8th Month

I’m almost half way through my 8th month in Africa.  This is the first time I actually have enough internet to update this thing.  So much to update and that will have to come later.  Right now, I’ll just fill you in on what is currently happening.

I’m currently in Nairobi at the Mayfield Guest House, where I’ve spent almost 6 of the past 8 weeks.  Don’t get me wrong I love being in Nairobi.  I get to connect with the outside world, I get to eat food that reminds me of home, I get to see movies, and I get to meet new people that are working all over Africa.  Of course what I didn’t count on was staying up until 3am every night just to chat with family and friends in the States since that’s when they are awake.  I also didn’t know that it would take several days to run the simplest of errands like going to the dentist or dry goods shopping.

So while I come out to Nairobi to rest that never seems to happen.  It’s like stimulation overload and I have no filter to tell me when I’ve had enough.  I feel the need to see as many movies as I can while I can.  To eat as much food and as many times at Nairobi Java House  because it’s within walking distance.  And to be honest to spend hours upon hours on Facebook just looking through pictures to see what everyone has been doing while I’ve been here.  It’s exhausting! 

I haven’t wanted to spend so much time in Nairobi.  Last month I spent 3 weeks here because I was evacuated from Nagishot due to some tribal problems in Napep.  This month was my scheduled holiday and then it was extended almost 2 weeks because of a plane crash that has grounded the airline I normally fly.  So knowing I had at least 10 full days left in Nairobi with nothing to do (well not nothing but nothing fun) I decided to take a spontaneous trip to the beach.

Normally I don’t vacation by myself but it didn’t sound like such a bad idea.  So Monday I made up mind to go and Wednesday I was sitting on the banks of the Indian Ocean watching the tide go out to sea.  This resort was amazing!  They had everything I wanted or needed so I didn’t have to venture off their grounds.  My room was as close to the sea as they offered.  I spent 3 full days with no one I knew, no internet, no phone calls or errands to run.  Just me, Jesus and the sea.  It was perfect.  I finally got rest.  I finally went to bed before 12am and woke up feeling refreshed.  It was just what I needed.

So now I feel ready, more than ready, to return to Nagishot.  And that’s a pretty great feeling considering I had almost the exact opposite feeling 6 months ago   More to come!

view from my beach chair

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!  I had a fabulous Christmas this year.  I got to spend lots of time with family and friends.  Several people I know got engaged or had a baby.  It truly was a time to celebrate life as we remember the time of year when God sent his son to earth.

As I prepare for Nagishot and think of all the loose ends that will need to be tied I sit back and thank God for my community.  I have been so blessed by family and friends that have made this new adventure for me so exciting.   Joy and laughter fill my days and I can’t stop smiling (even when I cry) because I am so touched by the way my community loves me.  I hope that I can love my new community as well as I have been loved.

Speaking of love… yesterday my sister, niece, mom and I made our way to San Antonio for a little girls weekend.  We spent the day at Sea World and then stayed in a fancy hotel where we jumped on beds and stayed up late watching movies.  Olivia had a blast!  She loved all the animals and especially loved that they were so far away.  We’re working on her fear of animals slowly.  She did see a giant Shamu dressed up as Santa and despite our warnings decided she wanted to touch him.  Here’s our family photo from the occasion:

Blessed beyond words…but I will add words to tell you how I am blessed

My good friend Kelly, told me today that she prayed I would overwhelmed with love today.  I truly am!  This whole year has been amazing.   God has been so faithful to me and has provided everything that I will need for next year, EVERYTHING!

As the days count down to my departure new expenses have popped up.  I’m a planner, it’s my nature and “pop ups” can really wreak havoc on my mental health.  Earlier this year I was diagnosed with allergy induced asthma.  It was just a minor inconvenience until I went to try and order a whole year’s worth of meds.  There are no generic versions of inhaled steroids so my total asthma meds were around $1,200 for the year.

Initially I was freaked out.  I had planned on spending a few extra hundred dollars for a year’s supply of contacts for next year but I had no idea my RX’s would be triple that amount.  So, I worried a lot and told a few friends and family members about it who all gave me great counsel and told me to pray about it.  And God answered every single prayer!  He gave me  through some very gracious friends a free eye exam and a years worth of contacts!  And through my wonderful community at church he gave me $1,200 for my asthma medicine!

Praise be to God!!  I wish I knew everyones name who contributed towards it so I could personally hug them and thank them in person.  God has taught me so much through others this year and I have been so blessed to have the family and community that He has given me.  THANK YOU!!!

Blog lapse

Sorry for the delay in blogging.  Life got a little crazy for a few weeks.  I am finally finished with work and am now beginning to sort through all the last minute details.  In the next few weeks I will be packing up my apartment, getting my financial affairs in order, and soaking up all the quality time I can with friends and family.

I am also currently working on my December newsletter, I know I have been seriously slacking!  I do have one prayer request in the meantime.  There has been a minor problem with my Kenya visa being delivered and has been sent back to the Kenya Embassy in Washington DC along with my passport.  Please pray that all of this will be sorted out in a timely fashion and that I will receive the paperwork I need along with my passport.

Thanks so much!

God Grew Tired of Us

I came across this video clip today.  Last year I saw the movie God Grew Tired of Us.  It was such an eye opening movie for me as to how outsiders view America and all of our abundance.  A few months later I had the privilege of hearing John Bul Dau speak at St. Edwards University.  He has such an amazing story.  I highly recommend that you see this movie if you haven’t already.

Time is not on my side

Ugh, I feel like time is slipping away from me.  It’s my last week of work before my replacement comes in and the training begins.  I bought my plane ticket last week.  I have to start thinking about dates for my going away party.  There’s so much to do and I feel like the days are going by even faster.

It’s still really exciting and God continues to confirm that this is where He wants me.  However, it’s starting to get a little harder emotionally for me.  I am thankful that I will have 6 weeks after I stop working to spend with friends and family.  I hope to be able to soak up as much of their time as possible 

I still need to update my October newsletter and send it out.  Hopefully I will have time this weekend to do that.

My Response

Call + Response was not an easy movie to watch and if I be completely honest with myself I am a little happy that the theater was so crowded that I couldn’t read the subtitles when the people were telling their stories.  The pictures said more than I could handle.

I thought it would be a movie about the sex slave trade industry and it was for a lot of the movie but it was also about human trafficking and the slave trade in general.  I feel that I almost need to see it again to fully process internally what I saw.  There are a few things that have stayed with me and that I continue to think through.

1. Matisyahu sings a song in the movie called Time of Our Song and in the chorus is the line “I’m the arrow, you’re my bow.  Shoot me forth and I will go”.  I can’t get this lyric out of my head.  It’s exactly how I feel and how I want to feel all at the same time.  I can’t watch a movie like that and not do anything.  But I have no idea where to get started so I must lean on God to be my bow and show me.

2. Julia Ormond makes the very valid point that the people who run these trafficking rings (sex, drugs, and arms) are vested, they are in it for the long haul.  They even have a slight tolerance for abolitionists because they know that they can out last us.  We have to want it more than they do to actually make a difference and save people’s lives.

3.  There’s a large man made lake in Africa, I can’t remember the name.  When the lake was made there was a large wooded portion that no one cleared before the flooding.  So now there are huge trunks sticking up all throughout the lake.  When the fisherman go out to fish their nets often get tangled in the trunks.  So they force children to dive down and free the nets.  They weren’t aware this was a child slavery issue until all the kid’s bodies started showing up on shore.  I believe they have rescued some (not sure if all) of the children and Julia Ormond says you can always tell who they are because they do not know how to smile.  They show a video of the children singing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” and the children look miserable.

Again, I’m still trying to process all of it and will probably need to see the movie again but that’s what I have so far.

Call + Response

I came across this movie on Facebook.  I watched the trailer.  My heart breaks for these children.  There’s a showing of the movie tomorrow night in Austin at the Dobie Theater.  I’ve got my ticket for the 7pm show.  Let me know if you’re going!

Magnets

Here’s a picture of what my magnets will look like.  The little boy is Lobalu and if I could I would totally adopt him!  If you look closely you can see that he’s wearing his brand new crocs!  I should get these in next week and will be sending them out to you.  Thanks for praying!

Progress

97 days until I leave for Nagishot!

A lot has happened this week.  I ordered my prayer magnets and they should be in by mid October.  That was a fun process and I think they turned out so great!  It’s a picture of me and Lobalu and you even see he’s wearing his new crocs.

I have also been emailing with the Africa Inland Mission pilot about all the supplies I will need to pick up in Africa.  He’s been so very kind and has offered to pick all of them up for me in advance.  Which is such a huge help to me because I would have no idea where to find the supplies or know if I was getting a fair price for them.

Also, my good friend Katie Friday is looking into joining me in Nagishot for 3 months in the Spring.  She’s currently applying to Grad school and has some free time next March to May.  So, if she’s able to come then I will have a lot of friends and potential roommates next year.  Jonathan & Lauren Ramirez may be in Nagishot from Feb to May.  Katie maybe from March to May.  Jackie Dozier potentially in the fall for a few months.  And we’re still praying for a teacher to come on their summer break.  God is so good and has answered my prayers for a roommate