the little sprout

Hello everyone well we have been to the village twice now, we have nicknamed it Yosemite for the time being partially due to the fact it is so far out into the bush and the crazy drive to get there. We do have crocodiles in the pond/lake that the animals drink from. We are just getting started with our language learning. Most of it takes place with a couple women we have come to know that we sit around with cooking and cleaning. Right now things are very basic. We point at things and learn what they are called and then we also have taken a couple sheets with pictures on them and got them recorded. So far we know the greetings, numbers, days of the week, animals, and people.

We go to the gardens with the women in the morning. I was really surprised to see everything they grow here in the desert: tomatoes, onions, eggplant, okra, peanuts…. They have to flood the plants to make sure they get enough water. We eat lunch and then usually have some down time where we try to work on language. Usually in the afternoons we are cooking for dinner or there is even one lady who I have sat with and done some hand stitching. We eat dinner about 8/9 o clock and then sit under the stars with the women until they trickle off to bed.

The pace here is much slower and the most important thing is relationships which makes it good for us and easy to build relationships. Just in these past few days we have seen so clearly how the Father is working here. We talk to the father before every meal and the lady who we eat with is so use to it now she always holds out her hands most of the time before we do. We asked the Father to show us someone to talk to him about while we were there this second time and in fact one lady got sick and we talked to the Father with her while we were there. Many people have asked us if we pray and we have been able to share with them how we follow a different road. Doors are opening so I ask you continue to lift up language learning so we can better communicate the message we want to share and for a medical team that arrives this week that healing would be done and the nomads would see it is because of the love of the Father. Thank you all and you have no idea what an encouragement it is to know you all are thinking about us.

We are moved into our house! It feels good to be settled. It is really nice, it is sorta peachy colored, 2 stories, 3 bedrooms, and 2 baths. We have a nice roof that we can see so far out on and watch the sunset. It is fairly small town but it has everything we need. Today we went and greeted everyone including  our village, the town mayor, and other big time officials. They all say that it is so safe here and they are so happy we are here. I am so thankful Abby is here with me! I couldn’t imagine the Father calling me here with someone other than her! Well that is all for now the internet is dial-up so things move a little slow but I hope to update soon.

Abby and I just got back from our first visit to a village! Not the one we will be living in, but one that many people have visited to learn more about the people and culture! I have to say I enjoyed it much more than anything we have done so far! It is much more peaceful and slower there and that made it feel more like home. I got to see first hand how important relationships are in Africa and it made me excited about what is ahead.

Each morning we would get a knock on our “guest hut” door, get ready, and go great all the people in our compound. This village  was very spread out and had a good many separate family compounds( houses that were grouped together by families). We would have breakfast and then spend our day doing what ever needed to be done. We watched the people fish and even helped clean them one day. Another day we helped a little with the rice that had already been harvested, but needed to be dried out. It was such a neat experience to see an new and different way to live. I have to say I have never felt so useless in my life because I did not know how to do anything and our hosts in the village are so careful with us. It is really funny actually because they were constantly telling us we needed to rest or go sit in the shade because our skin was getting red.

We got so eat lots of new food some good but all new to me! all of it is made from rice or corn…and i never knew you could have rice so many ways. After each meal you telleveryone in the compound thank you and that you are full.  The hardest part for me was probably eating with my hands. We all eat out of one big bowl, scoop up the rice and sauce with your right hand and right hand only, and just eat. I couldn’t help think to myself “if only my family could see me now”

All though it was difficult living conditions it made me so excited about us moving to our village. We will be moving up to our town on monday. We will call it Gvegas in our blogs an email. Please remember us this weekend as we prepare to go. We are told it is normally a 6 hour trip but it will take about 9 since we will have others going with us to help us get settled. I am getting more and more excited but still miss home a lot. Mostly my family… but i can’t wait to share all of the new things with you!

Me in my authentic African garb

Our beds inside the guest hut.... I used my mattress and sleeping bag:)

This week we are going through some story training really great and so helpful. besides that I am still learning my way around, how to use and say money terms to buy in the market, and just getting use to everything. I should have some really great outfits ready to post a picture of by friday! I cannot wait. We have about a week left where we are so continually talk to dad about our new friends we will make and open hearts. Remember our language skills also; that we would pick it up quickly and not be discouraged! Our father can do amazing things and he has already proved that to us. We have some medical volunteers coming next month to help us. What a way to give a first impression. By the way abby and are doing great together. We both can light a gas burner and the pilot light on an over can you believe we have been here a week already! i know for me it could go either way… i know we just got here but with everything to take in it feels like a month already!

So I have been in Africa for a few days now and already have learned so much. It has been such a long journey to get here and is hard to think after over a year of getting ready for this that God has finally brought me here. The plane landed at about 2 in the morning on the 6th. Since it was so dark I could not see anything but as I stepped off the plane my first thought was… wow it sure is dusty. This is because the time of the year here is called hamadon( that is not the correct spelling I am sure). We got settled into a guest house and finally went to bed around 4:30 and got some much needed sleep. Neither of us slept much while traveling. After sleeping until around noon, we were introduced to Africa. I did not know what my initial thoughts would be, but after taking a good look around I decided that I in fact liked it… As we drove along the main color seen was red dirt/clay/dust etc… but it has its own beauty. I have never seen anywhere like it. Our first stop in town besides an atm was to get a cell phone with our own African number!!! And then we went to a huge outdoor market to buy fabrics to get clothes made. I picked out enough to make 2 skirts (panyas) and 1 outfit (a skirt, top, and hat). They are so beautiful! After getting our skirts we went to dinner at a restaurant where we could get some Americanized food. I was great to finally sit down eat and just take it all in. I am still adjusting to the time difference even though it is only 5 hours ahead my sleeping and eating patterns are off.

we went to have lunch with some of the people that live and work here in the capital and it went really well. They are all very welcoming and are helping us  learn very quickly. Then we went into a part of town where the super market is to buy some food. We are learning so many different things to say and it is actually so much fun becoming part of a new culture. I new it would be but actually being able to shop at a certain supermarket and go to the same people every time is really neat. We then took a visit to the tailor to have out outfit made and helped cook our first meal. Don’t be too impressed it was just pizza. But hey we are learning how to use gas ovens and learning how to purify our water so I feel like we are off to a great start!

Can you believe I have only about a week and a half left… because I can’t! My time here really has been so good. It has gone by so quickly, but I am ready to come home to all of my friends and family.  These past couple weeks have been so full! week six here was called contingency training. The board requires everyone to go through this training before going to the field. We are trained by a great organization that teaches us how to better handle crisis situation. That whole week I was super stressed out, mostly because my eyes were widened to possible situations we could be out in. BUT… No worried because I feel much more confident in myself and especially in God to handle those situations according to how I believe he would want!

Last week was a fairly short but busy week with Thanksgiving. To be honest I was not looking forward to Thanksgiving because it was my first time missing a major holiday at home. By the time it came around I realized this is only one of many more big events that I will miss during my term, but it was truly a sweet time with the Lord and my new friends here. It amazes me to think of how the Lord provides in ways I sometimes forget that he can

These past few weeks I have been reminded of how much more work the Lord needs to do in my life to prepare me to leave. Coming here I knew I was not ready, but as we spent more time and I learned more about my job I began to become comfortable. That is a dangerous place for me. I never need to be comfortable because I find that I stop seeking the Lord in so many areas of my life. So… Please pray that this last week here and the few precious weeks I will have at home that I would continue to be challenged and learning from God exactly what he wants me to do. Pray that I would be led by His spirit.  I can not wait to spend time with all of you before I leave and miss you so much:)

Where to begin…These past two weeks have been the best here in VA! First of all our third week began with learning about the worldview of the people Abby and I will be serving with. That was incredible and during those sessions I found myself beginning to love our people even though I did not know anything about them. I truly felt excited about going to them, knowing Abby and I will be the first believers to EVER live among them! We continued learning that week about starting Church Planting Movements   and how to start building relationships and finding trustworthy people in our town that can help us learn customs and the best ways to engage the people with the Word.  Last week was also awesome! We learned how to story in the setting we will be going! I never realized how useful that could be in our oral society we would be going. I guess I always had in the back of my mind that it was to difficult thing to do but in reality it is so simple and it was amazing to hear stories of how storying has worked in all parts of the world.  We also learned about culture shock, this part of the week was rough! I already felt inadequate going to WA because of not having electricity, running, water, and being in an unfamiliar place, but on top of that hearing a completely new list of customs such as the bad smells, how they drive, eat, constantly ask and expect you to give them things…etc! I was overwhelmed…but as I met with our one M’s here that has previously served, she reminded me that there are also many good things about the culture and all the negative things we were hearing we only part of culture shock. I then began to be reminded something that Dr. Roe always taught at school…these things are not wrong or bad, but just different. And in order for these people to hear the good news, I will be strengthened and eventually learn to accept them. This week we also had shots… I now am protected from Hep A, Polio, and Rabies!!!:) After shots we had a marvelous visit to Krispy Kreme thanks to our quad “mom and dad”!  On Saturday I went with a group of jman to historic Jamestowne. It was a much needed relaxing day off campus and to get my mind refocuses. The most exciting event happened today as Abby and I met our supervisor and we learned a lot of new information about our living arrangements and the people we will go to. Our people are “the nomads” and in a 500 mile radius Abby and i will be the only followers present! we have a huge task ahead of us so continue to pray for us!!! We found some great news such as we will have our own house to come back to that has a refrigerator, front door, a guard… and best of all a ceiling fan!!! we will also have our on set of wheels and cell phone that will work in the city! We will be able to go to the house whenever we need it! The Lord is so good and truly blesses us in great ways even things as small as ceiling fans:) I love you  and miss you !: )

We are just beginning our third week here. Last week was full of challenging sessions mostly taught by Dr Rankin, the President, and on spiritual warfare. It was pretty intense, but also eye-opening due to the fact that I know in my life I often do not overcome they things I am struggling through because of doubt or just because I do not see a way out. What I fail to realize is that Christ has already won that victory and it is actually terribly silly for me to sit back in defeat. But I guess thats why Satan tempts us in those ways because he knows how easy it is for us to get lost in the negative. At the end of the week I was able to have a new perspective on things and am feeling much more confident. The way this program is designed allows us to focus  on our relationship with God and to enhance our spiritual gifts, talents, or to just to become better in areas that we need guidance. The area I need most guidance is evangelism. I have recently realized how I need to be intentional about sharing my faith and the good news.

On a happier note…I am almost completely done with my quilt that I have started all that I have left is to sew the binding…This week we will be taking a session on how to drive a stick shift… and our “mom” in the quad is taking us out for a fun girls night!!!  We have begun to learn much more about African culture and customs that I cannot wait to share with everyone and are actually  ”>begining to pick up some phrases in French that we will be able to use for our trade language Je voudrais un sandwich de poulet et fromage avec une bouteille de l’eau s’il vous plait  (this means I would like a chicken sandwich with cheese and a bottle of water Thank you) So have no fear family Abby and I will find something to eat Love you all and miss you greatly

Today was my second day here in Richmond. We have had many new experiences already just in the short time we have been here(including learning how to quilt!).  Abby and I have met some sweet ladies that are here to teach us how to sew and quilt for the 8 weeks we will be up here and we have each started our very own quilt! Most of the time has been in meetings and getting the meet the 130 something other people here. Everyone is so nice! We couldn’t be working with a better or nicer organization. It is just like being in school again so far. We sit in a class type setting with all of our friends to learn from our teachers and each other. So far all of the sessions we have attended have been very beneficial and interesting.  My partner and I are roommates here and we are sharing a house with two other girls and two families( one with young children and one with grown children.) all of the families here are nothing short of inspiring! I thought it would be hard for me to leave my family and friends and didn’t even consider the sacrifice others made when they stepped foot on the plane. These families are leaving their children and grandchildren, and they have sold their homes and everything they own to go! I love having their wisdom and counsel in my life and I can only hope to learn much much more from them! Although these two days have been fairly difficult with the transition of leaving everyone to having to be submerged into a completely new life here Ava father has been showing me in a very new way His complete sufficiency. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers

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