living Hope (sooo exciting!!!) After the team leaves, we'll go into a week of intense language training, and then it'll be move-in day!!! :)
That's about all the main prayer requests I can think of for the moment, so in closing I'll leave you with some fun tid-bits from our trip so far (that way you might get a smile out of this instead of just a headache from all the straight up info...)
1. IT'S SO STINKIN HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I could eat or drink anything I'd like all day, every day, because I would just sweat off all the calories. Seriously, I have NEVER sweat this much in my entire life. For instance, I took an ice cold shower yesterday (best shower of my LIFE!) and within 15 minutes of getting dressed I was sweating again. (What's the point of even showering if you're just going to get sweaty right away?!?! Blaaaah hygiene.)
2. I was given my African name yesterday!!! :D It's MARIAMA. A sweet lady named Biba gave it to me. I pretty much love it. It doesn't mean anything fancy, it's just the Zarma way of saying Mary. So whatever Mary means, that's what Mariama means I guess! :)
3. I can successfully say a few things in both French and Zarma now!!! The French mostly came from having to navigate the Moroccan hotel and airport and the Zarma has come from, well, being in Niamey of course!
4. I can also successfully transfer American dollars into cfa's!! Yay!!
5. The Phillips (Mark, Parker, Izzie, and Luke) are super wonderful and I've just enjoyed being around them so much! We've also gotten to meet Randy and Susan Saleeby (or Grandy and Grusan as little Izzie likes to say!), another missionary couple here in Niamey. I'm so thankful that we'll be working with these people and getting to learn from them this summer!
I wish I could tell you all more about the people and the food and the place but we're still just settling in and all of that will have to come later. Hopefully pictures will come with those stories too! :)
Love you all!
Ay sabu, kala tonton! (Thanks, see you soon!)
Monday, May 16, 2011
Packing Is A Pain
I've packed things into bags for the past three days.
Me and Em are plum-tuckered-out!!
Time for a nap, more last minute packing, dinner, then SLEEP!!
I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow! It's been a long time coming. :)
Me and Em are plum-tuckered-out!!
Time for a nap, more last minute packing, dinner, then SLEEP!!
I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow! It's been a long time coming. :)
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Dear Africa...
I'm excited and nervous and anxious and curious and super-pumped and slightly bummed and estatic and fed-up and all in all...JUST READY TO BE THERE!
3 more days.
TGBTG.
3 more days.
TGBTG.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Malaria Pills
So, as many of you probably know, I tend to freak out sometimes.
I've been in a constant state of "freaking out" about my malaria pills for months. I've heard stories about crazy side effects, and just knowing that I would be starting my meds during finals week was just nerve-wracking.
But once again, THE LORD HAS PROVEN FAITHFUL!!!
Yesterday I took my first pill. AND I HAVE FELT ZERO SIDE EFFECTS!!!
It's honestly a huge relief to me. I know you might think I'm silly for worrying about these small things instead of worrying about traveling or safety or something big like that. But honestly, those things don't really bother me. I've known for awhile now that GOD WANTS US IN AFRICA so He's definitely going to get us there and keep us safe. But all the little things....how is my medicine going to react in my body? what about the bugs!?!?!?! what kind of clothes do I bring? what if the Phillips don't like me? what if the Songhai think I'm too emotional? (Yes, that is one of my legit fears...apparently crying is kind of a taboo...and I cry a lot.) That's what really gets me and keeps me awake at night. (Literally!)
But God really wanted to give me another lesson in trust as I prayed last night that I would be kept safe from any side effects. Of course, God answered (as He always does) and blessed me with a deep and peaceful sleep.
I'm SO thankful and a lot more excited for Africa to be here now that that fear has been conquered!!!
*6 days!!!!*
I've been in a constant state of "freaking out" about my malaria pills for months. I've heard stories about crazy side effects, and just knowing that I would be starting my meds during finals week was just nerve-wracking.
But once again, THE LORD HAS PROVEN FAITHFUL!!!
Yesterday I took my first pill. AND I HAVE FELT ZERO SIDE EFFECTS!!!
It's honestly a huge relief to me. I know you might think I'm silly for worrying about these small things instead of worrying about traveling or safety or something big like that. But honestly, those things don't really bother me. I've known for awhile now that GOD WANTS US IN AFRICA so He's definitely going to get us there and keep us safe. But all the little things....how is my medicine going to react in my body? what about the bugs!?!?!?! what kind of clothes do I bring? what if the Phillips don't like me? what if the Songhai think I'm too emotional? (Yes, that is one of my legit fears...apparently crying is kind of a taboo...and I cry a lot.) That's what really gets me and keeps me awake at night. (Literally!)
But God really wanted to give me another lesson in trust as I prayed last night that I would be kept safe from any side effects. Of course, God answered (as He always does) and blessed me with a deep and peaceful sleep.
I'm SO thankful and a lot more excited for Africa to be here now that that fear has been conquered!!!
*6 days!!!!*
Friday, May 6, 2011
11 Days!!
I don't feel ready!! With finals and work and just everything else that's wrapping up, I really feel so unprepared for this trip! I want more time--just one more week!--so that I can feel more prepared for this!!
But I know that even if I were given another week, I would still feel like I needed one MORE week after that...
I've never done anything like this before...I'm giving up everything I've ever known for a WHOLE SUMMER. I'll be so far away from my friends and family and really ANYTHING familiar...
But if I don't go NOW, when will I go? I need to trust that the Lord is working this all in HIS timing, not mine, and THAT is what is going to make this trip incredible--NOT another week of preparation.
To any of you reading this, please just pray for me. Pray that my nerves will be calmed and that God's peace will wash over me. Pray for both me and Emily as we finish up our finals and that God will bless us according to our work. And please pray that God will continue to prepare our hearts for this adventure--He is going to do so many great and mighty things... :)
http://youtu.be/He3sRNPXBsI
But I know that even if I were given another week, I would still feel like I needed one MORE week after that...
I've never done anything like this before...I'm giving up everything I've ever known for a WHOLE SUMMER. I'll be so far away from my friends and family and really ANYTHING familiar...
But if I don't go NOW, when will I go? I need to trust that the Lord is working this all in HIS timing, not mine, and THAT is what is going to make this trip incredible--NOT another week of preparation.
To any of you reading this, please just pray for me. Pray that my nerves will be calmed and that God's peace will wash over me. Pray for both me and Emily as we finish up our finals and that God will bless us according to our work. And please pray that God will continue to prepare our hearts for this adventure--He is going to do so many great and mighty things... :)
http://youtu.be/He3sRNPXBsI
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
My Mantra
The Lord is SO FAITHFUL to provide!!!
I feel like this has become my mantra lately.
Which I'm ok with...I feel like it's a good one to have. :)
But seriously, no matter what has happened in the past year of preparation for this trip, God has constantly been providing for our needs left and right. He is SO good and SO gracious...let ALL the praise and glory and honor go to Him and Him alone!!
We have had more supply donations from some wonderful people and I just received another check in the mail from a family back in my home town (better late than never!) I just feel so blessed to have people in my life that care about me and recognize the importance of this trip. Yesterday, while my friend April was giving me several items, she said that she loves missions and has such a heart for it, but can't go on any trips because of her job...so she figured that she can still be a part of it all in some way by donating to me and Emily. Gracious, I just wanted to cry and hug her and just jump up and down and say YES!!! THAT'S THE RIGHT ATTITUDE!!
I feel like that's EXACTLY what God calls us to do in His Word. If we can't go ourselves, we need to be sending others!!
I feel like this has become my mantra lately.
Which I'm ok with...I feel like it's a good one to have. :)
But seriously, no matter what has happened in the past year of preparation for this trip, God has constantly been providing for our needs left and right. He is SO good and SO gracious...let ALL the praise and glory and honor go to Him and Him alone!!
We have had more supply donations from some wonderful people and I just received another check in the mail from a family back in my home town (better late than never!) I just feel so blessed to have people in my life that care about me and recognize the importance of this trip. Yesterday, while my friend April was giving me several items, she said that she loves missions and has such a heart for it, but can't go on any trips because of her job...so she figured that she can still be a part of it all in some way by donating to me and Emily. Gracious, I just wanted to cry and hug her and just jump up and down and say YES!!! THAT'S THE RIGHT ATTITUDE!!
I feel like that's EXACTLY what God calls us to do in His Word. If we can't go ourselves, we need to be sending others!!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thank You Lovely People!
Can I just say how thankful I am for people???
I never realized how many truly sincere and giving people I knew until I started to get ready for this trip.
Earlier this week I started some Facebook chatter through a note and event about mine and Emily's trip, asking for donations for the trip and such. The response was almost overwhelming!! Granted, I don't know how many people will follow through, but what I DO know is that so many people have followed through already!
Just a couple of shout-outs: The Haste family brought us all sorts of treats (including a VAST supply of wet wipes!!!! PTL!!!!) When Becca went home this week, she remembered to bring me and Emily some hand-held battery powered fans (those will be soooo useful in the 130 degree heat!!!) Ashleigh really surprised me. We haven't talked or hung out on a regular basis since freshman year of college and yet she went out of her way to buy us a whole bag-full of mac and cheese packets and tuna!!! There are other people that I would also love to specifically mention because not only has God really provided through them for me this week, but they have been a CONSTANT blessing throughout the entire prep process...however, they have specifically asked me to not mention them by name when I say my thank you's. (You know who you are though, and I am so grateful for you!!!)
There are many others of course. Those were just the first examples that popped into my mind. What's just so awesome to me though is how these people really showed up for me just at my craziest moment--when I was saying "Lord, I don't know how I'm going to do this!!! You are going to HAVE to provide because I've run out of options!!!"
This whole year of constant preparation for this trip to Niger has been one of the biggest learning processes of my life!! God has really shown me that HE is the Ultimate Provider and Sustainer. Without Him, I can do NOTHING. It's been all about TRUSTING and OBEYING, and realizing that HE IS WITH ME NO MATTER WHAT!
There have been times this year where I know I've failed to obey God in drastic ways. I am not proud of those moments/decisions. I am still constantly struggling with the consequences of those decidions and with new battles every day. AND YET!!! God has still CHOSEN to provide for me! He's still chosen to send me to this place!
Oh, how His grace overflows...I am so thankful and humbled by it all...
And honestly, (to get back to my original point) I've seen this grace and provision from Him shining through the people He has placed in my life. The ones who are aware of my struggles...they love me still. The ones who have seemed to come out of nowhere in order to help me with items for this trip...I know that God has placed that specific desire to help me on their hearts.
I am thankful to my friends and family for being God's representatives to me...
And I am thankful to my Saviour, Jesus Christ, for saving me--taking away my sins once and for all--and showering me with love, peace, and an overabundance of sweet grace...I love you Lord!!!
I never realized how many truly sincere and giving people I knew until I started to get ready for this trip.
Earlier this week I started some Facebook chatter through a note and event about mine and Emily's trip, asking for donations for the trip and such. The response was almost overwhelming!! Granted, I don't know how many people will follow through, but what I DO know is that so many people have followed through already!
Just a couple of shout-outs: The Haste family brought us all sorts of treats (including a VAST supply of wet wipes!!!! PTL!!!!) When Becca went home this week, she remembered to bring me and Emily some hand-held battery powered fans (those will be soooo useful in the 130 degree heat!!!) Ashleigh really surprised me. We haven't talked or hung out on a regular basis since freshman year of college and yet she went out of her way to buy us a whole bag-full of mac and cheese packets and tuna!!! There are other people that I would also love to specifically mention because not only has God really provided through them for me this week, but they have been a CONSTANT blessing throughout the entire prep process...however, they have specifically asked me to not mention them by name when I say my thank you's. (You know who you are though, and I am so grateful for you!!!)
There are many others of course. Those were just the first examples that popped into my mind. What's just so awesome to me though is how these people really showed up for me just at my craziest moment--when I was saying "Lord, I don't know how I'm going to do this!!! You are going to HAVE to provide because I've run out of options!!!"
This whole year of constant preparation for this trip to Niger has been one of the biggest learning processes of my life!! God has really shown me that HE is the Ultimate Provider and Sustainer. Without Him, I can do NOTHING. It's been all about TRUSTING and OBEYING, and realizing that HE IS WITH ME NO MATTER WHAT!
There have been times this year where I know I've failed to obey God in drastic ways. I am not proud of those moments/decisions. I am still constantly struggling with the consequences of those decidions and with new battles every day. AND YET!!! God has still CHOSEN to provide for me! He's still chosen to send me to this place!
Oh, how His grace overflows...I am so thankful and humbled by it all...
And honestly, (to get back to my original point) I've seen this grace and provision from Him shining through the people He has placed in my life. The ones who are aware of my struggles...they love me still. The ones who have seemed to come out of nowhere in order to help me with items for this trip...I know that God has placed that specific desire to help me on their hearts.
I am thankful to my friends and family for being God's representatives to me...
And I am thankful to my Saviour, Jesus Christ, for saving me--taking away my sins once and for all--and showering me with love, peace, and an overabundance of sweet grace...I love you Lord!!!
Friday, April 15, 2011
An Answer To Prayer!
PRAISE THE LORD!!!
Our prayers have been answered and WE HAVE A FLIGHT TO AFRICA!!!
As of Wednesday afternoon, Emily and I found out that our official departure date is MAY 17TH!
We acknowledge that only OUR GOD is big enough and powerful enough to make this happen for us!! We are SO THANKFUL to Him for always providing for our needs!!
Thank you for all your prayers concerning us, and PLEASE keep praying!!
~TGBTG~
Our prayers have been answered and WE HAVE A FLIGHT TO AFRICA!!!
As of Wednesday afternoon, Emily and I found out that our official departure date is MAY 17TH!
We acknowledge that only OUR GOD is big enough and powerful enough to make this happen for us!! We are SO THANKFUL to Him for always providing for our needs!!
Thank you for all your prayers concerning us, and PLEASE keep praying!!
~TGBTG~
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Prayer Request: Money
Alright everyone. I need you all to pray for a specific ammount of money to come into my possession within the VERY near future in the form of $650.
I need $400 for the rest of my vaccinations.
I need $150 for my visa expenses. (I have to guess-timate on this one...but I feel like $150 will be enough.
I need $100 (at least) for my supplies that I will need to buy prior to the trip.
In February, God granted me $1,000 in ONE WEEK'S TIME. I trusted that He would provide for all my needs, and so far He has done so in mind-blowing ways!!! :) I trust that it is God's will for me to go to Niger, and since that's the case I KNOW He will get me there somehow!!
Just please continue to pray...for the money, for the airline troubles that still need to be worked out...and pray that mine and Emily's faith will be strengthed through this process. The Lord is doing a great work in us and while we may not understand His timing or way of providing, we just have to believe and trust that everything's already been taken care of. :)
I need $400 for the rest of my vaccinations.
I need $150 for my visa expenses. (I have to guess-timate on this one...but I feel like $150 will be enough.
I need $100 (at least) for my supplies that I will need to buy prior to the trip.
In February, God granted me $1,000 in ONE WEEK'S TIME. I trusted that He would provide for all my needs, and so far He has done so in mind-blowing ways!!! :) I trust that it is God's will for me to go to Niger, and since that's the case I KNOW He will get me there somehow!!
Just please continue to pray...for the money, for the airline troubles that still need to be worked out...and pray that mine and Emily's faith will be strengthed through this process. The Lord is doing a great work in us and while we may not understand His timing or way of providing, we just have to believe and trust that everything's already been taken care of. :)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Prayer Request: Airlines
So getting to Africa is becoming slightly difficult.
Our departing flight keeps getting rescheduled but never confirmed. We already paid for these tickets months ago so we're trying to work it out with the airline where we won't have to pay MORE money on top of the $2,000 (each!) we already spent on airfare.
Emily has been a saint and has contiuously tried calling the airline over and over and over again over the past several weeks--each time being put on hold for at least an hour and then being given the run-around. She finally put her foot down today and said we needed an answer from the airline by THIS WEEKEND.
Guys, I cannot even begin to stress the importance of why we need to have this set in stone. We can't apply for our visas until we have a confirmed departing flight. And we have to apply for our visa by next week at the latest. If we don't get our visa on time, we don't get into the country.
So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray that we will have a definite answer from SOMEONE by this weekend!!!
We know that the Lord will get us there someway, somehow. He has already led us in such a mighty way when it comes to this trip. He is going to do a mighty and powerful work in the lives of the Songhai and (I believe) in our lives as well. When you pray for us, ask God to not only provide for our needs, but thank Him for the blessings He has already granted us and will CONTINUE to grant us!
We serve an awesome God. Glory WILL be brought to His Name through this trip. Amen!!
Our departing flight keeps getting rescheduled but never confirmed. We already paid for these tickets months ago so we're trying to work it out with the airline where we won't have to pay MORE money on top of the $2,000 (each!) we already spent on airfare.
Emily has been a saint and has contiuously tried calling the airline over and over and over again over the past several weeks--each time being put on hold for at least an hour and then being given the run-around. She finally put her foot down today and said we needed an answer from the airline by THIS WEEKEND.
Guys, I cannot even begin to stress the importance of why we need to have this set in stone. We can't apply for our visas until we have a confirmed departing flight. And we have to apply for our visa by next week at the latest. If we don't get our visa on time, we don't get into the country.
So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray that we will have a definite answer from SOMEONE by this weekend!!!
We know that the Lord will get us there someway, somehow. He has already led us in such a mighty way when it comes to this trip. He is going to do a mighty and powerful work in the lives of the Songhai and (I believe) in our lives as well. When you pray for us, ask God to not only provide for our needs, but thank Him for the blessings He has already granted us and will CONTINUE to grant us!
We serve an awesome God. Glory WILL be brought to His Name through this trip. Amen!!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Pain and Countdowns
MY ARMS HURT LIKE THE DICKENS!!!
This is what I get for not keeping up with my vaccinations over the years.
But at least I'm done for now, PTL!! :)
Yesterday, after spending WAY too much money at the pharmacy, Susie The Nurse shot up my arms with the Hep A, Meningitus, and Tetanus vaccs. Thankfully I had already received my Yellow Fever vacc and the Typhiod and Malaria meds are both done orally, so I feel like I'm pretty much done!!
Something you all could be praying about though is that God will continue to provide the money for the remaining meds when I go pick them up. Since I got the final shots yesterday, a huge portion of the cost has already been taken care of. However, I don't have the money at the moment to go and pick up my Malaria pills and the two prescriptions that I'll need in-country. Thankfully, I won't need those till about two weeks before I leave, so there's still plenty of time for God to get me the rest of the money! He has been so faithful to provide so far, and I am confident that He will continue to show us just how big and powerful and in control of everything He really is! :)
P.S. I started a countdown to the trip today... only 1 MONTH AND 13 DAYS LEFT!!!!!
This is what I get for not keeping up with my vaccinations over the years.
But at least I'm done for now, PTL!! :)
Yesterday, after spending WAY too much money at the pharmacy, Susie The Nurse shot up my arms with the Hep A, Meningitus, and Tetanus vaccs. Thankfully I had already received my Yellow Fever vacc and the Typhiod and Malaria meds are both done orally, so I feel like I'm pretty much done!!
Something you all could be praying about though is that God will continue to provide the money for the remaining meds when I go pick them up. Since I got the final shots yesterday, a huge portion of the cost has already been taken care of. However, I don't have the money at the moment to go and pick up my Malaria pills and the two prescriptions that I'll need in-country. Thankfully, I won't need those till about two weeks before I leave, so there's still plenty of time for God to get me the rest of the money! He has been so faithful to provide so far, and I am confident that He will continue to show us just how big and powerful and in control of everything He really is! :)
P.S. I started a countdown to the trip today... only 1 MONTH AND 13 DAYS LEFT!!!!!
You're All Updated! Yay!
Ok, so now my series of "Catching You Up!" is FINALLY complete!
If you would like to read any of the original posts, you can find them at my other blog: http:// erinbloss.blogspot.com
From now on, anything you read will be about what's happening NOW. Pretty exciting stuff huh?! :) So keep checking back and I'll have more info for you here in a little while!
If you would like to read any of the original posts, you can find them at my other blog: http:// erinbloss.blogspot.com
From now on, anything you read will be about what's happening NOW. Pretty exciting stuff huh?! :) So keep checking back and I'll have more info for you here in a little while!
To God Be The Glory! TGBTG
Catching You Up! Pt. 7: Thanks
I wrote this on 1/20/11 as a sort of response to something I had read in Pastor Jason's blog. When you're finished reading it, I would encourage you to thank God for the people He has placed in YOUR life as your partners in the Great Commission.
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"Who we journey through life with is important. We all need good friends that we can stand in Christ with. Praise God for your friends today and celebrate the fact that Jesus calls us to community and to live on mission with others who love us, love Him, and that we love."
Pastor Jason Pettus, Living Hope Baptist Church
I follow my pastor's blog. I don't know if that's creepy or not since I've only talked with him in person twice and I don't think he remembers who I am. But his posts bring me great encouragement so I justify that as a good enough reason to keep following his posts. :)
Recently, Pastor Jason wrote about Paul and the men who traveled with him in his ministry. As I was reading about them, my mind also wandered to Jesus and His twelve traveling companions, the disciples. As I came to the end of the blog post, I thought back over all the people that I have had the priviledge of serving with on the mission field and thought I should write a short blog very quickly to thank some of them for the way that they've impacted my life.
Jana Clark: As I was thinking about thanking you for serving with me on the mission field, I started running through all the trips in my head. At first the three years of LaVillita came to mind but then I remembered Reynosa, Mexico AND that one week in Mississippi! Oh, so many years...so many trips...SO MUCH IMPACT. You've played a huge part in my life (and continue to do so!) and I want to thank you about a million times for your constant friendship! I've always looked up to you and your faith and I'm glad that I had you as my example throughout my very first mission trips.
The Entire January 2010 Honduras Team: The entire time we were in Comayagua I thought constantly about how the trip would just have not been the same if we had had different people. I couldn't have wished for a better team to serve with. Everyone worked so well together and everyone's hearts were in the right place, which was just such a beautiful thing to witness...it just gave me a lot of encouragement. Thank you for showing me the definition of unity that week. Never forget that while you were a blessing to the people of Honduras, you blessed my heart as well.
Emily Harrod: Granted, I'm getting ahead of myself by about 5 months...But I am already so thankful that God blessed me with the priviledge to not only serve with one of the most Godly women I know, but someone who also happens to be one of my best friends! I know that the Lord is going to do great things with us in Africa this summer and I can't wait to see how that all plays out! Thank you for already being such a great encouragement to me (cause Lord knows I'll need that this summer!) and thank you for just being such a wonderful friend.
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"Who we journey through life with is important. We all need good friends that we can stand in Christ with. Praise God for your friends today and celebrate the fact that Jesus calls us to community and to live on mission with others who love us, love Him, and that we love."
Pastor Jason Pettus, Living Hope Baptist Church
I follow my pastor's blog. I don't know if that's creepy or not since I've only talked with him in person twice and I don't think he remembers who I am. But his posts bring me great encouragement so I justify that as a good enough reason to keep following his posts. :)
Recently, Pastor Jason wrote about Paul and the men who traveled with him in his ministry. As I was reading about them, my mind also wandered to Jesus and His twelve traveling companions, the disciples. As I came to the end of the blog post, I thought back over all the people that I have had the priviledge of serving with on the mission field and thought I should write a short blog very quickly to thank some of them for the way that they've impacted my life.
Jana Clark: As I was thinking about thanking you for serving with me on the mission field, I started running through all the trips in my head. At first the three years of LaVillita came to mind but then I remembered Reynosa, Mexico AND that one week in Mississippi! Oh, so many years...so many trips...SO MUCH IMPACT. You've played a huge part in my life (and continue to do so!) and I want to thank you about a million times for your constant friendship! I've always looked up to you and your faith and I'm glad that I had you as my example throughout my very first mission trips.
The Entire January 2010 Honduras Team: The entire time we were in Comayagua I thought constantly about how the trip would just have not been the same if we had had different people. I couldn't have wished for a better team to serve with. Everyone worked so well together and everyone's hearts were in the right place, which was just such a beautiful thing to witness...it just gave me a lot of encouragement. Thank you for showing me the definition of unity that week. Never forget that while you were a blessing to the people of Honduras, you blessed my heart as well.
Emily Harrod: Granted, I'm getting ahead of myself by about 5 months...But I am already so thankful that God blessed me with the priviledge to not only serve with one of the most Godly women I know, but someone who also happens to be one of my best friends! I know that the Lord is going to do great things with us in Africa this summer and I can't wait to see how that all plays out! Thank you for already being such a great encouragement to me (cause Lord knows I'll need that this summer!) and thank you for just being such a wonderful friend.
Catching You Up! Pt. 6: Faithfulness
I wrote this on 1/11/11 after really struggling with the fact that I had to give up going to Comayagua, Honduras this year in order to save for Africa. I wrote a pretty pathetic blog before this one talking about how much I missed Honduras and how I wish I had gone with the missions team and how much I missed all the kids I had grown close to...I actually sounded kind of whiney! But thankfully, the Lord still loves us and blesses us even in our whiniest moments and this post talks about what exactly He blessed me with...
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Can I just say one thing?? THE LORD IS FAITHFUL!!! After writing my last blog (Yester-year)
I realized that my heart was becoming consumed by thoughts of Honduras. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but considering the fact that I needed to be focusing on Africa, it was wrong for me to be investing all my emotions in another place. I needed a reality-slap quick or else I was going to be moping around for months and wasting precious time that could be used in preparation for my summer mission trip.
So I prayed like CRAZY. I begged God to put Africa back on my heart. I asked that He would fill me up with JOY for the people in Niger so that when I go there I am simply overwhelmed by LOVE and HOPE for them and their future in the Kingdom.
After I prayed, I took the picture that I had of me in Honduras off as my computer background and replaced it with the logo for the Niger mission work. I told myself that every time I saw that logo on my computer I would pray for the people I would be working with this summer. Then I started working on my support letter.
Let me say again, THE LORD IS FAITHFUL!!! The next morning, I woke up literally feeling like my heart was overflowing to all parts of me. I felt as if you were to split me in two, light and life and laughter and love would just come flowing out of me in a never ending burst! It was wonderful! I prayed, thanking God over and over again for answering my prayer and renewing my spirit.
Africa is back on my heart. I don't think it ever left, but I do think that I let my emotions get the best of me for some time. And now, I don't care if I never perfect the art of the French language or if I don't have as much financial support that I thought I would. God called me to this place a long time ago and I want to be able to serve Him with an undivided heart.
There was a point in time that God declared to me that He had a plan for me. I don't know what the whole plan might be, but I know this is part of it.
Bring it on. :)
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Can I just say one thing?? THE LORD IS FAITHFUL!!! After writing my last blog (Yester-year)
I realized that my heart was becoming consumed by thoughts of Honduras. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but considering the fact that I needed to be focusing on Africa, it was wrong for me to be investing all my emotions in another place. I needed a reality-slap quick or else I was going to be moping around for months and wasting precious time that could be used in preparation for my summer mission trip.
So I prayed like CRAZY. I begged God to put Africa back on my heart. I asked that He would fill me up with JOY for the people in Niger so that when I go there I am simply overwhelmed by LOVE and HOPE for them and their future in the Kingdom.
After I prayed, I took the picture that I had of me in Honduras off as my computer background and replaced it with the logo for the Niger mission work. I told myself that every time I saw that logo on my computer I would pray for the people I would be working with this summer. Then I started working on my support letter.
Let me say again, THE LORD IS FAITHFUL!!! The next morning, I woke up literally feeling like my heart was overflowing to all parts of me. I felt as if you were to split me in two, light and life and laughter and love would just come flowing out of me in a never ending burst! It was wonderful! I prayed, thanking God over and over again for answering my prayer and renewing my spirit.
Africa is back on my heart. I don't think it ever left, but I do think that I let my emotions get the best of me for some time. And now, I don't care if I never perfect the art of the French language or if I don't have as much financial support that I thought I would. God called me to this place a long time ago and I want to be able to serve Him with an undivided heart.
There was a point in time that God declared to me that He had a plan for me. I don't know what the whole plan might be, but I know this is part of it.
Bring it on. :)
Catching You Up! Pt. 4: Overwhelmed
Here's some fun insight into my life after a couple of lessons of French... I wrote this on 10/17/11...just 13 days after I was exclaiming how much I was looking forward to French lessons and how great they were! :)
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This is the first night where I have left a French lesson in tears.
Maybe it's just because it's "that time" for me to have the excuse to be overly emotional... Or maybe it's because I'm just an emotional person anyway...
Either way, there were tears.
Lots of them.
I think it was a combination of just feeling completely inadequate when it comes to learning (and RETAINING) a language, and the fact that I was on my way home to tackle a never-ending pile of homework when all I felt like doing was going straight to bed. Seriously, I have been working my butt off this weekend when it came to homework and now it's 11:41 PM, Sunday night, and I still haven't finished everything!!
However, after I finish this blog I'm calling it a night. I've gotten to the point where I just can't concentrate anymore. I have mostly everything done, I just have to do one more paper in the morning (I hope I can finish it on time!) and then finish my C.S. Lewis book for class on Tuesday. (Oh Jack, WHY did you have to write so much?!?!)
(sigh) I think I just need a vacation. I know we just had Fall Break, but really, let's be honest, how many people actually got to REST on their break?? (Not me!)
So my brilliant plan is this... Once my C.S. Lewis class is done on Tuesday, I am officially declaring the rest of the day "Erin Time." I want a break from life and everything and everyone. I won't do schoolwork, I won't run errands...I just want to rest for a little while (even if it is just one night.)
Now. If I can just survive till Tuesday.... :)
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This is the first night where I have left a French lesson in tears.
Maybe it's just because it's "that time" for me to have the excuse to be overly emotional... Or maybe it's because I'm just an emotional person anyway...
Either way, there were tears.
Lots of them.
I think it was a combination of just feeling completely inadequate when it comes to learning (and RETAINING) a language, and the fact that I was on my way home to tackle a never-ending pile of homework when all I felt like doing was going straight to bed. Seriously, I have been working my butt off this weekend when it came to homework and now it's 11:41 PM, Sunday night, and I still haven't finished everything!!
However, after I finish this blog I'm calling it a night. I've gotten to the point where I just can't concentrate anymore. I have mostly everything done, I just have to do one more paper in the morning (I hope I can finish it on time!) and then finish my C.S. Lewis book for class on Tuesday. (Oh Jack, WHY did you have to write so much?!?!)
(sigh) I think I just need a vacation. I know we just had Fall Break, but really, let's be honest, how many people actually got to REST on their break?? (Not me!)
So my brilliant plan is this... Once my C.S. Lewis class is done on Tuesday, I am officially declaring the rest of the day "Erin Time." I want a break from life and everything and everyone. I won't do schoolwork, I won't run errands...I just want to rest for a little while (even if it is just one night.)
Now. If I can just survive till Tuesday.... :)
Catching You Up! Part 3: Oui!
This is a blog post I remember well. :) I wrote it on 10/4/10 after the first night of our French lessons with the Hastes, Mark, and Jill. Those French lessons were some of the best and hardest Sunday nights of Fall Semester 2010. I definitely had a love/hate relationship with them. It was really fun hanging out with everyone and trying to pick apart this new language...but French and I are NOT friends. I got frustrated with the language very quickly and honestly, I STILL AM! But I know that once I get to Africa, my survival instincts will kick in and I'll begin to pick up on phrases left and right! So far, all I remember how to say is "How old are you?" and count to ten. But hey, that's better than nothing, right? :)
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Last night was my first night of the French lessons I'm taking in preparation for Africa!!!! I may have been pretty rough, but I'm so determined to get this right. I told everyone that I wanted to be able to have a conversation with someone in French before leaving for Niger. Realistically, I don't know if that will happen. And due to the fact that my pallete is much more suited for the Spanish language as opposed to French, who knows if anyone will actually know what I'm saying once we get to Africa?? But still... :D I cannot even begin to express the excitement that is just bubbling up in my heart right now. I love getting to that point...where you've been TALKING about doing something for so long, and now it's no longer talk--THERE'S ACTION!! :) I also wrote my first email to the family that Emily and I will be partnering with in Niger (the Phillips.) I really hope they respond soon! I'm so excited to get to know them better!!! (Obviously I know about them because my church sponsers them, but I feel a little creeper-ish that I know about them and they don't really know about me! Haha!) Oh well...let's just hope they like quirky red-heads that speak French with a Spanish accent. :) ALSO! I have officially started my "Get Erin To Africa" Fund! :D I was given a piggy bank for my 21st birthday (thank you Cassie and Kristine!...He was lovingly dubbed "Porkque the Pig" and is white with pastel hearts covering his side. Pretty cute.) So this little pig of mine is going to be stuffed till he can be stuffed no more with my funds for this trip. I'm estimating he has about 60+ dollars in his belly (thanks to all the birthday money that my precious friends gave me specifically for this reason!!!) Basically, God has been gracious enough to get me off to a good start, and I am SO confident that I will see Him work many other blessings when it comes to the provision for this trip. I know that when Emily and I started talking about this possibility back in May it just seemed like some incredible dream. But the Good Lord has been faithful and has assured me that this is His plan, and it's such a wonderful reassurance to see Him work that plan out for us!! Oh, He is just so good!! :D Anyways, I know there will be more updates as time progresses. After all, we're not leaving for several more months. But, if you keep up with my blog, keep an eye out for continued progress and PLEASE keep me, Emily, and the Phillips in your prayers! :) Oh, and one more thing... Funniest quote from French lesson #1: "Greetings. I am married. I am an American girl." --Matt Haste.
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Last night was my first night of the French lessons I'm taking in preparation for Africa!!!! I may have been pretty rough, but I'm so determined to get this right. I told everyone that I wanted to be able to have a conversation with someone in French before leaving for Niger. Realistically, I don't know if that will happen. And due to the fact that my pallete is much more suited for the Spanish language as opposed to French, who knows if anyone will actually know what I'm saying once we get to Africa?? But still... :D I cannot even begin to express the excitement that is just bubbling up in my heart right now. I love getting to that point...where you've been TALKING about doing something for so long, and now it's no longer talk--THERE'S ACTION!! :) I also wrote my first email to the family that Emily and I will be partnering with in Niger (the Phillips.) I really hope they respond soon! I'm so excited to get to know them better!!! (Obviously I know about them because my church sponsers them, but I feel a little creeper-ish that I know about them and they don't really know about me! Haha!) Oh well...let's just hope they like quirky red-heads that speak French with a Spanish accent. :) ALSO! I have officially started my "Get Erin To Africa" Fund! :D I was given a piggy bank for my 21st birthday (thank you Cassie and Kristine!...He was lovingly dubbed "Porkque the Pig" and is white with pastel hearts covering his side. Pretty cute.) So this little pig of mine is going to be stuffed till he can be stuffed no more with my funds for this trip. I'm estimating he has about 60+ dollars in his belly (thanks to all the birthday money that my precious friends gave me specifically for this reason!!!) Basically, God has been gracious enough to get me off to a good start, and I am SO confident that I will see Him work many other blessings when it comes to the provision for this trip. I know that when Emily and I started talking about this possibility back in May it just seemed like some incredible dream. But the Good Lord has been faithful and has assured me that this is His plan, and it's such a wonderful reassurance to see Him work that plan out for us!! Oh, He is just so good!! :D Anyways, I know there will be more updates as time progresses. After all, we're not leaving for several more months. But, if you keep up with my blog, keep an eye out for continued progress and PLEASE keep me, Emily, and the Phillips in your prayers! :) Oh, and one more thing... Funniest quote from French lesson #1: "Greetings. I am married. I am an American girl." --Matt Haste.
Catching You Up! Pt. 2: People
I wrote this post on 9/22/10. Again, I did not write it with Niger in mind, but instead with ALL people in mind! (Hence, the original title, haha!) I wanted you to read this post so that you could a little peek into my heart. I believe that God made me with an intense love for people because He wishes to use that specifically in the mission field. As long as it is HIS love flowing through me towards others, the nations will praise Him and acknowledge Him as Lord.
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I've discovered I have an intense love for people.
I love simply living life with others. It brings me more joy and contentedness than I can express.
My dream job would be to just sit with people and talk with them all day. It doesn't have to be incredibly deep, thought-provoking conversation (though I do love that...) But more than anything I love finding out what's going on in people's lives...hearing about their days, what has made them happy, what they're struggling through...
To live life with people...what an incredible gift from God! And when I say "live life" (because I've found myself using that phrase in conversation quite often) I mean to truly walk with people through all kinds of situations...to be on the "inside" when it comes to what they're going through...to know all the intricate little details of what makes their heart burst with joy or break with sadness and to learn the "hows" and "whys" of it all...
Obviously, I don't know each and every single person I meet on this kind of a level. But every time I have a meaningful conversation with someone (something past "ohhihowareyou i'mgood greathaveaniceday") I feel like it's just one step closer to that point. I feel sometimes that maybe that's how we were originally meant to interact with each other...to have that constant fellowship with our fellow man...
...Or maybe I'm just a really big people person. ;) Either way, I swear I'm not trying to be nosy, I'm just genuinely interested in life and all its precious happenings.
It's just the way I was made. :)
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I've discovered I have an intense love for people.
I love simply living life with others. It brings me more joy and contentedness than I can express.
My dream job would be to just sit with people and talk with them all day. It doesn't have to be incredibly deep, thought-provoking conversation (though I do love that...) But more than anything I love finding out what's going on in people's lives...hearing about their days, what has made them happy, what they're struggling through...
To live life with people...what an incredible gift from God! And when I say "live life" (because I've found myself using that phrase in conversation quite often) I mean to truly walk with people through all kinds of situations...to be on the "inside" when it comes to what they're going through...to know all the intricate little details of what makes their heart burst with joy or break with sadness and to learn the "hows" and "whys" of it all...
Obviously, I don't know each and every single person I meet on this kind of a level. But every time I have a meaningful conversation with someone (something past "ohhihowareyou i'mgood greathaveaniceday") I feel like it's just one step closer to that point. I feel sometimes that maybe that's how we were originally meant to interact with each other...to have that constant fellowship with our fellow man...
...Or maybe I'm just a really big people person. ;) Either way, I swear I'm not trying to be nosy, I'm just genuinely interested in life and all its precious happenings.
It's just the way I was made. :)
Catching You Up! Pt.1: Labor
I wrote this post on 8/18/10. I wasn't writing specifically with Niger in mind, but the more the Lord prepares me for this journey, the more I see the Truth in what I wrote that day...that maybe we are called to be "laborers" because God's ministry is the hardest job we will ever have. But in the end, the labor is worth everything when we stand before Jesus and He says "Well done my good and faithful servant..."
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Labor: Physical or mental exertion, especially when difficult or exhausting; work. Laborers: A person engaged in physical work.
Thought for the day: God refers to us as His "laborers" preparing for the harvest...maybe because His ministry requires committing to the hardest work we will ever face. Sometimes it may not be easy, and sometimes we won't see the outcome till Heaven, but our work is never done in vain when done for the Lord. That last part is something that I have to constantly remind myself of.
For instance, today I struggled through a conversation with someone about my role in a ministry and my doubts about it all...but I need to be reminding myself that no matter what happens--whether I stick with one ministry, or transition to another--as long as I am working for the Lord, then it counts. It is not "purposeless"...it does not subtract from the grand scheme of things...and NOTHING I do will EVER take away from His Great Plan for me.
My constant encouragement over the last couple of weeks has been the knowledge that I can't do anything to change Christ's love for me, or change His Great Plan for my life. Because I have been assured by God Himself that He will walk with me through this life and that He has a future planned out for me--a Purpose that He is accomplishing even now. So I will continue to labor for my God. It may not be easy, but it IS worth everything--and through that, He will accomplish something great in me and through me.
"And these are the days of the harvest The fields are all white in the world And we are the laborers that are in your vineyard declaring the word of the Lord..." -Days of Elijah
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Labor: Physical or mental exertion, especially when difficult or exhausting; work. Laborers: A person engaged in physical work.
Thought for the day: God refers to us as His "laborers" preparing for the harvest...maybe because His ministry requires committing to the hardest work we will ever face. Sometimes it may not be easy, and sometimes we won't see the outcome till Heaven, but our work is never done in vain when done for the Lord. That last part is something that I have to constantly remind myself of.
For instance, today I struggled through a conversation with someone about my role in a ministry and my doubts about it all...but I need to be reminding myself that no matter what happens--whether I stick with one ministry, or transition to another--as long as I am working for the Lord, then it counts. It is not "purposeless"...it does not subtract from the grand scheme of things...and NOTHING I do will EVER take away from His Great Plan for me.
My constant encouragement over the last couple of weeks has been the knowledge that I can't do anything to change Christ's love for me, or change His Great Plan for my life. Because I have been assured by God Himself that He will walk with me through this life and that He has a future planned out for me--a Purpose that He is accomplishing even now. So I will continue to labor for my God. It may not be easy, but it IS worth everything--and through that, He will accomplish something great in me and through me.
"And these are the days of the harvest The fields are all white in the world And we are the laborers that are in your vineyard declaring the word of the Lord..." -Days of Elijah
Fo Fo!
I've been told that "Fo Fo" in the Songhai language is used for both "Hello!" and "Thank you!" so I thought it would be PERFECT to use for this first post!
So, hello! And welcome to my new blog! Thank you for taking the time to read it! Fo Fo! :)
This will be the place where I keep you all up to date on what's going on now (before the trip) and what is happening once Emily and I have safely reached Niger! So please, subscribe to this blog, tell all your friends about it so they can keep up with us too, and keep checking back regularly so that you can read all about what God is doing in our lives and the lives of the Songhai!
So, hello! And welcome to my new blog! Thank you for taking the time to read it! Fo Fo! :)
This will be the place where I keep you all up to date on what's going on now (before the trip) and what is happening once Emily and I have safely reached Niger! So please, subscribe to this blog, tell all your friends about it so they can keep up with us too, and keep checking back regularly so that you can read all about what God is doing in our lives and the lives of the Songhai!
To God Be The Glory!
TGBTG
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