I love Jesus. That’s all I wanted to say. I will never be able to say it enough.
Oh, and I like praying aloud. Miracle.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Hokay, so here is the deal-
OKAY-
It is really difficult to get blog entries posted, so I cut down a lot of stories to the bare minimum. I love you guys and I can’t wait to tell you detailed accounts in person.
God is working so much in my life and everyone’s here. I can’t even begin to explain what He’s doing and I definitely can’t do it justice in my very limited computer time. Just know I’m learning total reliance on Him and giving up total control of my life. I’m completely His. It’s amazing.
It is really difficult to get blog entries posted, so I cut down a lot of stories to the bare minimum. I love you guys and I can’t wait to tell you detailed accounts in person.
God is working so much in my life and everyone’s here. I can’t even begin to explain what He’s doing and I definitely can’t do it justice in my very limited computer time. Just know I’m learning total reliance on Him and giving up total control of my life. I’m completely His. It’s amazing.
I Can...
July 15, 2009
I am….
1. Reading a Hole in the Gospel. Highly Recommended.
2. Getting chased by village children on my runs- and growling dogs
3. Cutting up and washing whole chickens for dinner
4. Sweeping yards, mopping gutters
5. LOVING JESUS.
6. Power housing buckets of water (no breaks)
7. Purifying our own water, we ran out of bottled water
8. Craving a Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich with Chickfila Sauce
9. Missing you guys
10. Going to Njewa (our midway retreat location with running water- MONEY). 11. Not showing my knees.
Current Bible Study: Psalm 51 (A Davidic psalm after the shenanigans with Bathsheba).
I am….
1. Reading a Hole in the Gospel. Highly Recommended.
2. Getting chased by village children on my runs- and growling dogs
3. Cutting up and washing whole chickens for dinner
4. Sweeping yards, mopping gutters
5. LOVING JESUS.
6. Power housing buckets of water (no breaks)
7. Purifying our own water, we ran out of bottled water
8. Craving a Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich with Chickfila Sauce
9. Missing you guys
10. Going to Njewa (our midway retreat location with running water- MONEY). 11. Not showing my knees.
Current Bible Study: Psalm 51 (A Davidic psalm after the shenanigans with Bathsheba).
The Chief Let Us Use His Hole
July 10, 2009
Hmm…what happened in the last few days.
On Saturday we went to town. How do we get there? On the backs of bicycle. They are called bike taxis. They are fun until you realize they never brake. So basically death feels eminent. But I love it. They are so much fun.
While we were in town, Kazungu, McKenna really needed to find a bathroom rater desperately. So we started a hunt, which was fun until a man full of beer barked at me “Look at me when I’m talking to you,” threw a beer bottle at us, grabbed Anna, and was run out of the market by a man with an electric drill that wasn’t plugged in.
4 hour 15 minute church service. Yikes.
Kids run after us screaming Azungu- meaning white person. I feel like a celebrity. It is so bizarre.
Lifton Square (aka Pastor Square). I love him. For real. He is an intern, 37, with three kids and a sweet wife.
I LOVE it here. Most of th time. Right now I’m exhausted, but these kids are so amazing. They call me Auntie Kate, Kat, Kettie, or Kerie. I’ll respond to anything. Msawaeli told me I was his favorite the other day and Decondwa always runs to hug me- probably because I pick her up and spin her around, but regardless. It’s such an incredible experience. Im already dreading leaving the kids and team. I may never come home. Just kidding- running water and I are BFF. But I will be so sad to leave.
Bats are chirping outside the window and I am writing by candle light because powers out.
The sky here is infinite and inspiring. Add it to the bucked list.
God is so faithful. I can’t explain what He’s doing in my life right now. I’m learning and growing so much. Right now I’m working on living and working in His continual presence. I am so in awe and He is so patient when I fall short. His faithful love is my everything.
Current Reading: Esther- God works in small ways to make big things happen.
July 10, 2009
Hmm…what happened in the last few days.
On Saturday we went to town. How do we get there? On the backs of bicycle. They are called bike taxis. They are fun until you realize they never brake. So basically death feels eminent. But I love it. They are so much fun.
While we were in town, Kazungu, McKenna really needed to find a bathroom rater desperately. So we started a hunt, which was fun until a man full of beer barked at me “Look at me when I’m talking to you,” threw a beer bottle at us, grabbed Anna, and was run out of the market by a man with an electric drill that wasn’t plugged in.
4 hour 15 minute church service. Yikes.
Kids run after us screaming Azungu- meaning white person. I feel like a celebrity. It is so bizarre.
Lifton Square (aka Pastor Square). I love him. For real. He is an intern, 37, with three kids and a sweet wife.
I LOVE it here. Most of th time. Right now I’m exhausted, but these kids are so amazing. They call me Auntie Kate, Kat, Kettie, or Kerie. I’ll respond to anything. Msawaeli told me I was his favorite the other day and Decondwa always runs to hug me- probably because I pick her up and spin her around, but regardless. It’s such an incredible experience. Im already dreading leaving the kids and team. I may never come home. Just kidding- running water and I are BFF. But I will be so sad to leave.
Bats are chirping outside the window and I am writing by candle light because powers out.
The sky here is infinite and inspiring. Add it to the bucked list.
God is so faithful. I can’t explain what He’s doing in my life right now. I’m learning and growing so much. Right now I’m working on living and working in His continual presence. I am so in awe and He is so patient when I fall short. His faithful love is my everything.
Current Reading: Esther- God works in small ways to make big things happen.
2 in 1
I Can Now….
July 5, 2009
I can now…
1. Rock a baby to sleep
2. Do African dances while singing African hymns
3. Run in 3500 feet altitude
4. Cook soup, rice, French toast, from scratch
5. Start a corn cob fire with a rice sack and cook over it
6. Take a bucket bath
7. Have a very short conversation in Chichewa
8. Teach English and Math to Standard Three
9. Pick up six-year-olds with one hand
10. Climb trees
11. Beat 10 year old African boys at one on one football/soccer
12. Lose to five year olds in Duck, Duck Goose
13. Make small children who have never seen an Azungu before cry
14. Do laundry, dishes, baths, face and hand washing without running water
15. Do anything by candlelight
16. Memorize the order of all 66 during church services
16. Laugh at everything
I cannot….
Eat another cliff bar. Woof.
God is good and eternally faithful. Current Bible study: John 15:1-17 and the whole of Romans
Brushfire Fairytales
July 7, 2009
So today we woke and our world reeked of smoke. There was ash in the sky and dark clouds hovering over a field of tall grass I affectionately call “The Serengeti.” My favorite quiet time location had was up in flames.
Apparently, a few small children had started a small fire in the field so they could catch the frantic mice that had been smoked out. As we walked past, they clamored to show us their pockets full of protein. We all feigned delight in their spoils, but suffocated rodents are not really our passion. Needless to say, there was a pep in out step as we escapted their deadly little show and tell.
The fire steadily consumed the field with no 911 or red engines to rescue it. By dusk, the majority of the field was gone and left me with a new challenge: find a new spot for quiet time that does not consist of burned vegetation, black ash, and dead mice.
But hey, at least we all got a little extra protein in our diet that night.
P.S. I wrote this in one of our 4 hour 15 minute church services, but that’s another tale for another day. Until my next adventure (tentatively titled “The Chief Let Us Use His Hole”).
Current Bible reading: Philippians. My favorite book.
July 5, 2009
I can now…
1. Rock a baby to sleep
2. Do African dances while singing African hymns
3. Run in 3500 feet altitude
4. Cook soup, rice, French toast, from scratch
5. Start a corn cob fire with a rice sack and cook over it
6. Take a bucket bath
7. Have a very short conversation in Chichewa
8. Teach English and Math to Standard Three
9. Pick up six-year-olds with one hand
10. Climb trees
11. Beat 10 year old African boys at one on one football/soccer
12. Lose to five year olds in Duck, Duck Goose
13. Make small children who have never seen an Azungu before cry
14. Do laundry, dishes, baths, face and hand washing without running water
15. Do anything by candlelight
16. Memorize the order of all 66 during church services
16. Laugh at everything
I cannot….
Eat another cliff bar. Woof.
God is good and eternally faithful. Current Bible study: John 15:1-17 and the whole of Romans
Brushfire Fairytales
July 7, 2009
So today we woke and our world reeked of smoke. There was ash in the sky and dark clouds hovering over a field of tall grass I affectionately call “The Serengeti.” My favorite quiet time location had was up in flames.
Apparently, a few small children had started a small fire in the field so they could catch the frantic mice that had been smoked out. As we walked past, they clamored to show us their pockets full of protein. We all feigned delight in their spoils, but suffocated rodents are not really our passion. Needless to say, there was a pep in out step as we escapted their deadly little show and tell.
The fire steadily consumed the field with no 911 or red engines to rescue it. By dusk, the majority of the field was gone and left me with a new challenge: find a new spot for quiet time that does not consist of burned vegetation, black ash, and dead mice.
But hey, at least we all got a little extra protein in our diet that night.
P.S. I wrote this in one of our 4 hour 15 minute church services, but that’s another tale for another day. Until my next adventure (tentatively titled “The Chief Let Us Use His Hole”).
Current Bible reading: Philippians. My favorite book.
June 2009- The Beginning
Welcome to Chiwengo
June 2009
So, we are living and working in a small town called Chiwengo. The homes are western style but they have fallen into massive disrepair when funding stopped for their upkeep. So our power goes out frequently, usually when we are cooking. So I can now start a corn cob fire and fry chicken over and open flame with a head lamp. There is no running water, so we have to go to the borehole and pump it and then carry it to the house. Imagine carrying a trashcan full of water across a football field- it weighs about 100 lbs. We take bucket baths, manually flush toilets, do all our own cooking and dishes. Its really hard here, but I love it. The kids and team are so great. My team is two leaders- morgan and jenn, six global interns and six national interns (Malawians).
Current Bible Story: The Burning Bush- Hallowed Ground
The Schedule.
5.45. Wake up.
6-7.30 Be at childrens home and help aunties with chores
7.30 breakfast
8. Intern Devotional
8.30-9. QT
9-10.30 Teach Pre-K (that’s just me)
10.30 – Lunch duty or free time
12. Lunch
1. Siesta
2-4. Tutoring/Remedial Class Teaching
4-5 Sports
5- Force kids to go home and bathe
6. Dinner
7. House Devotionals. (Go preach a mini sermon in the houses.)
8.30 Intern Devotional/Prayer Petitions
9.15 BED.
Current Montra: Serve like you’re leaving tomorrow
I miss the office,
Katie
June 2009
So, we are living and working in a small town called Chiwengo. The homes are western style but they have fallen into massive disrepair when funding stopped for their upkeep. So our power goes out frequently, usually when we are cooking. So I can now start a corn cob fire and fry chicken over and open flame with a head lamp. There is no running water, so we have to go to the borehole and pump it and then carry it to the house. Imagine carrying a trashcan full of water across a football field- it weighs about 100 lbs. We take bucket baths, manually flush toilets, do all our own cooking and dishes. Its really hard here, but I love it. The kids and team are so great. My team is two leaders- morgan and jenn, six global interns and six national interns (Malawians).
Current Bible Story: The Burning Bush- Hallowed Ground
The Schedule.
5.45. Wake up.
6-7.30 Be at childrens home and help aunties with chores
7.30 breakfast
8. Intern Devotional
8.30-9. QT
9-10.30 Teach Pre-K (that’s just me)
10.30 – Lunch duty or free time
12. Lunch
1. Siesta
2-4. Tutoring/Remedial Class Teaching
4-5 Sports
5- Force kids to go home and bathe
6. Dinner
7. House Devotionals. (Go preach a mini sermon in the houses.)
8.30 Intern Devotional/Prayer Petitions
9.15 BED.
Current Montra: Serve like you’re leaving tomorrow
I miss the office,
Katie
Thursday, June 18, 2009
T-minus 21 Hours
Hello all!
So if you are reading this, you know I am going to Malawi for two months this summer to serve the Lord. I can't tell you how excited I am! I just can't believe that it's finally here. I finished packing and have a few small chores to take care of before I leave tomorrow (or, actually, today). As exciting as plane flight details are, I'll fill you in about the intership instead.
I am going with an organization called Children of the Nations whose offical mission is "partnering with nationals to provide holistic, Christ-centered care for orphaned and destitute children, enabling them to create a postitive and lasting change in their nations." I am going to work with five other interns, including the one and only Tamarin Kelly Cousins in a village called Chiwengo.
And how are we going to do that? By having in-house devotionals, helping take care of the children and thier homes, AND holding a regional soccer tournament! YES!! I get to serve by playing soccer. Does it get any better than that?
On a final pre-trip note- I've talked about serving Him. I'm doing that because I feel called to. I see very few things completely clearly and I believe this is part of that group. I know this is where God wants me to be right now and I feel incredibly blessed that He's getting me there. I am so excited to see what He does my life and how He uses me in the lives of those children. Anyway, that's enough about me, after all, it's not really about me, now is it?
Please pray for me and all the other interns on the trip. See you in August!
Disclaimer: There are going to be typing errors in these posts. God gave me lots of talents, spelling and typing were not included.
So if you are reading this, you know I am going to Malawi for two months this summer to serve the Lord. I can't tell you how excited I am! I just can't believe that it's finally here. I finished packing and have a few small chores to take care of before I leave tomorrow (or, actually, today). As exciting as plane flight details are, I'll fill you in about the intership instead.
I am going with an organization called Children of the Nations whose offical mission is "partnering with nationals to provide holistic, Christ-centered care for orphaned and destitute children, enabling them to create a postitive and lasting change in their nations." I am going to work with five other interns, including the one and only Tamarin Kelly Cousins in a village called Chiwengo.
And how are we going to do that? By having in-house devotionals, helping take care of the children and thier homes, AND holding a regional soccer tournament! YES!! I get to serve by playing soccer. Does it get any better than that?
On a final pre-trip note- I've talked about serving Him. I'm doing that because I feel called to. I see very few things completely clearly and I believe this is part of that group. I know this is where God wants me to be right now and I feel incredibly blessed that He's getting me there. I am so excited to see what He does my life and how He uses me in the lives of those children. Anyway, that's enough about me, after all, it's not really about me, now is it?
Please pray for me and all the other interns on the trip. See you in August!
Disclaimer: There are going to be typing errors in these posts. God gave me lots of talents, spelling and typing were not included.
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