Thursday, April 28, 2011
We are SUCH bloggers!
Well, our time here is close to finished, and Natalie and I have successfully posted two blogs! But, just in case any of you were worried if we were still alive... Here is a picture to put your nerves at rest! We are alive and we are well.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Two of our different rooms we stayed at during orientation. The second one is the place we were at for most of orientation week.
Our first night
Our first night
Sweet little boy from our "home stay" Two nights of orientation, towards the end, each of our teams stayed at different local houses. We stayed with our, now friends, DK and Matata and their son Loapi. DK is the pastors daughter at the church we attend in Naledi. It was such a cultural experience, to see how they live every single day. They were so welcoming, considerate and respectful. It was a wonderful, challenging, eye opening, fun, memorable - time for us both.
A house in the village of our home stay.
Language Lesson mornings.
Some Team Pictures :)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Greetings from Botswana!
Hi friends! I am so sorry about how long it has taken me to do this. I did not intend on there being this long of a delay. Haha, but then again, those who know Natalie and me are probably not too surprised :). I just wanted to quickly update everyone on some things going on here in Gaborone!
The first ten days that we were here were orientation. This was the time that we spent with the other 15 Hands On students from all over the US. They were all sent out around Africa, in various countries. Our training was here in Gaborone and we did that all together. This consisted of several team building activities; some for all 17 of us and some for just Natalie and I. It was to build trust in your team, and to prepare us to work with another individual in order to complete a task: the task of spreading the Gospel. As you can imagine doing it with your sister adds a unique dynamic, but the Lord has definitely used it in our relationship! We also had several sessions where we were taught by various missionaries, about different things needed as you head onto the mission field. A couple of days were spent out in villages where we walked around, going house to house, to share the Creation of Christ. We had some really neat opportunities on these days. God opened a lot of doors to proclaim the truth! We also had a day where we worked at a feeding project. It is project done by some woman here, who feed the orphans in the village 5 days a week. It is an incredible ministry, and we were able to be a part of it for a day. Orientation was challenging and stretching, but it was so good. Our last weekend together we were all sent out to different villages to stay with a family. Natalie and I were placed in Naledi where we will be spending a bit of time over these next months. We stayed with a family from friday to sunday, in their home. For a couple days we just lived life with them, cooking with them and cleaning with them. It was another very challenging, yet incredible things that God used to teach us.
After orientation we headed to our apartment where we will be living for the next 4 months. Our WONDERFUL roommate Kelly picked us up and we officially were home! Let me just say that Natalie and I are beyond blessed with who we get to work with on this trip. The journeyman (Keely), who we are able to live with, is absolutely a gift from the Lord. In addition, the missionaries we will work closely with are just amazing. We are so blessed! So anyway, we arrived and spent that first day or so just unpacking and getting settled in. We met with Andy (our great supervisor) and just discussed different things. These first two weeks have really consisted more of preparation through prayer and learning about the culture. Every morning Natalie and I go to Naledi where we learn language ad culture from 9 until 12. We get the chance to ride Combi's (the local transportation) each morning and afternoon. We have definitely had some cultural experiences with that as you can imagine :). We love it! After culture and language we usually would head to the University or other places around Gabs to prayer walk. This time is used to pray for the people here, and ask the Lord to prepare our hearts for those He will bring us into contact with. It is our time to ask the Spirit to lead us where He desires us to be! Our nights usually consist of dinners at missionaries homes. On Tuesday nights we do a bible study with the leadership students for the ministry, at the University of Botswana. This has been an incredible thing to be a part of. These students are hungry, and that has been so challenging and encouraging! We are loving getting to know them, and their passion is just amazing! God is using them at their schools, as they meet with other students to disciple them and preach the Word. Be in prayer for each of them!
That as been about it for us so far. We have spent these last two weeks mostly preparing and getting our hearts and minds ready. Monday we will begin going on campus with the intention to make connections with students. Our goal is to start out connecting with them, and lead into an opportunity to share the Gospel. After that we try and disciple them and continue meeting with them throughout our time. We have already made several connections, and God is definitely at work placing people in our lives that He desires us to spend time with! Be in prayer as we try and connect with different girls, with the goal of sharing the Gospel. Pray for boldness as we go to different places. And pray that we would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as it leads. Most all, pray that God is glorified! That is what this is all about! So please be in prayer that His name is proclaimed and that His name is glorified through it all!
Thank you all so much for your support. It means more than you know to Natalie and me. We miss you all so much. We will continue to try and update this as often as possible. Thanks again for everything!
La :)
The first ten days that we were here were orientation. This was the time that we spent with the other 15 Hands On students from all over the US. They were all sent out around Africa, in various countries. Our training was here in Gaborone and we did that all together. This consisted of several team building activities; some for all 17 of us and some for just Natalie and I. It was to build trust in your team, and to prepare us to work with another individual in order to complete a task: the task of spreading the Gospel. As you can imagine doing it with your sister adds a unique dynamic, but the Lord has definitely used it in our relationship! We also had several sessions where we were taught by various missionaries, about different things needed as you head onto the mission field. A couple of days were spent out in villages where we walked around, going house to house, to share the Creation of Christ. We had some really neat opportunities on these days. God opened a lot of doors to proclaim the truth! We also had a day where we worked at a feeding project. It is project done by some woman here, who feed the orphans in the village 5 days a week. It is an incredible ministry, and we were able to be a part of it for a day. Orientation was challenging and stretching, but it was so good. Our last weekend together we were all sent out to different villages to stay with a family. Natalie and I were placed in Naledi where we will be spending a bit of time over these next months. We stayed with a family from friday to sunday, in their home. For a couple days we just lived life with them, cooking with them and cleaning with them. It was another very challenging, yet incredible things that God used to teach us.
After orientation we headed to our apartment where we will be living for the next 4 months. Our WONDERFUL roommate Kelly picked us up and we officially were home! Let me just say that Natalie and I are beyond blessed with who we get to work with on this trip. The journeyman (Keely), who we are able to live with, is absolutely a gift from the Lord. In addition, the missionaries we will work closely with are just amazing. We are so blessed! So anyway, we arrived and spent that first day or so just unpacking and getting settled in. We met with Andy (our great supervisor) and just discussed different things. These first two weeks have really consisted more of preparation through prayer and learning about the culture. Every morning Natalie and I go to Naledi where we learn language ad culture from 9 until 12. We get the chance to ride Combi's (the local transportation) each morning and afternoon. We have definitely had some cultural experiences with that as you can imagine :). We love it! After culture and language we usually would head to the University or other places around Gabs to prayer walk. This time is used to pray for the people here, and ask the Lord to prepare our hearts for those He will bring us into contact with. It is our time to ask the Spirit to lead us where He desires us to be! Our nights usually consist of dinners at missionaries homes. On Tuesday nights we do a bible study with the leadership students for the ministry, at the University of Botswana. This has been an incredible thing to be a part of. These students are hungry, and that has been so challenging and encouraging! We are loving getting to know them, and their passion is just amazing! God is using them at their schools, as they meet with other students to disciple them and preach the Word. Be in prayer for each of them!
That as been about it for us so far. We have spent these last two weeks mostly preparing and getting our hearts and minds ready. Monday we will begin going on campus with the intention to make connections with students. Our goal is to start out connecting with them, and lead into an opportunity to share the Gospel. After that we try and disciple them and continue meeting with them throughout our time. We have already made several connections, and God is definitely at work placing people in our lives that He desires us to spend time with! Be in prayer as we try and connect with different girls, with the goal of sharing the Gospel. Pray for boldness as we go to different places. And pray that we would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as it leads. Most all, pray that God is glorified! That is what this is all about! So please be in prayer that His name is proclaimed and that His name is glorified through it all!
Thank you all so much for your support. It means more than you know to Natalie and me. We miss you all so much. We will continue to try and update this as often as possible. Thanks again for everything!
La :)
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Already at work!
Our trip to Botswana is getting closer and closer. And now that I am home, it seems more real than ever. I have moved out of my room and said all of my goodbyes. Natalie and I leave January 14, 2011. We will be at home for the next 3 weeks until we leave. Nevertheless, the Lord is already at work in my life, challenging me in ways He never has before. I have been anticipating this trip and the mighty ways the Lord was going to use it in my life. I was waiting around for this "big" trip I was about to take, with the mindset of "God is GOING to do awesome things in your life". Rather than seeing that the Lord was indeed ALREADY DOING big things in my life. As usual, He reminded me just how much I underestimate Him. He has been busy using this time before the trip has even started, in ways I never would have expected.
Saying goodbye to Union and all that comes with it was harder than I had ever expected. Letting go of the things that I have been used to for almost 3 years was something I on my own did not have the strength to do. But, like always the Lord uses painful times and hurt to bring about good and growth! As a result of Him stripping me of these things I have grown to depend on and become used to, He has driven me to my knees at the foot of the cross in need of comfort and joy! And as I result, I have found comfort that I have never experienced before. I have been given peace and joy that can't be taken away. I am being shown daily that the Creator of the Universe desire's to be my everything. He is the only place that I can put my dependence, and He is in fact ALL I need. This is definitely a daily battle. I would be lying if I did not say that there are many days where I am tempted to not believe this. I feel fear and loneliness without my friends. But amidst my doubt, the Lord continues to show me His unconditional love, and reminds me that I am safe in His arms. He gently whispers that He is all that I need, and He will never leave me. He is using this time and will continue to use it to show me that He is the ultimate COMFORTER, ENCOURAGER, and FRIEND!!! He has taken these things away for this period of time, to show me more clearly who He is and what He desires to be in my life!
This will definitely be a journey, a difficult one at that. It already has been one. But it has been GREAT! And one thing I know for sure, God is so GOOD and He is at work! He is FOR me, therefore what can be against me!!
I will continue to keep everyone updated! Be in prayer as we do the last minute things, and finalize all the "small" details. Thanks!
Saying goodbye to Union and all that comes with it was harder than I had ever expected. Letting go of the things that I have been used to for almost 3 years was something I on my own did not have the strength to do. But, like always the Lord uses painful times and hurt to bring about good and growth! As a result of Him stripping me of these things I have grown to depend on and become used to, He has driven me to my knees at the foot of the cross in need of comfort and joy! And as I result, I have found comfort that I have never experienced before. I have been given peace and joy that can't be taken away. I am being shown daily that the Creator of the Universe desire's to be my everything. He is the only place that I can put my dependence, and He is in fact ALL I need. This is definitely a daily battle. I would be lying if I did not say that there are many days where I am tempted to not believe this. I feel fear and loneliness without my friends. But amidst my doubt, the Lord continues to show me His unconditional love, and reminds me that I am safe in His arms. He gently whispers that He is all that I need, and He will never leave me. He is using this time and will continue to use it to show me that He is the ultimate COMFORTER, ENCOURAGER, and FRIEND!!! He has taken these things away for this period of time, to show me more clearly who He is and what He desires to be in my life!
This will definitely be a journey, a difficult one at that. It already has been one. But it has been GREAT! And one thing I know for sure, God is so GOOD and He is at work! He is FOR me, therefore what can be against me!!
I will continue to keep everyone updated! Be in prayer as we do the last minute things, and finalize all the "small" details. Thanks!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
My trip to Botswana!!
In January 2011 I will be going to Botswana, Africa. I will be serving there for around 4 months and return in May. Last January I was able to take a trip to Botswana for 2 weeks through Unions GO trips, and will be returning to do the same work. I will be going through the IMB, working with Hands On. This is a semester long project where they send college aged students overseas to get hands on experience on the mission field.
While in Botswana I will be working with the students at the University of Botswana. It is a university in the city of Gaborone, where hundreds of students attend from all over the country. The missionaries I will be working with work as the campus ministers here. They go on campus daily, ministering to them and discipling those that are already Christians. They have a weekly event at a place called “the center” where students are invited to come and hangout, and then present the Gospel to them. There are a handful of students that are already believers that help with this event as well as spreading the word on campus.
I have been given the opportunity to go over and work alongside these students to spread the Gospel at their school. I would be given the chance to take the role of a mentor for the ones that are growing their faith. I will be going on campus daily doing a number of things. Some days would consist of me discipling new believers. Other days I would simply walk around evangelizing to students on campus while prayer walking. While the students at this university would be my primary focus for the semester, I will also be traveling to surrounding villages to do ministry.
There have been several obstacles along the way, yet I have seen the Lord faithfully triumph over every single one. Therefore I am confident that He is in the process of providing a way for me to get there. This is an awesome opportunity that the Lord alone has provided me with.
This blog is a chance for me to update people on the trip and share what the Lord is doing during this time. I am at the point in the process where it is mostly preparation. Raising money, paper work, insurance details, etc. This will give me the chance to keep people up to date on the process as well as the trip. If you feel led to give financially that is always needed. There is a link on the page that you can go to in order to do so. Otherwise, I am asking for prayers right now; prayer in the preparation process and well as provision (which I have utter confidence will happen). Thank you all for your support and prayers. I will keep you updated!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Preparation
Acts 20:24
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
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