No more cold feet!

So I made it! 

I am currently in Burkina Faso!  How great is that? 

I am currently feeling pretty good.  I was so awake and excited to be here last night but I feel asleep instantly!  I probably could have slept all day but I forced myself awake this morning and now I am doing great! 

Impressions: well its warm and humid – not too overwhelming: in fact I wasn’t hot last night at all.  And for the first time in quite awhile my toes are not cold.  However, as soon as I start moving I realize its quite a bit warmer than at home.  Everyone here is so nice and really excited for me to be here – that makes it so fun!  I met 2 really great girls last night and they said they couldn’t wait to meet the 6-foot tall farmer!  How funny is that?  The house I'm at is really great – very industrial maybe…if that makes sense?  All the floors are tile and the walls are hard, I guess cement?  Its really neat though.  Very homey and cute and I love it!  I am staying with a girl named Sarah – she’s amazing.  So helpful and she’s just trying to help me fit in and survive.  She has a dog named Snickers and a cat named Kit Kat. 

I am 7 hours ahead of my Washington/Idaho/California/Oregon people – just so you know.  

How do you pack for 2 years?

I leave in one week from today!  Crazy eh?  Things are getting a bit hectic - and I lost some sleep last night BUT I am still so excited to go - just nervous, sad, happy...I think I am feeling everything at once.  

I did get my visa and I did get my support: PRAISE GOD!!!

Both are like real live miracles that God totally did - I know he answers prayers but its still simply amazing every time he does.  So crazy how that works!

Also, I have received so many emails from different missionaries that are already in Burkina Faso just wanting to let me know that they are excited for my arrival and they are there to help me - it makes going not so scary!

So now I am spending the week packing - which leads me to the question: how do I pack for 2 years?  My mom helped me roll all my clothes real small, I think that has helped.  Now I am just trying to figure out what else I should bring and what I don't need to bring.  Its quite a process.  SO if you have any advice please let me know :)

Thank you for your prayers, emails, encouragement - everything!  You guys are my supporters and I would not be going to do what God has put in front of me without you.  

I truly look forward to keeping you updated!

Also - thanks to everyone that was able to make it to my goodbye party!  I had a blast and it was a blessing to see you all one more time before I leave!  Thanks!

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!