My goodness, what is there to say after such an incredible 3 month journey? We left Karamoja 4 days ago, and I don't think it has quite sunk in for me yet. We've been pretty busy...a game drive with giraffes and elephants, boating on the Nile seeing crocs and hippos. Made it to the city of Kampala..buying souvenirs, getting ready to return to US. But when I lay down at night, there are faces stuck in my mind, in my heart. It's my new African grandmother, Tataa. I wonder if she's had any food today. It's the sweet child, Nachuke, from the village. I'm wondering if anyone has loved on her today, given her hugs and kisses. Dangit, even as I'm writing this my heart is breaking. It's the faces and voices of my new friends yelling, "Nanya", my Karamajong name, as I walk through the village. It's even those stubborn children that sometimes I'd want to spank, and probably would if I could catch them!
You see, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into in going to Karamoja. I didn't know they were a culture of beggars, aggressive and demanding. But the Lord just gave me a love for the people. I know it's from the Lord because the love supply from within myself ran short a long time ago. He renewed it within me day by day, and even moment by moment at times. I didn't know it would be so hard. And now, i never thought it would be so hard to leave.
But now it is time for me to head back to ole Louisiana for a season. I don't know where I'll work, or even live for that matter. Home to meet babies that have been born, to congratulate friends who've gotten engaged and married.Home to hug my family and prove to them that I'm still alive, haha. But I know there is not a day that will go by that I will not be thinking of Karamoja.
"I'll come back when he calls me, no need to say good-bye." -Regina Spector
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The Village Life
Whew....what to even say...I've been in kacheri for about 1 1/2 months now I think. We have traveled south about 7 hours to a more cityish area called Saroti. It has special things like ice and couches and Internet. But I do miss the village of Kacheri. I didn't realize how much I would. I miss waking up to the mooing of the cows, sorting rice, biking into the villages to share a simple story under a tree.
I'll give ya an idea of my life there from day to day...the adults wake to have prayer before the kiddos get up. About 6:30. And drink a glorious cup of joe. After the kids wake we do some morning chores. I help them wash dishes from the night before. Then while they do school in the living room, I usually do some wound care...which in of itself is a miracle being that I usually pass out at the sight of blood. Then ill go visit my akumat old lady friend Longok, and bring her some porrige and milk. She is maybe 50ish and weighs about 70 lbs. You can see every bone in her back and chest. For lunch we sort rice and cut fresh veggies to make some yummy concoction or have beans and posho, a local dish that is my fave. After lunch I go to different villages with my friend Warri. He is an excellent translator and enjoys sharing bible stories very much. Sometimes we bike only 20 mins away, but sometimes 40 or more. Ole Warri always seems surprised when I survive one of our biking trips haha. We just gather under a tree and share stories from scripture and pray for one another. They sing songs sometimes. It's so fun, I love it. They always talk to me but I never understand and they always laugh at me because of the way I say things. So then dinner takes several hours to prepare. We've also incorporated the insanity workout into the day. But remember, this is Africa, so this daily itinerary varies. Not to mention I live with 7 children, so there is always a book to read or frisbee to throw or mountain to climb.
Something the Lord has been working in me is an obedient heart. In my time in Ghana before I came here He spoke to me a lot about having a willing heart. Now He is leading me to have a more passionate heart. Seems like one by one, one step at a time He is doing new things in me.
I think I'm at the half way mark about now. Thanks so much for prayers and encouragement from people. Til next time :)
I'll give ya an idea of my life there from day to day...the adults wake to have prayer before the kiddos get up. About 6:30. And drink a glorious cup of joe. After the kids wake we do some morning chores. I help them wash dishes from the night before. Then while they do school in the living room, I usually do some wound care...which in of itself is a miracle being that I usually pass out at the sight of blood. Then ill go visit my akumat old lady friend Longok, and bring her some porrige and milk. She is maybe 50ish and weighs about 70 lbs. You can see every bone in her back and chest. For lunch we sort rice and cut fresh veggies to make some yummy concoction or have beans and posho, a local dish that is my fave. After lunch I go to different villages with my friend Warri. He is an excellent translator and enjoys sharing bible stories very much. Sometimes we bike only 20 mins away, but sometimes 40 or more. Ole Warri always seems surprised when I survive one of our biking trips haha. We just gather under a tree and share stories from scripture and pray for one another. They sing songs sometimes. It's so fun, I love it. They always talk to me but I never understand and they always laugh at me because of the way I say things. So then dinner takes several hours to prepare. We've also incorporated the insanity workout into the day. But remember, this is Africa, so this daily itinerary varies. Not to mention I live with 7 children, so there is always a book to read or frisbee to throw or mountain to climb.
Something the Lord has been working in me is an obedient heart. In my time in Ghana before I came here He spoke to me a lot about having a willing heart. Now He is leading me to have a more passionate heart. Seems like one by one, one step at a time He is doing new things in me.
I think I'm at the half way mark about now. Thanks so much for prayers and encouragement from people. Til next time :)
Friday, August 10, 2012
A Different Kind of Africa
I have made it to Uganda! I loved it within the first 10 minutes, but trying to pace myself. We have 2 more days of traveling before we end up in my Ugandan home village of Kacheri.
Ya see, to get to Kacheri from the capitol of Kampala, first you drive 5 hours on paved roads. And then you drive 8 more hours on dirt roads. Kenneth says it's as far away from society that you can possibly get around here. 4 hours to the nearest running water source.
I am with Kenneth and Kristi Williams, and their 7 children: Ezra, Izzy, Zion, Achuka, Selah, Veah, and Rikot. from ages 17 months to 8! I LOVE THEM!!! They are such an amazing family. I was showered with welcome cards and picked flowers from the children. Yesterday at the guest house, we fed bread to monkeys from our hands.We sat in the yard with about 12 of them. It was really awesome!!
their blog is www.williamsinthewilderness.co
m if you'd like to read more about them. Kristi's sister, Kerri and her husband Andrew also live there, and their blog is http://www.joyofmine.blogspot.com/. It has pictures of Kacheri and my hut home! I am ready to be there. Living in village with the Ugandans, eating what they eat, living how they live, seeing how they see...
Ya see, to get to Kacheri from the capitol of Kampala, first you drive 5 hours on paved roads. And then you drive 8 more hours on dirt roads. Kenneth says it's as far away from society that you can possibly get around here. 4 hours to the nearest running water source.
I am with Kenneth and Kristi Williams, and their 7 children: Ezra, Izzy, Zion, Achuka, Selah, Veah, and Rikot. from ages 17 months to 8! I LOVE THEM!!! They are such an amazing family. I was showered with welcome cards and picked flowers from the children. Yesterday at the guest house, we fed bread to monkeys from our hands.We sat in the yard with about 12 of them. It was really awesome!!
their blog is www.williamsinthewilderness.co
m if you'd like to read more about them. Kristi's sister, Kerri and her husband Andrew also live there, and their blog is http://www.joyofmine.blogspot.com/. It has pictures of Kacheri and my hut home! I am ready to be there. Living in village with the Ugandans, eating what they eat, living how they live, seeing how they see...
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ghana 2012
Just letting you know all is well here in Ghana! We have been doing different activities in the villages everyday, telling bible stories, vbs, bringing food to widows and orphans. At night we've been doing crusades in the surrounding villages, showing the Jesus film. For 3 nights we've had revival at shalom baptist. And let me tell ya, I'm not sure you've been revived til you've been to an African revival. Open air church with gravel floor. Stories shared of being beaten after converting to Christianity from their Muslim faith. Their dedication to the Lord is so strong and passionate. They worship with all of their heart. The ghanain believers have been such an encouragement and example to me of faith. Next to them I feel so humbled. Almost unworthy to even be worshipping the same God. We did a good news congress with 140 children. It's like a vbs day. I bandaged many little wounds :( they need so much more than I can give them. But God has been so good to me. I'm so thankful to be back here.
I've seen clean water in a village that has never had water before, women rejoicing at the sight of food delivery, the most joyful children I've ever seen as they played with a water bottle, Ghanian believers sharing their faith with their Muslim neighbors, dancing and clapping and they worship the Lord...ahhhh so much more. More than I have time to descibe.
"Sometimes it is hard to leave where your heart is." -Pastor Mohammed
Wednesday the 8th (tomorrow), my team will head back to America and I will be flying to Uganda to start the next portion of this adventure. I will be there 3 months! Details to come :)
I've seen clean water in a village that has never had water before, women rejoicing at the sight of food delivery, the most joyful children I've ever seen as they played with a water bottle, Ghanian believers sharing their faith with their Muslim neighbors, dancing and clapping and they worship the Lord...ahhhh so much more. More than I have time to descibe.
"Sometimes it is hard to leave where your heart is." -Pastor Mohammed
Wednesday the 8th (tomorrow), my team will head back to America and I will be flying to Uganda to start the next portion of this adventure. I will be there 3 months! Details to come :)
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
the Lord's plans prevail.
Here are some hightlights since the last time I blogged:
Built a snowman....or snow tower. Not to mention, I am surprisingly surviving winter out here in the West! It has been pretty mild, praise the Lord!
Bought a flower! An orchid named Lucy. Apparently they don't need much water, so I somewhat drowned her. But the lady I live with is reviving it. :)
The Lord called me back to Ghana this summer!!!!!!! He has also opened many doors for me to speak and share to raise funds here in CO. I laid the financing part of the trip at His feet, because I told Him that I was minding my own business when He called me back to Ghana ;) He has been faithful, as always.
Skyped with my family over Thanksgiving! That was a HOOT!!! bahahah, too funny.
So, it's been a really awesome season here in Colorado. November to now I've been investing as much as I can into Feed My Sheep homeless center. I've started a bible study with the women and have been teaching the lesson on Sundays. They have truly become like a family to me, and best friends, even though they are twice my age, haha. I've gained about 30 uncles! Especially when they found out that I'm going to Africa this summer, can you imagine the lectures I've gotton! Of course, along with caring for people, comes heart ache as well. When they hurt, I hurt. When they are sad, I am sad. My heart goes out to the ones stuck in their pasts and their mistakes, addictions and failures. But when one gets a job, or rejoices, we all rejoice!!!
Built a snowman....or snow tower. Not to mention, I am surprisingly surviving winter out here in the West! It has been pretty mild, praise the Lord!
Bought a flower! An orchid named Lucy. Apparently they don't need much water, so I somewhat drowned her. But the lady I live with is reviving it. :)
The Lord called me back to Ghana this summer!!!!!!! He has also opened many doors for me to speak and share to raise funds here in CO. I laid the financing part of the trip at His feet, because I told Him that I was minding my own business when He called me back to Ghana ;) He has been faithful, as always.
Skyped with my family over Thanksgiving! That was a HOOT!!! bahahah, too funny.So, it's been a really awesome season here in Colorado. November to now I've been investing as much as I can into Feed My Sheep homeless center. I've started a bible study with the women and have been teaching the lesson on Sundays. They have truly become like a family to me, and best friends, even though they are twice my age, haha. I've gained about 30 uncles! Especially when they found out that I'm going to Africa this summer, can you imagine the lectures I've gotton! Of course, along with caring for people, comes heart ache as well. When they hurt, I hurt. When they are sad, I am sad. My heart goes out to the ones stuck in their pasts and their mistakes, addictions and failures. But when one gets a job, or rejoices, we all rejoice!!!
And so thankfully, my little sis came to CO during Christmas time!!!
9 more days until I move back to Louisiana, to be a nanny for 2 months! I'm VERY EXCITED to see Ruston friends, Georgetown friends and all my family! :)
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
Since I've graduated, the Lord's purposed have been prevailing in my life to use me and to bring back closer to Him. From googling and getting the job in Utah, to quitting that job to work at Feed My Sheep, to unexpectedly getting to go back to Africa...His purpose prevails.
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