Where has it all gone???

First off, I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've blogged.  Sorry about that!!  The past few weeks have been a bit interesting.  The trip to Mozambique was awesome, except for the creeper that was staying in our house at the first place we stayed.  All was well though.  We were able to visit one of the Iris Ministries orphanages there in Maputo.  I was absolutely amazed at how well laid out it was as well as how well organized.  They house a ton of children on the compound and have a school that educates many more from the surrounding area.  We ate lunch there with some of the kids, rice and beans.  It was good eats!  
Our next stop in Mozambique was in the Xai Xai area.  Our home for that period of time was great.  At least I thought so...  It reminded me of some place my family would choose for a family reunion.  Quiet, out of the way, close to water, plenty of room for the kids to run wild.  We were on a lagoon of the Indian Ocean.  One afternoon some of us took the opportunity to ride the boat over to the mouth of the lagoon to see the ocean beach.  Wow, it was amazing. There were crabs everywhere!  And the waves.... they were huge!  After we all piled back into the boat for the return trip, the steering went out and we were a bit stranded.  Thankfully, there were some kind strangers who happened to still be there who had tools on their boat.  (For some reason, the guys from Laguna Camp had no tools.)  They were able to get it so that we could limp our way back home.  It took quite a while longer than anticipated and it was after dark before we got back, but the sunset we were able to watch was breath-taking.  
On our way home from Mozambique, we stopped in White River, S. Africa.  There we stayed at a nice hotel, the meals we were served there were top notch!  Then, we got to go to a Game Reserve.  We saw four of the Big Five!  The only one we weren't able to find was the leopard.  I think the most amazing part was when we had the face-off with the elephants in the road.  They are quite protective of their babies.  
The week after we got home, Dr. Rhonda Pruitt was here to help us debrief from our field assignments and the trip to Mozambique.  She had us all do a Myers-Briggs personality test.  I discovered that I am ESFP - Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, & Perceiving.  What does that mean? I'm really not all that sure...  The paper says "outgoing, friendly, and accepting."  Yeah, I reckon that describes me pretty well.  
Then, we had David Arthur spend a few days with us telling us about his work with Wycliffe Bible Translators.  He's in the media department and allowed us to do a dubbing on a clip of the Jesus film.  It was quite interesting considering that all the characters were male and they have rather feminine voices. :)  
This week, our final week in Africa (pause for a big sigh), we are blessed with Dr. Doug Beacham's presence.  Up until the past couple of days, I haven't truly been able to say that I've been ready to go home.  I could say that I was ready to see family and friends, but not really ready to go home.  I suppose now that reality is beginning to sink in, I'm ready to go home.  My mind has been filled with thoughts of the future.  My prayers have been filled with seeking God's direction.  One thing in my future that is certain, I'll be returning to Holmes in the fall to complete my senior year.  I'm ready to be done!




Lord, you have examined me
       and know all about me.
 You know when I sit down and when I get up.
       You know my thoughts before I think them.
 You know where I go and where I lie down.
       You know everything I do.
 Lord, even before I say a word,
       you already know it.
 You are all around me—in front and in back—
       and have put your hand on me.
 Your knowledge is amazing to me;
       it is more than I can understand.
Psalm 139:1-6 (NCV)

Back to Africa

Well, I made it back home to Africa safe and sound.  We will be leaving early in the morning for Mozambique.  For the first three days we will be staying at the Swedish Centre for street children near Maputo.  We will be doing some ministry with the children Thursday morning and possibly in the evening as well.  Friday we will be visiting Zimpeto Orphanage, a part of Iris Ministries.  We will be given a tour of the facility and then will be allowed to eat lunch with the children.  Saturday we pack up and leave for Bilene, Mozambique.  There we will be staying at Laguna Camp.  We will be going to two churches in the area on Sunday and visiting a primary school on Monday.  Tuesday, we begin the journey back to South Africa.  We will be stopping in White River at the Karula Hotel.  Early Wednesday morning we will get up and head to Kruger National Park where we will hopefully see lots of animals.  Thursday, we head back home to Krugersdorp.  I am sure I will have lots of stories to share with you when I return.  Please keep us in your prayers as our days are filled with travel.  


We need Your deep love to keep us strong
We need Your truth to show us right from wrong
We need Your sweet peace to keep us calm
We need Your comfort to show us we belong to You

Sometimes we're like a river
Always running from our Source
But when we wonder why we're almost runnin' dry
You restore us and return us to our course

Sometimes we get so desperate
Straying further from the fold
But when it seems that we're losing all our dreams
There's a Shepherd with a loving hand to hold

Forgive us Lord
For thinking we can make it without You in this world

We're so foolish
Sometimes we're like a fortress
With our walls built all around
But then Your love comes shining down from above
And we stand and watch our walls come tumbling down
Lyrics of "Deep Love" by Petra

This amazing town called London

   It's so hard to believe that two weeks have already passed.  I suppose it falls under the "time flies when you're having fun" category.  The past two weeks have been absolutely amazing.  Well, except for the first few days when I thought I was going to end up with bronchitis.  That ended pretty amazing as well.  I have no doubt that God touched my body to speed along my recovery.  
   Along with some sightseeing, we were given the opportunity to do Bible lessons for the kids of two different churches, both African though.  Last Sunday, the 14th, I had the opportunity to teach the children about using God's Word as their sword, their weapon when the enemy begins to attack them.  I had a first that afternoon.  I felt a tremendous burden that something I was saying was very specific to someone.  I was telling them that if someone tries to tell them that they are ugly and worthless they can combat that by reciting Psalm 139:14-16.  I've not had many opportunities to preach (outside of class) so it was a pretty amazing feeling.  Also that afternoon, though we were in the Kids church room, we could hear the worship of the adults.  I could hear the songs they were singing and they reminded me of things we had sung in the African churches.  Missing Africa hit me like a ton of bricks.  I know that I will miss London as well.  
   Montana and I have had a conversation recently about how we've been blessed and our hearts touched more so by the place that we didn't choose for our field assignment.  I chose Budapest, but have been blessed beyond measure here in London.  Montana chose London, but she feels like Hungary is home.  Does this mean that I will end up in London?  Only God knows.  I certainly wouldn't bat an eye though. =)  Being in London has felt like a dream come true, but I can honestly say that I do feel completely at home here.  
   One of our first days here Montana and I went into the city and split up to do our own thing for a while.  I had found a company London Walks to do a tour with.  I chose to do the "Shakespeare's and Dickens' London - the Old City" walk.  It was absolutely wonderful!  It was so neat to be able to walk along places that these great men had walked and even see a few things that they saw.  We walked along a few streets where Dickens has set his stories.  Somehow, that morning I left the house without my camera.  I realized this after we had gotten on the train headed into the city.  Though there were things that I wish I could have taken pictures of, it allowed me to just absorb and enjoy.  Not that I don't enjoy photography, don't be mistaken there, but it does use up quite a bit of my focus.  In a way, I think that set the tone for my time here in London.  I was pretty surprised yesterday when it dawned on me that I just haven't taken that many pictures here.  Well, at least not many for me.  I have come to the conclusion that I simply must return to London so that I can walk around for a few days with the sole objective of photography.  
   Oh, I can't believe I forgot one of the completely amazing things that we had the opportunity to do...  We went to (Are you ready for this?) Hillsong London!!  The picture here is what was showing on the screen when we walked in.  I thought it was perfect.


God, your thoughts are precious to me.
       They are so many!
If I could count them,
       they would be more than all the grains of sand.
    When I wake up,
       I am still with you.
Psalm 139:17-18 (NCV)