jessica's warehouse

Here's What We Did Tonight:
(written by rachel hull)

We went to Jessica's Warehouse. Jessica is a woman from Nigeria who also spend time in the US (was trained as a nurse there) who has started a ministry working with the street kids in Bamako. Many people go around from village to village asking to take kids to Bamako so they can educate them and get them jobs to help support their family. Families send their kids to Bamako where they are sold into slavery. These kids have no way of ever returning to their family and if they are fortunate enough to escape from slavery they are stuck homeless and begging on the street where they fall into drugs and sickness and other dangers. Jessica started her ministry by providing these kids with medicine and food from time to time but has now rented a warehouse, literally, it is just a big garage in the middle of the city with a cement floor and some rugs and 1 tv where anywhere from 25-50 boys can sleep every night. She provides them with food and medicine when they are sick and shelter so they can survive a little easier and stay away from the influence of drugs.

These street kids have no way of better-ing themselves. Most of them have no education at all. They carry around big tomato cans (street kids are called tomato paste kids here) and beg for anything they can get. The ones who Jessica helps at least have a safe place to sleep at night.

While we are here in Bamako we are going to be teaching them to write their numbers and recognize them. Tonight we brought them notebooks where we had put the numbers 1-10 on 10 pages and helped them practice writing them. Some kids got through all 10 in the few hours we were there, others only got through 1 or 2 but all of them were SO excited just to be able to have a notebook and have someone take the time and effort to try and teach them to read.

These boys were so awesome though. They were so happy. And when we left they were all really disappointed because they wanted to keep learning more about writing their numbers. It was cool to see their excitement to be able to learn. They don't have a lot going for them; begging only gets them by from day to day, so it is definitely awesome to be a part of making even just a few moments better for them.

Also- near the end of our visit we started having thumb wars---they go crazy for those! It was hilarious. I think I played about 10 in the last 3 minutes and they are intense (and cheaters!) ;)

Jessica plans on moving them into a house soon. UNICEF has agreed to help her by sending teachers and supplies IF she gets them out of the warehouse and into a house. The house she wants has 12 bedrooms and multiple bathroom and looks like it was made for these kids. It is almost done being built and she is saving money to get it, but it $800 a month and she has no source of income.

Tomorrow we are going back at 1 pm our time hopefully with bread and candy in hand! :)

Rachel helping a boy with his numbers

street boys

Yesterday we went to see the street boys. It was a shocking and speechless experience. They have so little, yet so much. That seems to be that way in third world countries. The boys all shared with each other, what little they had; they looked out for each other and when one got in trouble they confront them; and as well. Tonight we are going back there, so I'm excited for what I'll learn. Hopefully I'll get to take pictures of these boys and the conditions that they live in. The single woman who runs this ministry is Jessica. She is from another African country, who has been educated as a nurse in the States. She is looking to rent a house that will hold up some where between 150 and 200 boys. Right now shes looking to raise support. She needs $700 a month for this project, but since taking care of the boys is her full-time job, she doesn't have any income to pay for the housing or food. As soon as she gets into the house UNICEF will be getting teachers to bring the boys up to their education level, get them beds, and various other things. One thing that she kept emphasizing is that the money that countries send to their country for these boys and they never see the money...that the money gets lost in transition, gets misused, etc.

back to Bamako

Hello everyone! We made is back to Bamako safe a sound. It's a really nice place to be and our travels were smooth, not a problem at all. Pray for us as tomorrow we are meeting with the ministry with the street boys. We will be starting that this week. I'm not sure how many days we will be able to serve there because of the holidays, but please be praying for that ministry as a whole. They are trying to rent a house, as opposed to a store front, which can house a 100 more boys, African style. While we are there we will be trying to teach them the numbers in Bambara, the trade language. Pray that we can have sharp memories of their language and that the boys will be able to grasp simple things like holding a pencil, writing, etc. Also, a praise: I have a babysitting job to come home to! It should help me pay most of my bills, but any more odd jobs would help alot too.

Thanks so much for all your prayers and support! I can definitely feel the love of family, friends, and my church family. I miss you all alot.

Pastor's wife grinding grain

Joyeux Noël !

Joyeux Noël ! As I've heard today. Last night I started out our African Christmas celebration. We got to the church around nine o'clock at night and we were there until about midnight. We could hear the party the minute we stepped out the door of our house. There was dancing, lots of dancing, which all took place in the church's courtyard. I ended up holding baby Emmanuel (not really Jesus) for a few hours, until I realized he peed...on me! Here they don't wear diapers around here, so yeah...needless to say when I got home I took a shower RIGHT away and washed four times...ahhh! I won't even use cloth diapers after that because I don't want it to seep through onto me...never again! But it was well worth it, the baby was adorable and his mom got to dance a lot longer without him. Today we went to church for the longest service of my life, which I think seems longer when you don't know the language, but two or three hours is long its self. I hope you're enjoying family and friends because that has been the hardest part of the this season of Christ's birth for me. I've learned a lot about family and how close I really am to them. I miss them all like mad. Give them a hug for me if you see them, please! Thanks a ton for your prayers and support. Love and miss you all!

Grace, peace, and love from Africa,
Kait

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Gourds for Christmas

Christmas Eves’ Eve, was marvelous. One of those days that was completely unscripted, but perfect all the same. The night before a man that does the Christian radio drama team called and asked if he could pick us up at nine o’clock and take us around town. So, we did just that. Our first stop was to a house where there were tons of women and children. The courtyard was filled with so many, all happy and smiling, some were cooking, some resting in patio like room. He explained to us that this lady had just returned to her pilgrimage to Mecca. The man told us we could take pictures, so we started to at the end, which ended up being the beginning. I think se spent twenty more minutes there just taking pictures of everyone. Everyone from eighty to a baby wanted their picture taken and they loved seeing what they looked like. It was so much fun communicating with out even speaking. The kids were adorable and loving.

Then, we went just across the street to another house where her son was with other men, he too had returned from his pilgrimage to Mecca, with his mom. We spent some time there just talking the men and having children come say hello to the “too baboos,” white people. On our way out some ladies were trying to get a little girl to say hello to us, but she was one who was scared of the white people. It’s interesting because every time I hear too baboo I turn and look, trying to see who I can wave at. When I get home I’m not going to know what to do walking down the streets and not being famous or being yelled at. Kids seriously run after us just to shake our hands and we’ve taught some to give “high fives.” It’s cute. They have picked up “bye-bye” (from somewhere) in their adorable Bambara accents and I tried to teach them toodles, but I couldn’t communicate for them to repeat it…motions are easier.

After that we went to a CMA church, evangelical I think, and just sat in the courtyard with the pastor, youth pastor, his wife, and some other guys. They all just talked and caught up. Rachel and I were watching the baby chicks and contemplating trying to catch them, but we decided not to since there are so many diseases American chickens, so we didn’t want to even know what the African chickens carried. Today we will be coming to together with the CMA church and the church the Eadleman’s attend to celebrate Christmas, which we’re really excited for. (We are singing for them, which I’m not thrilled about seeing how I don’t like being in front of people doing something I’m not passionate about…so we will see how that goes.)

When we got home two girls came, Abbey and Karen, over to talk with us. We ended up going to the house of missionaries, who have left for a while due to health problems, to take their tiny little puppy and play with him for the afternoon. It was fun being outside with them all day, just talking as best we could. I loved it because there were two African friends and two American friends coming together to enjoy the day. At the end of our afternoon we all went together to return our puppy, now named Cashew. We followed Abby to the tailor to get out African dresses, which didn’t turn out like we expected at all, and then went to the church to help decorate for the Christmas celebration.

At the church we had a blast with a few younger kids. We made cootie catchers, paper airplanes, purses, and snowflakes out of paper. I met my new friend Eli (ah-lee) who is probably four or five. The whole entire time he never left my side. My favorite part was when he pouted; it’s my weakness because I just think it’s so cute and funny. He would pout to me in Bamabara and I would talk to him sometimes in French (but not really since I don’t know it and he didn’t either) and mostly in English. We would both just talk, him pouting and me semi-mimicking his pouts, you know when the mom sticks out her lip and says something like it’s the end of the world. He never gave up. I taught him how to take a picture on my camera (I had the strap on my wrist Josh, so he couldn’t break your camera) and I got some of the cutest pictures. When I was trying to teach the kids to smile in pictures, he would just start laughing on of the funniest laughs I’ve heard and I even got it on video.

Here are some of my observations for now:

1. Albino Africans-I have now seen two albino children and two half albino children (orange hair, white lips and hands, and distinct lighter features.) I really want to know the statistics of albino children in Africa and the “expected lifespan?” When I get home I’m taking a cultural diversity class, so I’m hoping that I can do some research for that in my class.
2. Holding hands and sitting on laps-It is a foreign concept to children here. We didn’t have enough seats so I had a girl sit on my lap, she really didn’t know at all what to think about it. She eventually got up and stood by me. Eli held my hand while I was walking to the tailor and he just kept looking at my hand. When we got back he looked down at his hand and wiped it on because it was so hot it was sweating. It was super funny to see how confused he was by holding hands.
3. Too baboo-I’ve started realizing that I have not once had a little boy run away and cry because I was white, nope just girls. That’s interesting to me. My thought…is girls naughtier then boys so they get told more that the white people are going to take them away? Or do girls naturally have that tendency to not know what to think?
4. Denominations-One of my favorite thing about yesterday was seeing the fellowship of three denominations. All genuinely being interested in one another’s lives. Yes, you see Baptist being friends with Reforms in America, but how often do you see the pastor going to see a family who juts returned from their pilgrimage to Mecca? It would be easy for us to say, that would be supporting their disbelief.
   

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM AFRICA!

prayers

I am still doing pretty good, my kidney hasn't been giving me any problems, praise God! On the flip side, I do have an infection which is common due to being on antibiotics (our malaria pills and I was on some for 2 weeks before leaving) so I'm dealing with those side effects. Please pray that they will clear up quickly and I will be able to enjoy my Christmas celebration in Africa better, as well as be in good health. Thanks a ton!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!

Christmas list

So I wanted to expound on my post concerning Christmas. Since so many people don't even know where to begin, I thought that I make a starting point for us, together:

• Match your child’s toys- For every toy you buy your child, have them pick out a toy or necessity of life for a child in another country who would otherwise not get something for Christmas, bit on top of that they may not know of Christmas. By getting a physical gift from you, they are also receiving an eternal gift or a seed planted of Christ’s love as well. (https://giving.samaritanspurse.org/c-7-gift-catalog.aspx?skinid=1)
• Less is more- Take the opportunity to spend less on yourselves and your children. Instead of spending a hundred dollars, spend maybe half or even three-quarters and donate the rest to a foundation set in place to help a cause of your choice. (www.5for50.com)
• Serve- Jesus Christ came to this earth to take our sins up on the cross. He came to die for you and me. What else did he do for us? He served us and showed us the kind of love we had never experiences or known. What better way to celebrate Christmas then serving the homeless or needy for your Christmas dinner? (www.meltrotter.org)
• Speak your voice with love- PLEASE speak your voice about Christmas, loud and clear. Stop by your neighbor’s houses telling them of Christ’s love and show them the message of Christ’s birth, the reason we celebrate. Please, I beg of you, keep the “Christian grinch” mentality away from a day of the celebration of Christ’s birth. It’s a day that’s the easiest to talk about Christ, so don’t do Him the disservice of not sharing with love, joy, and happiness.
• Another great resource is www.adventconspiracy.org

Those are just a few thoughts from a girl who gets to experience Christmas in a land of many, yet little.

Grace, peace, and love,

Kaitlyn

A Note on Christmas

Rachel and I with our Christmas tree

I know that a lot of people have been there, including me, but here are my thoughts on Christmas. After spending time being bitter about how "Americans spend Christmas" I'm kind of just sick of hearing about it. People get on rants and raves about how Americans don't remember that Christmas is about Christ's birth and that all we do is spend too much money on pointless gifts that aren't needed things when there are children starving in Africa...yes! All of these things ARE true, but here is my recent dilemma on this topic...what are YOU doing about it? Are you being a "grinch for Jesus?" Sometimes I feel like I'm just surrounded by people that are becoming negative about Christmas because others aren't remember Christ or are spending too much. How is that helping others remember Christ's birth to take our place on the cross for our sins? I'm not really seeing the how that all adds up when Christians themselves become negative toward Christmas...

Our tree

On another note from Africa...yesterday I got to pet a baby donkey...TWICE! But something more...I finally got to hold a baby! It honestly has been one of the greatest highlights of my trip and if you know me you know why: I LOVE babies and children in general! They bring so much joy into my life and a genuine smile on my face all the time. I've always had a tender heart toward children and wanted to do foster care or adopt for as long as I can remember. Loving kids is just part of who I am. When there is a baby in my hands, you can see the true me. But, on the adopting note I have learned a few things:

1. If people here tell children the "white people" will take them away if they're bad, what do all the kids think when being adopted or when their friends are adopted? How many different lies have been told to adopted children around the world with out their new parents ever knowing? What thoughts are going through their heads on top of already leaving their only known things?

2. In international adoption there are obvious cultural and language barriers that come with taking a child from another country, upbringing, and social situation to America. How can these type things help be lessened in the process? Here are a few of my ideas in that area: spend lots of time in a region or country before you adopt so you can better understand the true culture, adopt children of the same language so that your family can have a common bond as well as making the transition smoother, do lots of research, and there are so many more ways.

This trip hasn't necessarily been everything I anticipated for my first trip to Africa, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I have learned a lot about: myself, God, and where my future husband and I fit into that larger picture; my friends and family; the support and love of my church family; what the daily life of missionaries and natives look like and so much more.

Sadly, I haven't been to an orphanage yet, but everything here was very loosely planned, all tentative schedule and because of things coming up I don't think visiting an orphanage will happen. Obviously that makes me sad at the thought, but I know that God has a bigger plan for me. When I look on the street or market I know that so many are orphans physically or spiritually. There are a lot more spiritual orphans who don't know the love of Christ and that some day they will suffer greatly, even more then the daily sufferings now. How many people do you interact with everyday that don't know that either? Have they seen the love of Christ through you or don't they notice anything different from you to the next person?

On a lovely note, I will be returning to the capital, Bamako, on the 28th of December and there we will be working with the "Street Boys," who although they probably have a family somewhere they cannot find them because they fell captive to human trafficking. They have escaped this "modern day slavery," but they have no means of finding their family or even where to being. So this woman, Jessica from another African country, has opened up this "warehouse." It's basically a storefront that she has opened up to the boys at night (around 50), she has quickly out grown her facilities, and had to turn children away at night. Just before we left Bamako to stay in Kadiolo she found a place to rent where she hopes to hold up to 250 children. While we come at night we are going to attempt to teach them numbers in their trade language here (Bambara) and since we have just learned some basics, we will see how that goes. But Jessica hopes to hire a full-time teacher to come after their day job to teach the children enough to catch them up to their grade level since they haven't had any education.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. The love I've felt, even from across the ocean, has been overwhelming.

Prayer and Praises: I have been in relatively good health thus far in my trip, although I haven't been feeling well the last few days. Please be praying for me as my throat is starting to hurt and some pain in my kidney woke me up last night. Praise God it has subsided today, but all prayers are welcome. Praise God that I am not as homesick, but it comes in and out often. Be praying that the Christmas holiday will be good for my family and Evan. It will probably be easier for me because when there isn't snow it's hard to think it's Christmas and it's a celebration of a lifetime. Be praying too since I will be missing out on Trace's (my nephew) first Christmas as well as mine and Evan's first Christmas day Christmas together. Praise that in all of this I have been able to keep in relatively good contact with my family. Please also be praying for my dad as he is having some troubles with his shoulder and other muscular problems, which interferes with his sleep. He also is suppose to be leaving for Mexico the morning I come back (January 8th) for Mexico, so pray for discernment on whether or not he should be driving such a great distance.

Thanks again!

Grace, peace, and love,

Kait in Africa

Me and baby Emmanuel

Christmas shopping in Africa

The very top one it my dress fabric and the one under it is my panya (baby carrier/extra skirt) fabric

Fino...our African Christmas shopping guide

To Baboo (not sure on spelling) but while I walk down the street that's all I hear from children...AKA white person!! :) But the irony is that I had an albino girl yell it at me today...interesting. It's the second albino child I've seen, so I'm interested in how common it is here. Also, some children are scared of white people and cry when a white person walks in (like the pastor's neighbor today) because they're parents tell them, when their bad, that the white people are going to come and take them away. From there I thought...what do children think when they are adopted or their friends are. Why the "white people" take them or their friends away...

We went shopping in the market today for Christmas. All was well and normal (not knowing French and being called to baboo all the time) until Jan went with Rachel and I went with this girl who only spoke french and I know NOTHING!!! (It's amazing how much Spanish I realized I know when it's my reaction since it's not Englsih...I miss Latin America for that reason.) Any way, I bought a cute baby outfit and she tried to get me to buy everything along the way...luckily no is pretty universal. At the end it when I got scared...we went through this area of the market where I hadn't seen...and the road we went down wasn't the road we started on. I literately prayed to God for safety, that she wasn't take me somewhere I didn't know, and realized what it's literately like to WALK BY FAITH. We got there just fine. I got to buy her a Christmas present.

While in the market I bought my fabric for my African dress, got measured, and picked it out...it should be done on Tuesday...exciting!



grace peace and love from africa

thoughts

I can't change the whole world at once, but I can change the world one person at a time. (Not sure if thats from someone, but just a thought I have had recently...)

I've seen a lot of things while here in Africa, but the above thought is what I can't seem to get out of my head. Understandably so. I actually really like having that thought. While I walk through Africa, my heart aches. Faces become ingrained in my mind. Statistics become real life. And as I'm walking I feel God tugging on my heart. Piece-by-piece telling me the role I play (with my future husband) in changing the world one person at a time.

I once went to Mars Hill with Evan and some friends. There was a song that said loving the world of pieace but what I heard was slightly different: loving the world IN pieces. Those few different words completely changed the meaning, both are great things. It's all just a matter of perspective and what God is calling you to in your role.


I live by my heart. My heart is filled with love. When you live with love you often get hurt, but the joy is so much greater in the end.

It's hard for me process things at times and especially hard for me to share those thoughts that have been formed. Since I live with the love of my heart, criticism cuts deep in my soul and who I am. Something that has affected me through out my life and will continue forever. Something that I will continue to live, but also something that I have learned to guard. Needing to find that balance. When strangers hurt it's fine at times because of the burden it lays on my heart, but others is not because they don't even know the beginning of my thought process.

Good night from Kadiolo, Mali.

grace peace and love

traveling the country side

Things are going great. I feel very safe (some people wanted to know.) It's been a lot of getting acclimated the country, its people, and the language. It's been a great experience thus far. I have learned a lot about Mali, French, the Bible, orphans (earthly and eternal), myself, and more. We are currently traveling to the town (village) where we are staying until the 28th of December, so I don't have much time to write before we take off for the morning, but I wanted to share a story my friend, Rachel, wrote about our expedition yesterday:

Here are some of the ...different things about Africa.

There are lizards everywhere! Including the small Christmas tree in the guest house we stayed in last night. You can always see little lizards creeping up walls...


mosquito nets over the beds. inconvenient if you ever have to get out of bed.

You always see women carrying little babies stuck in a wrap attached to their backs. Half the times the babies' heads are just hanging back. It is really cute but kind of sad for the babies seeing as they can't move at all for the whole day or whatever.

The air always smells burnt.

We have eaten a ton of French bread, Chinese food, and Vietnamese, we made pizza one night, and no African food yet. But I was assured we'd be experiencing that later this week.

Odd, but Mali has the BEST FRENCH BREAD ever. We eat it every meal.


FUNNY STORY:
Yesterday me Kait and Nate went to go buy bread and tomatoes and cucumbers in this little village. We got 4 loaves of bread for the equivalent of a dollar and then are walking down this street. Everyone is staring because Kait and Nate are white and I'm Asian, not sure that they're used to seeing this sort of thing. No produce in sight... so we give up after a little and turn around. then, lo and behold, RANDOMLY who should be across the street but an African girl with a huge bowl of tomatoes balanced on her head! Perfecto.

So we go across the street. "Cést Combien pour quatre?" I ask in a very bad accent.
I have no idea what she responded with but it was really fast and a lot. I think I picked up on the word "cent" so something about a hundred Francs....
And then we didn't know how to ask if she had change for a thousand. I tried my hand at some more Francais... but I don't think she really understood me. So I very poorly say something to the effect of "ummm sorry, we will return... after... we will return"

We run across the street and buy 1 more loaf of bread just so we can get change and then run back to the tomato girl who is already walking away. I try speaking to her in French again. Things get very confusing but we do end up with 5 tomatoes for 50 cents or less.

Then we start walking away after thanking her and the bag rips and our tomatoes roll down the street. And all the AFricans who have been watching us this whole time are now busting a gut laughing. Good times. This is why most of the French I learned for all those years in highschool was completely pointless, I curse you American foreign language classes! Heaven forbid I learn something I would actually NEED to know in a French-speaking country!

im here in bamako

Hello everyone,

I'm here in Bamako, Mali...yay!! It's crazy how this was in the making for so long and now I'm currently sitting in the Eadelman's house and getting ready to go to church.

My travels went smoother then I think they EVER have, such a blessing from God! We are currently staying in a "guest house" in Bamako. The guest house is for missionaries to stay in for cheaper when in the city. It is a huge courtyard with four houses in it. All varying in size, but all beautiful. There are lots of rooms. Currently, Nate, Rachel, and I are in the same hallway. Rachel and I are in the same house, but the Eadelman's are in a different one.

We slept alot yesterday and ventured around town a little, so there aren't many great pictures yet, I didn't want to feel too American.

So fare our schedule looks a LITTLE (taken loosely because it could change at any minute) like this:

• We will be in these guest houses unti lthe 16th or 17th of December in Bamako.
• Then, taking off the Kadiolo until the 28th of December. There we will be living in the Eadleman's house, hopefully getting in the schools, helping at church, and what ever other leading God gives us. I think that will be the place where we connect the most with the largest amount of locals.

• We will be wrapping up our last two weeks at the guest houses again. The Eadleman's have to manage it into the New Year, so we are here to help out. At night though we will be going to the ministry lead by Jessica (I believe) with the boys who have escaped Human Trafficking. There we will be teaching numbers, letters, and writing. Playing duck-duck-goose and other games that Don Cochrane has taught us along the way.

Thank you for yuor continued prayers. They are greatly appreciated. Please continue to pray that God will lead us to where He needs our helping hands and loving hearts.

That's Rachel and my bed. We sleep under mosquito nets!

bon voyage

it's my last day state side for a month, so im spending it with my parents, brother, and evan, as well as catching up with jess and cory who i havent seen in a while.  tomorrow at 9:30 pm i board a plane to paris, france then to bamako, mali.  ill be disconnected for who knows how long, but ill get on here to at least let you know i made it as soon as i can.  cant wait to see the details God has in store for us.  thanks for your prayers, they are greatly appreciated for me and my family. 

grace peace and love

merry christmas!

eight days

I'm getting there, this time in eight days I'll be in Paris, France.  Please be praying for me as I have started saying my "see-ya-laters" to people.  My mom, dad, Evan, and family threw me a surprise Christmas day on Sunday, so naturally I've been semi-emotional since then.  I'm super excited too as I think of walking around with little kids, loving boys who has escaped human trafficking, helping English classes, celebrating Christmas in a whole new land, and so much more.  Thanks a ton.  I love you!!! 

Grace, peace, and love

give thanks

Well, the date that America gets off and is told to be thankful is almost here.  I think that Thanksgiving in one of my favorite holiday because people are reminded to be thankful and we all too often aren't.  Today as I was driving down the highway at a leisurely 65 MPH, I thought how happy I was that I had no rush to be anywhere.  These next two weeks are devoted to spending time with family and friends.  What a blessing! 

So here are a few things I'm thankful for, but I honestly am so thankful for every little piece of my life that has been woven together so perfectly that I can barely can recognize it at times.  

I'm thankful for my family, Evan and Morgan, old friends and new friends, a place to live (more then I one even),  God providing college for me and a money to get me to Africa for one month, my health has seemed to at least be normal (if not improving), and so much more.  

So the next part is for kids.  Today I thought about how some kids in my life are going to wonder where I am, since they see me every week and often more then once.  So this is for Blake B., Sydney B., Abbey, Luke, Blake P., Blake, Jyden, Sidney, Cadin, Zoe, Trace, Morgan (even though those two won't understand the pictures), and who ever wants to show this to their kids.  I'm going to try with every post to put pictures up of me with a kids around one of their ages, a house that I have seen, kids doing something they like to do like the splits (maybe syd?), and BUGS or animals (for Blake B. and other kids that love that sort of stuff.)  Then you can kind of show them what's going on and where I am.  It might be a little easier for them to understand and to enjoy.  It makes me happy starting a passion in them that was started in me when I was only eight years old. 

Grace peace and love 

smiling through the tears

I am now EIGHTEEN days away from Africa and am SO excited! The past few days I've been getting some things needed here and there. It's been so good just working at packing slowly. I have been having great talks about everything with my parents, Evan, grandparents, Bibb family, church people...it just keeps getting me more and more excited to see where God has me serving. With that though, Satan is always attacking, trying to get me and my loved ones down. As the time approaches things come up that I don't want to have to worry or stress about financially like paying rent, buying books, etc. and relationally. Things that bring huge steps of faith and more prayers. My packing list I think keeps getting bigger and bigger with books to pack and read. These past years have been full of growth and this year is no exception. Please be in prayer as I am continuing to stretch and grow in so many ways. Also pray that I can find a person to live in my apartment because I need to move home for college classes. Thanks so much!

grace peace and love

Calloused and bruised/ dazed and confused
My Spirit is left wanting something more
Than my selfish hopes/ and my selfish dreams
I’m lying with my face down to the floor
I’m crying out for more
Give me Words to speak
Don’t let my Spirit sleep
Cause I can’t think of anything worth saying
But I know that I owe You my life
So give me Words to speak
Don’t let my Spirit sleep
Every night, every day/ I find that I have nothing left to say
So I stand here in silence awaiting Your guidance
I’m wanting only Your voice to be heard
Let them be Your Words
I just don’t understand this life that I’ve been living
I just don’t understand
I just don’t understand these lies I’ve been believing
I just don’t understand


All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of his mercy
As deep cries out to deep
Come Lord Jesus come
Holy Spirit come
As deep cries out to deep

getting ready

For two years I have had a dream of going to Africa.  Not sure the specifics of what I would do, but serving the Lord as He leads me.  Today I sit here with only 23 days to go until I board a plane to enter a whole new world to me and my friends.  Leaving behind my family, fiance, and lots of friends.  My emotions are mixed with good and bad, joy and sorrow, excitement and fear.  Sometimes they will flood me at once and I start crying, like now.  Other times I get so excited that I just want to start packing my bag.  There are so many thing I never anticipated missing out on like seeing my nephew crawl and open presents, hugging my sister and brother-in-law after not seeing them for month (and I won't for eight plus months), cutting down a Christmas tree with my parents and Evan, getting up early to eat breakfast with my family on Christmas morning, seeing where around the world our gifts have gone, having my first New Year's kiss with my fiance, seeing Morgan's first Christmas, and the list goes on.  Yet on the reverse, there are so many things that I am ecstatic about gaining through my experience.  I don't know what I will gain there in Mali yet, but thus far I have learned trust, patience, perseverance, trusting God with the details and waiting on Him, that we won't always have that bubbly feeling but this is something I love, am called to do, and in due time God will restore my "bubbly" feeling.  They are all lessons learned and learning. I don't want to get sick with out my mom to tell me the right words or Evan to just wrap his arms around me and hold me, but I know that God will bring those words and wrap HIS arms around me. 

Praises

My eyes are open to the lessons being taught to me

My money is raised in full

I have everything DONE an visa in hand!

My heart is being prepared (in a different way then I expected)

Prayer Requests

Peace of mind and body (I acquire illness quick and easily)

Safety in health, travel, and in Africa

Group unity

My family (it's not just hard for me to leave, but they will miss me too.  Plus, they hear my tears in the preparation so it's just as hard for them.)

1 Corinthians 1:3

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus.

Philippians 4:7-9

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent and praiseworthy-think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

November 1, 2008

Yes its true. We're so engaged!!! 

Saturday, November 1st, was the first day that I was allowed to share my son, Morgan, with family and friends. So Kait came with me to pick him up and she sat in the backseat with him. I found myself looking in the rear view mirror at her looking at her future son... amazing. He fell asleep holding onto her finger.

We pulled up to my grandparents house where my parents, my brother and his wife and their daughter, my sister and her husband and three kids, my grandparents, and Kait's parents were all waiting in the basement for us to come down. They all knew I was going to propose and were very excited for it while Kait had no idea. She thought I was going to propose sometime after she gets back from Africa because she didnt think my parents or her's would be for it until that time. Well she was wrong. Both of our parents gave us their blessing.

So I strategically had Morgan's carseat sitting behind the driver's seat so I could take him out and Kait would have to climb out the otherside of the van, blocking her view from seeing what I was going to do next. I slipped an elastic bracelet around Morgan's wrist that had the ring (not the box, just the ring) attached to it. I then covered him back up with a blanket and carried him inside the house. I set the him down in a chair in my grandparent's living room and told Kait she could get him out. She pulled back the blanket, unbuckled him, slipped one arm out and then when she slipped the other arm out, she noticed the ring and said, "WHAT IS THIS?" She turned to look at me and I was on one knee and she said, "ARE YOU SERIOUS???" I replied, "Kait, will you marry?" She collapsed in my arms on the ground and started crying and hyperventilating lol :-P. She pulled away from me for a second and asked, "WAIT! DID YOU ASK MY PARENTS!?!?" I said, "Of course. So will you?" She tackled me and said, "YES!"

We then spent a few more minutes upstairs alone with Morgan and then went downstairs where everyone was waiting for us. They all flipped out and some started crying watching the newly engaged couple come down with their son for the first time.

It was an amazing saturday... definitely a tear jerker and full of emotions.

After seeing Morgan for the first time, my mom came up to me crying, gave me a big hug, and said, "Evan, he's beautiful." Then my tears started coming lol. My grandma came up to me bawling and gave me a hug and said, "Im so happy for yout guys. And Morgan looks just like you."

It was by far the happiest day of my life. Seriously no day even comes close to that day. Getting engaged to the girl of my dreams and then having my family meet my son for the first time. Two things Ive been waiting to do for quite some time now. We all knew that when both of those happened, it would be two memorable days. But I thought it would be amazing to have them happen on the same day. And I was right. I couldnt be happier and we are being surrounded by so much support.

November 1st was a celebration that wont ever be forgotten.

Simply grace. Simply a blessing. Simply God given.

And Kait and I couldnt be more thankful for what God has given us.

(written be evan)

twists and turns

Over the past few months my life has been nothing but twists and turns.  There has been so much stretching and growth in the process.  I'll try to give a quick update on my life as of now since it has been so long, but I'm sure I'l leave out some detail along the way. 

JOB/SCHOOL:  Many know that I was fired from what I like to now call my "summer job."  It was an experience I wouldn't trade by any means.  Talk about humbling and growing my faith.  With in two weeks of being fired I was suppose to move into an apartment with Amy, which cost lots of money.  I was fired on a Monday, spent all day Tuesday on the beach (it was a stressful job so I thought (I would soak in the unemployment for a day), then Tuesday called a family friends to ask her about where she worked.  Wednesday I applied and while apply had an interview set up, interviews Thursday morning, and was hired Friday morning.  All that to say PRAISE GOD!!! 

Now that I have worked there for a little under two month, I couldn't be happier with my job.  I get to help widows and widowers everyday!  Through this job I have found that I for sure want to study Occupational Therapy Assisting in college, then I can better help these people.  It couldn't have been more perfect how God worked out the details.

Me being excited about work and college :)

ROOMMATE: After God worked out the details of the job, we still moved into our apartment.  It's beautiful!  It has an amazing view and space.  We live together well and are loving it!

Roommate love!

FAMILY: Deanna and Trace came to visit this month, which was an unexpected trip for this year.  Everyone was happy to see them, especially me because of my Africa trip, I won't get to see them at Christmas time.  They also got to meet my amazing boyfriend, so that was great for us!!!!

Tracers :)

 

BOYFRIEND:  He is the man that I had always prayed for and everything more.  We have officially been dating for like two weeks, but there was alot that had to happen before we made it "official" and we found out we have both been in love to sometime now :) 

This is Evan and his son Morgan :)

AFRICA:  We have plane tickets and alot more to go along with it.  But along with it comes stress and anxiety.  Please be praying for us we are entering the final stretch of preparing with WorldVenture on our trip.  Thanks so much!

sickness

Greetings my amazing friends!

You all know somewhat about my health problems, some better then others :). This past week has got pretty severe as far as a lot of things go. After being diagnosed nearly 5 years ago, I was on meds for 2 or 3 years. I got off because it could lead to complications later if being on it too long and I just didn't like putting my hope & dependence on that.

Now, I am in the process of interviewing for new jobs, but with things getting back it scares me. I'm praying hard about the wisdom of getting tests again, they cut me in two place and put scopes in me to see what stage I have progressed to. It's very helpful in knowing what's going on in my body and it will help us know if it's something else. Also, I might be going back on some sort of meds or another. During high school when I was trying out all the different meds, some made me severely sick and even bed ridden. Please be praying with me through these trials. It's something I will live with for the rest of my life, unless God reaches down and heals me.

I will be making all the calls to set up appointments, which is hard because for the first time I have to make the calls. When it use to be this bad, my mom would call because she knew that's what I needed. This is 100% my choice with God as my leader.

Thanks for always being there and continuing to be there. This year will be a tough one I feel because God is doing some amazing things in my life, but satan isn't so much a fan of that.



Today I got a hold of my doctor because things are progressively getting worse. Not I'm going in tomorrow. We will see how things play out, but all prayers are appreciated. Here are a few scenarios:

Go and take a few test runs on different meds
Go and get test ASAP!! (which includes knives)
Go and waiting for tests and meds
OR a combo of all the above.

It's lovely and hard.

Thanks for your love and support!

grace and peace
kait

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

James 1:2-8

child like faith

People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke 18:15-17

There is no doubt in my mind that God has a special place for children, there are FOUR HUNDRED and TEN verses in the Bible mentioning children. Children also have a very special place in my heart. Not only the children I see and love everyday, but those I have met and yet to meet. Orphans have a very special place in my heart as well since I have been so blessed by God with my parents. James 1:26 speaks to me to deeply, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself fro"m being polluted by the world." I want a faith like a child, to be uncorrupted by the world, and love the orphans and widowed.

As some may know, this past year had been a whirlwind with many ups and may downs. Flying sky high and hitting rock bottom!

Specifically, this summer has been a rough one for me. I like my job, but it's obviously so different then camp. When attacked here, it's a Kaitlyn and God fight, which I know is why I was here. As much as I know that, I have let Satan get me down for a while, but God has lifted me out of the pits. Him and Him alone. Not the trips I took, things I did, or other attempted remedies. Me and God, praying and listening. Enough of that, I wanted to enlighten you on some of those child faith moments of my summer.

At work, we do these chant/prayer/song things, which I'm not a fan of in the least bit. Through this, I have has to decide if I'm going to follow my heart and just pray to God or let these heartless songs/rhymes leave these kids mouth and go to who knows what? Its a "Christian Learning Center," so it's really hard for me to let this view of Christians continue. Here comes Miss Kait with her heartfelt prayers, that often continue praying for the hearts of these kids.

Ahhh...enough about this heart, but here are some ways God shines on me through these kids that are "religious" and "believe." Some of these things might seem petty, but to me these are things I am constantly wrapping my mind around.

CARE

These kids care for each other deeply! (These are just two stories.) A boy broke his leg while ice skating on one of our field trips AND now he is in a wheelchair for the rest of the summer. All of the kids made him a card and signed a "get well baseball" for our baseball enthusiast. He probably has the best friend a kid could ask for. He always gets his bag, pushes him, doesn't play something because otherwise his friend would be alone, shares whatever he has with him, he even helps him get into the bathroom (I thought it was a girl thing), and so much more! The kids honestly fight over helping him. When his friend broke his leg, he was physically sick with worry and care for his friend. He also is the first to help me with what ever I need. I'm so blessed!

One of the girls got stung by a bug the other day and had to leave. The other kids were asking questions, asking if we could call and check on her, and when she didn't come today they noticed.

They care and are one big family! Sometimes I think these kids are each others family. Some have been here for SIX plus years, which makes them see each other more then their parents.

RELATIONSHIPS AND FAMILY

I know, kind of a weird heading for something to talk to kids about, but not really. One day, I don't know how we got on the topic, a kid said to me, "You're going to be a great mom! I mean if you have kids...I mean if you're married...I mean you are really great with kids and if you ever have them you will be a great mom!" It was the cutest thing. After he said it, he hit the little bit adultness in thinking it out. At some points in my life I'm not sure I'll ever get married, let alone be blessed to have my own children! A few weeks later (yesterday/today) he got in his head that I would make a great couple with this guy that comes and helps on our park days on Friday. As cute (AND blunt) as the kid is about us dating, it made me laugh at the simplicities of boyfriends and girlfriends in his mind. There are way less things to think about! You're the around the same age, you like kids, you are fun, you know each others name...date! Oh mylanta! I've never had a 5th grader try so hard and obviously to get me to date someone...moral of the story is...as many Christian struggle with, I wonder where my husband is on a regular basis. Did God really make me one? (Haha...I love the phrasing) Seriously though, there are all these questions and preliminary things they have to look up to. In a kids mind, it's simple...that's the one!

Not that I want to date a guy that I don't even know the last name of, but I need to have faith in God. Faith that He will make is obvious and simple for me to know...that's the ONE!!! Instead of always wondering...
BIBLE and CHURCH!!!

This has probably been my most exciting/got butterflies in my stomach/heart racing conversation with my kids, which took place today. We were sitting under a few trees at a park having "rest time," which turned into an amazing conversation. Here we are at rest time and I'm reading this book and have my Bible out checking out the references. A kid goes, "Did you bring a dictionary with you?!" I proceed to tell him it's my Bible and a few kids make comments like, "I don't read the Bible or go to church, but I believe in God." " I only go on this or that holiday." "I watched this show where a mean Christian lady was saying Harry Potter is the Devil." It was such a blessing because I got to talk to them about the importance of reading the Bible, going to church, and different things they have heard from Christians...they're in FOURTH grade!! It was so amazing because I've been praying about leaving my imprint on these kids. Even though its a "Christian" center, I struggle with it just being moral and getting by. It's really hard for me to live my faith there too. My heart breaks because these kids "believe" and a strict Catholics, but they need to know the Truth. The living water that quenches their thirst.

They have the child like faith, compassion, care, and more, but they need to place that in the Creator and Perfecter. Please keep us all in your prayers as we get a month and half more together.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:2)

blessings from above...

...that means God!

I haven't posted in a while, so I am going to fill you in on some blessings. (Even if no one ever reads this.)

I went to Wyoming again! This trip was more planned, since I bought the ticket months ago with graduation money. It was a great break from school and work, but also a time of peace and healing.

The mountains that God created, as well as my nephew and I

I found a house to rent for really cheap with two other that I didn't know moving in. They are sweet girls! Not I reside in a lovely city, not a small town. Along with that, I appreciate the small town that much more.

Me eating my house plant

My best friend went to Alaska for the summer and the other people that I am close to have distributed here there and everywhere. One this is true though...God has blessed me with deeper friendship with old friends and new friends as well.

Patrick, Steph, Rachel, Olive, Me, and JessMy heart I made for Amy!

I have learned to laugh more and enjoy the moment. Although I like to laugh and laugh a lot, it often isn't me. It is really the person that knows the they need to laugh otherwise people will see past her into the darkness and hurt. Not wanting that exposed was enough to make me that so that it didn't turn to tears.

Savoring the laughter and sometime creating it :)

I grew up and moved on just a little more. A few years, even months, ago I was discontent every where I was. If I was at home I wanted to be at camp, if I was at camp I wanted to be in Sawyer, if I was in Sawyer I wanted to be at home. Yes, I was happy every place I was, just not content. God has been trying to strip me of my discontentment and place me in His Arms, the Arms that have orchestrated the PERFECT plan just for me. There is a sign that has hung over camp for 50 years(ish) welcoming visitors, as well as leaving them with a challenge. Until recently, I wasn't serving Christ to the capacity He has called me too. I have been to busy trying to map out my plan, which as we all know has yet to work out.

I am ready to depart!

As some may know, I have been planning a trip to Africa for over a year now. Things have been coming together, but not by anything that I have done. Everything that I try to do just falls to pieces. There are so many things that I want to do, but sometimes I just want it to be a God and I thing. Of course, out loving Teacher has had different plans then mine. Now I'm going with two friends of mine and we are trying to line things up with an agency to help us along the road. There have many twists, turns, and bump (or craters) to say the least, but one thing is sure...our God is Mighty to save!!! He has saved me countless times, yet I stumble, fall, and doubt. The first time I doubted God sent me $1200 in donation for my trip. The next time I doubted He sent $1025 to me. And yes, I doubted again...he sent me a SINGLE donation of $1000. That is almost all of what I need for the trip. Although there are many earthly details that need to be worked out, I know that this is God's plan for me. I would like to say I won't doubt again, but I feel like would be a lie. Please be praying for the details and God's leading. This dream didn't just come from me, but a compilation of people and one in particular would opened my eyes to make me want to see more. Thanks!

Our December 2008 Africa team!
We wanted pictures for our letter :)
Ok I did...

Don't spend too much time smelling the flowers and laying in the grass!

"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord stands forever."

Isaiah 40:6-7

Besides, if you are like me, you are allergic!

May you allow God to bless you greatly!