New Year Thanks!

Happy New Years one and all. And yes, I realize that most of you still have eight hours to go but we just celebrated with a glass of Cold Duck champagne. The aroma of burning tires swirl around my head as I watch flares burn in the sky, local makeshift fireworks. I am so excited for this new year and yet have so much to be thankful for from this past year. Please know that I am sending my love to you all.

This is me - christmas day as I hugged my care package to my chest in childish delight. Thank you Kathryn and mom!

I ask that you pray for me as this upcoming year unfolds. I haven’t ever been one of those people who learn a hard lesson and then never make the same mistake twice. Too often I repeatedly stumble over the same hiccup – picture me touching the stove a second time to see just how hot it really is. This week I find myself falling flat on my face once again.

I sent in my re-admission packet to the United States Naval Academy. I can’t help but worry about getting back in and what my next year holds. I willingly trusted God and followed Him across the world to Africa; and yet I still hesitate to trust Him concerning my future. Though my heart longs to return to the Academy, I pray that God will show me clearly what His will is for me and that I will learn to trust Him in everything. May this next year be as fabulous as the last.

Kudos to the Working Girl

The other day as I lay utterly exhausted with cuts covering my knees and a large burn on my hand, I thought of how all my life I have been taken care of. Growing up with parents who sacrificed daily to give me what they couldn’t afford, going to a school where my food & laundry were all done for me, and biggest of all just living in America.

When arriving in Africa I expected all this would change and a large part of it has; but one surprise was that I would have a local village lady work a few mornings for me – hand washing clothes and such. I protested that I did not need it and could do the work myself but was told that this was the lady’s whole income. Needless to say, I did not take away her job. With the holidays she had plans to be gone for a few weeks, and I looked forward to the extra work or so I thought.

That day I decided would be my full work day and I would get everything done that she would normally do. I scrubbed a heaping pile of laundry with a brush, two buckets, and detergent that strips all skin from your hands. By the sixth trip to re-fill my water buckets my back began to complain loudly with my knees soon following suit. I felt as if every line on my hands were being eaten away. As I rinsed and hung the laundry up to dry, it dawned on me that it was not even noon yet. I was ready to stop for the day but there was still a full working day ahead of me. I moved to hoeing the garden to prepare the soil for planting tomorrow. As the sun began to gift me with more freckles, I dropped to my knees to pick up rocks. After I had carted away the rocks, the walls & floors of the washroom, cook room, and living rooms were calling out my name. The fire had to be made and the baking for the week still needed to be finished. By this time the laundry was ready to be taken down and folded. Once all this was done, my body protested loudly to all movement and I collapsed on the floor.

Oh man, kudos to the working girls of old!

Hazardous Fruit Bearing

Went to the market where I managed to fall flat on my face in front of a huge crowd. Yep, graceful is my middle name. I was carrying my bag, two watermelons, and two pineapples when I tripped over a root but having no free hand to catch myself just fell. Everyone quickly rushed to help me, repeatedly saying sorry though they were faultless. Embarrassment flushed across my face and my body screamed in pain but I didn’t want to cry in front of all these people. So picking myself up, I limped to a bodah bodah to get a ride home. Vulnerability poured from every pour as I painfully stumbled around to pick up my smashed fruit off the ground.

I was sharing this with a dear friend when she told me that I should write and tell of how God is helping me grow in the fruits of the spirit through these experiences. I need lots of growth in these areas: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
But as I was whining about my embarrassment and pain - I shamefully forgot to share how God did use this situation. As I rode home on the bodah bodah sniffling to myself, I got a chance to know the driver who had seen me fall. He shared about his family and things he has been through growing up. Bruises fade away but I hope that this friendship will grow and last.

Ultimate Homesickness

Yesterday was my first day of utter homesickness. It didn’t help that I was exhausted from a very late night and a long day of work. Around 1630 I shut all my curtains, locked the doors, and huddled up on the floor with a stash of care package cookies (thank you Kathryn). I sat there in silence as the evening darkness wrapped around me like a heavy quilt. I didn’t rise to light the candles or make dinner; I just remained in a position of complete pitiful-ness. Finally I reached for an unopened card from a loved one and read, “I would totally throw myself on a bee for you.” I smiled and not thirty minutes later I got a phone call from one of my best friends.

But this small sliver of joy soon faded as the phone card cut us off, the batteries ran out on my cd player, the candles began to dwindle, and the dark silent night wore on. I turned on my computer which had 20 minutes of battery remaining to watch a slide show of my pictures from home. Not a smart idea when stubbornly stuck in the ditch of loneliness. I awoke and began to pray for a peace and happiness.

I was so intent on missing my loved ones back home that I was refusing to make room in my heart to love those around me. As if my heart was holding it’s breath till I got home. I was willing to love them but always with the distant thought that I will be saying goodbye to them in 6 months. My prayer now is that I will learn to love passionately, boldly, and without fear. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear…”

Oh Christmas Tree!

Well, it is finally Christmas time. My favorite time of the year as all my friends know - I began listening to Christmas music around October. I found a small Charlie Brown fake Christmas tree here and decorated it with popcorn and ribbon. Don't laugh...I make do with what I can find. It doesn't feel like Christmas at all but I really haven't missed it. The people here have been so kind to me. I have a dark chocolate bar under my tree, care package, a plate of cookies, and a few fabulously wrapped gifts. I love you all! Merry Christmas!

Loving the Un-lovable

I have always thought that loving children was like second nature to me. I am a huge push over when it comes to kids. And nine times out of ten, you can find me at the kids table rather than with the adults. Granted there are some pills every now and then but kids are normally pretty loveable…or so I thought. I know most parents who have had to put up with obnoxious children are laughing at my warped view of angelic children. I have since seen the error of that kind of thinking.

Out of the 40 babies/kids at the home, there are just 3-4 whom have managed to frustrate me to no end. They are around five years old and my jaw clenches at just the thought of how they behave. They will do anything for attention, including: hitting me, messing up my hair, tearing at my clothes or jewelry, pushing other children out of my lap to get in it, choking the little ones to see if I will re-act, crying or screaming, and anything they think of. They don’t understand English and I have no authority to discipline them.

Today, I sat feeding a three week old baby girl; and in my head, I began to list which kids I would adopt and which I wouldn’t. Never have I felt such shame as when I realized that I was saying that some were not worthy of love or adoption. How I was so quick to offer love to those who I felt were worthy and yet was ready to give up on the others.

I don’t know how Jesus does it, how He loves all of us who are so very unworthy. God doesn’t just adopt those who are cute and obedient – He loves the unlovable. Please pray that God will open my heart to love these four children with the same unconditional love that is lavished upon me. "Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world. Red & yellow, black & white – they are precious in His sight."

Baby Home Pics

These are some of the kids at the Torro babies home that I work with every day. A lot of the younger babies are in their cribs so I didn't take many pics of them. These are the older kids who love to smother me with their sticky hands and snot filled faces....and I am loving every second of it.

Katy Care Packages

Dark Chocolate
Sleepy Time Tea
Hot tamales
Mixed Music Cds
Dvds or TV series (friday nite movie night)
Pictures of yourselves (I can't print pics from emails)
Blank cards / stationary

*Will add more to the side of my blog as I think of it. = )

PHONE NUMBER (updated)

I have a phone! I am so estatic that I have a cell phone but as I carry it around, I constantly reach for it to make a phone call and realize that I really can't just make international calls whenever I feel like it. But if someone calls me from the states then I don't have to pay for anything - so feel free to call any time. It is best to get a phone card and just call me on that...that way it will be cheaper for you. My number is 0751949741.

You have to have access to an international line then dial 011 256 75 1949741 I am 8 hours ahead of you (EST), and am home from the orphanage after 4 PM my time (8 AM your time).

Prayer & Laughter

Here is the little girl who has won her way completely into my heart. Her name is Jeryn - she is the daughter of a fellow teacher at Hope School. She spent the night with Rachel and I this past weekend and it was the most fun. And yes, that is me without anything done to my hair and no make up - welcome to life in Africa.

I need to ask for some serious prayer. Last night a doctor who works with our team died from ebola. They have evacuated all the neighboring team mates and just this week there was a case of ebola here in Fort Portal. People are starting to wear gloves when handling any money or the such. Everyone is scared and unsure about this. Please pray - it has become quite a serious plague.

There is so much more but my time is up! love to all!