fun at the market.

Before I tell of my adventure today, I wanted to mention one I had last week.  I needed more visa pages added to my passport.  I had only three left, and without more, I might get stuck in southern Sudan with no way out (until I could get a new passport, and right now they are only beginning the process of building a new US embassy in S. Sudan).  This called for an appointment at the embassy here in Nairobi.  I was told, after going through security and filling out the form, that it would only take thirty minutes to print and then add the pages to my passport.

It ended up taking nearly five hours.  Turns out the updated computer system was not working.  They had to fix the problem first.  I waited until an hour after the embassy closed with three other American citizens for our extra visa pages.  Mine was the very last one to come out.  Thanks be to God for helping me be patient.

Today I went to Toy Market with Carrie and Benton Lewis and the entire Terrazas family (they are the family from training).  Toy Market is not a market that sells toys.  It is a market that sells everything!  It is composed of stand after stand of shoes and dresses and fruits and vegetables and bags and movies and everything else you could imagine.  The happy Kenyan stand owners called out to us as we walked by, "Come, my friend.  How are you today?  Fine, thank you.  You need some jeans.  Look at this shirt.  Here are some very nice hats!"

And I loved it.  And I usually don't like markets like this.  It usually stresses me out to be called this way and that by venders and to bargain for things and to be in small spaces.  But this time it was wonderful!  I was able to bargain and to shop peacefully.  And I even bought some clothes for Sudan!

Here's me in the changing room...trying some new capris!  

 The gang looking at hats.

 A view of the side road!

It's raining right now.  The smell is sweet.  Imagine the smell of thick air, filled with spices and dirt and charcoal, being drenched in water.  Picture the red dirt becoming more red.  And the sound?  It's like powerful waves crashing against rocks.  The wind must really be blowing the pouring rain!

But the lights are flickering, so I better close out this post.

Answered prayer requests:
I have been sleeping better.  Praise God!  Keep praying for rest as I am getting ready for another month of training.  Thanks!
Take every victory:
I checked everything off of my "for three months in Sudan" shopping list!!
I successfully made rice for six people.  And it was really delicious!
Today I learned:
Chicken Inn, a fast food chicken restaurant here, does not serve chicken tenders.  Just chicken on the bone.  (The tenders are my fav.  But the chicken breast I had with my meal today was still delicious!)

And I will leave you with a verse I read this morning that made me pause and praise my God.

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich."  2 Corinthians 8:9

shopping.

If you know me, you know that I am NOT a shopper.  But these past days, I have had great need to be one.  And not for fru-fru stuff.  For necessities!

Here are pictures of me and the Lewis boys (Benton and Davis) in Uchumi shopping center:

 Love the little shopping carts.  

They have big ones too of course, but the boys have fun pushing around the lil' ones.  

Walker is the one with his back to you.  He is really eyeing the candy.  :)

And today we got to visit the homeschooling resource center for East Africa.  It was so cool.  If you know me well, you also know that I LOVE books.  I think, no I know, that I could have spent all day long looking at the books in the center.  Instead, I chose several art books for homeschooling and checked out other fun books for me to read!  And I also grabbed two report cards to fill out for Davis!  Eeek!!!!  I am getting really excited to teach.

And I said no fru-fru stuff, but we did stop on the side of the road to buy the lovely basket you see below.  This lady was sitting there handmaking these colorful baskets.  I had to get one!  Now, I have a place for all my borrowed books when I get to Sudan!!!

Take every victory:
I also got to see some of my furniture today at the Baptist Mission of Kenya (BMOK) office.  I am so anxious to be home in Sudan.  To see it all in place, and be there with it!
Today I learned:
The Toposa people read goat entrails to see when it is going to rain.  And it's legitimate!  They really look at it scientifically!  They can tell by what the goats eat (because plants can sense when rain is coming) and by the goat blood, I think, when rain is coming.  Crazy, huh?

Come to Me.

A song God gave me.  The chorus came while packing for two years.  The verses on the plane to Chicago.

"Come to Me"

Don't carry this burden
It's not yours to hold.
Come to Me, weary and burdened,
For light and easy is My yoke.

'Cause I am near to you
This is My plan
Yes I am near to you
I am holding your hand.
I will never leave your side
I choose you, child
You are mine.

So, don't carry this burden
It's not yours to hold.
Come to Me, weary and burdened,
For light and easy is My yoke.

'Cause with Me all things
Do them you can
Against you with Me
Nothing can stand.
I'm your victory in this fight
I am close by
I'm your guide.

So, don't carry this burden
It's not yours to hold.
Come to Me, weary and burdened,
For light and easy is My yoke.

'Cause I can handle it
I'm stronger than man
And I can carry it
While you dance.
In the darkness I'm your light
Lift up your eyes
Here am I.

So, my child...

Don't carry this burden
It's not yours to hold.
Come to Me, weary and burdened,
For light and easy is My yoke.

~Matthew 11:28-30~

nairobi, kenya.

I made it Nairobi, Kenya!!!

God is so faithful.

First flight?  Got moved up to first class.  Total cost for that and three overweight bags?  Only $135.  Praise the Lord!

Second flight?  An empty seat next to me.  More room to spread out!  Praise the Lord!

Third flight?  Even though it was the longest, went really really fast.  Praise the Lord.

Nairobi airport?  Could see the Lewis family with signs from the top of the stairs in the line to get my visa.  All three bags arrived with me.  One by one they came out to meet me.  And, God knew that I was worried about having to carry all of them by myself (you see the outside people, Lewis fam, cannot come inside the airport), and so there was a cart waiting for me and my bags.  Praise the Lord!

Outside the airport?  Met the smiling Lewis family.  Walker fell asleep on my arm in the drive to the guest house where I am staying.  Got to see a family from training.  What a blessing!  Praise the Lord!!!

First day in NBO?  Slept in, played with the kids, ate lunch with the Lewis fam, the other fam from training, and my other supervisor.  Then we went to a rugby game at the private Christian school here.  Fun!!  Dinner served by the T family from training.  Spaghetti!

Second day in NBO?  Was up from 3:00am-5:00am.  Mer.  Then, off to Nakumatt for the first shopping day for supplies for Sudan for three months.  Uh huh.  Crazy but good.  In the overwhelming newness of different brands and currency and amounts and everything...there was peace.  Praise the Lord!!!!!  [Wish you could have seen my two full shopping carts.  And I do mean full shopping carts.  It took me and Shannon and Carrie Lewis about 40 minutes to check out of the grocery store.  I got a cell phone to use in Nairobi and in Kapoeta, Sudan!  Praise the Lord!  Still no service on the compound where I will be living though.  But that is a-okay!  Then, we ate some pizza for lunch, took a little afternoon break, and then off to dinner in Diamond Plaza.  Indian food, yum!

Here is me with the signs from the Lewis family (except for Walker's little colorful one--I could hold two and then run to get in view of the self-timing camera).  I am in my room at the guest house.

 All my belongings.

 Sudan or bust!  That's right, Benton!

And little sections I plan on adding to posts if I remember:

Take every victory.  Today...

I successfully bought a cell phone for use in Kenya.  

I bought internet time for the first time to send an update email and write this blog post.  

I bought groceries in Kenya for three months in Sudan without having a panic attack.

I learned today that...

Size of cans does not always determine cost.

Cell phone ring tones are really loud here.  Even on fake kid phones.

Mexican spices and chips and taco shells and rice are available in Kenya.  Who would have thought?     (Don't know how it will taste, but seeing it made me smile.)

I should keep EVERY receipt I get.

I am going to love being with the Lewis family for two years.  Seriously.  They are amazing!!!

Oh!  And please pray for restful nights.  Still adjusting to the time difference.  Thank you!

to God be the glory.

This was His Word to me this morning:
1 Corinthians 1:3-11
He is the God of all comfort.  And...this is happening so that I may learn to rely fully on Him, the Most High God.
God knows everything.  :)


To God be the glory:

"God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.  To Him be honor and might forever.  Amen."   

1 Timothy 6:15-16

at the beginning.

I sat for about six minutes before deciding on the title for this post.  So many thoughts running through my head, so many wonderful things that God is already doing, so many great family and friends and even strangers who are supporting me in prayer.  But after much debate with myself, all I could come up with was the title you read above:  "at the beginning."  Fitting, huh?

Because this is the beginning.

Of my journey with God in Sudan.
Of new everythings.
Of fantastic new friendships.
Of a new normal.
Of getting to know God more than ever before.
Of what I know God has called me to for the rest of my life.

Saying goodbye is never fun.  But saying hello always is!  And that's what I am saying!

Hello to the next step in my life.
And my next job.
And the next season.
And even to hardships that will lead me to His side.

It's hello to the Toposa people.
And to differences that are good.
And to situations outside of my comfort zone.
And to what will be the greatest adventure of my life so far.

Am I nervous?  No.
Am I afraid?  Not really.
I know.  It seems crazy to me, too!

But God is doing something.
He is making me bold.
And molding me, little tiny me, to be courageous.
He is singing to me,
"Don't carry this burden,
It's not yours to hold.
Come to Me, weary and burdened,
For light and easy is My yoke."

And..."if God is for us, who can be against us?"  Romans 8:31

Tomorrow morning, very early, I will head to the airport with my precious sister and my dear parents.  We will say goodbyes, and there will be tears.  Because I am sad to leave them.  But the tears will also be tears of joy.  Because God has given each of them, and God has given me, a peace that transcends all understanding.

I stand at the end of training.
And at the end of packing.
And at the end of my time at home in El Paso.
And at the end of goodbyes.

But, when I get on the plane tomorrow, I will be at the very beginning.

"All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."  Psalm 139:116

if.

"If the moment I am conscious of the shadow of self crossing my threshold, 

I do not shut the door, 

and in the power of Him who works in us to will and to do, 

keep that door shut, 

then I know nothing of Calvary love."

"If the praise of man elates me and his blame depresses me; 

if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; 

if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve,  

then I know nothing of Calvary love."

~Amy Carmichael, missionary to India