Back in Africa

How you know you are back in Africa:
10. Starting to sweat as soon as the cabin door of the airplane is open.
9. At the airport, you are accosted by people wanting to push your luggage to your car for you.
8. Stopped at a military check-point as you enter your neighborhood on the way home from the airport.
7. Not being able to sleep because you lay awake listening to the sounds of the neighborhood (which you had missed the whole time in the states and had a hard time sleeping without)
6. How can you forget in two weeks how slow the internet is here? (and its faster in Abidjan than most places)
5. You take a bath after Bible study even though you took one earlier in the day, just too much sticky sweat.
4. You leave for church fifteen minutes after it was supposed to start and you are right on-time. (and its a fifteen minute drive)
3. Because you are the only native English speaker in your English Bible study they elect you to sing the group song for the Easter service. (AHHHH!)
2. At the end of the Bible study the teacher asks you to tell about your trip to the states and to give what you had brought back for the group. (you didn't realize gifts were expected so you give them blessings)
1. You go to buy butter at a little kiosk (small corner store) and ask for butter and are handed small individually rapped packets to equal a whole stick.
0. You go to make icing for a cake and find ants had gotten in the powdered sugar bag while you were gone. Not to mention cake mix that had been eaten by mice.

Dad and I went through all my stored boxes looking for music CD's to load on our new toys, MP3 players.

Things to cherish about the states:
· Entering an American grocery store and walking the isles looking at all the pre-cooked, just add water/milk packaged food. (ahhh sweat memories)
· Walking softly, not because of the mud, but because of the snow and ice.
· Putting something over my nose and mouth to protect them from the cold, not dust storms!
· Spending a whole day at church and being able to understand the sermon and praise songs.
· Eating fast food
· Having white lines on the road
· Drivers sticking between the white lines on the road and following traffic laws.
· Red lights that work and no policeman in the middle of the intersection directing traffic.
· WEARING JEANS!
· Eating fast food

Missions Conference

My reason for returning to the states before the end of my term was to attended a Missions Conference at my parents church.



Sunday:
I visited Sunday School classes talking about how they could become involved in overseas missions and worked a West Africa booth at an International Food fellowships.




Monday:
The Awana's program invited me to speak to the kids about missions in Africa. They were great and it was a crazy hair day. Later, I met with the Missions Team to talk about how the church could pray for me.







Tuesday:
Joy in the Morning is the women's Bible study and I got to talk to the women about what I do and what they could do for missions. Then I met with the church staff for lunch so they could learn about missions in West Africa.


Wednesday:
I talked to the whole church during their service for about five minutes then raced upstairs to talk with the youth group. They were a great group and had lots of questions.

The Missions Conference was a great experience. The church is really excited about what God is doing all over the world and how they can be a part of it.

No Snow in Africa

I knew it was going to be cold leaving Africa and returning for two weeks to the States, but Snow?


Thanks to Centreville Baptist Church I a was able to experience SNOW in March! It is really cold here.

Aaron, my younger brother, and I got caught in a snow storm in Maryland. I do not miss snow storms...but the snow was pretty.

We got stuck in D.C. rush hour traffic, rain, ice and snow.

We had plans to go to New York City, but a friend called and said there was already 6 inches in New Jersey, so we turned around and went back home.

Luckily, we were in my dad's big truck and we had no problems.

New Things

I know it’s been a while…lets catch-up

Last trip as a journalist
Senegal was a blast at the end of January. It was warmer there than Nigeria, but I still walked around all day with a light jacket. The volunteers think I am crazy, they felt great! I was cold, of course. We had a great time and I got to hang out with some great people. I really do think I had the best job in the world.

Travel to places unknown
Experience new cultures
Meet interesting people
And hang with different IMB workers every month
Then tell everyone who will listen about it

In Senegal a group of second-generation Hispanic-Americans came out to see how their churches could be involved in missions. I really feel I laughed for a whole week. They were a great group and the people here loved them.

They were from all over the U.S.--Texas, D.C., New York City, Richmond, Va.

I hope they come again. West Africa needs more churches involved in the work.

(This is me eating Chee-bo gen, a great rice and fish meal)

I started my New Job as part of the West Africa Regional Media Team. I will now work on websites, training material, video, short stories, and helping missioanries in all their media needs. Right now, I am doing research to help prepare some training materials for volunteers, churches and missionaries. Interesting reading. Soon, I will know everything one would want to know about how to be a good volunteer and missionary. (Maybe I should already know this…oh, well!)

I will also get the chance to know the great city of Abidjan better.

It rained last night for the first time in over a month. That means rainy season is on its way. I will have to show you our street. It literally becomes a flowing river.

Two of our friends in the neighborhood have had babies this month. Neither told us they were pregnant. So, it came as quite a shock! That’s the way it goes here, because the baby might not survive. Madame Bambara looked like a healthy lady, quite large – a good thing here, and then when we got back from Nigeria, theirs a new baby in her house! JB, one of the mission guards, told us last week that his wife was pregnant and she had a little girl this weekend. These guys just love to keep us on our toes! Go to www.xanga.com/emilyinwestafrica to read about it.

I still don’t have a working computer. But, I am surviving and hope to get one in March. Why March, you might ask? Because…I am coming HOME! That’s right I have two weeks of vacation and I will be in the states March 8 – March 21. I look forward to seeing as many of you as I can!

And just for your enjoyment: Emily and I modeling our Christmas gifts from our friend Louis! Don't you wish you had one just like it?!?

Computer problems

Please lift me up. My computer quit. It is a vital part of my work here and I do not need the destraction. The last month of work was on the computer and I have lost all of this information. Plus all of my supporters e-mail addresses. If you want to continue getting updates, please e-mail me so I will have your address.

Africa-Cold?

FREEZING!

So, here I am in northern Nigeria and literally freezing to death. I do not think I have been warm…well in a long time. Listen to me complain. Some of you guys are in blizzards as I write this. I am sitting in my bedroom at a guesthouse in Jos, Nigeria and the temp. inside is 65 degrees. I am under three huge blankets, in pants and wearing multiple layers! There are no heaters here and when it has gotten down to 39 degrees for a couple of nights in the last two weeks…you think you will never be warm again. Was it not to long ago I was complaining about being in 150 degree weather?!? It is great riding down the street seeing Nigerians wearing Parkas! Even in the greetings people with ask “How is the cold?” the answer is “It is time.” Meaning that it is not good, but there is nothing one can do about it!

CAMPING

I also went camping. That was crazy cold. We set up on a hill (Mistake number 1, the wind was like ice cutting through our bodies.) to show the Jes*s film. Emily and I shared a twin size air mattress (Most comfortable bed while in a village yet, but also mistake number 2, Emily and I did not both fit on it. She ended up on the ground with all the covers!) I forgot socks! (Mistake number 3, a wonderful volunteer shared an extra pair, HUGE blessing!) It was a great time getting to know some new workers and volunteers…but oh soooo cold. Like camping next to a lake in the dead of winter! What were we thinking?

Happy Birthday MOMMY!

I wish I could be there to celebrate this special day with you. I want you to know I am thinking of you today and pray that everyone around you loves on you for me.

You are a great mom, the best. I would not be half-way across the world without the love and encouragement you have always given me! You have made me a courageous and faithful follower of Christ.

Thank you for always being there for me…through tough times with friends, guys, school and work. You will always be my favorite mom and my closest friend.

I LOVE YOU!

The Beauty of a Sunset

For security reasons I am going to be vague...

Five women--young and single--work in the number one least livable (hardest to live) country in the world and they are leading Muslim men and women to Christ. In the last three months more than 50 villagers have become believers. God is good.

One team (of two young women) live in a two bedroom house with their bathroom outside as a hole in the ground. Another team has to four-wheel drive the entire way to their villages because of the deep desert sand. These are young women my age and they are beautiful, faithful and excited about what God is doing among their people group.

Many people have said it will take 8 years once a Muslim has heard about Christ to believe much less hearing about Him from a woman. These girls are seeing God move, He is saying it is His time among this people group. The first story of Jesus was told three months ago, three weeks later 25 believed. One week after 7 came to Christ.

I was able to spend a week with these girls visiting four villages, encouraging them and the new believers. What a blessing for me.

I also spent time with a Texas church who has adopted 48 villages to tell about Jesus. Amazing! One chief walked them outside his hut and showed them land he set aside for them to come back to stay while they taught the village about Jesus. He said, "We are tired of the Muslim faith, come teach us. Look at all the land that can be the church. That is all yours if you want it."

God has renewed me in my work this last month. He has shown me He will be worshiped and glorified by all peoples.

I saw Him in the beautiful smile of the Chief who couldn't wait to hear another story of Jesus from two young women, in the hope of a church to reach 48 villages and in the beauty of a sunset.

Pictures from some of my adventures





This is the desert meeting a large river. The river does not give life very far from it's shore. It was beautiful seeing the quick transition from delta to desert!









This is called Harmatten (the dry, dusty season caused by winds from the Sahara picking up sand and blowing it south). If you look hard enough you can see a camel! During Harmatten nights can get to around 40 degress and days can still be over 100 degress. I froze at night!







I got to take a one cow draw cart for Christmas caroling in the desert! It snowed dust! Two other journeyman and myself went to encourage believers outside of the village and sang Christmas songs for our hour long ride back to the village. The locals looked at us kinda funny! We had a blast getting our selves into the Christmas spirit.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

To me…Today is my one year anniversary working for the IMB! Man has the year flown by quickly.

So I am going to get a little nostalgic.

One year ago today was a Sunday. I was living outside of Richmond, Va. I meet a friend of mine, Kristen at a near-bye Panera Bread (mmmm….I do miss Panera!) and we ate dinner together. Then we both got into our packed cars and drove the remainder 45 minutes to the training center to begin our journey in becoming IMB missionaries.

Three months later I was on a plane to West Africa!

I left family, friends, snow and started what has turned into a wonderful adventure.

I have visited so many people who have inspired me to be a better believer…like Pierre in Southern Senegal who questions everything about God and searches the Word for the answers and then believes with his whole heart!

Or like Helen who lives in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and prays for a godly husband or to live a life of faithfulness as a single. She wants to become a missionary.

But the biggest impact has been made by my fellow workers who daily give of themselves to do the work God has called them to complete.

The OneStory team of amazing 20 something’s. Their daily struggle just to survive is overwhelming, but they push on and use every opportunity to tell the story of Christ.

The people on the Engaging Team of West Africa drive long hard roads to find people who need to hear the gospel and then have to leave them. It is hard to meet someone and start a relationship knowing that you will probably never be a part of this person’s life. But they do it, so one day a church or another missionary can go and begin to share.

And then there are those people who spend year after year telling their neighbors about Jesus and being rejected, but keeping the joy of just being able to tell the stories of the Bible.

I wish I could let you all meet these same amazing people and the people they work with in West Africa.

I thank the Lord everyday for this experience and pray the next year will bring Him glory from my life.

The places I have seen…

This last weekend I had the privilege to follow around a research, Kerry, and his boss, Jay, as they learn about the Senufo people of Burkina Faso, Mali and Cote D’Ivoire.

We started by visiting this beautiful rock formation we call “the Peeks.” They are a seemingly, random grouping of cliff like…rocks. The Peeks are steeped in animistic spiritual traditions. We took a tour offered by a Senufo tourist guide and he gave us the history of the Senufo people and what the Peeks mean to them.

I was able to catch most of the conversation (it was in French), but since my vocabulary does not include animistic words, I missed a few things I later had to get translated.

The Senufo people came from Mali to Southern Burkina Faso and arrived at the rocks and found them filled with spirits. So, they lived on the rocks and prayed to the spirits. As time went on they moved off the mountain of rocks into the surrounding area. Now they only use the rocks for spiritual ceremonies, traditional tribal initiations and to make money from tourists.

From the top of the rocks you can look out over southern Burkina and (right now) see the green, wet fields of rice and scattered villages.

It is heartbreaking to hear how they believe spirits who will protect them if they sacrifice and follow its will or harm them if they don’t.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Jay wanted to learn about the Senufo so that he can inform SBC’s about this unreached people group. He will be talking about them at the West Africa Summit in St. Louis at the end of the month.

The thing is…I could see how God had beautifully created this area of the world. Looking out over the valley into the distance I was reminded of God’s power of the earth and those He draws to Himself.

October makes 10 months in West Africa. In these 10 months I have visited 15 people groups. Each group is different. Different in how much they have heard of the gospel.

Like the Senufo some have only heard of God by seeing His creation. Others have Missionaries living with them and still others are part of a Baptist Convention.

My prayer today is in someway see these people in Heaven for He has promise Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance.

LONDON: DAY TWO

Starting the day with a bus ride to the train station eating pastries and hot tea for breakfast while on the fifteen minute train ride into the city.


We arrived at Victoria station and walked a short way to the Westminster Cathedral...very large. Then another short walk back to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards. (A lot of young men in red jackets with big, furry, black hats, taking a long time to change places!) It was fun getting pushed up next to the gate because others wanted to see!











We ate at a small pub called Bag O'Nails...I had a Jacket Potato...Basically a baked potato, and no one serves Coke...only Pepsi here.





More walking to see Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abbey--were more than 3,000 people are buried inside the church!


To end our wonderfully busy day...We took a double-decker bus from one end of the line to the other... 2 hours of seeing the suburbs of London! Then ate a healthy meal at McDonalds!

I am going to rest for another exciting day tomorrow!