Happy Thanksgiving!

As I was sitting at a table celebrating Thanksgiving with 20 people that I didn’t know just 3 months ago I couldn’t help but think about how strange this year has been.  Last year I had no idea I would not be with my family for Thanksgiving this year.  In fact we were making plans for what we would be doing for Christmas next year.  There was talk about doing something different – like Hawaii or Europe!  Of course that was me mostly talking; really I love my family so much and I would be totally and completely happy spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and my cousins.  Which is why this year is so strange.  But yesterday looking at these people at the table I couldn’t help but be so grateful.  God is so good!  He has brought me to a place with people I truly love – already.  Somehow God has changed my heart to be content and okay with this new change.   But it’s more than that too.  I really love it here.  Which is so weird!  So again, God is so good. 

When I was thinking about what I am thankful for this year I couldn’t stop – I am thankful for everything!  I really love my job.  I really love that I get to spend time with the teenagers here and make deep real relationships.  I really love that God is working through me – and there is no denying that because I couldn’t do this without him.  So when thinking about what I was thankful for this year, there was one that stuck out extra.  I am thankful for you who helped me to get here.  So many of you are praying for me and so many of you have sacrificed money so that I can live here.  Thank you so much.  I cannot say it enough – thank you for supporting me and loving me so much.  Your sacrifice means the world to me.  I am so blessed!  God is so good.  

Nerts

One of my favorite games is Nerts - thanks to my friends back at home. Well my friends here know the game!  So last night instead of worship practice, since we cancelled WIRED on account of Thanksgiving (which only a handful of my students celebrate because there are not many Americans), we played!  It was so much fun.

Also - the other night we were just standing around outside of the school and someone said "Lets play Big Booty!"  This is a game we always played with the Redding Young Life kids - I assumed no one here would have ever even heard of it.  But they did and we played!

Its things like this that make me love it here and not feel so homesick.

Sweet Caroline

I randomly watched a video of when I went 80's dancing with my Redding, California Young Life friends.  In the video we were dancing and all out singing to Neil Diamond's song Sweet Caroline and so this entire day I have been singing it.  I think I may have been driving all my frisbee friends crazy but it was a great memory and a great song! :)  Chris Feild, one of my co-workers quoted What About Bob saying "there are only 2 types of people in the world - those who like Neil Diamond and those who dont."

Here is Ryan and Danny singing it out! :)  Miss you guys! 

An update on my week.

I have had a fantastic week!  I have never had so many amazing deep conversations in one week – I bet I had more than 15 so far!  And it was just fun and so much of this week was spent with the youth!  It was a week where I felt like I was really doing my job.  Also so many people were so encouraging to me this week - I really feel affirmed - which is always nice.  

It started with school being canceled on Tuesday.  It was a Muslim holiday called Tabaski where they kill all the goats in a sort of sacrifice.  Everyone takes off work and school to celebrate and looks forward to it (maybe like our Thanksgiving with more of a religious purpose).  So I had an impromptu movie night at the Shafto’s house on Monday night since they could stay up late.  Their 2 kids are in the youth group – Robbie is one of my student leaders.  Also on Monday we celebrated Lorinda’s birthday at a nice French restaurant downtown! 

Tuesday was a great day too – the holiday canceled my French so I hung out at the Nehlsen’s house for lunch and stayed there all afternoon.  I also went to the Wolters house and worked on my talk for Thursday’s youth group.

My llama meeting was a ton of fun on Wednesday for two reasons: 1 – I love hanging out with my student leaders, and 2 – I actually made the meal!  I cooked a whole chicken (which means I cut off the neck and took out the insides) in the crock-pot.  This is my first time ever doing it so I was nervous but I didn’t hear too many complaints when the time came to actually eat it.  After the meeting I ended up going to the Nehlsen’s again to hang out with Kari and stayed long enough for dinner.  I am starting to feel bad because of the amount of time I spend there and the amount of times they feed me. 

I was able to go to the girl’s soccer tournament at the international school on Thursday.  Both my girl student leaders – Kari and Liesbeth are on the soccer team as well as several other youth group girls.  It was fun to see them play – I had a great time watching and talking to parents: It felt so American!  (Well besides the fact that the other school was all black and most of them didn’t have shoes)  Youth group was a lot of fun too – we are doing a Christmas angel exchange so everyone brought gifts and was excited to see what they were getting.  I am not a part of it but someone gave me earrings and I have no idea who!  It has been driving me crazy!  My talk on faithfulness went pretty well – I made a huge point of talking about how this series isn’t about being perfect all the time but its about God working in us.  Then I talked about faithfulness in terms of being faithful to God and faithful to each other.  Oh also side note: I woke up to my bathroom flooded and unsure of how to actually turn the water off…

Yesterday after French I took a short break and relaxed in the afternoon.  Kari stopped by and then I went back to her house again – the Nehlsen’s fed me yet another meal! J Amy is working on her masters and wanted me to proofread her paper so I spent most of the evening doing that (it’s a long one on Education of girls in Burkina Faso…very interesting).  After that we watched a movie with Kari, Peter (Kari’s brother) and Robbie.  By the time it was finished Amy had convinced me to stay the night because driving back on my moto that late may not be so wise.  Basically I had a sleep over with my students which was pretty funny and I laughed to myself as I fell asleep on the couch. 

Today no girls showed up for Bible study (if you want you can pray about that…they wanted it but no one comes…) so I am updating you.  This afternoon I am looking forward to teaching my English class and maybe, just maybe going to bed early.

Here is a picture of Micah, Nathan, and Robbie at worship practice last week.  Liesbeth is not pictured but she plays the violin most weeks. 

Elections

Hundreds of moto's, people on horseback, and people singing and throwing out flyers in support of the current president had traffic stopped after church on Sunday.  Elections are coming up soon and so demonstrations and talk in support of Blaise Compaore are becoming quite frequent.  

Night at the LOC

Last weekend I stayed out at the LOC.  My totally, completely, legit, co-workers with Envision - the Feilds - let me come out and stay with them for the night.  (I have a ton of co-workers with the CMA but the only other Envision missionaries with me are the Feilds.)  They live at a church plant, Christian school and Compassion site and they happened to have a short term team visiting from the States.  They have 5 kids and only one is in my youth group - he is a 6th grader.  The rest of the kids are in elementary school or not at all.  They are an awesome family and have helped me a TON in adjusting and living here.  

Because a short term team was visiting, the Feilds had some guys come who knew how to play the jimbay.  They gave us a little concert and taught some of the team how to play.  We also had an authentic African meal and we learned how to dance.  

I took pictures today!

This is Kari and Liesbeth laughing during our llama meeting.  We have them every Wednesday - one of the highlights of my week.

Robbie, Kari, Micah, and Liesbeth.  The 5th llama leader, Kevin, was sick this week.  These are basically my best friends here - they are an amazing group of kids!  

This is Janaya Holbrook.  The Holbrooks left Africa today to go back to the States.  Janaya and her sister Hannah were the girls who met me at the airport when I first arrived.  Their whole family is simply amazing and I am certainly going to miss them.

Okay the internet isnt uploading the rest of my pictures fast enough and I am getting sleeping - its after midnight!  SO I will upload more soon!  

Goodnight! 

Why you shouldn't lie to students:

There is a festival of sorts going on in Ouaga currently called SIAO.  It’s basically a big fair with a TON of venders selling stuff from all over Africa – its pretty sweet. 

Last night I went with some of the youth to check it out and buy some fun stuff.  While we were walking around we ran into this ladies selling t-shirts and fun African looking souvenirs (which is basically what everyone is selling…).  They were selling this cloth book cover/protector for small books and there was a book inside of it to display it.  I opened up the book and it was written in Chinese characters.  Micah and Robbie asked if I could read it so I told them I could.  They were pretty doubtful but I was fooling them.  The lady selling it was looking at me knowing the truth and so while laughing she reached over and turned the book over in my hands because I was holding it upside down!

I have never seen those boys laugh so hard! 

Tonight

Well since I have internet I may as well keep you updated :)

This evening WIRED went very well!  This year we have Llama team challenges - the llama leaders (student leaders) have small groups called llama groups and so in continuing the theme of llamas the Llama team challenges developed.  Basically Kari leads games and the small groups compete for some unknown or undiscussed prize or glory at the end of the year!  We had a fun night of charades (how to you act out grace?).

After singing/worship I spoke on kindness - We are going through a series on the fruit of the Spirit.  I shared a story about how a man helped me change my tire on my birthday, in the rain, in Seattle, on my way to pick up Hannah K from the airport.  Then we talked about how Jesus shows kindness and tenderness when he healed individuals by looking at them, seeing them, and touching them.  I have been continuing with the idea that when we remember what God has done in our lives, spend time in the word and just get to know God that we cannot help but be changed - and that is the Holy Spirit working in us.  So in motivating people to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, and now kind, I am saying "please get to know the God of the universe and let him work in your lives to bring about those things."

After the talk we prayed for three of our students who will be heading back to the States next week.  Its hard to see people go but I am getting the sense that it happens a lot.

Small groups ended our night - I have not heard how they all went.  I had the guys discuss how they can be tender - it will be interesting to hear what they came up with :) I encouraged them to look at Jesus - he is a kind and tender man/God after all!

Everyone hung around for quite awhile after youth group got out and now its odd that its so quiet.  When it ends every week and everyone goes home its a hard adjustment to go from LOUD to stillness.  But its nice both ways.

INTERNET!

Its not fast, and its not perfect...but its in my house people!

Yippy for Presents!

I got stuff from you guys!  Thank you so much!  The package that was put together by my Lewiston family made it (well half of it).  Thank you all so much!  It was such a blessing to get some great and much needed things!  I am excited to eat peanut butter, make tacos, make ranch dressing, sleep better, print things, use the projector and so much other stuff!  Also, thank you Franklin team (all of whom most likely do not read my blog) for buying things that didn’t arrive – that was a surprise and you did not have to do it!

In other news: we played underground church last Friday and 50+ kids came – most of them I had never met before!  It was neat seeing some new faces and maybe some will come to youth group this week!  We also had a great time running around in the dark and “torturing” people by making them count coffee beans, eat old sardines, run in circles, and sing embarrassing songs.