Labor Day!

Alright...no turning back now!  I bought my plane tickets as of last friday.  This is HUGE faith because I do not have all my monthly support pledged.  I officially leave September 6 at 5:15 in the morning.  Labor day.
Prayer: everything falls into place before then....Lord willing :) Also pray that God is continuing to prepare me for what is ahead.

Online giving is now available!

If you are interested in giving me money there are now 2 options!!

The first option is mailing a check with my name on the memo line or in a note enclosed with the check to this address:

Global Ventures Office

The Christian and Missionary Alliance

PO Box 35000

Colorado Springs, CO 80935-3500

And the other option is to give online by going to this address:

http://www.cmalliance.org/give/designated

My Account name is of course: Hannah Greene 

My Account number is: 1-47650-41-10

Then continue on and follow the steps :) 

Things are coming along but I do still need some financial support.  Thanks for all of you who are already praying and giving!  I appreciate it all!!! This is coming together and its REALLY exciting!

how the heck did this happen?

I have motivation and time to explain a little bit about how this Burkina opportunity came about…so here it is:

Since I graduated in December I have been praying about the next step God would have me take.  I felt like God would let me know but I begin to do a little research to see what options were available.  I looked into Young Life international (which would be amazing), CAMA and a few other things but nothing was jumping out. 

In one day I received a few emails about the same opportunity in Burkina Faso.  So without thinking about it I applied.  After I applied I freaked out just a little because I realized I didn’t pray about it or anything – I just jumped on it!  But I was assured (thanks mom!) that this could be a door that God has opened and if he wants me to do it then it will work out.  AND it DID!  A week later I heard back from the Brokopp’s (the CMA missionaries currently in Burkina) and they told me they would love to have me come.  Now – several hoops have been jumped and things have been approved and the ball is rolling. 

Now that things are moving and I have had time to pray I will say that I am confident that this IS what God has for me – I have faith that my funds will come in, that my prayers will be answered, and my prayer support for the next two years will be strong!  

Transportation!

God has been answering prayers so quickly that I cant even keep track of them all!!  The newest one is that he has provided me with transportation while I am in Burkina!! J I have been told that there are 2 motorbikes available and I can have my pick!

This is HUGE for me because last summer in South Africa I had to rely so much on someone driving and getting me for ministry – its nice to know that I am free to get where I need to when I need to!  PRAISE JESUS!

NEWS

Some of you already know but for those of you who dont: I am moving to Burkina Faso, Africa! :)
I will be updating my blog more and more in the next few weeks and then keep it updated while I am there.  For now I am just posting my support letter - soon I will give MORE details!

GET EXCITED!

“Hannah! This is EXACTLY what we have been praying for!  YOU ARE GOING!”

 – Mandy, my roommate from Redding

Dear

Mandy said that after I called to tell her about the opportunity to be the youth leader of a youth group at an international school in Burkina Faso, Africa.  Now, nearly a month later, I'm sitting here writing to tell you that I have been accepted to fulfill this position and am planning on heading there in September. 

This position is through the Short Term Missions Office of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.  I have been asked to be the youth leader of a youth group that many of the CMA missionaries in the region send their kids.  Along with being the leader of the youth group, I will also teach English and learn French.  There are endless opportunities to serve God in a country where Islam is the predominant religion.  I am thrilled to take part in God’s ministry in this country and serve him in whatever other ways he would reveal. 

I am writing you because I need your support.  I have currently committed to being there for 2 years and I know that I am going to need your prayers.  Please consider praying for me as I prepare to go to Burkina and while I am serving there.  Financially I am going to need help as well.  I know that the missionaries in Burkina would love to provide for my finances but that is not possible for them.  So, I am raising support both spiritually and financially.  The complete cost of living in Burkina (and learning French) will be $1,400 a month.  Please consider supporting me monthly.  

I wanted to thank you for the support you have given me.  You have played a part in God’s plan for my life already.  I would not have been able to graduate from Simpson University had it not been for your support in sending me to South Africa for my internship last summer.  Also, I know that you have prayed for me and encouraged me for many years now and that has shaped who I am today – Thank you.

Blessings to you!

·  Please follow me online at: http://backroadsunset.blogspot.com/

·  And for more information or to talk to me personally email me at greenebean55@hotmail.com 

Christ our coming King!

Homework. That’s my day. Sad eh? Really sad. But it’s been interesting. I stayed up far to late last night and then woke up far to early worrying about this interesting homework. Praise Jesus that this is my last semester. Anyways my homework. In my Simpson class we are going over all the doctrine of the CMA. Today I had to read and write a summery/reflection on the last two distinctives of the fourfold gospel. The first two are Christ our Savior and Christ our Sanctifier. The ones I reflected on today are Christ our Healer and Christ our coming King. So I was nearly floored with Christ our coming King today. I don’t really know much about the second coming nor have I ever put much time into trying to know. It’s always seemed a little messy and confusing – I think that’s how many of us feel about it but I learned some pretty interesting things today.

A.B. Simpson starts this off by talking about how there is hope from Christ our coming King. Towards the end he discusses blessings that will come to us when Christ returns. They are really beautiful! The first one that he discusses is that Jesus will be with us. I had to stop and control myself right then. You see I just was overcome with the idea of Jesus being with us. Right here. In person! How amazing is that? I just can’t help but smile and get so excited at the thought of it. In fact while I was sitting in starbucks thinking about it my heart went up in my throat and I nearly started to cry from the joy that the thought brought me. The other blessings that come are not nearly as exciting but they floored me as well – the whole family of Christ will be together (I think that includes those of the past also - like my grandpa), we will be given perfect spirits and restored to His image – healed, we will have perfect bodies, we will be given a high service to do his blessed work, Satan will be defeated and banished, and it will bring blessing to the whole world. Isn’t that amazing?

I also appreciated how Simpson didn’t just leave it at the blessings we get but continued on with application of where this should leave us while we wait. It gave me perspective and inspiration to continue on in the service that he has called me to do and not sit in complacency. Simpson was right to start off the chapter talking about how this forth distinctive gives us hope. I am full of hope right now and inspired to continue on even when I feel like I am unable to anymore.

10 things I didn't think I would miss.

As it turns out I really loved my time in Africa – I'm sure you all could tell that from every blog I wrote while I was gone.  But even things that were not that great I'm finding myself missing – how weird is that?! 

So here is the list of weird things that I may not have loved while I was gone and yet am craving to have them back again:

1. Warm milk – I'm a big fan of cold milk but shelf milk is very popular in South Africa and I was starting to get use to it.

2. Winter – its just really hot here.  I find myself wishing that just for 5 minutes it would rain enough to keep me cool (I suppose its good I came here first instead of Redding).

3. The word now meaning later – now means now here, now in South Africa means in 10 or 15 minutes.  Just now is even better – that means anywhere between a half hour and days…

4. Diversity – every black person I see (which is few and far between) I want to run up and hug.

5. Children – I'm getting confused why when I walk anywhere kids are not running up and holding onto my legs.  It is easier to move around but I'm missing those beautiful faces looking up at me.

6. Xhosa and Afrikaans  - couldn’t understand a word but I miss those beautiful languages and even being out of the loop.

7. Being the one with the accent – I was the one that people would giggle at because I said the English words funny.

8. Security – okay so I actually do not miss the insecurity that one felt when walking around but I do miss the community of always being with people.  This is funny cus when I was there I just needed alone time every once in awhile. 

9. The ocean – okay so I loved it when I was there too and I just miss it now.

10. Construction – so for the two months I was living in a house under construction and every day was like camping.  I kinda want to cook in the living room.

Back in the States

So I made it home!  I'm sorry that I didn’t tell you until today.  Things got crazy once I got home and the time change was a little bit hard to adjust to.  But, I think I am nearly all over my jet lag! 

I can’t believe that I made it back.  It’s crazy that my internship is already over.  I feel like I just started it.  God has taught me a ton over the last few months and has really showed up on this trip.  Thank you to all of you who prayed for me – I really feel like it made a huge difference.  For example – usually on trips like this I get very sick but I did not get sick the entire time!  I did get food poisoning last week but it only lasted a night and a day and I was all better before my flight home.  I also can walk away saying that my internship was a success.  I learned a lot, I enjoyed my time, I made a ton of friends, and I got to be in ministry all time – so great!  Again, I cannot begin to tell you how deeply thankful I am for the support you all have given me. 

My last week in Africa was hard.  It was hard saying goodbye to all of the people that I am just getting to know.  It was hard looking at the children and saying goodbye and not being able to tell them when I may see them again.  We did have a wonderful last day in Red Hill though.  The guys that we work with, Stanton and Mzo, planned a wonderful going away club where we gathered with all the children and sang songs and danced and were given just time with the kids to talk to them and hang out.  It was great!  When it was over they took me into Papa Williams house and said how thankful they were for my help and we had cake and said sad goodbyes. 

With some of the older boys in Red Hill on my last day!

Unfortunately my last day in Masiphumelele was the Wednesday before I left and I didn’t even know it!  I got food poisoning on Thursday night and was unable to go to Masi on Friday to say goodbye.  It turned out that I wouldn’t have been able to say goodbye anyways because the rioting in Masi has just gotten worse and we weren’t allowed to go in.  I'm sad that I didn’t get to say goodbye to the Vulnerable Children but I'm sure Ritmwa told them for me.  My food poisoning also made me miss my own going away party that was supposed to have occurred on Friday morning.  Bum!  But everything worked out and I just said goodbye to people separately. 

Goodbye at the airport to Vuyani and Nceba the boys that moved in with us.

Now I am back in the States and adjusting to another culture – my own.  I'm in Ellensburg right now but since I got back I have been to my parents house in Cloverland.  Ill be here for the next few weeks getting ready for my friend Michelle’s wedding, which is on the 18^th.  Then it’s back to my parents for harvest. 

Again – thank you guys for following my blog and praying for me.  You are all amazing and I'm so blessed to have you in my life.  If any of you would like to get together with me and hear more I would love to!  Send me and email at greenebean55@hotmail.com and we can make plans!

My two months is just about up – I leave on Sunday.  I still can’t believe how fast time has flown by.  I'm sad that this is my last week.  At T for T yesterday morning I had to tell two of my favorite ladies (although I have a lot of favorites) that I would be leaving in one week.  Nomandla said that it was indeed bad news and that just as she starts to get to know me I have to leave.  I think its time for me to not be a short time person any more.  I think God needs to plant me somewhere so that I don’t have to say good-bye so often.  We will see.

I mentioned to you guys about the break in we had last week.  Things have calmed down quite a bit since then.  It helps that we have guys living with us – a good sense of security.  Plus these two guys add to the community we have here; its nice not having it so quiet.

Ministry this past week went very well – I seem to have a lot of good weeks here!  Most everything was what I usually do, Red Hill children’s ministry, Masi Vulnerable Children’s clubs, visiting with women, bible studies, ect.  We did not have bible study on Wednesday because of the death in Red Hill but we did have services to go to in the evening.  They were…interesting!  Everything was Xhosa so I didn’t understand a thing and there was a lot of yelling/preaching!  The person who is speaking gets all worked up in their preaching and then as soon as they take a breath everyone else breaks into singing – even if the person is not done.  It was quite an experience! 

This weekend I went to a local beach called Boulders Beach.  At this beach there are South African penguins!  I have wanted to see them since I got here and so it was such a treat to finally be able to!  I also got to play in the ocean and just have a fun relaxing day.  

Living on a Prayer

Totally listening to Bon Jovi in the lounge right now :)

Some Crazy things have been happening here on the home front. Site 5 (or Masi) has been experiencing some hard times. I do not know many details but people are upset in the Wet Lands because they have to move but do not have anywhere to go and so riots have been taking place all week. Funny story though - a movie has been being filmed in Masi for a week and on Friday there was a huge commotion at the entrance to Masi. We have 5 American girls visiting who thought that the commotion was the filming of the movie. However, it was really a huge riot! So these girls drive right through the middle of it, waving as they go, thinking everything is just fine. They thought all the police with guns and people yelling was just part of the movie!! Thankfully they are fine and we can laugh about it now!

The other thing that happened was we had a break in 2 nights ago here at the Africa house. We had some guests staying with us in one of the out buildings who did not lock their room and had a bag stolen. They noticed their stuff was gone around midnight but didn't want to wake me up. However, at 2:30 in the morning some man called their cell phone saying he found one of their passports and medicine by the streetlight. The man sounded pretty sketch so they woke me up and we decided to call the cops. By the time we went with the police to where the man said to meet him he was long gone. He was totally legit though because he called the next morning and the guy got the important stuff back. We three girls staying at the house were pretty shaken up by the whole thing so we had 2 guys from Masi that we know and trust come and move in with us. We are already thankful they are here because we came home late last night and by the time I got to the door the one guy was waiting for us because he heard footsteps outside.

So, crazy, exciting stuff is going on but God is totally protecting us and caring for us. In fact I spent the whole day in Masi walking around and meeting people and had no problem at all. Instead we met some wonderful ladies and prayed with them and blessed their homes. This afternoon we hung out with the vulnerable children and I taught them the story of Noah - fun times!

Also, don't be freaked out by this blog - especially you mom and dad! Im being smart - locking everything, walking around with locals, and pushing the emergency buttons when needed! haha :) (but that doesn't mean you should stop praying for me!!)
Thank you guys for everything!