So I realize that I haven't posted anything since I got back from Zambia...the main reason for this is because since I have returned from Africa, nothing going on in my little world seems nearly important enough to write about. I don't get through a day without thinking about what I witnessed there and truly wishing I could move my whole family to Zambia so I could just live there and do nothing else. That was definitely an experience that I will never forget and my heart continues to yearn to be with those people each and every day.
Besides my outlook on life, nothing else has really changed for us! I went back to work in August after having the summer off. Things continue to be really busy at work. I took a second job as a crisis counselor for a local children's advocacy center and I really enjoy it. I get to practice all my clinical skills and work with big and little people:) It is a nice change from the kiddos I see all day. I'm finishing my internship this week and will then be submitting all of my paperwork to be licensed as a school counselor!!! My LPC is probably not going to be done until the next school year but I'm still working on it:) Luther and I are thinking about putting our house on the market in mid to late spring and have been looking around at open houses to see what we want in our next house. We also got to visit with friends in North Carolina a few weeks back which was very refreshing for me. I made some awesome friends at grad school and I am sad that everyone has returned to their lives in separate places!
I'm going to list some things I'm looking forward to in the next few weeks/months:
1) Eric is coming home for Christmas!!
2) Mariely is coming home for Christmas!!
3) Snow days
4) Meeting Tiffany's baby:)
5) Putting our house on the market
6) Summer break
7) Kara is getting married
8) Eric is getting married- Vacation time in Montana!
That's all I can think of right now! I am always looking forward to the time I get to spend with friends and family :) I would love nothing more than to travel back to Zambia with more friends and family but that isn't on a to-do list yet!
Merry Christmas to everyone! I'm sure I won't be writing anything else before then!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Zambia
So the trip finally came...and went. I can't believe it's over already and now it's time to go back to work. I'm going to attempt to summarize the trip without writing a book but it was such an amazing experience that writing short comments about it won't do the trip any justice! Here goes nothing!!
We left Dulles at 10:10 p.m. (turned into 11:00 p.m. because our plane wasn't moving!) on Thursday, July 7. We got to London at 10:00 a.m. (but our bodies felt like 5 a.m.). Since we had such a long layover, we decided to take a tour of London. I had done my research before we left and had purchased tickets for The Original Tour to take us around London. Although we did not end up with much time in the city, The Original Tour was a great way to see a lot of things in a short amount of time! I had been to London when I was 13 but I do not remember many of the sites. It was a fun (and very chilly) way to see London before getting back on a plane!
We got back for our 7 pm flight (our bodies feeling like it was 2pm) and headed to Lusaka, Zambia. We arrived at 6 am on Saturday (our bodies now feeling like it is midnight) and we had a full day of events planned on little to no sleep! We were exhausted! We had an orientation and then took a tour of the Grippis Community, where we would be spending the majority of our time. The kids were so excited to see our bus pulling into the compound and came running from all over. They all grabbed onto our hands and walked around with us. I loved it!
Sunday we went back to Grippis for church. The thing I learned very quickly about Grippis (and probably Africa in general) is that the singing is amazing. The people are so lively and have so much joy when they are singing praise songs. That was one of the best experiences I had on the trip- listening and watching all of the different people singing praises to God. After church we headed into Lusaka for lunch and for the Sunday market. The market was the only chance we would have to purchase souvenirs. It was overwhelming because everyone reaches out to you and asks you to buy something from their stand. They give you a price and then you bargain. The money in Zambia is called kwacha and about 4,800 kwacha is equal to one dollar. Talk about confusing! They're asking for like 20,000 kwacha for a really small item and then you have to remember that 20,000 kwacha is only about $4! Kim and I mastered the market by the end of the time there (we had about 2-3 hours) and I was able to find something for my list of 20 or so people.
Monday we took a tour of the entire Grippis Farm Community. We saw and met families who are participating in the animal husbandry projects. Some of the families have been given rabbits and/or chickens as a business. The families are responsible for raising the animals and then they can sell them for money. Some of the successful families have about 20 rabbits. When they are selling them, they give 3 rabbits to another family within the community so that family can also have a chance to raise the animals.
One of the biggest problems, if not the biggest problem, is the lack of support from many of the men in the community. There are 2 bars in the compound that start playing their loud (and fun) music around 8:00 a.m. The men take the money that their wives have made and spend it all on alcohol. They drink all day and then come home and beat their wives and children. It is so frustrating and my prayer is that these men will wake up and start seeing the success of the other families who are participating in these projects and making money. Maybe they will see their success and realize that they can also have the same success if they stop drinking. After the tour of Grippis, we went to the location of the animal husbandry project. There we saw turkeys, chickens, rabbits, and even a goat. The students who are sponsored for secondary school ($50 a month) have to take care of the animals on Sundays so that they learn responsibility.
After our tour of Grippis, we went to the Kasisi Orphanage. That was one of the saddest parts of our entire trip! We took the tour of the orphanage and everything was so neat and clean. Then we turn the corner to the sleeping quarters and it smells terribly of urine. The kids are like leeches, starving for attention. We took a class of children to a patio to play for a couple hours. We taught them some songs (Father Abraham was pretty funny) and played duck-duck-goose! The children that held on to us first, never left. When other children approached us to also get some attention, the kids on us would punch and kick to get them off. It was so sad and overwhelming. We spent a few hours and when we got home, we felt so dirty from all of the urine and felt so sad from the emotional neediness of the children. That was my first experience in an orphanage so maybe that is pretty standard, but man is it heartbreaking. They have over 200 orphans at the orphanage and Zambia just recently opened up international adoptions; however, you have to live in Zambia for TWO YEARS before they will let you adopt a child. The kids at Grippis are poor and dirty and some of them are orphans, but they are not as desperate for the emotional love and connection as the kids at Kasisi.
Our actual mission:
We started our routine on Tuesday and basically kept the same plan until Friday. My dad and I were responsible for taking pictures of the school children so they can get sponsors. Some of them have sponsors, but not many. For $15 a month, you can sponsor a child's food and education. The entire $15 goes to the community, unlike many organizations who are paying overhead and other costs. To become a sponsor, go to Grassroots Heroes and fill out the donate form. In the comment box, indicate that you want your monthly donation to go for a sponsorship and you will receive information on your sponsored child.
We had 2 translators with us to help with the pictures. Wisdom helped me by asking the kids names so I could put them on a dry erase board for the first picture. This helped us so that we wouldn't get the kids mixed up now that we're back home and organizing the information. Foster John wrote out the family information that I had requested from each student. If you become a sponsor, you will be given some information about the child, his/her family, the child's picture, and the family's picture. I have spent so many hours compiling all of this information and there have been times when I just start crying. I find myself getting frustrated and weary that these kids do not have sponsors or that the kids are orphans and it seems like there is little hope. It is at that time that I click on another picture and see another smiling, beautiful face. There is such a mix of emotions that I knew would happen but that I don't know how to handle. I feel frustrated and angry but also hopeful, joyful, and passionate about this mission. I want to do so much for these people but don't know where to start. The needs are so overwhelming. I start to feel burdened and then I get rejuvenated and excited for the challenge. God is there. His children love him. The kids and adults sing praises and are so passionate about the love they feel for God, despite their circumstances. They are hopeful and grateful for all things. They are amazing examples of faithful servants. Teams go to these places hoping the help the people when in reality, it is the people that teach and help the teams.
Back to the mission:
After the pictures and family histories were taken, I helped in the medical clinic. A pediatrician from our church went and over the 3.5 days of the medical clinic, 371 patients were seen. I helped give out the medications. Many of the people were experiencing headaches and backaches but they don't just have Ibuprofen like we do. Some people had malaria or HIV. Some had worms. The majority of the people were so thankful and did not get impatient even when waiting in line for hours to see the doctor.
On Friday, I got to hand out the dresses and flip flops that were donated by a co-workers mother. She made 49 little dresses with matching flip flops and she was so excited to find someone going on a trip who could give them out and take pictures. We ended up separating the flip flops from the dresses so that more kids would receive something. The boys were given the choice of soap or shampoo and they were thankful to receive something. It was fun handing them out but I was feeling really stressed that we would not have enough and I wasn't sure what to do if we ran out. I should have known that God would provide. He fed the 5,000 with little food so why was I even worried? Every school child received something, even if it wasn't his/her first choice. The dresses were a big hit and the lady who made them has already started on a batch for next year! What an amazing blessing that she is using her talents to bless others!
For the weekend, we went on a safari. This was a good chance to recover from the week we had. The Mukambi Safari Lodge is a pretty incredible place. We went on 4 safari drives and saw hippos, lions, antelope, leopards, warthogs, baboons, elephants, etc. It was amazing. We stayed two nights and then returned to Lusaka.
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
We left Dulles at 10:10 p.m. (turned into 11:00 p.m. because our plane wasn't moving!) on Thursday, July 7. We got to London at 10:00 a.m. (but our bodies felt like 5 a.m.). Since we had such a long layover, we decided to take a tour of London. I had done my research before we left and had purchased tickets for The Original Tour to take us around London. Although we did not end up with much time in the city, The Original Tour was a great way to see a lot of things in a short amount of time! I had been to London when I was 13 but I do not remember many of the sites. It was a fun (and very chilly) way to see London before getting back on a plane!
 |
| Stella was the first one to take my hand. She is adorable. She is a double orphan and lives with a large family who cares for her. |
Sunday we went back to Grippis for church. The thing I learned very quickly about Grippis (and probably Africa in general) is that the singing is amazing. The people are so lively and have so much joy when they are singing praise songs. That was one of the best experiences I had on the trip- listening and watching all of the different people singing praises to God. After church we headed into Lusaka for lunch and for the Sunday market. The market was the only chance we would have to purchase souvenirs. It was overwhelming because everyone reaches out to you and asks you to buy something from their stand. They give you a price and then you bargain. The money in Zambia is called kwacha and about 4,800 kwacha is equal to one dollar. Talk about confusing! They're asking for like 20,000 kwacha for a really small item and then you have to remember that 20,000 kwacha is only about $4! Kim and I mastered the market by the end of the time there (we had about 2-3 hours) and I was able to find something for my list of 20 or so people.
Monday we took a tour of the entire Grippis Farm Community. We saw and met families who are participating in the animal husbandry projects. Some of the families have been given rabbits and/or chickens as a business. The families are responsible for raising the animals and then they can sell them for money. Some of the successful families have about 20 rabbits. When they are selling them, they give 3 rabbits to another family within the community so that family can also have a chance to raise the animals.
 |
| One of the successful men showing us his rabbits! He had almost 20! |
After our tour of Grippis, we went to the Kasisi Orphanage. That was one of the saddest parts of our entire trip! We took the tour of the orphanage and everything was so neat and clean. Then we turn the corner to the sleeping quarters and it smells terribly of urine. The kids are like leeches, starving for attention. We took a class of children to a patio to play for a couple hours. We taught them some songs (Father Abraham was pretty funny) and played duck-duck-goose! The children that held on to us first, never left. When other children approached us to also get some attention, the kids on us would punch and kick to get them off. It was so sad and overwhelming. We spent a few hours and when we got home, we felt so dirty from all of the urine and felt so sad from the emotional neediness of the children. That was my first experience in an orphanage so maybe that is pretty standard, but man is it heartbreaking. They have over 200 orphans at the orphanage and Zambia just recently opened up international adoptions; however, you have to live in Zambia for TWO YEARS before they will let you adopt a child. The kids at Grippis are poor and dirty and some of them are orphans, but they are not as desperate for the emotional love and connection as the kids at Kasisi.
We started our routine on Tuesday and basically kept the same plan until Friday. My dad and I were responsible for taking pictures of the school children so they can get sponsors. Some of them have sponsors, but not many. For $15 a month, you can sponsor a child's food and education. The entire $15 goes to the community, unlike many organizations who are paying overhead and other costs. To become a sponsor, go to Grassroots Heroes and fill out the donate form. In the comment box, indicate that you want your monthly donation to go for a sponsorship and you will receive information on your sponsored child.
 |
| Jacob and Yvone. The two kids Luther and I sponsor each month. |
Back to the mission:
After the pictures and family histories were taken, I helped in the medical clinic. A pediatrician from our church went and over the 3.5 days of the medical clinic, 371 patients were seen. I helped give out the medications. Many of the people were experiencing headaches and backaches but they don't just have Ibuprofen like we do. Some people had malaria or HIV. Some had worms. The majority of the people were so thankful and did not get impatient even when waiting in line for hours to see the doctor.
On Friday, I got to hand out the dresses and flip flops that were donated by a co-workers mother. She made 49 little dresses with matching flip flops and she was so excited to find someone going on a trip who could give them out and take pictures. We ended up separating the flip flops from the dresses so that more kids would receive something. The boys were given the choice of soap or shampoo and they were thankful to receive something. It was fun handing them out but I was feeling really stressed that we would not have enough and I wasn't sure what to do if we ran out. I should have known that God would provide. He fed the 5,000 with little food so why was I even worried? Every school child received something, even if it wasn't his/her first choice. The dresses were a big hit and the lady who made them has already started on a batch for next year! What an amazing blessing that she is using her talents to bless others!
 |
| Wearing their new dresses! |
 |
| Trying to size the dresses |
For the weekend, we went on a safari. This was a good chance to recover from the week we had. The Mukambi Safari Lodge is a pretty incredible place. We went on 4 safari drives and saw hippos, lions, antelope, leopards, warthogs, baboons, elephants, etc. It was amazing. We stayed two nights and then returned to Lusaka.
 |
| Basil, the hippo, sleeping IN the lodge |
 |
| Leopard |
Our last day in Zambia, we drove to Siovanga to give bibles to Chief Chipepo. We spent time worshipping with the pastors and we had communion with them. We had purchased 60 bibles in the pastors' native language. When we opened the boxes, they ran to them and were pushing to get their bible. Some of them hugged their new bible while others cried over receiving one. They were so passionate, thankful, and excited to receive a bible when we have tons of them in our houses that aren't even touched. I crave the desire and passion that they have.
Reflections: So this was a very long post even though I tried to make it as short as possible! I am so incredibly thankful for the opportunity to go to Zambia. A special thanks goes out to all who supported us financially who made this experience possible. I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to go with my dad. This was an experience like none other. I was filthy, covered in dust, peed on, uncomfortable, freezing cold, and sick for much of the trip but I was so blessed to be in their presence. The love and joy that they display and the way that they praise God in ALL things is just incredible to me. My mission for that village is far from over. I pray that God will continue working in the village and in my heart. He is definitely stirring things up and it is awesome to see His work. After coming home, I read Psalm 34 and was amazed at how much I am reminded of the people of Grippis when I read this passage. They are amazing people and I can only hope and pray that I will have the opportunity again to come face to face with them and share in the excitement and promise of God's love. Thanks to everyone who prayed and supported us to go on this mission. My life and my heart will be forever changed.
Psalm 34:
I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Catching Up
So it's been a while...I know. I'm not very good at keeping up with this whole blog thing!
Today is a very busy day. I'm leaving for my trip in about 15 minutes! Wow. I cannot believe I'll be in Africa in a few days. I have a whole mix of emotions- excited, nervous, anxious. I'm sad to be leaving home for two whole weeks but I know it will fly by and the experience will be priceless.
So here's an update on some things that have been going on!
April- The Tennessee trip was awesome! I know I wrote about that but I didn't post any pics! Here's a pic of our cabin:)
Today is a very busy day. I'm leaving for my trip in about 15 minutes! Wow. I cannot believe I'll be in Africa in a few days. I have a whole mix of emotions- excited, nervous, anxious. I'm sad to be leaving home for two whole weeks but I know it will fly by and the experience will be priceless.
So here's an update on some things that have been going on!
April- The Tennessee trip was awesome! I know I wrote about that but I didn't post any pics! Here's a pic of our cabin:)
May/June- I tried out for Wheel of Fortune! That was a very interesting experience! I went the first time to the Roanoke Civic Center with mom. There were more than 6,000 people who auditioned from Roanoke and Danville this year. They play three hour-long games (kind of). They had this big barrel on the stage with everyone's applications in there and they selected 5 names at a time. They only got to 30 per hour. I didn't get called the first hour. I was in the second to last group for the second hour. They called my name and I said, "Oh Crap!" I don't know what I was thinking- I wasn't thinking I'd have to get up on stage in front of over a thousand people and talk! Anyway, they said they would take the videos back to L.A. and they would send out an email in 3-4 weeks to those selected for final auditions!
The week before we were headed to NJ to see Tiffany and Tristan, I got this email saying I was selected for final auditions. How crazy is that?!? I went to Roanoke the following week and there were 60 people in the audition room. It was intense! They did several puzzle rounds and called out people's names. I got 6 letters right and then they put me on bankrupt so that everyone would get a change to have their name called! Then we took a written test that was insanely difficult! It was 16 word puzzles with one or two letters in each word filled in. We have 5 minutes to figure out as many words at possible. I think I got 6 puzzles done haha. Most of the people around me got 4. It was definitely not easy. Anyway- then we had a break and when we came back, they let 50 people go. I was in that group of 50 (which I figured after the terrible test). They told us that the 10 people that were left were going to keep competing until they had 2 people. Those 2 people may or may not make it on the show. Apparently there was another audition earlier in the morning and they kept 28 from that group. They could only go back to L.A. with 30 names total!
We then left the next day to see Tiffany and Tristan! It was great catching up with them! I want them to move back home so badly! We went to Atlantic City, spent an hour on the beach, and hung out at their place playing games and watching movies. It was a good time:)
The Friday after we got home, we threw a surprise party for mom's birthday. She was definitely surprised! All of her siblings and Mawmaw came up for the night and Tara even came from Massachusetts. It was a lot of fun and it was nice having my sister here for a few days:) She was here for our 4th of July celebration which ended up being all of us sitting on our front porch, hoping to see the fireworks from our house. It turns out that we can see the fireworks from our place, but only when there isn't a huge cloud in the way!
Well now I'm leaving in about 10 minutes so I better get going! Say some prayers for our team while we are in Zambia! We have a long layover in London and should get to Zambia around 7 a.m. on Saturday.
Until next time...
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Waiting!
So the last couple weeks have been challenging...I'm in this place where I don't even know what it is that I want! I love my house, then I want a different house. I love going to school, then I can't wait to be done with the final class and cannot handle the thought of going further! Who knows what is going on. What I do know is that many doors have seemed to be opening in the last few weeks and then they are slammed shut. Things are happening that I know I have to wait at least a year for (i.e. licensure for counseling and for school counseling). I want to be debt-free (who doesn't, right?) but it becomes overwhelmingly frustrating to remember just how many schools loans I have to pay back (it might help if I'd stop going to school!)! I am extremely thankful that we have been able to pay (almost) all of Luther's loans before mine are due. God has blessed us to pay off almost $30,000! Wow! So anyway, Friday was my mini-meltdown moment! I became so frustrated and I wasn't even sure what exactly I was frustrated with (or why). Anyway, Friday night I thought to myself that I need to open up the Bible and see if God speaks to me. I feel like I try this a lot and I often either don't listen or can't hear because I don't get much of a response. My plan was to head for Philippians 4:13:
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
But something told me to read the whole chapter this time. Amazingly, I found a verse that was perfect for how I was feeling.
Philippians 4: 4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
How awesome to hear God's voice telling me to relax, he's got it under control. Things will work out in his timing (which is better than mine), even when it seems like the current timing for things would be awesome. I need to rely on God. Our school loans will be paid off, our house payment will go down, I will finish school one day...His timing and plan are perfect.
Then today, I'm driving home from the Zambia fundraiser (another huge blessing), when I hear the John Waller song, "While I'm Waiting." I have heard this song several times but have never really thought about the message. I realized today that the song is exactly what I need to be doing. Even though I am struggling with thinking my plan is better (even though I KNOW it isn't), I will still seek after Him and follow his lead. I posted the chorus of the song below.
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
God is good and having to wait for His plan to come to fruition will be an awesome journey:)
P.S. It was calling for rain all weekend which would have canceled our car wash/hot dog stand fundraiser. Turns out that the team raised almost $1,400 in two days!! I am amazed at how many people came to get their car washed even though they knew the rain was coming. God is good!
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
But something told me to read the whole chapter this time. Amazingly, I found a verse that was perfect for how I was feeling.
Philippians 4: 4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
How awesome to hear God's voice telling me to relax, he's got it under control. Things will work out in his timing (which is better than mine), even when it seems like the current timing for things would be awesome. I need to rely on God. Our school loans will be paid off, our house payment will go down, I will finish school one day...His timing and plan are perfect.
Then today, I'm driving home from the Zambia fundraiser (another huge blessing), when I hear the John Waller song, "While I'm Waiting." I have heard this song several times but have never really thought about the message. I realized today that the song is exactly what I need to be doing. Even though I am struggling with thinking my plan is better (even though I KNOW it isn't), I will still seek after Him and follow his lead. I posted the chorus of the song below.
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
God is good and having to wait for His plan to come to fruition will be an awesome journey:)
P.S. It was calling for rain all weekend which would have canceled our car wash/hot dog stand fundraiser. Turns out that the team raised almost $1,400 in two days!! I am amazed at how many people came to get their car washed even though they knew the rain was coming. God is good!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Godwinks
How God works...
He always wins. Ever since I've agreed to this Zambia trip, I feel like the devil is working (but not hard enough!) It could also be that I'm reading this book about how God "winks" at us with coincidences and so I am noticing more things about how God really does work.
The day after I took the plunge and said I was going to Zambia, there was a random assembly at our school about African folktales. *Godwink confirming the decision*
When we were in Tennessee, we went to Dollywood. It just so happens that the time we were there was called the Festival of Nations. Out of all the nations in the world, Zambia was represented by five guys from Zambia who sang songs. They were so good! *Another Godwink confirming the trip*
How the devil is trying to get to me...but God is overpowering him.
1) Work has been so emotionally exhausting. The worst part is that I have been having dreams (some could say nightmares haha) about my little kiddos. It's like I can't catch a break, even when I'm sleeping! I left work today being (almost) totally caught up!
2) Our chicken fundraiser for the trip took place in the POURING rain and wind the entire time we were outside (about 7 hours). We still made a profit on the chicken sales.
3) Our roof started leaking in water around the chimney on the day of the chicken fundraiser. I'm thinking, "Great...how much is this going to cost?!?!" The roof guy comes, climbs on top of the roof, and sees a nail sticking out. He hammers the nail and puts stuff around the chimney. Charges $10.00. Luther is so excited that he gives him a $5.00 tip. Praise God.
4) Our basement flooded for the first time ever because of a fluke paving job done by the city. Again, I wonder how much the repairs will cost. Luther goes to buy a pump for 70.00 to get the water out of the basement. By the time he gets home with the pump, the water is gone. We return the pump that is now not needed. Praise God.
5) Our Mac's hard drive randomly starts acting weird and "failure will be imminent" according to the code we were given (P.S.- I'm still typing right now from my Mac). I'm still able to work from the MAC as long as I don't turn it off. Plus, we found a better hard drive for only $70.
6) School- there are a couple big projects left to do but I have been so exhausted (mentally and physically) that I have really struggled to be motivated and do them. I get an email from my teacher telling me that my initial paper for my project was so good that I am receiving the natural consequence of not having to do a paper for the final project. PRAISE GOD! That saved time and energy.
God is great, all the time:)
So this is a long post!!!! My total for the trip is now over $2,700!
We're having a fundraiser at my parent's house on May 19 from 5-9 with Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef, 31 gifts, Silpada, and (hopefully) Scentsy. All the proceeds will benefit the Zambia trip.
Tennessee was awesome!!! (Pictures to come later!) I went horseback riding and on a zip line tour with my dad while Luther and his dad rode go-carts for hours. We all went to Dollywood and even played putt-putt three nights! We went inside a huge Christmas store (those of you who know me well know that I can do some serious damage on buying ornaments!). Stayed in an amazing cabin. Did I mention that we ran into a family from church at a store in Pigeon Forge?!? How random!
24 more days of school! 3 more projects for class! 2 more months until we see Tiffany and Tristan. Lots of things to look forward to!
He always wins. Ever since I've agreed to this Zambia trip, I feel like the devil is working (but not hard enough!) It could also be that I'm reading this book about how God "winks" at us with coincidences and so I am noticing more things about how God really does work.
The day after I took the plunge and said I was going to Zambia, there was a random assembly at our school about African folktales. *Godwink confirming the decision*
When we were in Tennessee, we went to Dollywood. It just so happens that the time we were there was called the Festival of Nations. Out of all the nations in the world, Zambia was represented by five guys from Zambia who sang songs. They were so good! *Another Godwink confirming the trip*
How the devil is trying to get to me...but God is overpowering him.
1) Work has been so emotionally exhausting. The worst part is that I have been having dreams (some could say nightmares haha) about my little kiddos. It's like I can't catch a break, even when I'm sleeping! I left work today being (almost) totally caught up!
2) Our chicken fundraiser for the trip took place in the POURING rain and wind the entire time we were outside (about 7 hours). We still made a profit on the chicken sales.
3) Our roof started leaking in water around the chimney on the day of the chicken fundraiser. I'm thinking, "Great...how much is this going to cost?!?!" The roof guy comes, climbs on top of the roof, and sees a nail sticking out. He hammers the nail and puts stuff around the chimney. Charges $10.00. Luther is so excited that he gives him a $5.00 tip. Praise God.
4) Our basement flooded for the first time ever because of a fluke paving job done by the city. Again, I wonder how much the repairs will cost. Luther goes to buy a pump for 70.00 to get the water out of the basement. By the time he gets home with the pump, the water is gone. We return the pump that is now not needed. Praise God.
5) Our Mac's hard drive randomly starts acting weird and "failure will be imminent" according to the code we were given (P.S.- I'm still typing right now from my Mac). I'm still able to work from the MAC as long as I don't turn it off. Plus, we found a better hard drive for only $70.
6) School- there are a couple big projects left to do but I have been so exhausted (mentally and physically) that I have really struggled to be motivated and do them. I get an email from my teacher telling me that my initial paper for my project was so good that I am receiving the natural consequence of not having to do a paper for the final project. PRAISE GOD! That saved time and energy.
God is great, all the time:)
So this is a long post!!!! My total for the trip is now over $2,700!
We're having a fundraiser at my parent's house on May 19 from 5-9 with Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef, 31 gifts, Silpada, and (hopefully) Scentsy. All the proceeds will benefit the Zambia trip.
Tennessee was awesome!!! (Pictures to come later!) I went horseback riding and on a zip line tour with my dad while Luther and his dad rode go-carts for hours. We all went to Dollywood and even played putt-putt three nights! We went inside a huge Christmas store (those of you who know me well know that I can do some serious damage on buying ornaments!). Stayed in an amazing cabin. Did I mention that we ran into a family from church at a store in Pigeon Forge?!? How random!
24 more days of school! 3 more projects for class! 2 more months until we see Tiffany and Tristan. Lots of things to look forward to!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Another day in paradise!
My Saturday:
4:40 a.m.- "Bubble" sounds on my phone...time to get up
5:15 a.m.- Arrive at my parents house. There must be SOMETHING left in my old closet that can get trashed. I hear we are about to get really dirty. Found an old UNC sweatshirt. Child size large. Try it on. Perfect, it still fits!
6:00 a.m.- Arrive at the Stuarts Draft Fire House to start on the BBQ chicken in the rain.
The day consisted of getting soaking wet and having the wind blow charcoal dust in our faces. We had to open about 30 bags of charcoal and put them in the pit. Then lighter fluid was poured on top and then the flames came! Chickens went on the rack. They had to be sprayed with sauce that was stirred over a fire that kept blowing out because of the wind. We put boxes together and lined the boxes with foil. After the chickens were cooked (all 631 of them), they went into the lined boxes and were sprayed with more BBQ sauce. After they marinated a little longer, the chickens were wrapped and ready to go. People could pick up the chicken they ordered starting at 11:00. Mind you, the rain never stopped once.
Around 2:30, I decide to take a quick nap. Luther decides to come upstairs and watch TV while I sleep on his chest.
2:45 p.m.- Luther wakes me up. That was a quick nap!
There's water pouring inside our bedroom around the chimney. I run to pull the TV cord out of the wall since the water is coming in directly over the power strip and outlet. We hold a towel to stop the water. Once the rain stops, the water stops coming inside. It poured rain for at least 45 minutes. Luther decides to check the basement. He doesn't think any water went in. Then he opens the door and sees a few inches of water on the floor. Great! Thankfully, Luther had organized the basement so that not much would be ruined if water did ever go into the basement. We talked to some guys from the city because apparently when they repaved the road next to us, they didn't put a bump like in the old road to keep all of the water from coming down the hill and into our basement. We make some phone calls and are very appreciative to all our friends who were giving us advice and referrals for people who work on a metal roof! Luther goes to Lowes to buy something to get the water out of the basement while I stay home and make sure no more water comes in through the roof! By the time he gets home (45 minutes later) the water in the basement was gone. Weird, but thankful.
Sooo, I think I was asleep by 9 because I was so exhausted! I woke up to hear that Draft had a tornado. It looked awful as we drove to church today and saw the damage. I have not heard that anyone was hurt and for that, I am thankful. Many people still need our prayers though as they are going to try to rebuild their houses and farms.
On a different note, I am almost to $2,000 for my Zambia trip! Almost enough to buy the plane ticket and almost half way to the $4,300 total needed. Very thankful for God's blessings and I get chills thinking about who God is asking to support this specific trip of a lifetime. I can't wait to see how we are used and to share with those who donate what a difference they made for the people of Zambia by donating money to this cause.
Until next time...
4:40 a.m.- "Bubble" sounds on my phone...time to get up
5:15 a.m.- Arrive at my parents house. There must be SOMETHING left in my old closet that can get trashed. I hear we are about to get really dirty. Found an old UNC sweatshirt. Child size large. Try it on. Perfect, it still fits!
6:00 a.m.- Arrive at the Stuarts Draft Fire House to start on the BBQ chicken in the rain.
The day consisted of getting soaking wet and having the wind blow charcoal dust in our faces. We had to open about 30 bags of charcoal and put them in the pit. Then lighter fluid was poured on top and then the flames came! Chickens went on the rack. They had to be sprayed with sauce that was stirred over a fire that kept blowing out because of the wind. We put boxes together and lined the boxes with foil. After the chickens were cooked (all 631 of them), they went into the lined boxes and were sprayed with more BBQ sauce. After they marinated a little longer, the chickens were wrapped and ready to go. People could pick up the chicken they ordered starting at 11:00. Mind you, the rain never stopped once.
Around 2:30, I decide to take a quick nap. Luther decides to come upstairs and watch TV while I sleep on his chest.
2:45 p.m.- Luther wakes me up. That was a quick nap!
There's water pouring inside our bedroom around the chimney. I run to pull the TV cord out of the wall since the water is coming in directly over the power strip and outlet. We hold a towel to stop the water. Once the rain stops, the water stops coming inside. It poured rain for at least 45 minutes. Luther decides to check the basement. He doesn't think any water went in. Then he opens the door and sees a few inches of water on the floor. Great! Thankfully, Luther had organized the basement so that not much would be ruined if water did ever go into the basement. We talked to some guys from the city because apparently when they repaved the road next to us, they didn't put a bump like in the old road to keep all of the water from coming down the hill and into our basement. We make some phone calls and are very appreciative to all our friends who were giving us advice and referrals for people who work on a metal roof! Luther goes to Lowes to buy something to get the water out of the basement while I stay home and make sure no more water comes in through the roof! By the time he gets home (45 minutes later) the water in the basement was gone. Weird, but thankful.
Sooo, I think I was asleep by 9 because I was so exhausted! I woke up to hear that Draft had a tornado. It looked awful as we drove to church today and saw the damage. I have not heard that anyone was hurt and for that, I am thankful. Many people still need our prayers though as they are going to try to rebuild their houses and farms.
On a different note, I am almost to $2,000 for my Zambia trip! Almost enough to buy the plane ticket and almost half way to the $4,300 total needed. Very thankful for God's blessings and I get chills thinking about who God is asking to support this specific trip of a lifetime. I can't wait to see how we are used and to share with those who donate what a difference they made for the people of Zambia by donating money to this cause.
Until next time...
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Keeping the faith!
I've just passed the $1,000 mark towards my trip! A little over $3,200 left to go! I'm very thankful for those who are not only financially supporting this journey, but also those who are praying for this adventure! I know that God is faithful and provides for our needs and I am excited to see how God works in this situation!
Saturday was the yard sale for Relay for Life at McSwain. Luther did really well!! He made almost $100 and even though I didn't make near as much in money, I am overly ecstatic about the new shelf that has opened up in our house (from him selling his PS2 and games) and all the new closet space:)
Tomorrow starts week four of the class I'm taking! I'm hoping to get a lot of work done this afternoon so that I can finish up this class early! I only have one more class after this one!!
We are headed to Gatlinburg a week from Wednesday! I am sooo excited and am hoping that the trip meets all my expectations! We booked a cabin with a big front porch and a hot tub and all kinds of amazing things! We are making the trip with both of our parents and are looking forward to some relaxing family time:)
Here is some information about the upcoming fundraisers for the Zambia team!
Saturday, April 16th- Come to the Stuarts Draft Fire House between 11 and 1:30 to buy chicken halves for $4.00.
Sunday, May 1st- Potato bar lunch after church. Donation only.
Friday and Saturday May 12th and 13th- Hot dog stand and car wash in front of Ace hardware in Draft!
Friday May 20th- movie night outside of Greenmonte
Saturday May 21st- Yard Sale
Any support you can provide would definitely be appreciated!
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