Christmas Cookies and Caroling

you won't see signs of santa here. no halls decked with holy. no christmas lights. no christmas tree farms. we are far from a white christmas here in sudan. but there is one (rather essential) christmas tradition that i can certainly relate to... christmas cookies!

that's right. even in sudan, many households were baking the day away. this is no slice-n-bake, my friends. only serious cookie-making here. trying to expand my moru culture, i jumped in to "help" in the process. it was, however, short-lived. as the boiling water was poured in, my kneading turned in to poking and wincing. what can i say, i'm a wimp. i happily watched from my seat, deciding i would wait and build up my pain tolerance another day.

this is the finished product! paired with some lemonade. delicious!

back to christmas traditions...

what is christmas without caroling? we decided to bring some of our own christmas traditions to mundri, and so we set out on christmas eve to do just that. candles in hand and guitar at the ready, we went trekking through the bush to visit our neighbors. 

of course, we had to first explain what we were doing and that we actually wanted them to sit while we sang to them. they probably thought it a bit strange, but seemed to enjoy it all the same.

wishing you a merry christmas from mundri!

Returning

refugees have recently returned to mundri. many are coming from IDP camps in sudan, or even from uganda and kenya. this is a difficult journey for families. they struggle with hunger, illness, and often come with little to nothing to claim as their own. last week our team was able to help in distributing care packages for returnee students at various schools in the area.

pray for the many families that have returned to the south, that they will find comfort and hope in Christ, their Savior and Provider. 

English Class

bethany and i have been teaching an english class at our church every friday.

our students range from teenage boys to elderly women. some days we have 25, other days 2 may show up for class. one morning while biking to class, we passed the majority of our church members walking down the road in the opposite direction. we stopped to find out they were all heading to a funeral. so many things are unpredictable. even this past friday, one girl had a seizure in the middle of class.

despite the inconsistency, surprises, and our lack of experience, we manage to have a good time. everyone is eager to learn and participates with a great sense of humor. the older women are especially amused with each other when practicing phrases like, "I want milk." this week we taught the song "if you're happy and you know it." we often catch them practicing their english and they are enthusiastic to show it off. as we were greeting in church today, one of the ladies said, "melissa, i am happy and i know it." brought a smile to my face.

i am thankful for the opportunity to grow relationships, see familiar faces in my church community, and laugh with friends.

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

happy december! the christmas spirit has officially arrived in south sudan. we put up our christmas tree, strung popcorn, and cut out paper snowflakes to decorate the team house.

warm wishes from mundri!

Be Our Guest

our sudanese friends are often showing us hospitality, inviting us to their homes, gifting their harvest, and giving out of the fullness of their heart. with thanksgiving approaching, we wanted to give them a chance to be our guest, to say thanks, and to share our traditions with them just as they have for us.

we started early with preparations... caleb had the unpleasant task of killing the chicken. but don't let his face fool you into thinking he felt any sympathy for our soon to be dinner.

he was rather proud.

everyone cooked their favorite thanksgiving dishes: green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and even apple pie! the morning was busy with plucking feathers, peeling potatoes, cleaning counters, and decorating table tops. oh, and we officially kicked off the season with some christmas music, giving us an extra pep in our step. i even wore my happy holidays shirt for added spirit. this is my rolled out of bed look. ok, maybe its my everyday look.

once our guests arrived, we played UNO, jumped rope, and some took a turn on the swing.

the boys played a serious game of basketball.

we ate, and ate some more. we taught our moru friends the song, "i've got so much to be thankful for." then we all made thanksgiving hands and shared with everyone what we were thankful for.

all around...a great thanksgiving with friends! oh yeah, our group photo. i think the bunny ears are a nice touch.

Okari

sitting in church this morning, i was reminded of how much i love this community. though i understand only a word or two from the sermon, i try my best to follow along with my bible. i mumble through the hymns, sometimes picking up on the last word of each line. for a moment, i am tempted to feel out of place, but quickly become aware of my unpretentious surroundings. the mud walls and thatch roof echo songs of praise and the people of okari smile and greet me as if i was their long-time friend returning home. 

  

 

my favorite part is the end of the service. we follow one another outside and form a sort of greeting circle, shaking hands, saying hello. then we all huddle to sing as the drums beat in the background. 

thankful today for worship and fellowship with believers, no matter the language.

First Day, Hooray!

 

monday was the first day of school! liana and gaby arrived bubbling with excitement and eager to start the day. gaby even came dressed in his finest :)   

liana and i baked a peachy pumpkin crisp in celebration of the first day, or halloween, or maybe just because. we’ve had an abundance of pumpkins here, and it almost feels like the fall season...minus the cool weather. 

later liana and gaby carved pumpkins. 

some of us went to scott’s house for his “celebrate the harvest” party. we ate pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread, taught his friends some random songs like “father abraham,” and laughed.

Reunited

and it feels so good! my heart leapt for joy when the tiny figures below cleared into view. what a rush of excitement and emotion to see my teammates again. so happy to be back and catch up. feeling welcomed, loved, and peaceful. 

Rest In Uganda

i arrived in uganda this morning. what a beautiful country! the cool, wet weather welcomed me as i arrived in entebbe. sitting on the porch, i see lush green mountains in the distance, and it brings peace to my soul. my ears tune to the songs of birds, though briefly interrupted by children laughing and playing in the streets. music and drums play in the background. as i sip on black tea and warm lentil soup, i take it all in. 

"open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see that the Lord is good. blessed are those who trust in Him." psalm 34:8


thankful for a place to rest, for a shower after days of travel, and for beautiful uganda. tomorrow i go to apply for my sudan visa. please pray that everything goes smoothly, and i am still able to leave on tuesday as planned.

Friends In High Places

two of my dearest friends came to colorado this weekend. besides the obvious pull of scenic attraction and outdoor adventure, they flew all this way just to bid me farewell! we did our best to cram the most fun into the short span of a weekend, and i think we succeeded. in the photo, we are at the top of pike's peak...14,110 ft up! i could lie to you and say we hiked our way to the top, but most of you know me well enough to agree that's highly unlikely.

heading back to florida today with a mix of emotions. feeling loved yet missing friends. excited to see family again but sad to say goodbye in just a few short days. 

Training in Colorado

three weeks in and i am exhausted...yet renewed at the same time. training kicked off with 45 missionaries and their children, preparing to spread the gospel all over the world.  what a blessing to be living in community with people who share similar passions, fears, and failures. we've discussed values, conflict styles, expectations, stress, transition, embracing joy and grief, and facing cultural differences, just to highlight a few. 

i have learned that difference is a good place to start, not only cross-culturally but within my team. God is teaching me to serve out of my weakness and depend more on His strength to be my sufficiency. this training has been so beneficial in revealing to me the reality of cross-cultural struggles and also the greatness and power of God to use me despite the obstacles. this is just a glimpse of what i am learning, as there is so much to still process. i appreciate your prayers as I continue my training. 

click on the links below to know how to PRAY for me or if you would like to pledge monthly SUPPORT. 

  PRAY                                           SUPPORT

With a Little Help from my Friends

this one goes out to my champion team of supporters. woop! woop! thank you all for your love and support and for getting me that much closer to my goal! I'M ALMOST THERE!!! i only need $700 more pledged monthly, and i can book a flight! trusting God for the rest, and i appreciate your prayers in that. i'm excited to be leaving for training soon and ready to be in Sudan. it's so close, i can almost feel the heat! (ok, maybe it's just the florida sunshine)

Starts With Goodbye

goodbye is never easy. it usually comes with tears and sadness, always sneaking up and seeming premature in its timing. yesterday, i officially said my goodbyes to birmingham. it was 11 years ago that i was saying goodbye to my family as i began a new stage of life at samford university. and now, all packed up and driving away from a place i called home, the reality of the big changes ahead seems to hit at it’s fullest.

july ended with a difficult goodbye as i closed a chapter at hand in hand. not many people can say they love their job as much as i do. God had indeed blessed my time there, as i was privileged to work with an amazing staff and know such loving families.

my next goodbye is a group of women that have served as my birmingham mommas for many years now. what a privilege to know these ladies and learn from their wisdom and knowledge of the word. being the baby of the group, they all played their part in leading me, teaching me, and praying for me. oh, how i treasure our time together and thank God for their friendship!

saying goodbye to bham is especially difficult when it means leaving my dear friends and sisters in Christ. it was an instant and mutual “crush” that began 5 years ago when we met in a brook hills small group. as individuals and as a group, they have poured so much into my life. they have prayed with me, cried with me, encouraged me, and challenged me. God has shown me a beautiful picture of community in this group of girls, and i can’t seem to find the words to express my deep felt love and gratefulness for their friendship. instead of goodbye, we manage a “see ya later!” somehow tricking our minds only for a moment.

the goodbyes continued as my roommates crammed a week full of games and dancing. there is never a dull moment around our house, and the laughs continued as we practiced our best “thriller” moves in our living room. i will miss our bike rides, marshmallows roasting, snow days, power outages, road trips, scrabble games, and garage sale hunts. i am more than thankful for how they have loved me and always seem to give so unselfishly, without expecting anything in return.

 

in the throws of goodbyes, i find myself wanting to wrap up the memories in words of gratitude and remember whens. but, the grief chokes me and instead i replace the words with a squeeze and knowing nod that somehow says enough.

 

it is overwhelming to look back and reflect on all the blessings God has provided and all the details that so perfectly explain his faithfulness. its when i think on these things that i know with confidence that God still has great things ahead and he will be faithful to complete them in me. what a comfort to know i have such a support team praying for me as i start this next chapter. much love to birmingham. we had a good run!

New Sudan

as expected, south sudan has officially voted to secede from the north. while southerners celebrate their new found independence, much uncertainty still lies ahead. please continue to keep the people of sudan in your prayers. also pray for the world harvest sudan team, as they continue to raise support, recruit new team members, minister in various settings, and travel to visit friends and family.

the massos have posted a short video about world harvest sudan. whmsudan.blogspot.com

Referendum

the referendum for south sudan began today, so far seeming successful as thousands show up to place their vote. please keep the people of sudan in your prayers this week and the crucial weeks and months that follow.

"God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish." psalm 9:18