Sunday, August 24, 2014

Hail on earth

Well to be more specific... in the village of Nabisooto... in Uganda... in Africa of all places.

One of the popular questions while I was back stateside was 'what is the weather like in Uganda?'.  Many were surprised that it seldom gets above the upper 80's and that we have 2 seasons... rainy and dry. 

At the moment we are in the midst of rain... and at the very moment we are in the midst of a serious thunder storm complete with hail.  You can hear the hail hitting the metal roof and rolling down! 

The lightning and thunder have been going on all afternoon/ early evening and standing on the veranda you could hear the rain coming across the mountain before it actually started falling at the house.  Preparations were made... goats put away... windows closed up tight... and anything that could get wet on the veranda is brought into the house.

Then we sit... in the dark enjoying the lightning show while knitting and blogging. 

This is life in the village!  Now just praying that Hannington can make it up the driveway in the morning without getting stuck in the mud! 

My take on the ice bucket challenge

For the past couple of months a lot of my friends have been posting videos of buckets of ice water beind dumped on their heads to avoid giving money to charity... and before I get nominated to do this by one of my well meaning friends I need to make a stance...

I WILL NOT ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE

So even if you tag me in it... it won't happen ... and here is why...

...FIRST and foremost.... I can't get that much ice in the village... much less clean water where I currently am.  Even if I could, why would I waste that much water when some of my little brown eyed cuties still get their  drinking water from the swamp... (and I am not dunking myself in swamp water where the cattle bathe!)

...giving to charity is a good thing and I recommend it for all... your time, talent, and treasure are important to God and to others... if you are feeling obligated to do the ice bucket challenge because you do not have the $100 to give to charity... give in some other way... there are countless charities (like homeless shelters that would love to have a couple of willing hands for an hour or two)

...before you give... research what your hard earned dollars are going to... morally and ethically I struggle supporting organizations that may be doing something good but use aborted babies embryonic cells to further their research.  Human life is valuable!

...something to think about... for all of you that have had to go buy ice to make this possible... what if just the money you spent on the bags of ice were given to charity... what kind of change could you be?

With all that said,  I have had some good laughs on watching you guys get dunked with ice... it is a fun way to challenge people to give... however I want to challenge you to not always follow the crowd and think through what you are doing. 

Should you want to branch out on the ice bucket challenge... I challenge you to give some of my little brown eyed cuties a hope and a future by sponsoring their education or sending a donation to inthefieldministries.org to continue the ministry here.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Preparing for deployment

Now I know I am not in the US military (or any other country's for that matter) but I am in the Lord's army ...so when someone recently referred to me moving to China as my next deployment the term kind of stuck in my mind.

As I am preparing for this deployment... there are lots of preparations that need to be done within this transition from Africa through the US to China and I need other members of the Lord's army to come along side.

First the praises...

+in searching for direction, I never dreamed that this is where I would be headed.  It is truly beyond the desires of my heart... beyond what I could have even asked or imagined.
+I have been blessed with a team both stateside and in China that have been very helpful in telling me what is needed, answering questions, and eventually will walk side by side as all my paperwork goes through
+the reactions of the news have varied among family and friends but for the most part the reactions have been positive and supportive.
+I am also thankful for basic benefits like medical care and training expenses being covered.
+I am able to enter China legally with a world renowned company behind me.

Now for the partnership...

+in the midst of this transition there are lots of preparations that need to get done...visa paperwork submitted...receiving employment verifications... completing 20 modules of TEFL-C training... background clearance...etc all while trying to finish my grad school portfolio and do what I have been called to do here in Africa... please pray that all this gets done in a timely manner
+one of the most difficult parts of getting into China is the visa process... so in addition to a passport  (which I have)... I have to get a Chinese visa that entails a LOT of work.  Praying for favor for the officials that all the paperwork that gets submitted is appropriate and there are no issues.  Will get my work visa once I get in country.
+again I am transitioning into a culture, people group, and language (written or spoken) that are not my own... His grace has been sufficient in all of this while in Africa so I ask that it continues to cover in this move
+preparations as far as moving to a cold climate for a year and knowing what is needed and what is not
+peace for friends and family as I move far far away...again... and just in time for the holiday season
+continued strength for myself as I follow wherever He leads ... even when it looks very different from what I expected.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Whim to whimsical!

Have you ever done something... say on a whim... unexpected... just because... and it turned out to be whimsical... exceptional... and just where you need to be? If so... welcome to the story I am about to tell tonight that has become my whimsical fairytale called life. 

(Ok... so this story may not be perfect like a fairytale... it is just a simple princess trying to follow the King of her life!)

It all started when this princess came back to the US from Uganda to finish grad school a few months ago.  I had marching orders for 10 weeks and after that I foresaw a precarious cliff leading to the unknown.    As I was coming dangerously close to the edge of the cliff (oh lets say 2 weeks before finishing grad school)... my King gave instructions for the next 10 weeks. 

This princess really would like a magic ball to tell her the future... but that is just not how it goes in the real world!

Well... I followed those instructions all the while pursuing the opportunities put in my path and living intentionally.   I kept joking that if none of these opportunities panned out ... I would go assist my favorite Mouse friend in the great sunshine state. 

So at the princess' 35th birthday celebration...  I was sharing this with my fairy godmother and her  beloved husband and was encouraged to follow this dream...

(Am I boring you with the details? Just remember... life is not about getting to the final destination but making the most of the journey along the way....)

After the party I went on the world wide web to search how to make the dream come true... unexpected doors opened to use my gifts and talents ...  and long story long and drawn out...  I am moving to the magical kingdom of Cheungdu, China on November 6th (Lord-willing) to teach with Disney English.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Seriously?

Sometimes God does something and I look at Him asking... really, are you serious? 

He opens a door that seems illogical and rather silly at the time only to reveal his masterful plan down the road.  Last night I lay in bed pondering some recent happenings in my life and wondering if God really said for me to do this. It doesn't fit my logic but what in God's economy is ever logical
He brought me back to the story of Abraham by asking the question... do you want an Ishmael or an Isaac?

Ishmael was the the son born to Abraham by his wife's maidservant... Isaac was born to Abraham and his wife-Sarah!

Ishmael was born in Abraham's time where as Isaac was born in God's.... seems illogical to me for Sarah to have a baby at 90 years of age!

Ishmael was Abraham trying to figure out God's promises in his own strength whereas isaac was God's promised child.

With all that said... I made the decision based on desiring God's best in my life... not human logic.  And if you are curious about the decision... that will be revealed publicly in the next day or so.... and I will give you a hint... I know what more than 10 weeks of my life looks like!

Sunday, August 10, 2014

In the life of a little brown eyed cutie...

Living in the first world most of us take for granted many things...like where our next meal will come from...decent medical care when needed... a safe place to stay at night... an environment where death is not commonplace for young children and a society that for the most part values human life.

After being in the village for a few days I am reminded of the things we take for granted that are serious issues in the third world...

+Thankfully the growing season and harvest have been good this year.  This is important as the children will have food at home and families have money to pay school fees.

+Had a little one at school this morning that was not playing and when I  checked on him ... I noticed that his hand and leg had been cleaned and bandaged.  I followed up with our clinic staff and they told me, Godfrey was helping his mother cut up food and sliced through his hand ...then dropped the knife with the blade slicing his leg on its way down to the ground.  After he had eaten... Nurse Josephine walked him the 3 km home to make sure his parents were aware to bring him back each day to get it cleaned.  Serious concern about infection setting in.

+Yesterday one of the praises at church was shared by Jessica... a mom of 4 young children that woke up to find a large snake next to her sleeping children.  The praise was the snake did not harm the children.

+On my desk, in my office, my teaching staff had written notes of those children that had lost family members over the last few weeks.  Unfortunately it is common place to have parents die of AIDS or malaria.  One of my little ones... Emmanuel... that was missing alot of school when I moved out a year ago because he was hiding from his very abusive father... just had his father die from an accident.

All the reminders of the differennces between 1st and 3rd world living.

Blogging before bed

Well after 52 hours of flying and 6 flights ...we hit the ground in Entebbe, Uganda Thurday evening about 11pm.  Went through immigration... got luggage... went through custims (1st time ever when arriving into Uganda)...then met up with Han outside.  Drove to the Sheron Hotel where we were to stay the night and were in bed by 1am.  Besides being somewhat tired and my feet really swollen from sitting for so long... I was otherwise ok.  Felt so good to just lay down and rest!

Got up this morning and had breakfast then Courtney and I sat in the garden and chatted until Hannington came by to pick us up.  Had to go and exchange money and then go grocery shopping.  Had lunch at javas and the headed to the village.

The main thing on the agenda for Friday was to unpack enough to find bedding and make the bed.  The goal was to make it til 7pm without laying down. Made it til almost 8pm before hitting the hay... now going to bed!

In the life of a little brown eyed cutie...

Living in the first world most of us take for granted many things...like where our next meal will come from...decent medical care when needed... a safe place to stay at night... an environment where death is not commonplace for young children and a society that for the most part values human life.

After being in the village for a few days I am reminded of the things we take for granted that are serious issues in the third world...

+Thankfully the growing season and harvest have been good this year.  This is important as the children will have food at home and families have money to pay school fees.

+Had a little one at school this morning that was not playing and when I  checked on him ... I noticed that his hand and leg had been cleaned and bandaged.  I followed up with our clinic staff and they told me, Godfrey was helping his mother cut up food and sliced through his hand ...then dropped the knife with the blade slicing his leg on its way down to the ground.  After he had eaten... Nurse Josephine walked him the 3 km home to make sure his parents were aware to bring him back each day to get it cleaned.  Serious concern about infection setting in.

+Yesterday one of the praises at church was shared by Jessica... a mom of 4 young children that woke up to find a large snake next to her sleeping children.  The praise was the snake did not harm the children.

+On my desk, in my office, my teaching staff had written notes of those children that had lost family members over the last few weeks.  Unfortunately it is common place to have parents die of AIDS or malaria.  One of my little ones... Emmanuel... that was missing alot of school when I moved out a year ago because he was hiding from his very abusive father... just had his father die from an accident.

All the reminders of the differennces between 1st and 3rd world living.