Die To Self- the adventure!

Ok. So I will catch you all up on what has happened since i last posted.. which was Wednesday night.

Catherine & Kendra are here.. they are from Ohio, and are amazing and so much fun! Today more people should be coming, Ryan & Tim from Saskatchewan, and Penny from South Africa. Wohoo!

Yesterday, Rachel, a staffer from England, gave us the official tour, and I took lots of pictures. You can pray though, because iphoto is not working at the moment, so they are all stuck on my camera. For breakfast we had this amazing rolls, they are fried a little, and hard boiled eggs (which I abstained from). For lunch we had potatoes (YUM!), Posho, it's that mystery white stuff, which is actually corn ground up into a flour and mixed with water. Then it hardens into something that is not very fun to eat.. but there isn't much choice. There was also cabbage, which I tried, and was not a huge fan of, and eggplant soup, which I will try next time. For dinner we had sweet potatoes, not too bad, with g-nut sauce (which is like peanut soup). That was acutally amazing. Then we went to discovery center and watched the news. which was al-jazeera! That was a little unnerving at first! But actually it wasn't freaky terrorist news.. it was based out of somewhere and the news anchor had a cool accent. Then we came back and chilled in our room. Oh, yes, and yesterday afternoon we all took long, glorious naps.
Finally we all went to bed.. and none of us slept very well. But it was all for a good reason...

so.. i have not been feeling very at home here.. things are just so different. and I just didn't feel like I belonged. So last night I had a wrestling match with God. I told Him I had given up everything to come here; family, friends, work, ministry, and the stupid things like cell phones, washing machienes, and my own bed to sleep in. But here's the thing.. I had given up all of that. but I was not... how to explain.. everything was still all about me. i was tired, I was hungry. I missed my friends. blah blah blah. Jesus, just lovingly and tenderly showed me, that that was not the right attitude I needed. "DTS does not stand for Discipleship Training School,"a very wise YWAMing big sister once told me, "it stands for Die To Self." Which is exactly what I needed to learn. So, none of us were sleeping well, and I awoke around 5:45 to hear singing and praying coming from the common room across the courtyard. So after some deliberation. I got up and joined them. And oh how amazing it was! The presence of the Lord was there very strongly. So we all prayed and sang... and prayed and sang. Some of the staff shared words that they had received which was exactly what I needed to hear. I know this description does not do the morning justice.. but you will just have to imagine it. Then we went and got water, and headed back to our room. How amazing is God! Finally, I am at rest here. All is His, and in His hands.

Breakfast was rolls and eggs again. I had an egg.. it wasn't too bad.. not amazing either, but hey, protein is important! Then we spent an hour or so washing chairs for our classroom. We had sticks and we de-spiderized the bottoms of them.. spiders like to lay eggs, who knew? ha ha. So we took sticks and got all the eggs and spiders and gunk out and then washed them. we had the help of Mattie, an adorable 6 year old boy, who enjoyed getting spiders for us, though we got a fair share ourselves.

I am noticing that I am becoming more and more brave as time goes on. So far I have eaten lots of new foods: Posho, cabbage, hard boiled eggs, sweet potatoes. g-nut sauce.. etc. Squatty potties are no big deal. we have lizards that like to chill in our bathroom.. and they are cool. I spent the morning killing spiders with a stick! Etc. And it's only been like two full days of being here on base! Crazy!

The days go slow here.. we get up early and go to bed late.. but they are wonderful. I am so excited to start school soon. I think we start on Monday!

Thank you all for your prayers and emails.. they bless me so much!!

So in short. I am loving it here, finally feeling like I am actually on DTS and part of the base. I am resting in the joy and hope of my amazingly faithful God who cares most about the condition of my heart! Dit

First day in Africa!

So.. Uganda is amazing! Where to begin? It is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS here! And they have the most amazing trees I have ever seen. I'll try and add pictures later.

So we arrived in Entebbe at 8:45 this morning.. and stepped off the plane into a very new kind of air. (i've never had this much humidity...(which is actually not very much compared to what Phil & Amanda described in Ghana!) but I am still getting used to it.(it feels like I am perpetually stuck in the aquatic center locker room, minus the chlorine smell!) After standing in a line to get our visas (3 months for now) we got our bags (the shoulder strap on my big green one broke and narrowly (like 1/4 of an inch narrow!) missed hitting me in the eye! Thank you Jesus for Your protection!

Then we (Meg & I) were picked up by the two Emmas (both on staff, both men, one of whom is our school leader) and Charles and had a three hour car ride back to the base. Ugandans are crazy drivers! (The guys from the couches would love to come and drive here I am sure!) They drive on the other side of the road.. and constantly pass one another. Pretty much, it looked like there are almost no actual traffic laws... and there is definitely no right of way. But, it kind of makes sense.. that way you are not waiting in traffic so much. But cars drive within inches of each other, and people just run across the road. Then there are the Boda Bodas (motorcycles for hire) who just weave through traffic constantly. It was quite the experience, but interesting and just makes me glad that I don't have to drive here (I would never get anywhere!!) I have to say that Charles is a great driver... and actually I came to notice that people aren't exactly as reckless as they seem, they all pass with care! Also in the city no one uses turn signals.. they just stick their arm out the window when they want to pass you. But when you are going around an extended curve in the road (like the Pole rd s-curves or even longer) you put your blinker on! Random. But kind of cool I guess!

We drove first through Entebbe, then through Kampala and then some other smaller towns before we got to Jinja. We haven't actually even seen Jinja proper yet, because the base is off in another direction. The cities are interesting. there are people everywhere. And always along side the road. They wear all sorts of clothing... some very modest and some not as modest. Mostly though there is a common thread.. skirt or pants. But pretty much everything you could imagine they wear. The buildings are really interesting. It's pretty much always that you see a nice building (what I would consider a nice building for being in Africa) next to a shack. They also paint advertisements for things on the tops of buildings, where we would usually put the name of the store, though they do that too. Because Uganda is a "christian" nation there are stores like : Jesus is Lord -dairy or the like. There are cell phone ads everywhere!

The base itself is up this hugely long dirt road (approx 3 times the length of Zander dr. all the way to the Roosendaal's house) and is huge and beautiful! I am staying in a dorm, with 7 sets of bunk beds, plus one more (which makes for 15 beds) and they will all probably be full. Meg and I were the first to get here.. so we got first pick ( my bed is a bottom bunk between two windows, and it's high off the ground (room for all my stuff!!) and has an outlet, so that Mac can power up whenever he needs to. Two more girls, Catherine & Kendra will be arriving tonight, hopefully in about 20 minutes. Then we headed for lunch (baked beans, spaghetti noodles with some kind of sauce, and some funky like riced potatoes that were a couple of days old.(gross.. everything else was good though!) I ate as much as I could... but then I wasn't so hungry. So after I set up all my stuff, and figured out how to hang my mosquito net (it came with loopholes but no string! . So I made string out of duct tape!) I took a long nap and missed dinner (oops!) and then went for "Fellowship" which is kind of like a small group.. but with sporadic attendance. I have also already braved and rather quickly adjusted to ( to my surprise) the squatty potties. They really aren't that bad! We also can't drink our tap water... so tomorrow they will give us a tour and show us where to get water from.

The people here are amazing. So friendly and hospitable, and just welcoming. Everyone seems delighted we are here and excited for us to go through the school! Speaking of which, there are way more people on the base than I had previously thought. Our DTS may end up being about 30 people!! Crazy! And Emma said a rough estimate of the number of people on base could be 150! So crazy!!

I am getting used to all the accents too. There are a lot of british people here on base. Tonight I spent time with Alex and Rachel, two amazing girls who are on staff here, and I almost had the urge to pick up their accent!

Something else, that's interesting is that sunrise us not until around 7 am... and sunset is exactly at 7pm. weird! I know you all want to see pictures, I took one of my first African sunrise (from the plane, and from the ground) but uploading pictures pretty much eats the entire internet access for everyone else.. So as soon as i find a time when I can take over.. I'll add pictures!

Ok, Prayer requests:
*no more Jet lag... 11 hours is a big time difference to maintain!
*get used to the humidity
* adjustment easily to so many new things and new people
*unity and bonding of our DTS class
*bonding with other people on base (it will take me a few days before I can really start to adjust and make new friends)
* safe travels for all of the other arriving students

love you, miss you. blessings!

(PS. sorry that these are all in past tense postedness.. but that's the way it may be.. i'll try and post in present tense soon. FYI is 9am here on Thursday! So I'm guessing that makes it 8pm on Wednesday in Whatcom County? let me know if that's wrong! )

Your faithfulness endures... even in London

Hello! So I am currently in England... chillin at Heathrow waiting to go on to Uganda! And what an adventure it has been thus far! My flight from Sea-Tac to London went well.. long.. but not bad. I had an entire row to myself so I got to stretch out and sleep.. or attempt to. I got really excited as soon as i looked through the clouds and realized that the land I saw was England! The plane could not land fast enough! (I saw Buckingham Palace.. and this weird building that I think you should find out about. It was shaped like a black artist's palate sitting atop a pie tin filled with teal something. (if it were a pie, it would be jello, but this was a building so obviously some sort of building material..))

Then I got to London, and this is where my faith was put to the test. I was supposed to meet Megan, a fellow DTS student, here before our flight to Uganda. We had planned to meet at our departure gate. The only problem is, Heathrow does not give out departure gate numbers until around two hours beforehand. Thus with an 9 hour layover in a HUGE airport we were in major trouble. I looked and looked and looked and looked and couldn't find her anywhere. Then I tried to use my laptop to see if she had emailed me.. and all the internet costs money. So I tried to pay for some.. but my funds for my trip that were in savings haven't been transfered yet! So I couldn't use the internet. Then I tried to use my phone card to call home, several times.. but the pay phones here don't work with pre-purchased phone cards! I had even gone to the airline's customer service desk and had them page Megan. I stood and waited for ten minutes, but I was pretty sure she hadn't heard. So here I was all alone wandering in this HUGE airport.. with no Euros... no debit card.. no phone.. no email... and no Megan. Yikes! But what I did have was God! Finally, hot, sore, and exhausted (it was about 4am Pacific time.. and I had gotten about 6 hours of sleep in the past 36) I sat down and poured out my heart. And just then, a louder announcement came over the intercom.. paging Megan. So I grabbed my stuff and hurried to the desk as fast as I could. Finally... there she was! A traveling buddy!

Things have still been a little sketchy here.. I ordered a 12oz Soy Chai Tea from Starbucks and it cost $8.00!! (this further reaffirms my support in Wood's.. yes, Starbucks, I will remember how you ripped me off in London when I return to whatcom county!) And to use the internet it's a Euro (which is a lot more than a dollar!) for "ten minutes", But, God is SO good and so faithful to me! On the plane ride here I was just overwhelmed so many times at just how awesome and powerful and majestic and huge He is! I am just reminded over and over that He is all I need- He is my everything!

and get this: in 4 &1/2 hours... I will be on a plane headed for Uganda! YAHOOO!!

love you, miss you, Blessings!!

[edit: I am now actually in Uganda.. I will update more later... but I have to recharge the battery before I can post more!)
(PS. IT'S AMAZING HERE. AND I AM TOTALLY JET LAGGED!!! )

Here I Go!

So.. I leave in less than 24 hours! CRAZY! I am still packing and getting things in order. But it all doesn't seem real! I've had some crazy last two weeks, jam-packed with all my amazing friends, crazy family, and wonderful "adopted" families! I'll share more of my adventures later.. but, my next blog will, hopefully, be from another country! (London or otherwise!) Thank you for all the amazing prayers and support! You all bless me SO much!
Prayer Requests:

Safe Travels:
* No SNOW for the drive down
*restful flights
*an easy connection in London (I am meeting a girl, Megan, from Colorado in London. We have the same flight to Uganda!)

Goodbyes with my family

Cultural Adjustment

SLEEP!!

Blessings on you all!

Faith or Fear?

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see."- Hebrews 11:1

Getting ready to go on this big of an adventure certainly has its ups and downs! I am so excited.. but this is a big big big jump. God asked me to, and so I have faith that He will catch me. This whole going to Africa for 7 months thing, is so beyond my comfort zone, I can't even see it anymore! Which is amazing, and I know it will produce HUGE growth in my life, to make me more like Jesus and to KNOW Him more! YAHOO! But it is so easy to let the enemy persuade me that things will be horrible.

These last couple weeks have been a battle with clear lines between the Truth and a lie. Truth is winning, but it is amazing to see the immense onslaught that the other side is putting up! Every time I begin to panic, I just fix my eyes upon Jesus. I go to the Word. I worship. And the peace of God that passes all understanding is right there. God is with me! "So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

In Kid's Place a few months ago, we had a "compass point" that said "When fear starts to rise, refocus your eyes." I have learned that it is not the size of ME that matters, it is the size of MY GOD that matters. Because it is all by His power anyway!!! "'To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?' says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing. Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary, His understanding is unsearchable." Isaiah 40:25-26,28

There is SO much left to do this week, I can't believe it. But God is using this. It's the beginning of the whole learning to rely on Him for absolutely everything lesson I get to learn. And I am SO excited! I can't wait to go! I am learning to walk out that definition of faith from Hebrews: I am sure of what I hope for [God will catch me when I jump! And He will take me on a whilwind adventure with Him that will be beyond amazing!] and CERTAIN of what I do not see [God!!]. So I will leave you with this: "Know you what I love best about the story of David and Goliath? David had victory not because he fought well, but because he believed well." - Esther in One Night With the King.

And I find myself blessed beyond my own understanding...

This is my Tour Guide. His name is Leo. See my friend Danelle did not want me to get lost in Uganda, so she found me someone who is from there to give me directions in case I need them. And well, considering we all know how good I am with directions, I think he'll get some good use!

This is Danelle. And a balloon. She took me Value-Villaging and we found some great deals on clothes for Africa! Then she came over and we did a "practice pack" because I knew that there would be way too many things I would want to take with me! See, my checked bag can only weigh 51 lbs! Which is definitely not much for 7 months of living in Africa! But it is the beginning of the letting go and relying on God for everything Process! I am so thankful for my amazing friends who are walking me through this process and helping me prepare! I could definitely not do this all on my own!" And I find myself blessed beyond my own understanding.." with friends who love me like Jesus does!

Don't Bug Me! (my quest for Anti-Malarials!)

So yesterday I made all sorts of preparations.

First I headed back to the doctor to get my anti-malaria pills. I had been in September to get all my immunizations (yellow fever, tetanus, meningitis, typhoid, hep a/b, and polio I think. ) They were a little busy the first time, (5 shots and 1 oral vaccine is a lot to think about!) and so they forgot to mention that the hep a/b was a series of 3 shots! Oops! So I got shot # 2 yesterday, and then I have to go back next Sunday (not tomorrow) for my last one! Then when I get back, I have to get a booster shot, because they gave me the accelerated sequence. After the nurse left, I turned to my dad and said, "Good thing I don't mind getting shots!!" So then, they gave me my prescription for the Anti-Malarials. Unfortunately, the one I will be taking, can cause increased sensitivity to sun. But it doesn't effect everyone. So, shortly after I arrive in Uganda, we'll find out if I am one of them! If so, my parents can send me a different medicine as soon as possible. The bottle of pills they gave me was HUGE. 250 to be exact! Oh, the adventures of going to Africa! (please understand, that this is not me complaining. I genuinely don't mind getting shots, and as far as the uncertainty of how I will react to the malaria meds, I am just trusting in my Heavenly Father, who I know will take care of me! I just wanted to share all of the adventures with you!!)

I also bought some bug spray. 100% DEET. Yum. Not. But, better than getting Malaria!

Then we primed my water bottle, with built-in filter, (thanks Dad!) so that I don't have to worry too much about what I am drinking!

I also got my "passport photos" for my Ugandan Student Visa. They wouldn't let me smile.. which was super hard. So I got away with a half smile.. my teeth aren't showing, which is apparently what really matters. I don't understand. What's the problem with smiling? I have lovely teeth, which were also very expensive. Ok, not the teeth, the jaw in which they sit. But the point is, shouldn't I be able to show them off? Oh well!

We were going through the check-out at Costco, and ended up in my friend Tyler's line. We started talking, and I found out that he is going to do his DTS in Germany (Hernhut) in April! Sweet Deal! It is so exciting to see so many people in my generation from Whatcom County going out and serving the Lord, and not settling for the bare-bones Christianity, but for nothing less than an all-out, hard core, passionate pursuit of Jesus! YEHAW!

So now, I am just sitting at home, watching the snow fall, and enjoying a quiet Saturday with my family. :D

In less time than it takes to win a million dollars..

well, it's January! I still can't believe it!! At this time in 25 days, I will be sitting in my seat on the plane at Sea-Tac! I was trying to think of what lasts 25 or even 24 days, and I can't really think of anything good. The Bible has a lot of 40's (the flood, wandering in the desert(which was in years..), Jesus' fast & tempting), Survivor is 39 days... so I suppose I could say: In less time than it takes to win a million dollars, I will be going to Africa! YAHOO!


So for those who are confused, or a little fuzzy on the details, let me refresh you! I fly out of Seattle on January 28th!( Which is, unfortunately, a Monday night. Oh well, but I know that as I am taking off there are people worshipping Jesus. Well, actually they will probably be playing Ultimate, but that can be worship too! ) I will be flying to Uganda to participate in a DTS (Discipleship Training School) with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Hopeland (the name of the base). My DTS is a 5 month program. The first half is called Lecture Phase where we will have different speakers come from all over and teach us about things like hearing the voice of God, Intercession, The Holy Spirit, the Father Heart of God, etc. Then the second half called Outreach Phase is kind of like a giant mission trip for lack of a better phrase. We will be putting into practical application all the things we have been learning. This will have us traveling either to different parts of Uganda as well as perhaps Tanzania (a neighboring African country).



After DTS is over, June 29th, I will be staying in Uganda for another two months working with a lady named named Teresha Clark, working with a ministry of YWAM called Spring Of Hope. This ministry helps disabled children by educating their families and communities on how to care for them, as well as giving them a Biblical worldview of disabled children, reminding them that these children are precious in His sight, and He has a plan for their lives just as much as anyone else's (Jeremiah 29:11).


So for those of you keeping score at home, as my ticket stands, I will be flying out of Uganda Augst 27th and arriving back in Whatcom County August 28th!


YAHOOO! I can't wait!!