I wrote this quite awhile ago, and since then a lot has happened. Many of you have heard that Stella went to be with Jesus Nov 11… this blog is about the day before that and I thought you would still want to know about it…
In a response to the massive need to catch my blog up on life, my goal is to write at least 5 separate blogs… you don’t have to read them all at the same time :P… that is once I actually write them.
To start out, a few days ago I had a crazy busy and memorable day that a bunch of people asked about on facebook… so...
5am- I woke up, spent time in the Word, was amazed that we had power all night and that for once it was useful at 5am J I drank fake (aka instant) coffee and found out we were getting picked up at 6 instead of 5:30 because there is still a curfew on the city after the riots a year ago.
6am- Left for the hospital where we got to see Stella. She was released on bail and because of a Dr’s letter explaining the gravity of her illness and the fact that she only has 1-2 months to live. We had a sweet time joking with her, asking if she’s excited to see her children, making sure we know all the words to a song she taught us, ect. The whole time, the court appointed shirtee(that’s probably spelled wrong…), whose job it is to get all the signatures and prove to the court that everything was done for her case, was flirting with my neighbor Karis. Here is a sample of our conversation while she was out of the room.
Him: Did you see my wife? She is very beautiful!
Me: yes she is, but I hear you have a lot of work to do before she is your wife.
Him: Ah yes, I told her I will send her father 500 cows.
Me: What if he says no?
Him: O! then I will follow him with love saying “daddy, give to me this one”.
Me: Her father is a very big man!
Him: So am I!
Me: He is very tall.
Lisa: He is an angry man. (not true, by the way…)
Me: He is a farmer, so you will have to work for her seven years- its biblical.
Him: Ah! But I cannot do that!
Lisa: And then you may get the wrong sister.
Him: Oh I will look very carefully to make sure I get my beautiful wife. Besides, that was before Christ, we don’t have to do this anymore.
…Karis later said: So you’re saying women were more valuable before Christ?
… end of the story, he was really annoying.
In the middle of this all the doctor came with the results of all of Stella’s tests and they had to tell her she is DOUBLE dying. Cervical cancer that is inoperable plus the stigma of HIV.
Then we found out we needed to go to the police station to get the personal belongings they took when she first went to prison.
7 am- We squeeze 7 people into a stationwagon with Karis in the boot. Mr. Shirtee says to me “why do you put my wife in the boot? You go!” We then explain that a real gentleman would take her place, but he continued to tell ME to sit in the back instead and eventually just let her stay there.
While Stell, Mr. Shirtee and Patience(another recently released prisoner) go into the station we talk about all the crazy culturalness going on and see more big guns than I’ve seen in my entire life.
8am- We have to leave the station (where they are still waiting for her stuff… Mr. S says “my white wife is in the car, she is even more beautiful than these two!”) Drop kids off at school, take Lisa home, and go back to the hospital to try to pay the bill.
9am- I get dropped at the Zoo, when I’m met by 16 boys, 3 Nigerian adults, 7 Danish, and 1 English girl. We have a blast taking pictures of the boys and seeing the lions, chimps, cheetah, camel, snakes, ostrich, peacock, random birds, 5 kinds of monkey, doves, and alligators.
11am- We start walking home from the Zoo with the boys. At one crossing point is my FAVORITE traffic director. Some people call them “yellow fever guys” because of their bright vests. This one loves his job and dances the entire time. I stupidly forgot that it is probably a really bad place to take a picture and called attention to our already attention gaining group. Three minutes down the road we were chased down by some form of National Security and had a heated discussion for 20 minutes about how it isn’t a safe area to walk in, that we don’t know the place well, if anything happened it would be blamed on the country, we were putting the kids in danger and if we had told them white people were walking there they would have sent us security guards… the whole time I was thinking—so now I can’ walk because I’m white? I walk every day!
12- We finally arrived back to Gidan Bege, with five Nigerians from Security in tow to talk to Uncle Joseph. Soon after they were calmed down the boys started a program to say goodbye to the Danish group. EVERYONE was crying and it made me think about how I will be leaving soon…
Then I was picked up for a craft meeting where we talked about what we could sell to help the ministry be more self sustaining as well as holistic. We want to train the kids (especially the older ones) so that they can support themselves through a skill once they leave the ministry.
4pm- I got home and found our new compound pig got loose and helped chase it around for 20 minutes until it gave up and just sat down in the mud. The pig was originally a “gift” hidden in Lisa’s bathroom when she came home from England last week. We plan to roast it!
The rest is a blur… eating dinner at Heather’s, talking to Josh and Tricia and my parents on skype… and that’s a day in the life of me.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Things I have learned....
Today I was thinking about how many ridiculous small things God has used while I’ve been here. I made a list of things I wanted to learn before I came to Africa that I thought would be helpful. I didn’t end up learning any of them over the summer, but God’s preparation was better than mine. No phases in our lives are wasted, and anything we learn along the way can be used by Him. And it is ridiculously practical! Here are a few silly things I’ve learned that have been used here and the people who taught me.
*Today I made Origami frogs with the boys and they loved it! My brother used to make them out of the Church Bulletin…
*Tuesday we started to learn to books of the New Testament with a song Jason Potampa sang every week in Sunday School when I was a Freshman in High School. (I also survived my first week of Greek because of Jason, but that’s another story)
*In school we sang a song I learned in 5th grade from Mrs. Graves about the continents. Before that, the boys couldn’t point out where Africa was on a world map.
*A TON of things I learned as a SALT leader last year apply to the outreaches we are doing in the brothels.
*Hospitality is incredibly important to Nigerians, and it was a goal of my roommate Hannah and I last year.
*I would not survive here without things I learned about cooking- From my grandma and my mom and from way back when I did 4h. The fact that I have to make everything from scratch is growing my skills by leaps and bounds. We usually all eat together several times a week so cooking for lots of people helps too.
*I have taught the boys a lot, and use things I learned in CEF every time.
*We’ve been brainstorming about how to use crafts to help support the ministry and my mom’s craft skills, plus my family’s history in retail has been really helpful.
*Having an exchange student for a year makes the international community here make a lot more sense to me.
*Mayamba taught me African time !
*I have used every imaginable clapping game, thumb wars, ect.
*There is a swing dance move that I taught to the boys as the “kick kick” game… Thanks Trish, I have it on video for you whenever it happens to upload…
*All the songs from back in the days of The Genesis 1:1 band I was in have come out at some point.
*At least once a week I quote something I learned about God and my relationship to him that is a direct quote from Mary Hynes because we would process so much together over the last 2 years. Other people I quote occasionally include Kathryn Manitsas, Angela Burril, Mark Driscoll (haha.. a lot), Professors, Angela Fritz, Sarah Clews, Tricia Breiter, Karen Choto, Josh…
*The last year I was in dance we did an “African” dance that actually helped me know how to dance right here. Someday I’ll really be able to dance!
*How to change a tire- from Dad in theory and Natalie Reister in practice.
*How to strike up a conversation with anyone- My Grandma RaeEllen
*How to tell creepy guys who try to follow me home to go away- Josh telling me that its ok to be rude if they’re being creepy.
*Not being shocked by much- my parents took me to all sorts of places when I was little. I realized after visiting skid row last spring break that places some people think are way too sketchy just register as “pay attention and it will be ok because God is with you” to me.
*How to squish as many people in a car as possible is a daily occurrence in taxis. They sit 3 in the front and 4 in the back. I learned this in High school giving people rides to Young Life.
*How to take a compliment- from Josh. How to give compliments Tricia and Angela.
*Remembering names and faces because of all the camps, trainings, ect that I went to.
*How to Pee on the side of the road/ Squatty potty… Hannah Pugh has some great theories.
Anyway, the point is that anything is useful in ministry. You never know...
*Today I made Origami frogs with the boys and they loved it! My brother used to make them out of the Church Bulletin…
*Tuesday we started to learn to books of the New Testament with a song Jason Potampa sang every week in Sunday School when I was a Freshman in High School. (I also survived my first week of Greek because of Jason, but that’s another story)
*In school we sang a song I learned in 5th grade from Mrs. Graves about the continents. Before that, the boys couldn’t point out where Africa was on a world map.
*A TON of things I learned as a SALT leader last year apply to the outreaches we are doing in the brothels.
*Hospitality is incredibly important to Nigerians, and it was a goal of my roommate Hannah and I last year.
*I would not survive here without things I learned about cooking- From my grandma and my mom and from way back when I did 4h. The fact that I have to make everything from scratch is growing my skills by leaps and bounds. We usually all eat together several times a week so cooking for lots of people helps too.
*I have taught the boys a lot, and use things I learned in CEF every time.
*We’ve been brainstorming about how to use crafts to help support the ministry and my mom’s craft skills, plus my family’s history in retail has been really helpful.
*Having an exchange student for a year makes the international community here make a lot more sense to me.
*Mayamba taught me African time !
*I have used every imaginable clapping game, thumb wars, ect.
*There is a swing dance move that I taught to the boys as the “kick kick” game… Thanks Trish, I have it on video for you whenever it happens to upload…
*All the songs from back in the days of The Genesis 1:1 band I was in have come out at some point.
*At least once a week I quote something I learned about God and my relationship to him that is a direct quote from Mary Hynes because we would process so much together over the last 2 years. Other people I quote occasionally include Kathryn Manitsas, Angela Burril, Mark Driscoll (haha.. a lot), Professors, Angela Fritz, Sarah Clews, Tricia Breiter, Karen Choto, Josh…
*The last year I was in dance we did an “African” dance that actually helped me know how to dance right here. Someday I’ll really be able to dance!
*How to change a tire- from Dad in theory and Natalie Reister in practice.
*How to strike up a conversation with anyone- My Grandma RaeEllen
*How to tell creepy guys who try to follow me home to go away- Josh telling me that its ok to be rude if they’re being creepy.
*Not being shocked by much- my parents took me to all sorts of places when I was little. I realized after visiting skid row last spring break that places some people think are way too sketchy just register as “pay attention and it will be ok because God is with you” to me.
*How to squish as many people in a car as possible is a daily occurrence in taxis. They sit 3 in the front and 4 in the back. I learned this in High school giving people rides to Young Life.
*How to take a compliment- from Josh. How to give compliments Tricia and Angela.
*Remembering names and faces because of all the camps, trainings, ect that I went to.
*How to Pee on the side of the road/ Squatty potty… Hannah Pugh has some great theories.
Anyway, the point is that anything is useful in ministry. You never know...
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Stella
Stella~
There is a tall, beautiful lady named Stella lying in excruciating pain in the hospital right now. The Diagnosis is grave- cervical cancer. It makes sense, because cervical cancer comes from HPV, which comes from unprotected sex, which comes from being a prostitute. But when I look at Stella, I don’t only see a woman who’s lifestyle destroyed her. I see a sister who found Jesus in prison. I remember when I met her, and she was healthy. With a beaming smile she welcomed us to the Monday morning Bible Study and she left to round up the other 6 women to present their “special number” for us. I’ve only heard stories about how angry she was when she first came to prison, and the dramatic difference in her since she’s become a Christian. She said that she wants to share Christ and live for Christ when she gets out of prison. Her greatest dream is to be able to be out and live differently. The most amazing thing to me about Stella’s story is how God put her in prison just so she could come to him. Pray for her now, for a miracle, for the doctors who are taking care of her. Pray for her family, who used to want to have nothing to do with her but came to take care of her in the hospital and paid the bail to get her out. Pray that she will be able to tell them about how Jesus changed her life. Now, Stella is in a win win situation… She could become an amazing testimony of God’s grace to other prostitutes. Or maybe she’ll see Jesus face to face soon. I’ll leave you with a song the women sang to us.
Greater than silver, Greater than Gold, greater than Husband, greater than wife, Greater than the whole world put together, my savior Jesus, He is enough for me.
There is a tall, beautiful lady named Stella lying in excruciating pain in the hospital right now. The Diagnosis is grave- cervical cancer. It makes sense, because cervical cancer comes from HPV, which comes from unprotected sex, which comes from being a prostitute. But when I look at Stella, I don’t only see a woman who’s lifestyle destroyed her. I see a sister who found Jesus in prison. I remember when I met her, and she was healthy. With a beaming smile she welcomed us to the Monday morning Bible Study and she left to round up the other 6 women to present their “special number” for us. I’ve only heard stories about how angry she was when she first came to prison, and the dramatic difference in her since she’s become a Christian. She said that she wants to share Christ and live for Christ when she gets out of prison. Her greatest dream is to be able to be out and live differently. The most amazing thing to me about Stella’s story is how God put her in prison just so she could come to him. Pray for her now, for a miracle, for the doctors who are taking care of her. Pray for her family, who used to want to have nothing to do with her but came to take care of her in the hospital and paid the bail to get her out. Pray that she will be able to tell them about how Jesus changed her life. Now, Stella is in a win win situation… She could become an amazing testimony of God’s grace to other prostitutes. Or maybe she’ll see Jesus face to face soon. I’ll leave you with a song the women sang to us.
Greater than silver, Greater than Gold, greater than Husband, greater than wife, Greater than the whole world put together, my savior Jesus, He is enough for me.
Normal Life
What are you doing RIGHT NOW? I’ll tell you what I’m doing… and its not more interesting just because I’m in Africa.
Right now I’m sitting in my living room (that I just rearranged because I needed a change). I’m waiting for water to boil (the altitude makes it slow) to finish cooking dinner (from scratch!) so that the other girls on my compound will come over . In the middle of it all I got a text from Josh (Yay!). I’m thinking about tomorrow, and all the things I need to prepare for next week(Bible study for the boys, Muslim women, prostitutes). Remembering that I need to hang up my laundry, and listening to the ten songs that my itunes left for me (for some reason I lost a bunch). I’m figuring out what to teach the boys on Tuesday and I’m amazed that since we’ve started doing Bible Study they ask for it (Aunty, Aunty! Do we do Bible study today?). I stop every few minutes to see if the internet will connect yet and go back to the kitchen to see if the water is boiling yet.
Being a missionary is NORMAL. Normal life-- for Jesus… and sometime it is in a new place. But it isn’t because I’m in Africa that I have awesome stories of God working. He is (amazingly) working all over the earth. RIGHT NOW! Even here, I have to remember that I need to be praying and looking for what God is doing- or I can completely miss it. The best days here are when I remember EARLY how much I need God’s grace. Jesus is my righteousness; it is through Him that I can approach God. He is building HIS church. He knows the people I see inside out. And HE is pursuing them. I just notice more because its new and different, and I’m expected to send out blogs and prayer letters. I hope that today you are a missionary where you are. Living for Jesus in whatever happens and looking for ways to show people Jesus.
Right now I’m sitting in my living room (that I just rearranged because I needed a change). I’m waiting for water to boil (the altitude makes it slow) to finish cooking dinner (from scratch!) so that the other girls on my compound will come over . In the middle of it all I got a text from Josh (Yay!). I’m thinking about tomorrow, and all the things I need to prepare for next week(Bible study for the boys, Muslim women, prostitutes). Remembering that I need to hang up my laundry, and listening to the ten songs that my itunes left for me (for some reason I lost a bunch). I’m figuring out what to teach the boys on Tuesday and I’m amazed that since we’ve started doing Bible Study they ask for it (Aunty, Aunty! Do we do Bible study today?). I stop every few minutes to see if the internet will connect yet and go back to the kitchen to see if the water is boiling yet.
Being a missionary is NORMAL. Normal life-- for Jesus… and sometime it is in a new place. But it isn’t because I’m in Africa that I have awesome stories of God working. He is (amazingly) working all over the earth. RIGHT NOW! Even here, I have to remember that I need to be praying and looking for what God is doing- or I can completely miss it. The best days here are when I remember EARLY how much I need God’s grace. Jesus is my righteousness; it is through Him that I can approach God. He is building HIS church. He knows the people I see inside out. And HE is pursuing them. I just notice more because its new and different, and I’m expected to send out blogs and prayer letters. I hope that today you are a missionary where you are. Living for Jesus in whatever happens and looking for ways to show people Jesus.
Monday, September 28, 2009
9-28-09
Into the bush!
After living in Africa for almost a month, this weekend I got the REAL African experience. I had the opportunity to go with a team of Nigerians, Texans and assorted other short-termers to do a medical outreach combined with film ministry in the bush.
… it took us eight hours to get there and only 4 ½ to get back… Which means that we wandered around and got stuck in the mud for a considerable amount of time. In the rainy season (which is almost over) the maize is tall and it all looks the same, so it is understandable that it took awhile to find the right village. Teams like ours are strategically sent to places where there has been a church plant through ECWA so that there can be follow up.
Once we arrived people started showing up for medical treatment. They would get a translator who went through the whole process with them, talk to some of the guys from the Texas team about the gospel, see the medial people about their needs and go to the pharmacy to receive free medicine. Others set up the stuff for a puppet show for the kids or played football(soccer) and Frisbee with the kids. I held babies and tried to communicate (ie smiled a lot) with the women waiting for medical. I love the how colorful they were. This tribe had a lot of jewelry and a little less clothing than we normally wear. In the evening we showed an African made film about a man who turned away from animism and the gospel was presented. After the film we attempted to speak Hausa with the young people who stayed around and laughed together at how hard it is to communicate.
The whole team camped out that night- I was blessed to borrow some great camping gear that makes me want to go to REI when I get back… or to send some of that type of gear to the missionaries who do these trips all the time. In the morning we had church with the people who showed up, danced and sang and smiled a lot(best universal form of communication!) and headed back. On the trip back I heard a story of one of the people who came to the outreach that just thrilled me with how God pursues us so I’ll share it with you…
…. Somewhere in the process of us being “lost” for several hours (in the heat, with no food, thinking we’d never find the place) a 20 something year old named Ayouba saw us and just felt that he needed to go where the visitors were going. So he followed us on his bike for a distance that took us 45 mins in the vehicles, and even got lost a few times before finding the village we were staying in. He ended up having a 2 hour conversation with one of the Nigerians on the trip and accepted Christ! Praise God! I don’t know about you, but to me that testifies that God will make it happen when someone is ready to accept Christ. I am amazed that this man was so stirred and convicted that he needed to hear our message that he went to all the trouble to follow us into the middle of nowhere, knowing that he would need to ride back home that night in the pitch black- He didn’t know it would be with a new relationship with his Savior. So cool! So often I will try to convince myself that whatever I’m convicted by couldn’t be right because its too much of a hassle… like talking to someone I don’t know about Jesus, or loving someone who hurt me, or asking a hard question, or not ignoring the beggar on the road, or getting up early to pray… So many things fall under that category and I guess I’d like to challenge you to listen and obey today. Amazing things happen when we do.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
plan B
Hello Everyone! thank you so much for praying...I just wanted to let you know how things are here. I now have an official(ish) schedule of my life, though currently I'm not there because of rides/ feeling sick, ect.
Here it is!
Monday morning- I will either be teaching English in the Widow's ministry or taking part in Prison Ministry. At 12:30 there is a Bible Study for all the women in City ministries- we are doing the Beth Moore Esther study. So far it has been really good. The Afternoon is for preparation of anything I need for the rest of the week plus all the nessicary things like shopping for food in the market, ect.
Tuesday mornings I will be team teaching Math and Social studies to the Boys at Gidan Bege. Every other weekday they go through the ACE literacy curriculum with their Teacher Mama Alex. Then I will help with the Medical Outreach for GB. Tuesdays it is a Christian outreach and they will be doing some deeper Bible studies with the women who come to the clinic. In the Afternoon I will be spending time with the boys in either discipleship/Biblestudy stuff or crafts and learning Games.
Wednesday I will go to GB for the Muslim women medical outreach. Last week I spent time with their kids drawing and learning bits of Hausa from the women. I may also learn some simple medical things to help in the actual clinic. In the Afternoon there is the blindtown medical outreach. Blindtown is the highly Muslim area where the poorest live. Many people there are afflicted with river blindness or leperosy. We give medications, take blood pressure (since high blood pressure and diabetes is common because of the diet) and play with the kids.
Thursday I will be teaching english with the Widows and then spending time with the boys in discipleship, crafts, and reading.
Fridays I will be in school with the boys again and come home before 1:30 for various safety reasons.
I am also waiting to hear from UFM, an organization that does brothel outreach and has a one year program for women coming out of prostitution. When it starts up I will probably do that a few days a week. Please pray for the leadership of City ministries and UFM as they figure out how we can work together.
Also, pray that I'll know what to do with the boys... I need to figure out some kind of structure for Biblestudy and activities to fill time and help with learning. The boys in this stage of the program are just off the streets. They stay at GB for 3-6 months as a trial period and most have been to little if any school. This week some of the boys at GB are graduating to Gyero or Transition House. Six will be left, and there is a waiting list of boys to be let into the program. Pray for wisdom with the new boys.
Pray for boldness and that I'll be able to relate to people despite language barriers. Some days I'm really good at getting into the culture, and other days I just want to retreat. Pray that I'll be focused on people and Jesus, not on all the things I think I should get done.
Pray for the Muslims durring Raamadan (month of fasting). Yesterday morning I woke up at 5 am to the sound of prayers and chanting. My only thought was, that is the sound of people dying without Christ. Pray that God reveal himself to them while they are trying so hard to be good enough to make it to heaven. Pray that christians will be a light to them in everyday interactions. If you want more info on praying durring Raamaday see www.30-days.net.
If you have any ideas of things to try with the boys email me at hollyraeabbe@gmail.com!
thanks again for praying!
Here it is!
Monday morning- I will either be teaching English in the Widow's ministry or taking part in Prison Ministry. At 12:30 there is a Bible Study for all the women in City ministries- we are doing the Beth Moore Esther study. So far it has been really good. The Afternoon is for preparation of anything I need for the rest of the week plus all the nessicary things like shopping for food in the market, ect.
Tuesday mornings I will be team teaching Math and Social studies to the Boys at Gidan Bege. Every other weekday they go through the ACE literacy curriculum with their Teacher Mama Alex. Then I will help with the Medical Outreach for GB. Tuesdays it is a Christian outreach and they will be doing some deeper Bible studies with the women who come to the clinic. In the Afternoon I will be spending time with the boys in either discipleship/Biblestudy stuff or crafts and learning Games.
Wednesday I will go to GB for the Muslim women medical outreach. Last week I spent time with their kids drawing and learning bits of Hausa from the women. I may also learn some simple medical things to help in the actual clinic. In the Afternoon there is the blindtown medical outreach. Blindtown is the highly Muslim area where the poorest live. Many people there are afflicted with river blindness or leperosy. We give medications, take blood pressure (since high blood pressure and diabetes is common because of the diet) and play with the kids.
Thursday I will be teaching english with the Widows and then spending time with the boys in discipleship, crafts, and reading.
Fridays I will be in school with the boys again and come home before 1:30 for various safety reasons.
I am also waiting to hear from UFM, an organization that does brothel outreach and has a one year program for women coming out of prostitution. When it starts up I will probably do that a few days a week. Please pray for the leadership of City ministries and UFM as they figure out how we can work together.
Also, pray that I'll know what to do with the boys... I need to figure out some kind of structure for Biblestudy and activities to fill time and help with learning. The boys in this stage of the program are just off the streets. They stay at GB for 3-6 months as a trial period and most have been to little if any school. This week some of the boys at GB are graduating to Gyero or Transition House. Six will be left, and there is a waiting list of boys to be let into the program. Pray for wisdom with the new boys.
Pray for boldness and that I'll be able to relate to people despite language barriers. Some days I'm really good at getting into the culture, and other days I just want to retreat. Pray that I'll be focused on people and Jesus, not on all the things I think I should get done.
Pray for the Muslims durring Raamadan (month of fasting). Yesterday morning I woke up at 5 am to the sound of prayers and chanting. My only thought was, that is the sound of people dying without Christ. Pray that God reveal himself to them while they are trying so hard to be good enough to make it to heaven. Pray that christians will be a light to them in everyday interactions. If you want more info on praying durring Raamaday see www.30-days.net.
If you have any ideas of things to try with the boys email me at hollyraeabbe@gmail.com!
thanks again for praying!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Settling in
Sannu! Hello from Nigeria! I just wanted to say thank you for your prayers and let you know how I’m settling in so far. I meant to have this blog up several days ago, but internet and power are tricky here.
I left Thursday morning August 20 from Portland at 7:45 am and arrived in Abuja 36 hours later one Friday at 8pm local time ( For reference I’m 8 hours ahead of Pacific standard time). My flights were long, but uneventful. Thank you so much for your prayers! The most interesting thing that happened the entire time was when we landed in Malabo about an hour before getting to Nigeria: the 1 ½ year old boy in front of me saw a dog on the runway and made a ton of noise because he wanted to get off the plane to get the dog. In customs, the part I was nervous about, they simply waved me on by. Thank you for praying!
Saturday I drove to Jos and started to meet people and settle into my apartment. I have had a blast with all the new sights and sounds but it is a huge adjustment. So far I’ve had time settling in and figuring out life here. I have an apartament to myself with a kitchen, livingroom/dining room, my room and even an extra bedroom. It seems like so much space just for me!
Yesterday I met with my ministry mentor to figure out where I fit in the ministry here. There are A LOT of choices and different combinations that I could be part of. Please pray that we will have wisdom and discernment to put me in the right place.
For the rest of this week, and probably much of next I will be touring the different ministries. Tomorrow I am going to Gidan Bege(House of Hope in Hausa), which is one of the main ministries City Ministries does. From this location there are outreaches for all ages of the destitute. It is also the “trial period” home for kids recently off the streets(for the first 3-6 months). After that, they are moved to one of several transition houses or other centers. I may be working in GB with the outreaches, as well as with literacy classes and Bible study. Another major option for me to work in is a brothel ministry that is looking at teaming up with SIM again. I am really excited about it, even though it seems ridiculously huge and I have no idea what I would do. In the end, I will probably be working in several of these areas at different times. Please pray that I will be listening to the Spirit and that God will give me confidence and boldness. I have no idea what I’m doing but God is strong and mighty and He has planned where I’ll be.
Just for a little picture of where I am and the kind of adjustments going on here are some bits of life here…
Achabas are the incredibly noisy motor bikes that make it feel like frogger anytime I cross the street. It was several days before I crossed the street by myself and it was a BIG DEAL! They don’t follow any rules of the road and are used as taxis. Often people will carry whatever they need on the Achaba, which ends up being pretty interesting. I’ve seen a man and a goat as well as up to 3 people on one and I have heard stories of people carrying 4 tires, a door, dead goats up to their chin, ect… I’ll try to get a picture.
Security is incredibly important and I just wanted to assure you all that I am VERY safe. I live in a compound where I must pass a guard and then unlock the gate to even be inside. Once inside my apt, there are 3 locks on the door and one on the screen door. The guards are great and are helping me learn Hausa… one small phrase at a time.
Lights/power are sporadic at best. The Nigerian Power company is called NEPA, which many people joke stands for Never Experiencing Power Again. Since I’ve been here we’ve gotten power around midnight for a little while and it is usually on again when I get up in the morning at 6 or 7. I have a rather elaborate light configuration when I g et home late from another apt ect… I use the small light on my keychain to unlock the door, have another sitting on my kitchen counter to get me to the living room so that I can turn on my two lanterns and find my headlamp. So far, most nights I just take a lantern and headlamp to bed with me and end up turning them off and putting them on the other pillow when I go to sleep! Please pray that I will have good reaction to the lack of light, in the past I’ve struggled with seasonal depression that was due mostly to needing more light.. I’ve been ok until today but as I’m sitting here in the dark I’m realizing how much in affects me… yeah, there is me being really honest…
Shopping in the open market is really fun, but there is SO much to pay attention to. Yesterday I bought cloth to have a tailor make me a Nigerian outfit, and today I bought veggies for the first time. Some things are really inexpensive while others are ridiculous. I found a medium sized Crisco for 2500 Naira or $17.
Cooking just takes a lot longer here than other places because of the amount of preparation needed to clean everything and the lack of canned products. Today I cooked for the first time… I mostly have odds and ends still so I was really creative and ended up with a really nice green bean peanut curry thing. I doubt I could replicate it! All of the veggies (that I bought on the corner) had to be soaked in a solution for at least half an hour before I could use them.
Prayer
Pray for me to figure out were I should be in the ministry
For me figuring out taxis and shopping here
That my time in his word will be rich
For an open door to share the Gospel
Sannu! Hello from Nigeria! I just wanted to say thank you for your prayers and let you know how I’m settling in so far. I meant to have this blog up several days ago, but internet and power are tricky here.
I left Thursday morning August 20 from Portland at 7:45 am and arrived in Abuja 36 hours later one Friday at 8pm local time ( For reference I’m 8 hours ahead of Pacific standard time). My flights were long, but uneventful. Thank you so much for your prayers! The most interesting thing that happened the entire time was when we landed in Malabo about an hour before getting to Nigeria: the 1 ½ year old boy in front of me saw a dog on the runway and made a ton of noise because he wanted to get off the plane to get the dog. In customs, the part I was nervous about, they simply waved me on by. Thank you for praying!
Saturday I drove to Jos and started to meet people and settle into my apartment. I have had a blast with all the new sights and sounds but it is a huge adjustment. So far I’ve had time settling in and figuring out life here. I have an apartament to myself with a kitchen, livingroom/dining room, my room and even an extra bedroom. It seems like so much space just for me!
Yesterday I met with my ministry mentor to figure out where I fit in the ministry here. There are A LOT of choices and different combinations that I could be part of. Please pray that we will have wisdom and discernment to put me in the right place.
For the rest of this week, and probably much of next I will be touring the different ministries. Tomorrow I am going to Gidan Bege(House of Hope in Hausa), which is one of the main ministries City Ministries does. From this location there are outreaches for all ages of the destitute. It is also the “trial period” home for kids recently off the streets(for the first 3-6 months). After that, they are moved to one of several transition houses or other centers. I may be working in GB with the outreaches, as well as with literacy classes and Bible study. Another major option for me to work in is a brothel ministry that is looking at teaming up with SIM again. I am really excited about it, even though it seems ridiculously huge and I have no idea what I would do. In the end, I will probably be working in several of these areas at different times. Please pray that I will be listening to the Spirit and that God will give me confidence and boldness. I have no idea what I’m doing but God is strong and mighty and He has planned where I’ll be.
Just for a little picture of where I am and the kind of adjustments going on here are some bits of life here…
Achabas are the incredibly noisy motor bikes that make it feel like frogger anytime I cross the street. It was several days before I crossed the street by myself and it was a BIG DEAL! They don’t follow any rules of the road and are used as taxis. Often people will carry whatever they need on the Achaba, which ends up being pretty interesting. I’ve seen a man and a goat as well as up to 3 people on one and I have heard stories of people carrying 4 tires, a door, dead goats up to their chin, ect… I’ll try to get a picture.
Security is incredibly important and I just wanted to assure you all that I am VERY safe. I live in a compound where I must pass a guard and then unlock the gate to even be inside. Once inside my apt, there are 3 locks on the door and one on the screen door. The guards are great and are helping me learn Hausa… one small phrase at a time.
Lights/power are sporadic at best. The Nigerian Power company is called NEPA, which many people joke stands for Never Experiencing Power Again. Since I’ve been here we’ve gotten power around midnight for a little while and it is usually on again when I get up in the morning at 6 or 7. I have a rather elaborate light configuration when I g et home late from another apt ect… I use the small light on my keychain to unlock the door, have another sitting on my kitchen counter to get me to the living room so that I can turn on my two lanterns and find my headlamp. So far, most nights I just take a lantern and headlamp to bed with me and end up turning them off and putting them on the other pillow when I go to sleep! Please pray that I will have good reaction to the lack of light, in the past I’ve struggled with seasonal depression that was due mostly to needing more light.. I’ve been ok until today but as I’m sitting here in the dark I’m realizing how much in affects me… yeah, there is me being really honest…
Shopping in the open market is really fun, but there is SO much to pay attention to. Yesterday I bought cloth to have a tailor make me a Nigerian outfit, and today I bought veggies for the first time. Some things are really inexpensive while others are ridiculous. I found a medium sized Crisco for 2500 Naira or $17.
Cooking just takes a lot longer here than other places because of the amount of preparation needed to clean everything and the lack of canned products. Today I cooked for the first time… I mostly have odds and ends still so I was really creative and ended up with a really nice green bean peanut curry thing. I doubt I could replicate it! All of the veggies (that I bought on the corner) had to be soaked in a solution for at least half an hour before I could use them.
Prayer
Pray for me to figure out were I should be in the ministry
For me figuring out taxis and shopping here
That my time in his word will be rich
For an open door to share the Gospel
Thursday, August 13, 2009
one week
This time next week I'll be somewhere between here and Nigeria. Wow. I don't think its quite settled in me yet. Right now I'm spending a few days with my family at the beach before I head off and trying to get my mind around what is going on in life. In short, I need prayer (as always, but I really feel it now!)
Please pray that all the loose ends get tied up ( my visa which is being fed-exed on Monday, Praise God! remembering to get a power converter, packing instead of piling)
I'm really excited to actually get there and settle in. Pray for a good transition and that God will give me grace in figuring stuff out.
Most of all please pray for courage and boldness. You all probably don't think I'm shy, but I definately can be and I don't want to miss out because I'm being dumb!
Prayer over all the other technical aspects like luggage getting there, finding people at the airport, ect would be appreciated too!
In the end, I know that God is in Control! Pray that I'll pay attention and glorify Him in all the big and little things over the next few months.
Please pray that all the loose ends get tied up ( my visa which is being fed-exed on Monday, Praise God! remembering to get a power converter, packing instead of piling)
I'm really excited to actually get there and settle in. Pray for a good transition and that God will give me grace in figuring stuff out.
Most of all please pray for courage and boldness. You all probably don't think I'm shy, but I definately can be and I don't want to miss out because I'm being dumb!
Prayer over all the other technical aspects like luggage getting there, finding people at the airport, ect would be appreciated too!
In the end, I know that God is in Control! Pray that I'll pay attention and glorify Him in all the big and little things over the next few months.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
North Carolina
I know this has been a long time coming... and everytime I write on a thank you note (THANK YOU, by the way) that I have a blog, there is a little twinge inside me that says I should really write something. Lately there has been so much going on, and I really haven't stopped until I got on the plane to North Carolia (where I am now) for Orientation. Don't worry though! I'm not actually leaving until August. Since I don't know exactly where to start this off, I'll just ramble-list for a bit... no particular order... sorry, I'll try to think coherently. Sometime.
*God is good and somehow in the middle of this I know I'm in the right place, even when it seems to conflict *North Carolina is really muggy * The biggest cultural difference in the south is that they have lots of fried foods/carbs which makes them talk slower and generally take life slower, in the Northwest we have lots of coffee which makes us hyper and talk faster and multitask * God often does things in what may seem to be the slow way for us (HOW long before Abraham actually had a son?) * I'm quickly realizing that I didn't know how attached to my cell phone I am... that will be a change * I talked to the girl who 48 hours ago was living in the apartament I'll be in while in Nigeria.... How cool! And she had great info* I will need to focus specifically on jumping into the culture- because when i'm uncomfortable I suddenly turn quiet and shy* I'm really excited that I'll get to have people visit in my apt all the time! In fact, its really really really common. All year long I've been loving learning how to be hospitable and wanting to be more. Perfect. thanks God! * I want my life to be Gospel- to show who Christ is SO clearly, and the biggest obstacle is myself* Today I had the thought... "wow, I really am going to Nigeria..."* God cares more about who He is molding me to be, than what I do*
So that is about all for now, Training has been good, and long, and suprisingly tiring. But--- it has made me desire even more of Christ, and has shown me the very beginning of the pieces that God is exposing in order to refine me. Ouch... already. Praise God for His faithfulness and that He would even want to use me.
Please pray
- for my time with God, and that I would be drawn in intimately with my Savior
-that over the next few weeks I will actively resist the devil and not give in to doubts and fears
-for my parents, extended family, and my boyfriend...
- that the remaining support (slightly less than 3000) will come in
-for my sanity and faith in the process :)
*God is good and somehow in the middle of this I know I'm in the right place, even when it seems to conflict *North Carolina is really muggy * The biggest cultural difference in the south is that they have lots of fried foods/carbs which makes them talk slower and generally take life slower, in the Northwest we have lots of coffee which makes us hyper and talk faster and multitask * God often does things in what may seem to be the slow way for us (HOW long before Abraham actually had a son?) * I'm quickly realizing that I didn't know how attached to my cell phone I am... that will be a change * I talked to the girl who 48 hours ago was living in the apartament I'll be in while in Nigeria.... How cool! And she had great info* I will need to focus specifically on jumping into the culture- because when i'm uncomfortable I suddenly turn quiet and shy* I'm really excited that I'll get to have people visit in my apt all the time! In fact, its really really really common. All year long I've been loving learning how to be hospitable and wanting to be more. Perfect. thanks God! * I want my life to be Gospel- to show who Christ is SO clearly, and the biggest obstacle is myself* Today I had the thought... "wow, I really am going to Nigeria..."* God cares more about who He is molding me to be, than what I do*
So that is about all for now, Training has been good, and long, and suprisingly tiring. But--- it has made me desire even more of Christ, and has shown me the very beginning of the pieces that God is exposing in order to refine me. Ouch... already. Praise God for His faithfulness and that He would even want to use me.
Please pray
- for my time with God, and that I would be drawn in intimately with my Savior
-that over the next few weeks I will actively resist the devil and not give in to doubts and fears
-for my parents, extended family, and my boyfriend...
- that the remaining support (slightly less than 3000) will come in
-for my sanity and faith in the process :)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Welcome!
Hello, Welcome to my life. Welcome to this story of what God is accomplishing, or at least the small piece of it I can see. I'm starting this blog in anticipation of Spending July-December in Nigeria, working with City Ministries Nigeria.
I basically wanted to make sure I know how to work this whole blogging thing before I advertise that I'll be blogging! Technology is not always my friend.
Right now I am at a point where I don't know much of anything, but I do know that God is faithful. Here is the verse that inspired my blog name. Or at least the name for now.
Isaiah 50:10
Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
Now it might seem weird, because usually the context of light and dark in scripture is talking about how we are to live differently as Christians- that we are to put off the deeds of darkness that used to characterize and consume our lives. But, the verse after this is talking about when we get our own plan, light our own torches and start to lead our own path. We end in destruction when we try to hold onto knowing exactly what is going on and "controlling our destiny." I'm learning it is alright to simply fear God, obey, trust in His character and rely on God because of my relationship with Him. I struggle with what that looks like, until I realize that it looks like Jesus. The rest of the preceeding verses in this chapter are Prophecy of Jesus, our Liberating King who offered His back to be beaten, His beard to be torn out, and gave His life for us on the Cross. He conquered sin and death forever. And He is the model of how much to trust the Father... and the proof of how trustworthy the Father is.
It is late, and I'm presenting in Church tomorrow, so thats just a freebie that I needed to write down.
I basically wanted to make sure I know how to work this whole blogging thing before I advertise that I'll be blogging! Technology is not always my friend.
Right now I am at a point where I don't know much of anything, but I do know that God is faithful. Here is the verse that inspired my blog name. Or at least the name for now.
Isaiah 50:10
Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
Now it might seem weird, because usually the context of light and dark in scripture is talking about how we are to live differently as Christians- that we are to put off the deeds of darkness that used to characterize and consume our lives. But, the verse after this is talking about when we get our own plan, light our own torches and start to lead our own path. We end in destruction when we try to hold onto knowing exactly what is going on and "controlling our destiny." I'm learning it is alright to simply fear God, obey, trust in His character and rely on God because of my relationship with Him. I struggle with what that looks like, until I realize that it looks like Jesus. The rest of the preceeding verses in this chapter are Prophecy of Jesus, our Liberating King who offered His back to be beaten, His beard to be torn out, and gave His life for us on the Cross. He conquered sin and death forever. And He is the model of how much to trust the Father... and the proof of how trustworthy the Father is.
It is late, and I'm presenting in Church tomorrow, so thats just a freebie that I needed to write down.
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