As promised...

So here's a summary of everything so far as promised...

I won’t be doing secretarial work like they had suggested earlier, but I’ll be helping out with many projects throughout the year along with reading for 10-20 minutes a day to the school children. I’ll also be helping out with Pathfinders, which is much overloaded, and with the children’s choir that my host mother (Belen) puts on, as well as starting a worship band with Eric, Belen, and some of the local teens. Also they have an awesome outreach service here that takes a group of students out into the jungle to the farmers to pray and read the Bible with them. Eric and I went the first night and to the same group on one of the Sabbaths since they do a church service every week there as well. Unfortunately everything is in Yoruban, so I can neither be helpful nor gain much each time, unless I learn Yoruban fast.

The reading thing is supposed to be helpful because they have such a hard time understanding American English that they don’t generally understand you unless you adopt a British accent of some sort. I objected to my importance in this, when really it doesn’t feel like such a big deal, but there are some good reasons. Yoruba accented English is about the hardest to understand for one thing. We have some seasoned missionaries here that have traveled to a great deal of Africa, and find this region the hardest to communicate with. They explained that this limits the success for the future generations to simply this area, since getting a good prestigious grip on business and title in this world requires going mostly to English speaking countries. Like I said, they speak English, but it’s hardly recognizable, especially to us Americans because the English they learn is British. So when they take English class, the spelling and the pronunciation is British, which is why I faltered in seeing my importance since I would teach differently. But they related a story of an extremely bright student who interviewed at Yale and didn’t get in because of their poor English skills – this student was considered extremely bright, but their English skills made them fail the interview. So they’re thinking that if they could at least learn to understand American English, for those that would want to expand their horizons, they have an opportunity. I do have to agree with them on that – opportunity is a big deal. So I’ll only be reading to them instead of teaching them, but if they want to learn, I will certainly be open to that option. All I can really hope for is that God will use me no matter what; at home or while I am here learning from this experience, and I know it’ll be fun to tell them stories anyway.

Already I’ve helped finish some projects, so I hope that I’ll have enough to stay busy all year. The house I’m staying at is a guest house of the Lohr’s. Jason, the dad and the Medical Director, and Belen, the mom, both specialize in family practice. They have two kids, Michaela, 4, and Joshua, 3, which are nothing but energy and questions. The house is very nice, but I do have to go in an outside hall to get to the bathroom and separate shower which is odd at night since there are security guards for the compound that camp out in front of my house (it’s on a corner of the compound). Also since they view shorts on women as promiscuous, I have to put on some different clothes if I ever go outside at night. Hehe. I am very comfortable in my little house by now though; Belen made sure I had a good start by giving me curtains for privacy and a battery operated lamp so I’m not always in the dark when the electricity turns off. The effect of no electricity is something that I’m sure is hard for people in the States to understand because there it is on constantly, but it’s actually off most of the day here. This is difficult because it affects everything, not just houses, so it is SO DARK when it happens at night. I have never seen such pitch black darkness. It’s also hard because the fans only work with electricity, so when they’re off during the hottest part of the day, everyone is sweating profusely, even the natives.

The compound is beautiful and contains the hospital, a dorm-ish sort of thing for the “interns,” and houses for the doctors. Outside of the compound to the South and West is the Adventist secondary school and ½ of the primary school. The secondary school is in pretty good shape, but the primary school was bombed as an act of vandalism during a local war in 1999. ADRA raised funds to build a new school (the West one) within the same year as the war but they haven’t been able to use it yet because the fence is still broken. When I say fence, I really mean wall, which would keep people out, but more importantly keep children in. This beautiful new-ish school is just sitting over there, being used by the 3^rd-5^th graders because they are old enough to not wander off, but the kids ages 3-8 aren’t allowed over there yet. The fence they want to fix will cost $10,000, which is actually for only two sections of it, but it covers the most dangerous parts they are worried about. So for now, the remaining six grades are in one tiny building with partitions made of flimsy pressboard and a structure of two-by-fours. It is incredibly loud and packed in there so much that one of the classes is held outside mostly. It doesn’t help that they start their kids here at age three in full-time school and of course the classrooms are bursting at the seams with children, and lacking resources on top of that, so the teachers are super stressed out. Still, the Adventist reputation for good schooling here brings in more kids still, and actually educates them, unlike their equivalent of public schools.

The compound is very nice and well-maintained, but outside, in the rest of Nigeria, there is trash EVERYWHERE. Along the highway from Lagos to Ife there are mounds and mounds and mounds of trash just along the road. They don’t have a good place to put their trash, so they burn it when it gets too high or too stinky. We give all of our scraps and bad food to the pet antelope and dogs one of the doctors here owns, which takes care of that, but not everyone else has that option. There are a lot of goats here, but the goats would rather eat grass if there is any, so it doesn’t do a whole lot of good for cleaning things up. Also I’m guessing that a lot of other people have issues with bad food because only the people with backup batteries can keep the refrigerator on when the power turns off. And as far as I’ve seen, only a few families have that luxury, and all of them are within the compound. Traffic is the main cause of death here, as it is in most countries I believe, but I think it is significantly more so here. The roads are so incredibly bad, and they hardly have any traffic rules, especially ones they reinforce. To go to the school everyday I have to cross a main street, and it is actually a scary thing to do. It’s about the equivalent of crossing a 45 mph zone on a hill without any lines or lights… and blind drivers. So, in a nutshell, it’s scary to drive here.

When I first got here I was definitely culture shocked, and missed home a lot, especially over the holidays. But it’s gotten a little better now, and even more so after getting some more nice homely things for my room and some nice packages from the States. The biggest thing I can do here is be as good a Christian I can because that is the one power they have just handed over to me. I am an oyinbo, or a white person, and everyone is watching me to see what I do. I have ultimate influence on the kids at school, so even if I don’t teach them a bit of English, they might possibly be changed…by my actions? This is a hopeful statement, and at the same time, quite a frightening one – all that influence, placed on me, a human. I definitely need your prayers on this one!

Thanks for your continuing support!

A Much Needed Update

I'M HERE! But I'm sure not many of you are surprised at that. I hacen't been able to get on this specific website this whole time, and I've been here for a little over a month. So when the long term missionaries here said they had Internet, they were kind of kidding. The Internet is so slow that sometimes you have to spend an half an hour just to see one page load, so sending emails and posting blogs is nearly impossible. This may be about the only time I'll be able to get on, so if anything else is posted it might be by my boyfriend or family.

Right now I'm at a Resort for the weekend-before-Christmas family vacation since the father of my host family (Mr. Lohr, aka Jason) has his parents visiting for a few weeks. The Lohrs have been here two and a half years, and have another three and a half left to go. They treat me well, making sure I'm comfortable and not too homesick. The truth of it is, it's impossible to avoid missing home. I definitely miss Richard, my family, flavored ice cream and the climate, even though it is nice to be here. I think at this point in time I'm getting past what they call the "honeymoon" stage where I just love everything here and am now starting to not have so much fun with it. But since you haven't heard about all my rants and raves about this place so far, I'll try to update you throughout time.

One thing's for sure: It's hot. So I got sunburned once already wearing sunblock at all the appropriate times and places, reminding me that we are a lot closer to the sun here. So I used the Lohr's sunblock which is supposed to be impenatrable, as they claim, because they apparently have not got burned once since they've been here. I put this stuff on twice, when they said I only needed it once, and I still got burned. It's never gotten too bad though, so I am still in good health!

Anyway, I don't have much time to be on here, so hopefully I'll get some updates through family and friends to everyone. Just wanted to let you know I'm here and doing alright, though a bit homesick and thank you for your prayers and support as always!

OFFICIAL PLANS!

I now have official plans to go to Nigeria and am leaving *drumroll*.... next Monday! (5 days away.) My stress level is now back on the charts to normalcy and am doing quite well with the whole situation at the moment, especially considering that now I can start thinking about actually leaving my family, friends and boyfriend behind for a solid 7+ months. Quite sad, but for now, I'm so relieved to have some solid plans underway!!!!

The tickets are bought and arrangements made so that I'll be leaving from Portland late Monday afternoon with a long trip ahead of me filled with anxiousness and anxiety toward what is to come. It's funny how I thought I had learned patience earlier on this summer, because I wasn't quite done with that lesson yet. This has definitely been a great learning experience as far as hard decisions come and now all I have to do is hope and pray that this is the one God has led me to.

As usual, your prayers are soo soooooo welcome, I appreciate all that the power of prayer has done for me in my life, especially all the times that I don't know about it! Of course you can still donate funds if you wish (instructions are farther down in this blog) especially because there were a few unexpected things I am possibly paying for, and my goal never was really reached. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped out already, and I will continue to keep you all updated!

"Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has saved you from your enemies." Psalm 107:2

Still in America

Since it's been a while since I've posted an update, I'm here to let you know what's going on. I am still in America. I am waiting for my visa to come back to me in the mail, along with my passport which will come together, and then I'll buy some tickets to fly out in the next week. This makes me feel so much better because the whole not knowing when I'm going to leave is about to make me internally combust. I have discovered about myself that I do want to know when exactly important things are going to happen, but I can be spontaneous about the small stuff. I feel better knowing that about myself, especially after knowing that I will know at least a week before I leave that I'm actually going to leave. (well that wasn't confusing)

So that's the update on me, as far as funds, I'm having communication issues with the Student Missions office at Walla Walla so therefore I don't know the latest info. The school is changing the email system there, and I am left in the dark about what to do about it, so I will be able to check my fundraising status as soon as I can call the wonderful Tech help there. :) Oh joy.

God is so good. Sometimes I just need to say that to other people to remember what it means to me. I have been waiting and waiting for this thing to go through and getting impatient and stressed out and ignoring my feelings to make it easier sometimes, but I woke up this morning thinking that there is a reason I did not go early. Whatever it is that is better because I've waited a little longer to go is because God wanted the best thing for me. I know that there is one relationship for sure that has been started in the time that I've supposed to be gone in, that probably would have NEVER been started otherwise. I wouldn't trade almost anything for this relationship, and therefore I know that God is good. I am SO thankful that he wants the best for me. What a great God we serve. I hope God continues to bless all of you as he is blessing me day by day! :)

Links to pay attention to

Hey, while I'm at it, I might as well post another... post. I wanted to let everyone know that the links I've added to this page are really special for a reason. Sarah's blog is a link to my close friend, Sarah obviously, who has taken a Student Missionary position in neighboring Chad, Africa as a nurse; you can read about her experience there.

My myspace is a link to well, my myspace page. The only reason I included this link is because I have other blog posts there and pictures that paint a much bigger person of who I am, so just because.

The other link, which I am really excited about, is this awesome site that is dedicated to various non-profit organizations that are dedicated to being good samaritans. It is a Christian's proudest dream site that includes stopping hunger, deprivation of rainforests, illiteracy, and furthering breast cancer research, rescuing of stray animals, and children's health. HERE'S WHAT YOU DO: click on my link, bookmark the page (because I want you to do this everyday), then click on the big button that says "click here." You have just donated a cup of food for those who previously did not have any. To continue in your good will mission, click on the various tabs at the top of the page and click on the big buttons for each of those. Talk about free charity, this is the one of the best things ever! Please make a difference and click on each of these donating sites each day (since you can only do this once a day). This means be faithful. EVERYDAY. Make a difference, click everyday. I don't have to tell you thanks for this.

Not too long now...

By next Wednesday I can finally start mentally preparing myself for this amazing journey I'm about to take. All that's left for me to go is that my call needs to be approved by the General Conference, which will happen Wednesday, in turn giving me way to purchase my visa, insurance and plane tickets. I can't wait until I have an actual date set though I suppose I have learned valuable patience this summer in not knowing so far.

I know what my position is going to be over there, but I'm a little sketchy on the details, so there will be more info to come on that. My finances have risen a bit - thanks to all who helped! - but it doesn't change the rounding much, so I'm still at about the same place as last time. I have however received many well wishes and prayers which I am so grateful for, for as the time comes closer and closer, I am realizing just how much prayer I reallyl do need. Seriously, as you read this, please just stop for a second and pray for my safety and my journey in expanding my Christian heart as well as living a witness' life.


Thank you so much.

I am quite excited about giving some of the things I have collected over to the children over there. Working at Toys R Us gave me lots of opportunity to take advantage of the sales and get school supplies at their cheapest when normally I wouldn't have been able to afford such commodities. Also my sister and brother-in-law are collecting the crayons their kids use at restaurants when they go out to eat, and I am using this opportunity to get rid of the crayons I've had stashed away since who knows when because "they're still good." (Yes!) :) Anyway, this hasn't been much more than an update and I am tired of talking about myself so I'll end on this get-off-your-seat-and-do-something note:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

Slowly... into Forward Motion

So we've been officially invited now! It might sound a little late to be invited to you, but this is a formal invitation that gives way for the rest of the process to proceed. Progress is being made, that's the update, and my funding is at about $1800! (that's about 70%) I'm so thankful that God works things out and that I have wonderful support from all you donors out there. Thank you!

My current state is: tired. Not actually physically tired, but emotionally tired of this world. Last weekend I co-planned a church service with my good friend, Becky Perdew, based on how much we need God to have meaning in our lives. The church service went quite well, even my sermonette that God completely took over - it was great. :) Now, in the aftereffects of being so spiritual I feel like I always have to live up to that level of intimacy with God, even though I know I'm not ready for it. This is emotional exhaustion. I am ready to be so close to God that nothing can separate me from him... wait that's the way it is... sometimes I just need a little perspective. ;) [Romans 8] But still, it takes a lot of rising and falling to get maturity and my spiritual maturity is farther behind than I would like it. Unfortunately this means to be closer to God I have to go through a few more trials, but this is hardly a sacrifice when I think of the endgame.

The Latest

So for a while there I was considering a position in Malawi, which was teaching and a little more official since it was already set up, but I pretty much think that option is gone now. (Especially because I would have to be leaving this week and I still don't have my visa). I did however receive an answer to prayer in the most recent email from the doctor in Nigeria. He told me that I was an answer to prayer because they had been needing someone to fill a position! I was so excited (I still am) - all I hoped for was to be needed somewhere and now I am. So hopefully the rest of the plans will be worked out smoothly and timely. As for my funds I am technically at $1,500 so only $1,000 more! It's coming close and I am getting very excited.

In the meantime, while I wait for the trip to come, I am busy working at Toys R Us and babysitting my sister's two kids. I also participate in a college-aged youth group called F.L.I.G.H.T. It feels good to be busy and earn a living - I feel really blessed to be kept busy by doing things that I really enjoy. If anyone hasn't heard, my good friend Becky Perdew and I will be putting on a church service this Sabbath talking about the meaning of life with and without God. You are all welcome to come! Sabbath school starts at 9:30 and church starts at 10:50. It's at the Springfield Seventh-day Adventist church in (duh) Springfield. Hope to see you there!

So you want to talk to me?

I have come to realize that there are some people that did not receive a special-dilly envelope in the fundraising letters I sent out, and that maybe perhaps, there is someone who is reading this that didn't get one at all. If that is the case, and you would like to send a gift to help with my mission year in Africa, here is the information for that.

• For a CHECK: Make check out to "Student Missions Fund" DO NOT PUT MY NAME ON IT!!!!
• For CREDIT CARD: Specify company (choose from Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express); Write card number and expiration date; sign piece of paper all this lovely information is on.
• For CASH: Put in envelope. :) No special instructions here.
• For ANY DONATION: Put my name on a SEPERATE piece of paper not directly attached to paper, if my name is on the form of payment, this will not be tax-deductible; Put your name, address, phone and email (somewhat optional) - it will assure that you get a tax-deductible receipt in the mail and so I know who to send my thank-you notes to. :)
• To send: Make envelopes out to: Office of Student Missions; Walla Walla College; 204 South College Avenue; College Place, WA 99324-9986

If you would like to contact me otherwise, let me get back to you on that. I don't really want to put my email address for the world to see, so I'll see how I can fix that. (If you received a donation letter, it should be on there.)

As far as the update on the mission, there is no update. I have not heard back from the doctor still and I have sent in the last piece of information that WWC needs from me. Now I just wait and pray for progress that the doctor is making over there. Thanks for your prayers!

Reflective thought for the day: We all try to better our lives and fix our problems by buying new and improved gadgets and toys. Sometimes I wonder how people could live without movies, cell phones, airplanes, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines and diswashers. But God doesn't think about these things as necessities. If they were, then he would have given them to us. Instead he gave us the things we truly need to live a wonderful and worthy life. "By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life." 2 Peter 1:3. So before you start going to the store to get that ultimate chopper, cutter, slicer, dicer to make your freezer-burnt dinner fattier and sweeter, think about what you really need in your life and thank God for his truly amazing power to provide.

Still Waiting

It has been almost 5 weeks since I decided to take to pursue the call to Nigeria, and now I am almost completely ready to go. For the amount of work that it takes to do such things, I have completed I'd say about 80% of it. With the help of all my family and friends I have just about 70% of fundraising to go already! Thank you so much to anyone who has helped.

Unfortunately the things that take the most amount of time to complete cannot be finished yet. Visas generally take a long time to process, but I cannot start an application for a visa until I have specific instructions from the Adventist General Conference. I cannot get instructions from them until my call is confirmed, and my call is not even completed as far as I know. Right now the fate of what I will be doing next year, along with if I'll be able to make it over there in time lies in the hands of a very busy Doctor in Ife, Nigeria. Prayers will be very much appreciated, especially as I'm reminded of how insignificant I am to making this work after I can no longer seem to get ahold of him.

For lighter news, I discovered yesterday how easily I burn. There is a massive public library in downtown Eugene - my hometown - and after visiting it, I headed straight home with the windows down in my car. As an experiment, I left my left arm on the window ledge the whole way home, where it was constantly in the sun while my right arm was not. When I got out of the car, I held my arms next to each other to discover that, yep, my left arm was sunburned after only 10-15 minutes in the sun. Needless to say, I will be taking a lot of sunscreen to Africa. :)

My favored verse recently is found in Ephesians 4:1-3
"Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace."

And the preparations continue....

Hello to all,

This is my first post on the site I designated to track my mission service within the next year. (Hopefully I'll get to use it!) Currently I haven't even sent out the letters yet, but I figured I should set the site up before I did.

Here you can see what I'm doing in my daily life with a little more detail then I would include within mass emails. Also you can come and check out the updates anytime you want! If you want to be subscribed to my blog, just click on the "Subscribe to: Posts (atom)" link at the bottom of the page, then you'll be sent an email any time I post a new blog!

For now I won't be posting a whole lot except for finalizations on what I'm doing, how my fund-raising is going and maybe a list or two. Of course I am known to go off on things sometimes, so perhaps there'll be a few thoughts here and there, but just so you know, those other things will be on here too in case you want to check.

Ta-ta for now,
MJ