I've been awake since 4am for no particular reason. Right before I woke up I was having a very vivid dream about being back in Uganda. Of course I've been thinking about what life will be like when I get back... I've even purchased a few items that I will need to have when I get there. It's becoming so very real to me right now. In my dream this morning I had just arrived in Kampala with two suitcases, but no guitar (which is strange). I then started looking for stuff that I should have had with me, but couldn't find anything that I needed. I was trying to hide my panic from Jean, my roommate as we caught up and talked about all that's been going on since I left last year. It was so exciting to see her, but that underlying panic would not cease. Somehow by the end of the dream I found out that I was just there for a two week visit before I came for the whole year. It was a recon trip of sorts.
Still, when I awoke and finally remembered the dream that same type of panic stayed with me. I started going over stuff in my head that I feel it is important to have with me. I started to think about all of the things I should be doing and even when I tried to push away the anxiety by distracted myself with a dvd, I couldn't find rest. It was completely quiet in the house, peaceful despite the unrest I was feeling. So I found myself before God in the early hours of the morning, a little annoyed that I wasn't sleeping, and even more annoyed at the silly anxiety over something that is still two and a half months away. I honestly don't even remember much of what I talked over with God this morning, but I do know that I found rest in His presence. I should be falling asleep on my desk right now; instead I feel great! I feel refreshed and energized... maybe I'll stop using this staph infection as an excuse and go for a run after work. :)
So anyways, I just sent out my last prayer letter with a prayer magnet before I'm off in January. Hopefully you've received your copy and if you haven't please let me know and I'd be happy to send one. This is a copy of the letter...
Dear Faithful Supporters,
As the date of my departure draws closer, I find myself consumed with thoughts of Africa and the ministries I’m involved in both near and far. A nervous excitement runs through me whenever I think about the many opportunities that are before me. In just a few months I will be back in Uganda, getting reacquainted with life and the culture there, visiting old friends, and rejoicing with new ones.
I would like to invite you to join me in praying for the ministry I’ve been given and for my time away. As my supporters, you all are an extremely important part of the time I spend in Africa ministering to the people there. In fact, it’s because of your support and prayers that I’m able to go.
Matthew 28:18-20 says, “18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
In this passage Jesus is not just suggesting that we go and make disciples of all nations, this is a command. You answered the call into missions when you decided to join my support team. Thank you for being faithful and for saying yes to Jesus.
Here is a list things I would love for you to pray for:
· Health and safety
· Travel (both to and from the U.S. and as I travel to different countries within East Africa)
· Ministry on Buvuma Island with the orphans
· Discipleship ministry at Kampala International University
· Sponsorship programs with Pastors and Youth Pastors/ Africa Gospel Churches
· World Gospel Mission
· Provision of financial support (I am 85% funded!!)
As I go, I am resting in the promises found in John chapter 15. Jesus says, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” This is such an awesome promise to keep close to our hearts as we strive daily to serve the Lord. This is my prayer for you today and always.
Thank you again for all the love, support, and prayers. As always, I encourage you to let me know how I can be praying for you.
Serving Christ with you,
Christina Maddalone
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Memories for the future
As I'm getting closer to my departure date for Uganda I'm finding myself easily distracted by thoughts of goodbyes. This wasn't really something I had time for last time, so it's all rather new to me. There are days when I am so excited at the prospect of being back in Africa that I can hardly contain myself; there are other days when thoughts of who and what I'm leaving behind sneak up on me. There's the occasional thoughts of people moving on without me and of too much change. Most times I can think past those sad thoughts because of one particular memory of my return last year.
I stepped off the plane, anxious to see my friends and family and frustrated that we were all in the same building, but because I was coming from Africa I had more hoops to jump through than most departing the airport. I was ready to jump up and down and give big hugs, not talk about what might be in my bags or guitar case. So as I'm waiting for customs to clear my luggage and I remember thinking about having to wait until morning to see my nieces and how bummed I was to wait another twelve hours to hug them. I left for Uganda when Kayla was 3 and half and Alexandria was merely 15 months, so I was uncertain of how they would receive me. Kayla would talk with me one the phone and skype pretty often, but it was difficult to get Alex to sit still enough to chat. My sister requested that I not wake them up when I get home because I'd be getting home at 11 and they're a pain to put back down. When I got home I simply couldn't wait!! I decided to wake Kayla up, very gently so as not to get her too excited to go back to sleep. She was excited, but completely exhausted and went right back to sleep. I went in Alex's room just to look at her and decided not to wake her because if she didn't recognize me, I didn't want to scare her. So I kissed her and went to bed. Even though I hadn't slept for 36 hours and was emotionally drained, I didn't sleep well that first night. So when Alex woke up, I heard her downstairs playing and just had to go down and see her. I quietly went downstairs and sat on the bottom step. She was in the kitchen with my mom just chatting away. She heard me sit down and turned to look at who else was up at 6:30 in the morning and saw me. Her entire face lit up and she looked at my mom and said, "Nana!! My TT here!!" Then she ran to me and gave me a huge hug. It's one of the sweetest moments of my life. I don't think I can think of another memory when someone was more genuinely excited to see me. I had been so nervous that she wouldn't even remember me and there she was running into my arms. So sweet!!
It's memories like that that assure me that when I leave, even though it's a time of sadness, the rejoicing of the return is sure to come. I'm sad to leave my family. I'm sad to leave my youth kids both here in Naperville and down in Indy. I'm sad to leave my friends and all the new babies that are around. BUT when I get home in a year, life will continue and all will be just fine.
It was on my drive home from Indiana this morning when I was thinking about these things. I went to Indy simply because I had a three day weekend and wanted to be able to relax. And I did. I got plenty of good sleep, got to hang out with Trent, and spend time the awesome peeps at New Hope Pres. All in all, a good weekend. In the 3 days that I was there I think I made the drive to the church at least once each day.
Now, Indianapolis isn't what i think of when I think of pretty autumn colors. (I actually think of places like Michigan, where I was last weekend. So beautiful!) However the drive to and from New Hope is gorgeous this time of year. Unlike here in the Chicago suburbs, there are actually a few rolling hills in Indy. They are beautiful this time of year, splashed with fiery oranges and yellows, vivid reds, and earthy browns. It's really an amazing sight to take in. I love Autumn, but am not a fan of winter (at least not 6 months of winter). This year I only have to endure a couple months of it though. :) Anyways the beauty of the scenic drive with the worship music playing over the radio was incredibly peaceful for me. Life has been crazy busy and I'm always on the go (mainly by choice), but in quiet of my car each day I found rest in the Lord. Then last night we were bored so I went to get a movie and decided to drive the same way, down the same roads even though the night would surely be hiding the beauty of the day. Yet in the bright moonlight I got little glimpses of what the day had already revealed. The colors were muted, not nearly as vivid, yet somehow in the quiet of the night (it wasn't late, but everyone was in watching the ridiculous Indy football team), remembering the beauty of the day, I again found rest and peace on my short drives with God. I just love sweet intimate moments with my Creator and Savior. I'm so thankful today for moments like these. These are just some more of the memories that will carry me through and help me to hang onto the promises of God when I'm 8,000 miles away and missing everything about the Midwest.
I stepped off the plane, anxious to see my friends and family and frustrated that we were all in the same building, but because I was coming from Africa I had more hoops to jump through than most departing the airport. I was ready to jump up and down and give big hugs, not talk about what might be in my bags or guitar case. So as I'm waiting for customs to clear my luggage and I remember thinking about having to wait until morning to see my nieces and how bummed I was to wait another twelve hours to hug them. I left for Uganda when Kayla was 3 and half and Alexandria was merely 15 months, so I was uncertain of how they would receive me. Kayla would talk with me one the phone and skype pretty often, but it was difficult to get Alex to sit still enough to chat. My sister requested that I not wake them up when I get home because I'd be getting home at 11 and they're a pain to put back down. When I got home I simply couldn't wait!! I decided to wake Kayla up, very gently so as not to get her too excited to go back to sleep. She was excited, but completely exhausted and went right back to sleep. I went in Alex's room just to look at her and decided not to wake her because if she didn't recognize me, I didn't want to scare her. So I kissed her and went to bed. Even though I hadn't slept for 36 hours and was emotionally drained, I didn't sleep well that first night. So when Alex woke up, I heard her downstairs playing and just had to go down and see her. I quietly went downstairs and sat on the bottom step. She was in the kitchen with my mom just chatting away. She heard me sit down and turned to look at who else was up at 6:30 in the morning and saw me. Her entire face lit up and she looked at my mom and said, "Nana!! My TT here!!" Then she ran to me and gave me a huge hug. It's one of the sweetest moments of my life. I don't think I can think of another memory when someone was more genuinely excited to see me. I had been so nervous that she wouldn't even remember me and there she was running into my arms. So sweet!!
It's memories like that that assure me that when I leave, even though it's a time of sadness, the rejoicing of the return is sure to come. I'm sad to leave my family. I'm sad to leave my youth kids both here in Naperville and down in Indy. I'm sad to leave my friends and all the new babies that are around. BUT when I get home in a year, life will continue and all will be just fine.
It was on my drive home from Indiana this morning when I was thinking about these things. I went to Indy simply because I had a three day weekend and wanted to be able to relax. And I did. I got plenty of good sleep, got to hang out with Trent, and spend time the awesome peeps at New Hope Pres. All in all, a good weekend. In the 3 days that I was there I think I made the drive to the church at least once each day.
Now, Indianapolis isn't what i think of when I think of pretty autumn colors. (I actually think of places like Michigan, where I was last weekend. So beautiful!) However the drive to and from New Hope is gorgeous this time of year. Unlike here in the Chicago suburbs, there are actually a few rolling hills in Indy. They are beautiful this time of year, splashed with fiery oranges and yellows, vivid reds, and earthy browns. It's really an amazing sight to take in. I love Autumn, but am not a fan of winter (at least not 6 months of winter). This year I only have to endure a couple months of it though. :) Anyways the beauty of the scenic drive with the worship music playing over the radio was incredibly peaceful for me. Life has been crazy busy and I'm always on the go (mainly by choice), but in quiet of my car each day I found rest in the Lord. Then last night we were bored so I went to get a movie and decided to drive the same way, down the same roads even though the night would surely be hiding the beauty of the day. Yet in the bright moonlight I got little glimpses of what the day had already revealed. The colors were muted, not nearly as vivid, yet somehow in the quiet of the night (it wasn't late, but everyone was in watching the ridiculous Indy football team), remembering the beauty of the day, I again found rest and peace on my short drives with God. I just love sweet intimate moments with my Creator and Savior. I'm so thankful today for moments like these. These are just some more of the memories that will carry me through and help me to hang onto the promises of God when I'm 8,000 miles away and missing everything about the Midwest.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Surgery Update and Personal Musings
I want to thank you all who have prayed for my dad this week with his surgery. He is a little sore, naturally, but he's doing well. Apparently he has to have another surgery a week from this Thursday on October, 7th. more prayers are welcome then. :) He has had so many surgeries in his life time, it's pretty ridiculous actually. He has a disease called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSDS), now sometimes to referred to as CRPS. This website gives a very brief overview of the disease. https://health.google.com/health/ref/Complex+regional+pain+syndrome Dad has always been in stage three and there's really no way of turning it around. He's in pain constantly. The reason for his recent surgery was to have the spinal cord stimulator in his back replaced. He has two of these devices in his body and they help to control some of the pain. The old units had batteries that only last for up to five years. He had a new unit put in on Thursday with a battery life of up to nine years. Hopefully it will last that long. However, the lead that connects to his spinal cord is not functioning now, so he will go back on for another surgery to replace that lead. Realistically it could have been done this past week, but doctors know best right? Actually if you couldn't detect my sarcasm, I'm pretty frustrated with the whole situation. It is a bit excessive for a 61 year old man to have to have this many major surgeries (5 in a year). The anesthetic cannot be good for you that frequently. Anyway, that's the update on my dad... thanks for the prayers.
Something else I wanted to do today was write out some things that have been floating around my head lately. This will be many disjointed thoughts, not necessarily related at all to each other, some maybe selfish, but they're honest. Mostly this is stuff you might know already. Read at your own risk.
I want to get married soon enough for my daddy to be able to WALK me down the aisle. All the surgeries are not encouraging me to believe that will ever happen. It's not his fault and I'm not sure that he would care whether I got married in a church or a courthouse.
I'm not sure I want to have some big lavish wedding. I think a backyard barbecue would be just as much, if not more fun than a huge fancy reception. I have a feeling I won't want to be dressed up all day.
A wedding is not about a party at all... it's really about celebrating a marriage... and praising God. I want to worship at my wedding... maybe I'll play some guitar.
I would rather be outside doing something, even if it's nothing exciting, than sitting inside staring at the tv.
I really like tv some days, but often feel like I've wasted time when I watch for too long. It's a catch 22 for me.
I'm not good at time management, or as good as I would like to be.
I love to rest, but when I'm not busy I'm bored. I will complain about how tired I am, but then opt not to sleep in order to do something else.
I'm not good at taking naps, but I kind of want to be better.
I love the beach... like really love the beach, but wandering through the forrest/mountains is an adventure I would take any day.
I love to hike, but I'm clumsy so it's funny for whoever is with me.
I don't like to sweat, but I sweat all the time... a trait inherited from my dad. Sweaty hands are gross and embarrassing. Oh well, it is what it is.
My college degree is finally being used and I'm just realizing how grateful I am to be good at communicating with people. The skills that I learned have enabled me to have some really cool relationships with youth.
I love speaking to large groups, but often don't prepare. When I prepare I get nervous thinking that I will forget something.
I love being a mentor.
I tend to trust people from the start, but if it's broken, good luck repairing it. I should work on that.
Some of my best friends are in high school/college right now and I'm ok with that.
God has given me this ability to love people implicitly, and sometimes obviously. I would not change it for the world. My compassion keeps me busy.
I want to use the abilities I've been given to love others deeply, as Christ loves them. I love having a ministry that spans continents.
I am a people pleaser, who often seeks the approval of others. Yet, some times I don't care what other people think because I can be pretty hard headed.
I can talk my way out of things pretty well, something I learned from my sister (who probably has never paid a late fee, or a ticket she didn't deserve in her life.)
I am blunt and will be honest, but also careful with feelings. If you ask me what I think or how I feel I'll probably tell you straight up.
I am more self-conscience than I would like... I wish I was better at eating healthy and exercising. I need to lose weight. Will I be happier then?
I absolutely adore babies... especially tiny newborn babies. I have lots of experience with them and I'm good at caring for them and loving on them. I'm going to be a good mom, not too much of a freak, first time mom. I don't want kids any time soon though. As much as I love them, I have no desire to have my own for a long time. I just really love being around all these babies again. I wish my sister would have another one... a boy. :)
I love spending time with my nieces. 3 and a half and almost 6 years old... they are so cute. So naughty sometimes!
My youth kids are amazing... from both WSC and NHPC. I wish I could split myself in half so I could be with both groups all the time. Thank God for effective ministry.
Going back to Africa is something I've wanted to do since the day I set foot back in America. Now I'm getting sad as the time draws nearer for me to leave again. I've had too much time to think about leaving this time. God is sovereign and His timing is perfect. Apparently I wasn't ready to go when I wanted to, so I'll go when He sees fit.
God is my all, my everything even though I don't always turn to Him before I turn to others. I feel weak every time I try to do stuff on my own. It's sometimes easier to give a friend a call when I have a need, but ultimately until I bring it before the Lord I can't be peaceful.
I struggle to live with my family and don't tell them I love them enough. The truth is that I love them more than words can say. My brother is awesome and could do anything he wants in life, but he's held back by himself and his addictions. He should be playing major league baseball, but that time has passed him by. Sometimes I fear for his life. Leaving for Africa becomes harder when I think about him.
I think I'll always have at least one pet. I hate cats and will hopefully never own one. I love dogs... I don't love when I move to Uganda and my family gives my dog away. I love having a turtle.
As much as I love all things music, I'm mediocre at best and have to work hard to be mediocre. I have no confidence in my vocals or my ability to play the guitar and sometimes am too embarrassed to play/sing in front of others. When I'm doing it for the Lord though, it's all about Him and not how I sound. Thankfully. I should have stuck with my music major. I was good at music theory.
I like to read, but am guilty of picking a series that I really like and reading and rereading the same books over and over. I've read nothing but Harry Potter and Twilight for the past year. I need to work on being that excited to read my bible, and not so cocky thinking that I know it all.
Mighty Ducks 2 and Sandlot might be two of my all time favorite movies.
I love sports. The Cubs will always be my team no matter how many years it is before they win again. Da Bears have the ability to make me scream at the tv... obviously I could run the plays more effectively! :) I'll always be a fan of Chicago sports (minus that team from the south side) and I think I'll always despise Green Bay and the Colts.
I used to avoid the sun so as not to appear to be anything but Italian and now I love the brown-ness of my skin. My dad had skin cancer... I should be more careful than I am.
When I see pain in someone's life I try to fix it... unsolicited mostly. I think everyone deserves to be loved and to understand that they deserve to be loved.
I have only truly loved one guy. I've been "in love" with a few guys. There's a huge difference.
Purity is something I cherish and will preach it until I die. What a gift to give your future husband or wife. It didn't used to be such a rare gift. The consequences are beyond what you may think.
I love the city, but would rather live in the country where I can have a yard to play in.
Africa has forever changed my life. Uganda is beautiful. I can't wait to spend more time in Kenya and Sudan. I love being called to missions right now, despite the sadness of leaving. I want to walk the orange dirt roads today and hear a boda man call out, "Hey Mzungu!!"
I want to experience other cultures too. Being fluent in Spanish, Italian, and Swahili, and Arabic would be awesome. I want to learn languages. Russia presents a challenge to me because it's hard to get into and the language seems impossible. We'll see. I am willing to go anywhere and serve, including here in America.
I sometimes go on rants, but most of the time I write them out in email form and refrain from clicking send because when I read them a week later, it's not that big of a deal.
Writing out my true feelings is easier for me that speaking them because I tend to forget everything I want to say or express.
I love to write. I can knock out a good 10 pager in a few hours of focused time and do well on it.
I've been told that my 7 tattoos make me look trashy, which makes me kinda sad, but I understand it. I definitely regret the placement of some of them. I regret getting two altogether. It's too expensive to have them removed and not worth the scarring.
With all the surgeries I've had to have over my life, I should be set as an adult. I don't have an appendix, tonsils, or a gall bladder. I've had foot surgery, ear tubes more times than I can remember (hence the difficulty I have with hearing), and have had my wisdom teeth removed. Anesthesia makes me totally goofy. Any time I've gotten vicodin for the pain after surgery I've made a fool of myself. I'm a lightweight when it comes to that stuff I guess.
I hate money. I don't like having it, I don't like having to deal with it. I know I"ll never have a lot and I'm actually thankful for that. It runs the world and ruins lives, but somehow it's a necessity. I can manage a budget with ease, but would rather not need to.
I went to bed at 4:00 this morning and got up at 9... so I'm gonna go practice that whole nap taking thing.
Something else I wanted to do today was write out some things that have been floating around my head lately. This will be many disjointed thoughts, not necessarily related at all to each other, some maybe selfish, but they're honest. Mostly this is stuff you might know already. Read at your own risk.
I want to get married soon enough for my daddy to be able to WALK me down the aisle. All the surgeries are not encouraging me to believe that will ever happen. It's not his fault and I'm not sure that he would care whether I got married in a church or a courthouse.
I'm not sure I want to have some big lavish wedding. I think a backyard barbecue would be just as much, if not more fun than a huge fancy reception. I have a feeling I won't want to be dressed up all day.
A wedding is not about a party at all... it's really about celebrating a marriage... and praising God. I want to worship at my wedding... maybe I'll play some guitar.
I would rather be outside doing something, even if it's nothing exciting, than sitting inside staring at the tv.
I really like tv some days, but often feel like I've wasted time when I watch for too long. It's a catch 22 for me.
I'm not good at time management, or as good as I would like to be.
I love to rest, but when I'm not busy I'm bored. I will complain about how tired I am, but then opt not to sleep in order to do something else.
I'm not good at taking naps, but I kind of want to be better.
I love the beach... like really love the beach, but wandering through the forrest/mountains is an adventure I would take any day.
I love to hike, but I'm clumsy so it's funny for whoever is with me.
I don't like to sweat, but I sweat all the time... a trait inherited from my dad. Sweaty hands are gross and embarrassing. Oh well, it is what it is.
My college degree is finally being used and I'm just realizing how grateful I am to be good at communicating with people. The skills that I learned have enabled me to have some really cool relationships with youth.
I love speaking to large groups, but often don't prepare. When I prepare I get nervous thinking that I will forget something.
I love being a mentor.
I tend to trust people from the start, but if it's broken, good luck repairing it. I should work on that.
Some of my best friends are in high school/college right now and I'm ok with that.
God has given me this ability to love people implicitly, and sometimes obviously. I would not change it for the world. My compassion keeps me busy.
I want to use the abilities I've been given to love others deeply, as Christ loves them. I love having a ministry that spans continents.
I am a people pleaser, who often seeks the approval of others. Yet, some times I don't care what other people think because I can be pretty hard headed.
I can talk my way out of things pretty well, something I learned from my sister (who probably has never paid a late fee, or a ticket she didn't deserve in her life.)
I am blunt and will be honest, but also careful with feelings. If you ask me what I think or how I feel I'll probably tell you straight up.
I am more self-conscience than I would like... I wish I was better at eating healthy and exercising. I need to lose weight. Will I be happier then?
I absolutely adore babies... especially tiny newborn babies. I have lots of experience with them and I'm good at caring for them and loving on them. I'm going to be a good mom, not too much of a freak, first time mom. I don't want kids any time soon though. As much as I love them, I have no desire to have my own for a long time. I just really love being around all these babies again. I wish my sister would have another one... a boy. :)
I love spending time with my nieces. 3 and a half and almost 6 years old... they are so cute. So naughty sometimes!
My youth kids are amazing... from both WSC and NHPC. I wish I could split myself in half so I could be with both groups all the time. Thank God for effective ministry.
Going back to Africa is something I've wanted to do since the day I set foot back in America. Now I'm getting sad as the time draws nearer for me to leave again. I've had too much time to think about leaving this time. God is sovereign and His timing is perfect. Apparently I wasn't ready to go when I wanted to, so I'll go when He sees fit.
God is my all, my everything even though I don't always turn to Him before I turn to others. I feel weak every time I try to do stuff on my own. It's sometimes easier to give a friend a call when I have a need, but ultimately until I bring it before the Lord I can't be peaceful.
I struggle to live with my family and don't tell them I love them enough. The truth is that I love them more than words can say. My brother is awesome and could do anything he wants in life, but he's held back by himself and his addictions. He should be playing major league baseball, but that time has passed him by. Sometimes I fear for his life. Leaving for Africa becomes harder when I think about him.
I think I'll always have at least one pet. I hate cats and will hopefully never own one. I love dogs... I don't love when I move to Uganda and my family gives my dog away. I love having a turtle.
As much as I love all things music, I'm mediocre at best and have to work hard to be mediocre. I have no confidence in my vocals or my ability to play the guitar and sometimes am too embarrassed to play/sing in front of others. When I'm doing it for the Lord though, it's all about Him and not how I sound. Thankfully. I should have stuck with my music major. I was good at music theory.
I like to read, but am guilty of picking a series that I really like and reading and rereading the same books over and over. I've read nothing but Harry Potter and Twilight for the past year. I need to work on being that excited to read my bible, and not so cocky thinking that I know it all.
Mighty Ducks 2 and Sandlot might be two of my all time favorite movies.
I love sports. The Cubs will always be my team no matter how many years it is before they win again. Da Bears have the ability to make me scream at the tv... obviously I could run the plays more effectively! :) I'll always be a fan of Chicago sports (minus that team from the south side) and I think I'll always despise Green Bay and the Colts.
I used to avoid the sun so as not to appear to be anything but Italian and now I love the brown-ness of my skin. My dad had skin cancer... I should be more careful than I am.
When I see pain in someone's life I try to fix it... unsolicited mostly. I think everyone deserves to be loved and to understand that they deserve to be loved.
I have only truly loved one guy. I've been "in love" with a few guys. There's a huge difference.
Purity is something I cherish and will preach it until I die. What a gift to give your future husband or wife. It didn't used to be such a rare gift. The consequences are beyond what you may think.
I love the city, but would rather live in the country where I can have a yard to play in.
Africa has forever changed my life. Uganda is beautiful. I can't wait to spend more time in Kenya and Sudan. I love being called to missions right now, despite the sadness of leaving. I want to walk the orange dirt roads today and hear a boda man call out, "Hey Mzungu!!"
I want to experience other cultures too. Being fluent in Spanish, Italian, and Swahili, and Arabic would be awesome. I want to learn languages. Russia presents a challenge to me because it's hard to get into and the language seems impossible. We'll see. I am willing to go anywhere and serve, including here in America.
I sometimes go on rants, but most of the time I write them out in email form and refrain from clicking send because when I read them a week later, it's not that big of a deal.
Writing out my true feelings is easier for me that speaking them because I tend to forget everything I want to say or express.
I love to write. I can knock out a good 10 pager in a few hours of focused time and do well on it.
I've been told that my 7 tattoos make me look trashy, which makes me kinda sad, but I understand it. I definitely regret the placement of some of them. I regret getting two altogether. It's too expensive to have them removed and not worth the scarring.
With all the surgeries I've had to have over my life, I should be set as an adult. I don't have an appendix, tonsils, or a gall bladder. I've had foot surgery, ear tubes more times than I can remember (hence the difficulty I have with hearing), and have had my wisdom teeth removed. Anesthesia makes me totally goofy. Any time I've gotten vicodin for the pain after surgery I've made a fool of myself. I'm a lightweight when it comes to that stuff I guess.
I hate money. I don't like having it, I don't like having to deal with it. I know I"ll never have a lot and I'm actually thankful for that. It runs the world and ruins lives, but somehow it's a necessity. I can manage a budget with ease, but would rather not need to.
I went to bed at 4:00 this morning and got up at 9... so I'm gonna go practice that whole nap taking thing.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Adventures with Rubies and Dirt Bikes
August ended with a mixture of emotions as I had to say goodbye to some of the youth kids who have now gone off to college. Over the past year some really cool relationships have been built with these kids, so of course it was sad to watch them leave. On the other hand I'm really excited for all of them as they start this new part of their lives.
Ruby Elyse Freeman was born on August 31st at 10:06 pm. She is absolutely precious and I just love her so much. She has such a sweet spirit, very much like her mama. It was evident from the first time that I held her, only hours old, that Ruby is going to be a strong, beautiful woman. Both Carley and baby are doing really well as they adjust to life together. Matt is a very proud daddy and its fun to watch them interact. You can already tell that she just adores Carley and Matt. Here I am with her, she's two and half weeks old in this pic.
It's been so much fun to hang out with Ruby during the last couple of weeks. Babies do some very funny stuff that they don't even realize is funny. I know she doesn't have control over her expression yet, but in this picture she's showing one of her already famous facial expressions... the "o". So cute!!!
September has proved to be just as busy as the rest of my summer has been, but mostly this busyness has been my choice. I've recently decided that I want to get my motorcycle license. Not for any reason in particular, really just because it's fun. So in order to work up to that, one of my youth kids offered to let me try it out on one of his dirt bikes. So one Sunday afternoon, a crowd of youth kids gathered to watch me attempt to ride a dirt bike in the church parking lot. Of course I was really excited... and then I saw the crowd. As my nerves took over I knew there was no way to back out of it and live it down so I got on the bike, received a brief tutorial, and took off. After stalling twice, I wheelied and was off around the parking lot. I only rode for maybe 20 or 30 minutes that day, but in that short time it seemed like every pastor and other prominent member of the church passed through the parking lot. All in all it was a success and I didn't wipe out once... until the next weekend.
Tom and Ian Howard (father and son, owners of the bikes) invited me to go out to the trails with them and practice some more on the bike. They assured me that I wouldn't be slowing them down and that they had brought many newbies with them, so I quickly agreed to go. The 45 minute drive south to Marseilles, IL where the Cliffs Insane Terrain (www.thecliffsinsaneterrain.com) is located should have been a peaceful drive through the country. Instead, I could only focus on not throwing up because I was so nervous that I was going to be the one person who they take out that gets seriously injured. I mean, then name "Insane Terrain" doesn't have a comforting ring to it. We arrived around the same time and I watched as they unloaded the 3 dirt bikes. The parking lot was full of different off-road vehicles, from dirt bikes and ATVs, to dune buggies and tricked-out mud covered Jeeps. Some of these Jeeps had tires that were nearly as tall as I am. So sweet! Anyway, as I was watching these awesome vehicles climb the Hill that leads to the trails I thought, "there's absolutely no way that I'm going to be able to get the dirt bike up that gravel and rut covered hill."
We went up to the office, paid, signed waivers, and got our bracelets. Tom gassed the bikes up and we were ready to go. Well, they were. I felt sick. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was going to die. Well obviously I didn't die, but half way up the first hill I ended up in the trees. After a few rounds on the motocross track and lots of wipe outs, we went to a flat area for me to practice the basics. So I practiced shifting gears, using the foot brake, and not stalling because I tend to drop the clutch. After we practiced for a while, Tom convinced me to ride my bike down the hill back to the parking lot for some lunch. Getting down the hill was easier than I thought it would be, riding first gear and tapping the back brake. We got some lunch and then ventured back up the dreaded hill to the flat area where we had spent the morning. I made it up the hill without any problems this time, much more in control of the bike than I had been in the morning. I practiced shifting gears for a little while longer and then we (they) decided it was time to hit the trails. Judging by the amount of mud coming off Ian and Tom as they traded off watching me practice and exploring trails, I knew I was in for a slippery ride.
Leaving the flat (safe) area, around the first turn was a huge mud pit with standing water. The ruts from the Jeeps and ATVs were deep. I watched Tom and Ian successfully fly through the mud, keeping their feet out for balance. I froze. In my mind I decided that I was just going to head back down to the parking lot. There was no way I could have enough control of the bike, focus on the clutch, throttle, and brake and still make it through standing up. I had already taken my fair share of spills too... flown over the handle bars, bike falling on me as a rut stole my balance, ending up in the trees and bushes because I panicked and gave it too much gas. If I went out on the muddy trails I would surely die. Well Tom rode back over to where I stood frozen on my bike, and somehow convinced me to follow him, showing me exactly how to do it again. I reluctantly followed and successfully made it through that first mud pit without a fall. Can I just say that that was the easy part?!
The trails proved to be riddled with large rocks, trees branches, creeks, ruts, jumps, and other ridiculous obstacles. Through all that I took it slow, only wiping out once and having Tom take my bike down a hill he knew would be too challenging. I inadvertently took a jump that came out of no where and landed it. I have never felt my adrenaline course through my veins as much as I did that day. There were times when my heart was racing, my palms were sweaty (thankful for gloves!), and I was panicking, but I decided to keep going. After making it through that we reconvened in the parking lot and I suggested that the boys go out without me so they didn't have to go slow anymore. They explored for another 20 minutes or so and then we packed up. At the end of it all, I was still smiling, so it couldn't have been that bad, right?
After I got home and showered all the mud off of me, I assessed the damages. Lots of large bruises, but nothing horrible until the next day. It was a challenge to lift my arms... it felt like I had spent a day at the gym pumping some serious iron. It's been two and half weeks since we were on the trails and the bruising is almost completely gone now. At first I decided I would never go again, but today it doesn't sound so bad. :)
The next weekend I decided to go up to East Lansing to Michigan State to visit with some of the youth kids. 4 of my girls go to college within an hour of each other so the other 3 made their way to MSU for a visit. I brought Jacob (another college freshman) with me since he's going to school locally and it was nice to have a friend with me in the car to keep me entertained. We had a fun filled weekend of eating food, walking around campus, eating more food, walking more, eating ice cream, and walking some more. It was really just a sweet time with kids that I love dearly. I enjoyed getting to see where Jodi is these days and how life at a state school works. The campus is absolutely beautiful. We had a blast simply being together. The Lord has really opened doors and enabled me to be someone that these kids really trust and depend on. It's a total blessing to have such awesome relationships with them. I think it was a nice break for all of them too. Nice for Jacob to get out of Naperville, for Jodi to have familiar faces, and for KP, Morgan, and Alex to get away from school for a while. Praise the Lord for good friends.
I am still in the process of figuring out what's next for me here in America. I have some really tough choices to make for the next few months, but I know I'm ready for a change. I've been looking for jobs and housing in Indy, so that's a good possibility. Please join me in praying for clarity and the right decisions for both me and the kids I minister to. Also please pray for my dad as he's scheduled to undergo major surgery this Thursday if he's healthy enough. I'm hoping to post again soon after his surgery to update you all on how it went. Thanks ahead of time for the prayer.
I am still planning on a January departure back to Uganda. Please continue to lift up the ministries there. Pray for the people and their hearts. Rest in the promises of Pslam 37 today. Thanks friends!
Ruby Elyse Freeman was born on August 31st at 10:06 pm. She is absolutely precious and I just love her so much. She has such a sweet spirit, very much like her mama. It was evident from the first time that I held her, only hours old, that Ruby is going to be a strong, beautiful woman. Both Carley and baby are doing really well as they adjust to life together. Matt is a very proud daddy and its fun to watch them interact. You can already tell that she just adores Carley and Matt. Here I am with her, she's two and half weeks old in this pic.
It's been so much fun to hang out with Ruby during the last couple of weeks. Babies do some very funny stuff that they don't even realize is funny. I know she doesn't have control over her expression yet, but in this picture she's showing one of her already famous facial expressions... the "o". So cute!!!
September has proved to be just as busy as the rest of my summer has been, but mostly this busyness has been my choice. I've recently decided that I want to get my motorcycle license. Not for any reason in particular, really just because it's fun. So in order to work up to that, one of my youth kids offered to let me try it out on one of his dirt bikes. So one Sunday afternoon, a crowd of youth kids gathered to watch me attempt to ride a dirt bike in the church parking lot. Of course I was really excited... and then I saw the crowd. As my nerves took over I knew there was no way to back out of it and live it down so I got on the bike, received a brief tutorial, and took off. After stalling twice, I wheelied and was off around the parking lot. I only rode for maybe 20 or 30 minutes that day, but in that short time it seemed like every pastor and other prominent member of the church passed through the parking lot. All in all it was a success and I didn't wipe out once... until the next weekend.
Tom and Ian Howard (father and son, owners of the bikes) invited me to go out to the trails with them and practice some more on the bike. They assured me that I wouldn't be slowing them down and that they had brought many newbies with them, so I quickly agreed to go. The 45 minute drive south to Marseilles, IL where the Cliffs Insane Terrain (www.thecliffsinsaneterrain.com) is located should have been a peaceful drive through the country. Instead, I could only focus on not throwing up because I was so nervous that I was going to be the one person who they take out that gets seriously injured. I mean, then name "Insane Terrain" doesn't have a comforting ring to it. We arrived around the same time and I watched as they unloaded the 3 dirt bikes. The parking lot was full of different off-road vehicles, from dirt bikes and ATVs, to dune buggies and tricked-out mud covered Jeeps. Some of these Jeeps had tires that were nearly as tall as I am. So sweet! Anyway, as I was watching these awesome vehicles climb the Hill that leads to the trails I thought, "there's absolutely no way that I'm going to be able to get the dirt bike up that gravel and rut covered hill."
We went up to the office, paid, signed waivers, and got our bracelets. Tom gassed the bikes up and we were ready to go. Well, they were. I felt sick. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was going to die. Well obviously I didn't die, but half way up the first hill I ended up in the trees. After a few rounds on the motocross track and lots of wipe outs, we went to a flat area for me to practice the basics. So I practiced shifting gears, using the foot brake, and not stalling because I tend to drop the clutch. After we practiced for a while, Tom convinced me to ride my bike down the hill back to the parking lot for some lunch. Getting down the hill was easier than I thought it would be, riding first gear and tapping the back brake. We got some lunch and then ventured back up the dreaded hill to the flat area where we had spent the morning. I made it up the hill without any problems this time, much more in control of the bike than I had been in the morning. I practiced shifting gears for a little while longer and then we (they) decided it was time to hit the trails. Judging by the amount of mud coming off Ian and Tom as they traded off watching me practice and exploring trails, I knew I was in for a slippery ride.
Leaving the flat (safe) area, around the first turn was a huge mud pit with standing water. The ruts from the Jeeps and ATVs were deep. I watched Tom and Ian successfully fly through the mud, keeping their feet out for balance. I froze. In my mind I decided that I was just going to head back down to the parking lot. There was no way I could have enough control of the bike, focus on the clutch, throttle, and brake and still make it through standing up. I had already taken my fair share of spills too... flown over the handle bars, bike falling on me as a rut stole my balance, ending up in the trees and bushes because I panicked and gave it too much gas. If I went out on the muddy trails I would surely die. Well Tom rode back over to where I stood frozen on my bike, and somehow convinced me to follow him, showing me exactly how to do it again. I reluctantly followed and successfully made it through that first mud pit without a fall. Can I just say that that was the easy part?!
The trails proved to be riddled with large rocks, trees branches, creeks, ruts, jumps, and other ridiculous obstacles. Through all that I took it slow, only wiping out once and having Tom take my bike down a hill he knew would be too challenging. I inadvertently took a jump that came out of no where and landed it. I have never felt my adrenaline course through my veins as much as I did that day. There were times when my heart was racing, my palms were sweaty (thankful for gloves!), and I was panicking, but I decided to keep going. After making it through that we reconvened in the parking lot and I suggested that the boys go out without me so they didn't have to go slow anymore. They explored for another 20 minutes or so and then we packed up. At the end of it all, I was still smiling, so it couldn't have been that bad, right?
After I got home and showered all the mud off of me, I assessed the damages. Lots of large bruises, but nothing horrible until the next day. It was a challenge to lift my arms... it felt like I had spent a day at the gym pumping some serious iron. It's been two and half weeks since we were on the trails and the bruising is almost completely gone now. At first I decided I would never go again, but today it doesn't sound so bad. :)
The next weekend I decided to go up to East Lansing to Michigan State to visit with some of the youth kids. 4 of my girls go to college within an hour of each other so the other 3 made their way to MSU for a visit. I brought Jacob (another college freshman) with me since he's going to school locally and it was nice to have a friend with me in the car to keep me entertained. We had a fun filled weekend of eating food, walking around campus, eating more food, walking more, eating ice cream, and walking some more. It was really just a sweet time with kids that I love dearly. I enjoyed getting to see where Jodi is these days and how life at a state school works. The campus is absolutely beautiful. We had a blast simply being together. The Lord has really opened doors and enabled me to be someone that these kids really trust and depend on. It's a total blessing to have such awesome relationships with them. I think it was a nice break for all of them too. Nice for Jacob to get out of Naperville, for Jodi to have familiar faces, and for KP, Morgan, and Alex to get away from school for a while. Praise the Lord for good friends.
I am still in the process of figuring out what's next for me here in America. I have some really tough choices to make for the next few months, but I know I'm ready for a change. I've been looking for jobs and housing in Indy, so that's a good possibility. Please join me in praying for clarity and the right decisions for both me and the kids I minister to. Also please pray for my dad as he's scheduled to undergo major surgery this Thursday if he's healthy enough. I'm hoping to post again soon after his surgery to update you all on how it went. Thanks ahead of time for the prayer.
I am still planning on a January departure back to Uganda. Please continue to lift up the ministries there. Pray for the people and their hearts. Rest in the promises of Pslam 37 today. Thanks friends!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Delayed, but blessed
Now that August is almost over and September is on the horizon I think it's time to fill you all in on what's been happening in my world.
The youth mission trip with Wheatland Salem went really well. I had the amazing opportunity to get to know some really awesome kids and adults leaders even better than I could have imagined. The worksite that I was placed on was a ton of fun and the resident that we worked for was a major blessing. She was about 80 years old and had some very heart breaking, yet hopeful stories of living in Birmingham during the Civil Rights movement. I can't begin to describe all of the things that she saw and experienced during that time, but it definitely became more real for me that week. She stood very firm on Psalm 23 and the Lord being her shepherd, and that's what has carried her this far. I was the site devo leader so each day I would read some scripture and then talk it through, but when I would finish, Ms. Willie would give her take on things. The wisdom of the elderly is a great thing.
Other than the worksite, there was a ton of time to fellowship with the kids. We got to hang out a bunch and just enjoy each other. They are a very fun group of kids and I count myself lucky to have been able to spend so much time with them. The Lord really moved in the hearts of some and it was very cool to see some changes being made.
One of my favorite parts of the week was the driving. I had all seniors in my van and I've been helping to lead the senior small group at sunday school, so it was pretty sweet for me to hang out with those kids before they all leave me and go to college.
Anyways, since being home from B-ham I've been kept pretty busy with work and hanging out with the youth and friends. My good friend Laura had her baby and I was able to go visit him the week after he was born. He's just perfect! So sweet. I love being able to see Laura and Tripp as parents... they are fantastic and I love them so much. Here I am with David Grant IV
Every weekend has been full of fun times. Some of the youth came out to my house one Sunday afternoon and we drove out to Starved Rock for some hiking. We had a blast exploring, deer whispering, hiking down into canyons, and playing in caves. My best friend from college, Ashley came in one weekend and we had a good time catching up, seeing movies, and just being lazy. I always love the time I get to spent with her... and it was also cool to have her come to church with me because it's such a huge part of my life. The youth kids also decided to drive out one day during the week last week, so we went fishing at Silver Springs right on the Fox river by my house. It was so fun to just hang out and love on them before school starts and gets in the way of fun times. We played a little frisbee, did some hiking, tried to catch guppies with our hands, played with the remote control boat they brought, and then hung out at my house. I'm so honored to be someone that the kids really enjoy spending time with. The Lord has really opened up doors for good relationships, mentoring, and opportunities to share His love. What a blessing!
This past weekend was the youth kick off at New Hope Presbyterian. So I took two of the girls from my youth group (Jodi and Morgan) down to hang out with me and Trent and his youth. The girls had been asking me if they could come to Indy with me and it was the perfect weekend for it. The drive was so much more fun with the girls with me plus we had a blast hanging out with Trent.
We helped make a slime pit and then got to play in it. We organized and played "Ultimate What" which is basically ultimate frisbee with random objects in place of the frisbee... like eggs, watermelon, a sack of flour. Really anything to get the kids messy is fun! There was also a bonfire for hot dogs and s'mores. So much fun!
Beyond the silliness of hanging with the youth I had the opportunity to mentor one of Trent's youth kids that I've built a good relationship with. God has opened up a huge door there and I love that I get to be a part of it. I also got to meet and have coffee with one of the other adult leaders who had come on the mission trip with us back in July, Jill. She is an amazingly fun, strong woman who I just love! She has quickly become one of my favorite people ever.
On a different note, my trip to Uganda has been delayed until January. The missionaries that I will be working directly with are not going to be back in Uganda until then, so for now I'm State-side for a while. I've gone through a variety of emotions since hearing that I'm delayed, but in seeking the Lord I've found a peace about the timing. God is sovereign and His timing is perfect. So for now I get to be around. I'm not sure what the next 5 or so months look like, but I know that the ministry I've been given will continue to grow and I'm very excited about having extra time with the people I love before I leave again.
My best friend, Carley is due to have her first baby this Friday and I am really excited that I'll get to hang out with baby girl for a while before I head off again. I'm so thrilled for another baby girl to love on and spoil... being an aunt is so much fun!!
I'm currently looking into housing options and a possible job change, so I'd really appreciate prayer on that. Would you also pray for patience and a continued peace about being delayed and timing? Thank you for sticking with me as my journey continues. I appreciate all of the prayers, love, and support you've shown over the past few years. Please don't hesitate to send prayer requests to my email! Much love!
The youth mission trip with Wheatland Salem went really well. I had the amazing opportunity to get to know some really awesome kids and adults leaders even better than I could have imagined. The worksite that I was placed on was a ton of fun and the resident that we worked for was a major blessing. She was about 80 years old and had some very heart breaking, yet hopeful stories of living in Birmingham during the Civil Rights movement. I can't begin to describe all of the things that she saw and experienced during that time, but it definitely became more real for me that week. She stood very firm on Psalm 23 and the Lord being her shepherd, and that's what has carried her this far. I was the site devo leader so each day I would read some scripture and then talk it through, but when I would finish, Ms. Willie would give her take on things. The wisdom of the elderly is a great thing.
Other than the worksite, there was a ton of time to fellowship with the kids. We got to hang out a bunch and just enjoy each other. They are a very fun group of kids and I count myself lucky to have been able to spend so much time with them. The Lord really moved in the hearts of some and it was very cool to see some changes being made.
One of my favorite parts of the week was the driving. I had all seniors in my van and I've been helping to lead the senior small group at sunday school, so it was pretty sweet for me to hang out with those kids before they all leave me and go to college.
Anyways, since being home from B-ham I've been kept pretty busy with work and hanging out with the youth and friends. My good friend Laura had her baby and I was able to go visit him the week after he was born. He's just perfect! So sweet. I love being able to see Laura and Tripp as parents... they are fantastic and I love them so much. Here I am with David Grant IV
Every weekend has been full of fun times. Some of the youth came out to my house one Sunday afternoon and we drove out to Starved Rock for some hiking. We had a blast exploring, deer whispering, hiking down into canyons, and playing in caves. My best friend from college, Ashley came in one weekend and we had a good time catching up, seeing movies, and just being lazy. I always love the time I get to spent with her... and it was also cool to have her come to church with me because it's such a huge part of my life. The youth kids also decided to drive out one day during the week last week, so we went fishing at Silver Springs right on the Fox river by my house. It was so fun to just hang out and love on them before school starts and gets in the way of fun times. We played a little frisbee, did some hiking, tried to catch guppies with our hands, played with the remote control boat they brought, and then hung out at my house. I'm so honored to be someone that the kids really enjoy spending time with. The Lord has really opened up doors for good relationships, mentoring, and opportunities to share His love. What a blessing!
This past weekend was the youth kick off at New Hope Presbyterian. So I took two of the girls from my youth group (Jodi and Morgan) down to hang out with me and Trent and his youth. The girls had been asking me if they could come to Indy with me and it was the perfect weekend for it. The drive was so much more fun with the girls with me plus we had a blast hanging out with Trent.
We helped make a slime pit and then got to play in it. We organized and played "Ultimate What" which is basically ultimate frisbee with random objects in place of the frisbee... like eggs, watermelon, a sack of flour. Really anything to get the kids messy is fun! There was also a bonfire for hot dogs and s'mores. So much fun! Beyond the silliness of hanging with the youth I had the opportunity to mentor one of Trent's youth kids that I've built a good relationship with. God has opened up a huge door there and I love that I get to be a part of it. I also got to meet and have coffee with one of the other adult leaders who had come on the mission trip with us back in July, Jill. She is an amazingly fun, strong woman who I just love! She has quickly become one of my favorite people ever.
On a different note, my trip to Uganda has been delayed until January. The missionaries that I will be working directly with are not going to be back in Uganda until then, so for now I'm State-side for a while. I've gone through a variety of emotions since hearing that I'm delayed, but in seeking the Lord I've found a peace about the timing. God is sovereign and His timing is perfect. So for now I get to be around. I'm not sure what the next 5 or so months look like, but I know that the ministry I've been given will continue to grow and I'm very excited about having extra time with the people I love before I leave again.
My best friend, Carley is due to have her first baby this Friday and I am really excited that I'll get to hang out with baby girl for a while before I head off again. I'm so thrilled for another baby girl to love on and spoil... being an aunt is so much fun!!
I'm currently looking into housing options and a possible job change, so I'd really appreciate prayer on that. Would you also pray for patience and a continued peace about being delayed and timing? Thank you for sticking with me as my journey continues. I appreciate all of the prayers, love, and support you've shown over the past few years. Please don't hesitate to send prayer requests to my email! Much love!
Monday, July 19, 2010
May to July, time flies!
A lot happens in two months. I honestly don't even know where to begin. May ended with lots of time spent with lots of awesome people. My BFFs were all in town for a baby shower and we had some really sweet times of catching up. This was the first time we've all been together in 3 years. I spent Memorial Day in Indy with my friend Trent and his youth... we went to a bunch of grad parties for the seniors. It was fun to visit with all of them.
June brought on the start of my crazy summer. The trip to Haiti went off without a hitch. Those of you who read my email updates know that stepping off the plane was like stepping home for me. It was all somehow very familiar because I was reminded instantly of Africa. From the sights to the smells to the beautiful faces, I felt right at home. My time there was heartbreaking for obvious reasons, but more than that it was encouraging. The people of Haiti have hope, a deep seeded hope that they refuse to ignore. We got to minister to a few different groups of people and ministries and we also had the opportunity to visit the area where the heart of the damage still sits. Though the country was devastated they are working to move forward.
I got home from Haiti on Saturday and left on the following Wednesday for the 100 year anniversary Celebration of World Gospel Mission in Indiana. Throughout the week about 1,000 guests graced the campus of my Alma Mater, Indiana Wesleyan University, to enjoy fellowship and to hear updates on the mission and all of the fields that it serves. It was beautiful to see so many of God's missionaries in one place at the same time to worship Jesus and honor the work He has done through WGM in the past 100 years. People from all over the world were able to obtain visas and come share their stories and experiences. It was very cool to hear their testimonies about their lives being forever changed because someone said "yes" to the call God placed on their life. Mugisha Emmy is a pastor that was trained through WGM missionaries in Uganda. He now works with the missionaries there to train pastors and youth pastors. Mugisha experienced his first flight and first trip out of Africa to come to Celebration. It was a delight to hear his perspective on America and to talk through some of his first thoughts. Can you imagine having never been to a Walmart before? What in the world would you be thinking, not knowing something like that even existed? Kind of crazy to think about, right?
Being in Indiana for Celebration meant spending time with the awesome people from Trent's church again. I've enjoyed being able to spend so much time with them. I got to see some fireworks with Trent and some of the youth a week early for their local festival. Very fun!
For the 4th I was here in Illinois. My sister, bro-in-law, and nieces were gone on vacation and for the first time in what seemed like forever, I had nothing I had to do and nowhere I HAD to be. It was fantastic. I literally slept all day that Saturday, only waking to eat some lunch, read a bit, and lay in the sun. It was awesome. I was also very blessed to be able to spend time with my some of my best friends at a pool all day one day and watching fireworks with some of my youth kids. All in all, one of the best 4th of July weekends ever! :)
A few days after the 4th I left home yet again to head to Indy. I had a meeting scheduled with the missions committee at Trent's church (New Hope Pres) on the 8th that happened to get cancelled. It worked out just fine though because I would have been down there the next day to prepare to leave on the youth mission trip with Trent. We left Saturday morning and headed to New York where we spent the week doing various ministries in the Adirondack mountains with YouthWorks. There were 6 of us leaders and 24 youth. Some of the youth were kids that I didn't know very well if at all, so it was pretty cool to get to know some new faces. Also some came on the trip who aren't a part of the church at all which opened up doors for some great convos and times of teaching. Even though it was a fantastic trip and I was very blessed to have the chance to go with Trent and the kids, it was a little bittersweet for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it and was reminded SO often of why I love hanging out and ministering to youth, but I was a little sad thinking about leaving for Uganda. I spent a week building up some really awesome relationships with the kids and other leaders, only to turn around and leave. Of course I'm stoked to get back to Uganda, but it doesn't make leaving any easier.
I still don't have a definitive departure date, so I know I'll get to see the kids again... I just wish I got to spend time with them more often. It's a hard thing to be a part of a youth group that I don't get to spend a ton of time with. I love the kids from New Hope so much that I wish I could be there all the time. BUT I love the kids from Wheatland Salem so much too and love seeing them all the time! Darn, listen to me whine about the ways that God is moving! :) I really am super thankful to belong to two awesome groups of kids.
So after just getting home from Indy last night, I'll work this week and then leave Saturday morning to do it all over again with the youth from WSC. Our youth mission trip is to Birmingham, Alabama and we're going through Group Work Camps. The theme is Undeserved and I'm pretty excited to hear some good preaching along those lines. We're printing the t-shirts at my job and they look pretty sweet! It'll be really sweet to spend time with my kids, especially the ones getting ready to go off to college. The Lord has really enabled me to build some strong relationships with the kids and I love them so much! Yay for youth ministry!!
When I get back from B-ham, I'm sure I'll find some time to update on how the trip goes. I jump right into a busy month of August... with baby showers, 2 new babies, youth leaving for college, visiting friends in Ohio (hopefully!!), time with youth in Indy, on top of getting myself ready to leave and raising support. I would like to say some rest would be nice, but what fun would that be?
Beyond all of those things, I'm sure many of you have heard about the bombings in Uganda. They happened during the World Cup game on Sunday and it's completely heartbreaking to hear about. Everyone that I know well is safe, but many people lost their lives and I happen to know families of those who were lost. Please be praying for Kampala. One of the restaurants that was bombed, Ethiopian Village was owned by a family whose children attend Heritage (the school where I taught). It is frequented by the Acker family, but thankfully they were at home when it happened. It hits really close to home when you've been there... I mean, we picked up food from there one day and brought it to a visit day for one of the Sudanese guys at boarding school. Pray for peace and pray for justice. God is sovereign. Thanks friends!
June brought on the start of my crazy summer. The trip to Haiti went off without a hitch. Those of you who read my email updates know that stepping off the plane was like stepping home for me. It was all somehow very familiar because I was reminded instantly of Africa. From the sights to the smells to the beautiful faces, I felt right at home. My time there was heartbreaking for obvious reasons, but more than that it was encouraging. The people of Haiti have hope, a deep seeded hope that they refuse to ignore. We got to minister to a few different groups of people and ministries and we also had the opportunity to visit the area where the heart of the damage still sits. Though the country was devastated they are working to move forward.
I got home from Haiti on Saturday and left on the following Wednesday for the 100 year anniversary Celebration of World Gospel Mission in Indiana. Throughout the week about 1,000 guests graced the campus of my Alma Mater, Indiana Wesleyan University, to enjoy fellowship and to hear updates on the mission and all of the fields that it serves. It was beautiful to see so many of God's missionaries in one place at the same time to worship Jesus and honor the work He has done through WGM in the past 100 years. People from all over the world were able to obtain visas and come share their stories and experiences. It was very cool to hear their testimonies about their lives being forever changed because someone said "yes" to the call God placed on their life. Mugisha Emmy is a pastor that was trained through WGM missionaries in Uganda. He now works with the missionaries there to train pastors and youth pastors. Mugisha experienced his first flight and first trip out of Africa to come to Celebration. It was a delight to hear his perspective on America and to talk through some of his first thoughts. Can you imagine having never been to a Walmart before? What in the world would you be thinking, not knowing something like that even existed? Kind of crazy to think about, right?
Being in Indiana for Celebration meant spending time with the awesome people from Trent's church again. I've enjoyed being able to spend so much time with them. I got to see some fireworks with Trent and some of the youth a week early for their local festival. Very fun!
For the 4th I was here in Illinois. My sister, bro-in-law, and nieces were gone on vacation and for the first time in what seemed like forever, I had nothing I had to do and nowhere I HAD to be. It was fantastic. I literally slept all day that Saturday, only waking to eat some lunch, read a bit, and lay in the sun. It was awesome. I was also very blessed to be able to spend time with my some of my best friends at a pool all day one day and watching fireworks with some of my youth kids. All in all, one of the best 4th of July weekends ever! :)
A few days after the 4th I left home yet again to head to Indy. I had a meeting scheduled with the missions committee at Trent's church (New Hope Pres) on the 8th that happened to get cancelled. It worked out just fine though because I would have been down there the next day to prepare to leave on the youth mission trip with Trent. We left Saturday morning and headed to New York where we spent the week doing various ministries in the Adirondack mountains with YouthWorks. There were 6 of us leaders and 24 youth. Some of the youth were kids that I didn't know very well if at all, so it was pretty cool to get to know some new faces. Also some came on the trip who aren't a part of the church at all which opened up doors for some great convos and times of teaching. Even though it was a fantastic trip and I was very blessed to have the chance to go with Trent and the kids, it was a little bittersweet for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it and was reminded SO often of why I love hanging out and ministering to youth, but I was a little sad thinking about leaving for Uganda. I spent a week building up some really awesome relationships with the kids and other leaders, only to turn around and leave. Of course I'm stoked to get back to Uganda, but it doesn't make leaving any easier.
I still don't have a definitive departure date, so I know I'll get to see the kids again... I just wish I got to spend time with them more often. It's a hard thing to be a part of a youth group that I don't get to spend a ton of time with. I love the kids from New Hope so much that I wish I could be there all the time. BUT I love the kids from Wheatland Salem so much too and love seeing them all the time! Darn, listen to me whine about the ways that God is moving! :) I really am super thankful to belong to two awesome groups of kids.
So after just getting home from Indy last night, I'll work this week and then leave Saturday morning to do it all over again with the youth from WSC. Our youth mission trip is to Birmingham, Alabama and we're going through Group Work Camps. The theme is Undeserved and I'm pretty excited to hear some good preaching along those lines. We're printing the t-shirts at my job and they look pretty sweet! It'll be really sweet to spend time with my kids, especially the ones getting ready to go off to college. The Lord has really enabled me to build some strong relationships with the kids and I love them so much! Yay for youth ministry!!
When I get back from B-ham, I'm sure I'll find some time to update on how the trip goes. I jump right into a busy month of August... with baby showers, 2 new babies, youth leaving for college, visiting friends in Ohio (hopefully!!), time with youth in Indy, on top of getting myself ready to leave and raising support. I would like to say some rest would be nice, but what fun would that be?
Beyond all of those things, I'm sure many of you have heard about the bombings in Uganda. They happened during the World Cup game on Sunday and it's completely heartbreaking to hear about. Everyone that I know well is safe, but many people lost their lives and I happen to know families of those who were lost. Please be praying for Kampala. One of the restaurants that was bombed, Ethiopian Village was owned by a family whose children attend Heritage (the school where I taught). It is frequented by the Acker family, but thankfully they were at home when it happened. It hits really close to home when you've been there... I mean, we picked up food from there one day and brought it to a visit day for one of the Sudanese guys at boarding school. Pray for peace and pray for justice. God is sovereign. Thanks friends!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Coming soon
I know it's been a long time since I've posted... almost 2 months. I planned on getting something posted this week, but didn't manage my time as I could have thus, no new post. I am getting ready to leave on the first youth mission trip to New York with Trent and his youth. I'm really hoping to get something up between this trip and the next youth mission trip with WSC. Check back soon for updates! :)
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