Thanksgiving's come and gone! I can hardly believe it. It seems like I just got here but now it’s almost Christmas. Next month starts the down hill descent. It only picks up more speed from here on out!
Quite often I have found my mind wondering to the future. What’ll I be doing? Where will I be living? Things like that. I hate how I never feel settled for more than a year because then the whole year I am always wondering and thinking about what I’ll be doing next year. Are we ever content with where we are?
Monday, November 26, 2007
Why do I just want to crawl under a desk and hide so I can have a good cry? It’s right there waiting, always on the verge. I must need it because last week I dreamt that I was weeping and I woke up with tears streaming down my face and I just lay there and let them fall, and let myself slowly stop sobbing.
I couldn’t communicate with a worker here, and it made me feel angry. I don’t think it would have been any easier if we both spoke the same language. There are two many excuses that the kept giving for not having done his job right. What am I to do? I’m not sure what exactly my job is – I just a point myself. Then if it’s my job altogether why does it feel like I’m not trusted? Why don’t they explain everything I’m supposed to do here?
I’m frustrated because I don’t feel like I have a regular job. Liz knows when and where and how long she works, Hans knows the classes he teaches and I make it up as I go. . . But right now I want to know, to do my job fully and not need to wait for other people. I want to feel like I’m done at the end of the day like I did something. Not at the end of the day that I’ve just sat around waiting for Liz to take a break so I can talk to someone or wait for her to get off work so I can know my day is over too.
This is my frustration now. Maybe it’s leftover malaria. Malaria always makes me a bit depressed because I’m always tired and not doing anything, then with quinine it makes me sick so I still don’t do anything. Last week I would take a pm nap a lot or just sit in the house.
It’s just been a rough day, don’t worry I haven’t given up yet. I still cling to and trust God more than ever.
**feel free to post a Bible text that encourages you when you feel this way. That way everyone will be encouraged not just me!**
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The plight of Quinine
It’s like watching TV in the living room with it on mute and the same movie is on in the bedroom with the volume up a bit
It’s like not being able to find the exact frequency on the radio so you listen to it with the funny shrill ringing
It’s like you’ve eaten a green banana feeling on your tongue
It’s moving your head so fast your eyes can’t keep up. So you feel dizzy
It’s like taking a pill you know will take away your apittite but you have to take it with food or you’ll barf.
And when you don’t feel like eating cause you feel sick you have to eat cause oddly enough it’ll help you not feel sick.
It’s exausting
It’s a nasty tasting
It’s a pain to take 3 times a day
It’s worse than malaria symptoms . . . (maybe)
It’s like not being able to find the exact frequency on the radio so you listen to it with the funny shrill ringing
It’s like you’ve eaten a green banana feeling on your tongue
It’s moving your head so fast your eyes can’t keep up. So you feel dizzy
It’s like taking a pill you know will take away your apittite but you have to take it with food or you’ll barf.
And when you don’t feel like eating cause you feel sick you have to eat cause oddly enough it’ll help you not feel sick.
It’s exausting
It’s a nasty tasting
It’s a pain to take 3 times a day
It’s worse than malaria symptoms . . . (maybe)
T-day (Thanksgiving)
Well. I know this is a while after thanksgiving but the stupid email has been down and so it wouldn’t have gone out till now anyway. . . so get over it :o)
The day began not as I would have guessed. Liz and I had postponed our wed morning prayer walk to Thursday because of me being EXAUSTED with malaria and all. So it was a really nice way to start the day in all reality of it. Then once I was at the hospital Hans asked me if I could cover his English classes because he was going to drive Pierre to Lie for some meds. I was saddened that I wasn’t asked to go as well, but I told myself it’s not the end of the world and I got to go to Kelo the few days before. So I told Hans sure I’d teach. I couldn’t go down to Anne and Richards till after 1 pm anyway because of a meeting Hans and I had with Anatole. So after I gave out TB meds I started figuring out what I would teach.
It had been almost 4 years since I taught English before! Not that I forgot any of the material :o) But needless to say I remember the pains of teaching and frustrations of lesson plans. Lucky for me I only had to sub. It all went well I taught them how to say, “happy thanksgiving” and other random things. I had fun and enjoyed getting to see the school closer up.
After the meeting with Anatole and Hans I went back to the American house to clean up so I could look nice and wear my new skirt my mom had sent me in a box I got from Kelo the Tues before. I must admit by then nothing was going as I wanted it to. I was grouchy from my meds and malaria and I wanted everything to be happy and fun, but the air just wasn’t quite there for me. But I kept on and I kept praying for a good evening. So Liz, Hans and I finally were all ready to go and we load up the truck to take us and the food over to Anne’s. I feel pretty because I have showered and am wearing nice clothes and I am really hungry. That’s always a good sign.
We get there we start to prep the rest of the food. Who doesn’t love prepping food for a big thanksgiving feast?! We were making coleslaw, green salad, stuffing, chicken, gluten, cranberry sauce, yams, mash potatoes and so much more! Esther, Liz and I helped Anne prep while James, Sarah, Hans and Richard were talking in the living room. It was fun because we found an old Super bowl game and they had it on in the background for a while. Just to give it all a bit of atmosphere. I loved it! Then when everything was all done we sat down at the table to eat. There were 9 of us Anne, Richard, James, Sarah, Hans, Liz, Esther, me and Allison (the girl visiting Anne and Richard). What a jolly group we made to! It seems that every time you get any of us 4 SMs together there will always be laughter, then if you add James you are guaranteed laughter. The whole thing was great. I might have been afraid of the day being ruined and not fun or in the right mood at all, but I was wrong. Thanksgiving lived up to its reputation of being a great holiday for family and friends. We even went around the circle to carry on my tradition of telling what you are thankful for. Sure it took us a long time because there were people who couldn’t stop laughing at the funny parts, myself included. At one point James was laughing so hard we all caught on and couldn’t stop, then Liz and I couldn’t breath and there were tears streaming down our faces. I must admit I haven’t been that scared to breathe while laughing in a LONG time.
God is good, He gave us a great thanksgiving and He helped show us that we have a great big supportive family here in Tchad who cares for each of us. And He proved all of my fears wrong.
Happy Thanksgiving. Maybe one day we can all sit around my table and share a meal together. In fact when I get back to the states we should all have a Thanksgiving meal!
The day began not as I would have guessed. Liz and I had postponed our wed morning prayer walk to Thursday because of me being EXAUSTED with malaria and all. So it was a really nice way to start the day in all reality of it. Then once I was at the hospital Hans asked me if I could cover his English classes because he was going to drive Pierre to Lie for some meds. I was saddened that I wasn’t asked to go as well, but I told myself it’s not the end of the world and I got to go to Kelo the few days before. So I told Hans sure I’d teach. I couldn’t go down to Anne and Richards till after 1 pm anyway because of a meeting Hans and I had with Anatole. So after I gave out TB meds I started figuring out what I would teach.
It had been almost 4 years since I taught English before! Not that I forgot any of the material :o) But needless to say I remember the pains of teaching and frustrations of lesson plans. Lucky for me I only had to sub. It all went well I taught them how to say, “happy thanksgiving” and other random things. I had fun and enjoyed getting to see the school closer up.
After the meeting with Anatole and Hans I went back to the American house to clean up so I could look nice and wear my new skirt my mom had sent me in a box I got from Kelo the Tues before. I must admit by then nothing was going as I wanted it to. I was grouchy from my meds and malaria and I wanted everything to be happy and fun, but the air just wasn’t quite there for me. But I kept on and I kept praying for a good evening. So Liz, Hans and I finally were all ready to go and we load up the truck to take us and the food over to Anne’s. I feel pretty because I have showered and am wearing nice clothes and I am really hungry. That’s always a good sign.
We get there we start to prep the rest of the food. Who doesn’t love prepping food for a big thanksgiving feast?! We were making coleslaw, green salad, stuffing, chicken, gluten, cranberry sauce, yams, mash potatoes and so much more! Esther, Liz and I helped Anne prep while James, Sarah, Hans and Richard were talking in the living room. It was fun because we found an old Super bowl game and they had it on in the background for a while. Just to give it all a bit of atmosphere. I loved it! Then when everything was all done we sat down at the table to eat. There were 9 of us Anne, Richard, James, Sarah, Hans, Liz, Esther, me and Allison (the girl visiting Anne and Richard). What a jolly group we made to! It seems that every time you get any of us 4 SMs together there will always be laughter, then if you add James you are guaranteed laughter. The whole thing was great. I might have been afraid of the day being ruined and not fun or in the right mood at all, but I was wrong. Thanksgiving lived up to its reputation of being a great holiday for family and friends. We even went around the circle to carry on my tradition of telling what you are thankful for. Sure it took us a long time because there were people who couldn’t stop laughing at the funny parts, myself included. At one point James was laughing so hard we all caught on and couldn’t stop, then Liz and I couldn’t breath and there were tears streaming down our faces. I must admit I haven’t been that scared to breathe while laughing in a LONG time.
God is good, He gave us a great thanksgiving and He helped show us that we have a great big supportive family here in Tchad who cares for each of us. And He proved all of my fears wrong.
Happy Thanksgiving. Maybe one day we can all sit around my table and share a meal together. In fact when I get back to the states we should all have a Thanksgiving meal!
Speedy delivery to and from Kelo. Tuesday Nov 20.
On Tuesday I decided that our packages needed to be gotten so that we could use the tasty ingredients inside Sarah/Esther’s boxes from home :o)
Early Tuesday I loaded up the empty crate/box of Liz’s that we used last time and lugged it all the way to the market. We knew for a fact that there were 3 boxes – one for each girl SM. But with this group you can never tell how many there will be. So I secured my motto and we were off. It was so fun. I’ve always loved taking out our jet skis as a kid and just going fast. Feeling the wind and sun. So of course I love going anywhere on the mottos, even if they’re a bit dodgy. I find that it always seems to increase my prayer life. . . you know, things like, “dear Lord please help my motto to not fall apart before I get back to Béré”, or “Thank you Father that all those goats and pigs got out of the way before we crashed right into them!”
I arrived in Kelo with out incident, which says a lot in comparison to our last trip into Kelo. Straight there in an hour. Once there we went to the poste and I talked with Jacob the friendly post master and as it turns out there were 6 packages to get – good thing I brought that box! So we got the boxes laded up and we went to the market. Oh I love the market! You see in Béré the big market is on Saturday and that’s our Sabbath so we don’t go. But in Kelo everyday is big market day! There is so much of everything. I saw all sorts of spices and ought some for Hans cause he loves spices and there were so many different types of cloth. So I bought one! It’s soooooo cool. I know you’ll just love it too! It has gas pump handles! Ha! I’m getting it made into a skirt for when I’m feeling a bit gassy :o) I got some more stuff for Sarah Appel and then we packet it all on our motto and blew that Popsicle stand.
I had thought I was quite snug in my seat on the way there but nope – I was quite possible to get closer to the driver. Let me give you a bit of a visual.
l – Me, l – driver, 1 – box and then when we were on our way back it was like this: l – us.
Don’t think there was a part of my front that wasn’t touching the back of the driver and I don’t think there was a part of my back that wasn’t touching the box. No personal bubbles in Africa.
The End
Early Tuesday I loaded up the empty crate/box of Liz’s that we used last time and lugged it all the way to the market. We knew for a fact that there were 3 boxes – one for each girl SM. But with this group you can never tell how many there will be. So I secured my motto and we were off. It was so fun. I’ve always loved taking out our jet skis as a kid and just going fast. Feeling the wind and sun. So of course I love going anywhere on the mottos, even if they’re a bit dodgy. I find that it always seems to increase my prayer life. . . you know, things like, “dear Lord please help my motto to not fall apart before I get back to Béré”, or “Thank you Father that all those goats and pigs got out of the way before we crashed right into them!”
I arrived in Kelo with out incident, which says a lot in comparison to our last trip into Kelo. Straight there in an hour. Once there we went to the poste and I talked with Jacob the friendly post master and as it turns out there were 6 packages to get – good thing I brought that box! So we got the boxes laded up and we went to the market. Oh I love the market! You see in Béré the big market is on Saturday and that’s our Sabbath so we don’t go. But in Kelo everyday is big market day! There is so much of everything. I saw all sorts of spices and ought some for Hans cause he loves spices and there were so many different types of cloth. So I bought one! It’s soooooo cool. I know you’ll just love it too! It has gas pump handles! Ha! I’m getting it made into a skirt for when I’m feeling a bit gassy :o) I got some more stuff for Sarah Appel and then we packet it all on our motto and blew that Popsicle stand.
I had thought I was quite snug in my seat on the way there but nope – I was quite possible to get closer to the driver. Let me give you a bit of a visual.
l – Me, l – driver, 1 – box and then when we were on our way back it was like this: l – us.
Don’t think there was a part of my front that wasn’t touching the back of the driver and I don’t think there was a part of my back that wasn’t touching the box. No personal bubbles in Africa.
The End
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Upcoming festivities:
Thanksgiving!!!!!!
We are heading down to the other side of town to Anne and Richard’s house to have ourselves a Tchadian feast! Complete with chicken for the carnivores, and gluten for the veggies. As well as all sorts of pies and dressings! I can’t wait!
I hope all of you back in America have a great holiday and take some time to really think about what you have to be thankful for (a homework project will be coming up soon for all of you about that). Enjoy being with friends and family, sitting inside where it’s warm and just laugh a lot. Laugh and be happy!!
I’ll let you all know how things went later! Besides I’ll be half way done with my Turkey day festivities before yours even begin.
Love you and I thank God everytime I think of you and what you are doing for me.
Sonya
We are heading down to the other side of town to Anne and Richard’s house to have ourselves a Tchadian feast! Complete with chicken for the carnivores, and gluten for the veggies. As well as all sorts of pies and dressings! I can’t wait!
I hope all of you back in America have a great holiday and take some time to really think about what you have to be thankful for (a homework project will be coming up soon for all of you about that). Enjoy being with friends and family, sitting inside where it’s warm and just laugh a lot. Laugh and be happy!!
I’ll let you all know how things went later! Besides I’ll be half way done with my Turkey day festivities before yours even begin.
Love you and I thank God everytime I think of you and what you are doing for me.
Sonya
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Blog News Update
news update from the land of bucket showers to the land of porcelain toilets
a.. Simba died
b.. The sunsets are amazing
c.. It's been raining a few times and it's not supposed to
d.. Mowgli is great!
e.. One of the baby sheep died
f.. Mowgli gets to eat it
g.. X-ray machine is working and I run it.
h.. I'm going to kelo tomorrow
i.. Malaria #4. yippie.
j.. The car/Toyota truck is back and working!
k.. We use it to go to the river!
l.. Esther is on the Mend
m.. I miss my family and friends in America!!
n.. I got mail on Sunday and tomorrow I get a package!
o.. Thanksgiving is here and that's great
p.. It's already November!
q.. Almost December!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
r.. 3 ½ months here
a.. Simba died
b.. The sunsets are amazing
c.. It's been raining a few times and it's not supposed to
d.. Mowgli is great!
e.. One of the baby sheep died
f.. Mowgli gets to eat it
g.. X-ray machine is working and I run it.
h.. I'm going to kelo tomorrow
i.. Malaria #4. yippie.
j.. The car/Toyota truck is back and working!
k.. We use it to go to the river!
l.. Esther is on the Mend
m.. I miss my family and friends in America!!
n.. I got mail on Sunday and tomorrow I get a package!
o.. Thanksgiving is here and that's great
p.. It's already November!
q.. Almost December!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
r.. 3 ½ months here
Monday, November 19, 2007
Welcome to my Hut
I keep wanting to say Amish, but they're not they're Arabic/Muslim. And they're right outside my hut door, yup that's right, right outside my door. They got here Monday night because one of the women was discharged from the hospital and their village I guess is to far away. Anyway I thought they would only be here for a night but it's going on the 3rd night now and the Amish are still here :o) My Ama speaks Arabic so that's how come they are here. Strange part is the woman who was in the hospital was there for a C-section and her baby died. I had been inthere to help with circulation so she knew who I was. Wed morning Liz and I go for our prayer walk at 5:15ish and since they r right outside my door they know I left and when I got back they asked me (with are amazing African signlanguage) where I was. So I told them I went to pray to Allah, of course using my African sign language.
A perk to having them here is I'm awake early because I hear them, outside my hut gets swept every day and I get to be lulled to sleep by them talking outside my hut as well.
Yesterday a few more women got here. One is very young and beautiful. She's also a mother, but I don't think she can be more than 19 or so. I was taking pictures of their donkeys outside our gate and I decided to show them the pics and they loved it. Then because I'm not able to take their pictures - their preference - I taught them how to take pictures, hoping to get some cool shots of them. So I guess I'll just have to wait and see how long they'll be camp out here. Till then, "To Allah be the glory".
A perk to having them here is I'm awake early because I hear them, outside my hut gets swept every day and I get to be lulled to sleep by them talking outside my hut as well.
Yesterday a few more women got here. One is very young and beautiful. She's also a mother, but I don't think she can be more than 19 or so. I was taking pictures of their donkeys outside our gate and I decided to show them the pics and they loved it. Then because I'm not able to take their pictures - their preference - I taught them how to take pictures, hoping to get some cool shots of them. So I guess I'll just have to wait and see how long they'll be camp out here. Till then, "To Allah be the glory".
Sugar's got what it takes. . .
Jenny had been in orbit
Since breakfast time.
From school she rushed off
To a girl scouts meeting,
A trampoline class,
And then a pep rally.
Jenny needs a sugarless,
Energyless soft drink
Like a Beatle needs
A hairpiece.
Two - four - six - eight, what
Does she appreciate?
Sugar
It quenches fatigue
Note to mothers
How much energy does your child get from the synthetic sweetener in a bottle
of diet soft drink? Exactly none. And who much energy does she need? You
tell us - and ask yourself if you're doing her a favor when you stock the
refrigerator with no-sugar soft drinks. She'll drink them - her thirst
craves anything that's cold and wet. Bur if you want her to have the energy
she needs, you'll bring home the kind with sugar.
*Sugar's got what it takes. . . 18 calories per teaspoon-and it's all energy.*
~found this amazing add in an old Life magazine from the 60's that I brought
to decorate with. Gotta love it :o)
Since breakfast time.
From school she rushed off
To a girl scouts meeting,
A trampoline class,
And then a pep rally.
Jenny needs a sugarless,
Energyless soft drink
Like a Beatle needs
A hairpiece.
Two - four - six - eight, what
Does she appreciate?
Sugar
It quenches fatigue
Note to mothers
How much energy does your child get from the synthetic sweetener in a bottle
of diet soft drink? Exactly none. And who much energy does she need? You
tell us - and ask yourself if you're doing her a favor when you stock the
refrigerator with no-sugar soft drinks. She'll drink them - her thirst
craves anything that's cold and wet. Bur if you want her to have the energy
she needs, you'll bring home the kind with sugar.
*Sugar's got what it takes. . . 18 calories per teaspoon-and it's all energy.*
~found this amazing add in an old Life magazine from the 60's that I brought
to decorate with. Gotta love it :o)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Where I am
Last night over at Anne and Richard’s house was so great. We were all realized and contend. Anne fixed some pizza with real cheese! James and Sarah had brought it with them from somewhere when they came back from Kosa, Cameroon. Richard then recounted his and Anne’s story :o) it’s a good one. But I loved how he was able to include God in it and I loved and agreed completely with text: Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37. That’s why a relationship with God is so important. Your hearts desires will be God’s desires if you have a good close relationship with God. I’ve found in Psalms 73 where it says, “Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire you more than anything on earth.” If we desire Him then His will for us will be come our will. On top of all the conversations about love’s beginnings and all I felt so content and at peace with where I am. I am happy being here in Tchad. I am very happy with who God is creating me to be right now. As I sat on the couch next to Liz singing songs I smiled because I’m having the adventure of my life. God’s been bale to use me in ways I never thought possible. Then later on the way back to the hospital, as I was sitting in the back of the truck feeling the crisp night air on my skin and the giggles erupt from my throat I looked up at the clear night sky with the bazillion night stars and just smiled because of the peace God has given me. It’s a peace of knowing I’m right where God wants me. He is working on my here in Béré and that’s great. God is good. Life is good. I might be in the middle of the refiner’s painful fire – but it’s where God is and I’m with Him.
Super Powers
My brother’s name is Christopher Reaves. People say he is superman. Growing up I knew he was. He survived flipped car accidents (2) in high school, when he was born I think the cord was around his neck or something, he’s survived about a bagillion accidents with either stitches or staples and he could always win in our wrestling matches.
But recently I’ve discovered he’s not the only one with super powers. I too have them. Yup, it must run in the family. Would you like to know what it is? (no Ben, it’s not the power to make any situation awkward or embarrassing) I have the x-ray vision. In fact on Thursday or Friday I used my powers and way that a man had a busted arm with a calcium growth on it! He was using his arm to carry stuff and had gone in to the Hospital in Kelo to find out what the big hard bump was in his arm. He must have busted it a long time ago and got it set by a local med/local healer and they didn’t set it right.
So God gave me the task of x-ray vision here. It’s amazing he prepared me for it by having me take those photography classes that I didn’t need to graduate and then by me working the photo lab for 3 years. All because God was prepping me to be able to develop the x-rays. Developer 5 min, rinse, Fixer 10 min, rinse and VOILA! Bone, organs and whatever else is inside! The actual running of the machine is fairly simple. There’s a sheet with the settings already on the machine. God is good. Now we’ve got x-rays!*
*don’t worry I do wear protective gear. :o)
But recently I’ve discovered he’s not the only one with super powers. I too have them. Yup, it must run in the family. Would you like to know what it is? (no Ben, it’s not the power to make any situation awkward or embarrassing) I have the x-ray vision. In fact on Thursday or Friday I used my powers and way that a man had a busted arm with a calcium growth on it! He was using his arm to carry stuff and had gone in to the Hospital in Kelo to find out what the big hard bump was in his arm. He must have busted it a long time ago and got it set by a local med/local healer and they didn’t set it right.
So God gave me the task of x-ray vision here. It’s amazing he prepared me for it by having me take those photography classes that I didn’t need to graduate and then by me working the photo lab for 3 years. All because God was prepping me to be able to develop the x-rays. Developer 5 min, rinse, Fixer 10 min, rinse and VOILA! Bone, organs and whatever else is inside! The actual running of the machine is fairly simple. There’s a sheet with the settings already on the machine. God is good. Now we’ve got x-rays!*
*don’t worry I do wear protective gear. :o)
Full Circle
[I think Sonya wanted me to post this from an email she recently sent me when she discovered a music cd at the hospital that we sent the SMs a few years ago. --Andrea K.]
First I saw the sm boxes in Brock Hall and wrote a message my freshman year. Then two years later I was in Honduras craving messages, notes anything from my friends at southern. So I said to myself when I get back I am going to help get notes out to the SMs serving. The year I came back I had a HUGE push for notes, there were thousands of notes sent out to 100 missionaries all over the world. The next year I helped again to make sure the notes were getting sent out as well as start putting together the book to send out to new SMs with random things in it. Then I passed on my office space but still helped with the SM stuff. Here I am now 6 years after I started sending things to SMs and I am receiving things that I started, things I never ever intended to receive in a packet, yet things I would have wanted when I was out, so in a sense I unconsciously set these things in motion to receive. The CD that you sent out when I was the SM pres is reaching out still, it is still helping people and their relationship with God. Full circle. Can you believe it? It's a good thing we practice do unto others as you would have done unto you!
I just never imagined myself here. But I'm glad I am. And I am not really hard core, I think I was just nieve and silly to think coming here would be easy. I just live, it's not like I wanted to be hard core or to have to live a crazy hard life. I never thought I would. There are about a million-billion other missionaries living harder lives than me. Shoot, I have email [sometimes] and electricity [sometimes]. I am by no means hard core, it's all relative.
First I saw the sm boxes in Brock Hall and wrote a message my freshman year. Then two years later I was in Honduras craving messages, notes anything from my friends at southern. So I said to myself when I get back I am going to help get notes out to the SMs serving. The year I came back I had a HUGE push for notes, there were thousands of notes sent out to 100 missionaries all over the world. The next year I helped again to make sure the notes were getting sent out as well as start putting together the book to send out to new SMs with random things in it. Then I passed on my office space but still helped with the SM stuff. Here I am now 6 years after I started sending things to SMs and I am receiving things that I started, things I never ever intended to receive in a packet, yet things I would have wanted when I was out, so in a sense I unconsciously set these things in motion to receive. The CD that you sent out when I was the SM pres is reaching out still, it is still helping people and their relationship with God. Full circle. Can you believe it? It's a good thing we practice do unto others as you would have done unto you!
I just never imagined myself here. But I'm glad I am. And I am not really hard core, I think I was just nieve and silly to think coming here would be easy. I just live, it's not like I wanted to be hard core or to have to live a crazy hard life. I never thought I would. There are about a million-billion other missionaries living harder lives than me. Shoot, I have email [sometimes] and electricity [sometimes]. I am by no means hard core, it's all relative.
Change. Yup. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.
The Austrailians, Lily and Paul, are heading back home. They’d been here almost as long as me and Liz. Cristinal, the Portuguese nurse from France, is also heading home to France. She’d been here for 5 weeks-but it seems like longer. The good news is we finally got our car back (see James blog from back in July to find out what happened to the car) and so at least they don’g have to take public transportation back up to N’Djamina. But Sarah’s dring with them up there to make sure everything goes alright. Which leaves me, Liz, Hans and James here all by our lonesome little selves, we’ll be the only ones at the house for the next few days. Esther is over at Anne and Richards—the missionaries who are here with some non-denominational ministry. They’ve been in Africa for years. They even speak Nandjere, which to me makes them really smart! They’re great. They’ve been back from their son’s wedding for about a month now. We’ve been over twice on Saturday night to eat and sing or play games.
Things once again will take some getting used to. Everyone will be missed and it’ll be strange to go back to the house and not see anyone. Lily, Paul and Cristina you are missed!
Things once again will take some getting used to. Everyone will be missed and it’ll be strange to go back to the house and not see anyone. Lily, Paul and Cristina you are missed!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Table for Two-Caedemons Call
Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes
We talked about soccer and how every man's just the same
We made speculations on whose and the when's of our futures and how everyone's
lonely
But still we just couldn't complain
And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance?
And now I'm just wasting my time
By looking around
But'cha know I know better
I'm no going to worry about nothing
Cause if the birds and the flowers survive
Than I'll make it okay
Given a chance and a rock
See which one breaks a window and
See which one keeps me up all night and into the day
Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forgot which house I live in
That it's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call
This days been crazy but everything's happened on schedule
From the rain and the cold to the drink that I spilled on my shirt
Cause you knew how you'd save me
Before I fell dead in the garden
You knew this day long before you made me out of dirt
And you know the plans that you have for me
And you can't plan the ends
And not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
Just to get me to sleep
~I like this song. Didn't realize how much at first. But I've been listening
to it all week on my ipod before I go to sleep. He's got such great points,
it's not my job to wait by the phone, God does know the end from the
beginning and I love the next part about Him knowing the means because you
can't not know the end without the how to get there. God knows how to get to
the end.
I might be serving as a missionary in Africa, but I'm still a young girl.
We talked about soccer and how every man's just the same
We made speculations on whose and the when's of our futures and how everyone's
lonely
But still we just couldn't complain
And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance?
And now I'm just wasting my time
By looking around
But'cha know I know better
I'm no going to worry about nothing
Cause if the birds and the flowers survive
Than I'll make it okay
Given a chance and a rock
See which one breaks a window and
See which one keeps me up all night and into the day
Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forgot which house I live in
That it's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call
This days been crazy but everything's happened on schedule
From the rain and the cold to the drink that I spilled on my shirt
Cause you knew how you'd save me
Before I fell dead in the garden
You knew this day long before you made me out of dirt
And you know the plans that you have for me
And you can't plan the ends
And not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
Just to get me to sleep
~I like this song. Didn't realize how much at first. But I've been listening
to it all week on my ipod before I go to sleep. He's got such great points,
it's not my job to wait by the phone, God does know the end from the
beginning and I love the next part about Him knowing the means because you
can't not know the end without the how to get there. God knows how to get to
the end.
I might be serving as a missionary in Africa, but I'm still a young girl.
Here’s where it gets crazy. . .
We were opening our packages and Sarah still wasn’t feeling good. She had been feeling bad even before we left that morning so she was laying down on the couch in the living room. So back in the room Hans made a comment on how she wasn’t looking all that good. Then I was going out to get something and I see she had passed out in the hall and Dr Audrey was holding her. So I peak my head back in the room and tell the other two. While we were all sitting there helping her in the hall, getting her IV in and liquids down her it hit me—I love my family here—My SM family. I didn’t know all that was going on then. It was the start of more than 24 hours of crazy time. Over that time I grew very scared. When Dr Greg, an American certified surgeon, came in around 1 or 2ish Sat am to examine her stomach, because that is where she had been having pain all day and now night, the thought of Appendicitis hit me and I was scared. What would we do” It was al scary for many reasons. I love Sarah—one of my new sisters. I was scared because it could very easily have been me and I was scared because it could turn out very badly/rough for Sarah.
Saturday am early things got really rough with pain. Liz and I were both in the back room with her where we all three had settled down for the evening. It was crazy because it hurt her so bad and the pain meds took so long to kick in. All Saturday we sat with her wondering if she had Typhoid and perforated her intestines (a hole in the intestine)
When they brought in James and Sarah who had been in Cameroon at Dr Greg and Dr Audrey’s hospital, via Gary the Adventist Missionary pilot I got a bit more nervous for her.
The idea of surgery in general just sounds scary!
Finally it was decided by Sara that she would have a laporatomy done here. That’s the surgery we do here because we can't do cat scans or any other type tests. We didn’t know what was wrong but she knew there was a risk in going anywhere else should something happen mid flight.
Right away Hans, Liz and Cristina went to go prep the OR with Oue de javel aka bleach. I stayed back with Sarah to make sure she was okay and was able to talk to both her parents. It was during that time that I felt a calming peace settle in me. I just felt she’d made the right decision. Right before we all went over to the OR Greg checked her again. It was then that he later said he felt at peace to operate on her.
She had appendicitis and James believes that had she delayed much longer it would have ruptured. God is good. If she had chosen to leave things could have turned very very scary in the air or in N’djamena.
Liz and I stayed the night again. She woke up early Sunday am in a WHOLE lot of pain. It was awful. I held her hand and rubbed her head while Liz rubbed her legs as the morphine kicked in. She was given a bunch of morphine to help with the pain. Praise God we had morphine. Normally we don’t.
Praise God for many things that He has done for us this last week. Praise Him all who breathe because Sarah is okay and healing quite nicely.
Saturday am early things got really rough with pain. Liz and I were both in the back room with her where we all three had settled down for the evening. It was crazy because it hurt her so bad and the pain meds took so long to kick in. All Saturday we sat with her wondering if she had Typhoid and perforated her intestines (a hole in the intestine)
When they brought in James and Sarah who had been in Cameroon at Dr Greg and Dr Audrey’s hospital, via Gary the Adventist Missionary pilot I got a bit more nervous for her.
The idea of surgery in general just sounds scary!
Finally it was decided by Sara that she would have a laporatomy done here. That’s the surgery we do here because we can't do cat scans or any other type tests. We didn’t know what was wrong but she knew there was a risk in going anywhere else should something happen mid flight.
Right away Hans, Liz and Cristina went to go prep the OR with Oue de javel aka bleach. I stayed back with Sarah to make sure she was okay and was able to talk to both her parents. It was during that time that I felt a calming peace settle in me. I just felt she’d made the right decision. Right before we all went over to the OR Greg checked her again. It was then that he later said he felt at peace to operate on her.
She had appendicitis and James believes that had she delayed much longer it would have ruptured. God is good. If she had chosen to leave things could have turned very very scary in the air or in N’djamena.
Liz and I stayed the night again. She woke up early Sunday am in a WHOLE lot of pain. It was awful. I held her hand and rubbed her head while Liz rubbed her legs as the morphine kicked in. She was given a bunch of morphine to help with the pain. Praise God we had morphine. Normally we don’t.
Praise God for many things that He has done for us this last week. Praise Him all who breathe because Sarah is okay and healing quite nicely.
Oh My Word!
I don’t know how many of you have been reading the other two girl’s blogs but I highly recommend it. Those of you who know already about Sarah/Esther’s ordeal, here’s my take on the whole deal. For those of you who don’t know about it here it is. . .
I have no idea where to start . . . why does it seem like I am always starting out a blog this way? Here’s a bullet format of the events:
* Friday the girls didn’t work so we decided we would go to Kelo to get the mail as we all know Liz always has about a billion packages and the rest of us a letter or so :o)
* 2 moto bikes—we’ve learned where to ask for a ride into Kelo and where not to. Liz and I on one and Sarah and the empty box on the other
* Flat tire for me and Liz—2 hours waiting! Broken bike for Sarah and box—3 hours waiting! Problem was we didn’t know that each other was broken. We figured that the other one was already at the post office that closes at Noon.
* Arrive Kelo—40 min till noon. Took the drivers FOREVER to get us to the post office. They took us to the Catholic mission because they assumed that we wanted to see the other white people!?!?!
* 30 min till noon we get to the poste. Sarah’s not there! We thought she must be right behind us because I saw her on our way in after the tire.
* Post master Jacob. I call him Papa Jacob now because I’m the same age as his daughter. He knew Liz’s last name just from the mail she’s been getting.
* Noon. No Sarah!!!! No place to put all our packages (about 12) and we didn’t have enough money to pay for them.
* Papa Jacob, our new friend, gives us his number to call him when she gets there.
* Liz and I begin the long wait for Sarah on the log outside the poste.
* 2hrs outside waiting and praying. Knowing known and being so afraid. Praying for her safety. Maybe God wanted Liz and I to start praying for her early because He knew what was going to happen. I guess I’ll ask Him when I get to heaven.
* Seeing her come around the corner and feeling such relief and happiness.
* Getting all boxes and going home.
o Here’s where it gets crazy. . .
I have no idea where to start . . . why does it seem like I am always starting out a blog this way? Here’s a bullet format of the events:
* Friday the girls didn’t work so we decided we would go to Kelo to get the mail as we all know Liz always has about a billion packages and the rest of us a letter or so :o)
* 2 moto bikes—we’ve learned where to ask for a ride into Kelo and where not to. Liz and I on one and Sarah and the empty box on the other
* Flat tire for me and Liz—2 hours waiting! Broken bike for Sarah and box—3 hours waiting! Problem was we didn’t know that each other was broken. We figured that the other one was already at the post office that closes at Noon.
* Arrive Kelo—40 min till noon. Took the drivers FOREVER to get us to the post office. They took us to the Catholic mission because they assumed that we wanted to see the other white people!?!?!
* 30 min till noon we get to the poste. Sarah’s not there! We thought she must be right behind us because I saw her on our way in after the tire.
* Post master Jacob. I call him Papa Jacob now because I’m the same age as his daughter. He knew Liz’s last name just from the mail she’s been getting.
* Noon. No Sarah!!!! No place to put all our packages (about 12) and we didn’t have enough money to pay for them.
* Papa Jacob, our new friend, gives us his number to call him when she gets there.
* Liz and I begin the long wait for Sarah on the log outside the poste.
* 2hrs outside waiting and praying. Knowing known and being so afraid. Praying for her safety. Maybe God wanted Liz and I to start praying for her early because He knew what was going to happen. I guess I’ll ask Him when I get to heaven.
* Seeing her come around the corner and feeling such relief and happiness.
* Getting all boxes and going home.
o Here’s where it gets crazy. . .
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