October 12- October 24

So this update is going to be two weeks worth!  Last weekend our whole area didn’t have electricity for most of the weekend so no internet.  This weekend we have electricity but the water is off in our town… good thing we live in a village with a well, no one can shut that off! 

 

Last Monday, October 12^th, Lauren and I went and explored some in our village and walked about 3 miles and found no one.  Our village is really spread out so we’re trying to figure out where everyone is.  Needless to say, we won’t be going that direction again.  Tuesday we went to the mission medical center about an hour away from our town to take our mom in and get her eye checked out.  She just had a seed of millet in it that needed to be taken out.  The medical center was really neat.  Almost all the workers are Christians and it was just a much brighter environment because of that than what we’ve gotten used to out here.   It’s really incredible how the Holy Spirit really brightens things up like that and it’s neat to be aware of too.  Wednesday we went to another village that our supervisor has work in and did discipleship with a few believers.  It’s a rag tag group of about 5 guys between 25 and 35 who are a lot of fun!  We played baseball with them with a plastic bat and bases made of sticks then I got to tell them the story of Jesus calming the storm, in their language, and they understood all of it!  Thursday morning I got a little discouraged because our village just isn’t in the same place as the others around us.  There are no believers there and we’re at the beginning with them.  The Lord really led me through scripture that morning and reminded me of all the things He told me in advance that I was going to struggle with and reminded me that it was His work to do and finish anyway, not mine at all.  That afternoon we went out and storied with 3 ladies and 2 of them were really excited about the stories!  We’re going back to see them this Tuesday!  Friday our supervisor picked us up and we can in to no electricity boooo!  I know what you’re thinking she lives in a hut in the bush she should be used to not having electricity… when we’re out in the village it’s expected and it’s great to sit under the tree and rest in the shade, but on the weekends we need to sleep in the room with the window unit a/c and get some good rest.  It finally came back on Sunday night so we stayed in Monday to rest in the a/c.  Sounds a little lame but soooo needed.  Tuesday October 20^th went out to another village our supervisor has work in and our country was having voting.  Of course we don’t get to vote because we’re not citizens, but the king let us play in the ink that they stamp their thumbs with and we had fun with that : ) Wednesday the highlight of the day was going to the well… we decided this was the day to try to be African and carry the 2o litter water jug on our heads; not a good idea.  Our family got a good laugh out of it and now they know I really am the most stubborn missionary to come to Africa!  They told me I had no strength and I couldn’t do it so clearly I needed to prove them wrong.  Well I really couldn’t do it.  I got the jug on my head but balance is not a thing that I posses and it was leaking, really bad.  So I took it off and decided I would just carry it with my heads that’ll work.  Wrong.  I got it a little more than half way there trading off with Lauren (she joined me in being stubborn) and I gave in our mom put her jug on a donkey and she couldn’t even carry ours because it was leaking! So she said to leave it in a bush and she’d come back later to get it.  We’re never going to hear the end of that one.  I got to chase around our little brother with a water bottle because he wouldn’t stop making fun of us.  I’m so glad we all have a good sense of humor : ) Thursday our mom said we were going to a funeral and we never ended up going to it because she had some other things that came up so we spent the morning with the family.  Our older brother taught me how to make African tea, they call it ashi.  And I got to share coffee with him.  That night I got to chase little brother with our mat rolled up because I heard about our well fiasco again!  By Friday we were a little stifled because non of our plans worked out so we were like ok Lord just plan the day for us please, and what do you know, one of our neighbors came and asked us for stories we said today at your house and he said yes so we said we’d be there in a little bit!  We got to tell him 3 stories and he enjoyed them and understood!  Saturday morning we came in to electricity and no water, boooo!  So we brought in like 10 litters form our well.

 

The Lord has been teachin me more about His work and I’ve gotten to pray a lot for the workers He’ll send after us here.  He’s given me some specific things to pray for them so that’s been really neat!  I also got a package this week!!!  It had a card full of everyone writing and letters from some of you that meant a ton to me!!  Thank you so so much!  I know now what Paul talks about when he writes about being encouraged by other believers.  Your prayers and letters and cards are such a big uplift!  Thanks so so much!  I love you all!