Christmas Time Is Here

i love the christmas season in mundri.

decorations are up, stockings are hung.

everyone is baking delicious goodies.

mary and friends teach us to make sesame seed balls.

a crowd of people from my church gather to watch ‘the nativity story’.

larissa reads the christmas story (in moru).

we visit workers, neighbors, and friends.

i love christmas here. i enjoy making treats, visiting friends, and singing christmas carols. but it’s also a great opportunity to give, to love on our moru friends and share the good news of Christ’s coming. pray that i would be faithful to do just that.

Can I Get A Witness

it’s witness week here in mundri. various churches, including okari, are reaching out to their community, sharing their faith. this past thursday, i had the privilege of joining a group from my church. vida (a sweet old women with a zeal for life and the Lord, always patient to listen, trying to understand my broken moru sentences), goodwin (an endearing elderly man, doesn’t waste words, but his quiet smirk speaks volumes), ngulu (my friend, teaching me embroidery, always laughing, cheerful confidence), and tensa (though she seems reserved at times, her preaching packs a punch).

we crossed the road, navigating single-file along narrow trails and through overgrown bush. from house to house, we sang (well i mostly hummed) while ngulu beat steadily on her drum, adding a little pep to our step. at each home, we gathered under a large mango or lulu tree in the middle of their compound. vida, ngulu, and tensa took turns to preach a mini-sermon. we sang a couple of songs and prayed for sicknesses or specific requests from the family. then over tea and some food, we visited with the family.

halfway through our trekking and visiting, i found myself checking out, mentally exhausted from processing the language. i tried not to be discouraged by my lack of ability to communicate. i tried not be distracted by the mysterious and itchy rash that was quickly covering most of my right arm. i tried not to worry if i would be able to eat yet another sweet potato, another scoop of beans, and down a 5th glass of tea. 

and then... i asked that the Lord would take my attention off of myself. it seemed like a good time to give thanks and pray for those that would hear his word.

it was great to experience this with my moru community, to meet more people outside of my church, and most of all to witness my moru friends putting their faith into action.

Long Time Gone

yesterday marked my ONE YEAR anniversary of arriving in mundri! i can’t believe i’m halfway through my term already. when i told my friend, mary, that it was a year ago i first came to mundri, she cheered and said i am now a one year old moru.  

in many ways it seems like so much time has passed and yet there are days when i still feel new, like a one year old baby, learning to walk and talk, still exploring and making sense of my surroundings. 

the massos made my day, surprising me with a song to say happy one year.  i’ve posted the words and a few pictures of my time in mundri thus far. 

to the tune of “party in the u.s.a.” by miley cyrus

“i hopped off the plane at the mundri airstrip with my trunk and my cardigan.”

“welcome to the land of south sudan, am i gonna fit in? 

jumped in the truck here i am for the first time.

look to the right and i see the herd of cattle.”

“this is  all so crazy, everyone seems so friendly.”

“my tummy’s turning and i’m feeling kind of homesick.

too much pressure and i’m nervous.

then bethany turned on the radio and a whitney song was on, and a whitney song was on, and a whitney song was on.”

“so i put my hand out to shake people’s hands and the butterflies fly away.

riding my bike like yeah. eating kudra like yeah.

i put my hand out to shake people’s hands and the butterflies fly away.

yeahhhh.  it’s a party in south sudan.”

“i get to okari, riding my bike, everyone’s looking at me now.

like, who’s that girl who’s keeping trill. she’s gotta be from outta town.”

“so hard with my twin not around me. definitely not a birmingham party.

cause all i see are flip flops. i guess i never got the memo.

my tummy’s turning and i’m feeling kind of home-sick.

too much pressure and i’m nervous.

and when the choir sings my favorite tune and a moru song goes on, and a moru song goes on, and a moru song goes on.”

“so i put my hands out to dance around the butterflies fly away.

bobbing my head like yeah, shuffling my feet like yeah.
i put my hands out to dance around i know i’m gonna be ok

yeahhhhh it’s a party in okari church, yeahhhhh  it’s a party in south sudan.”

as i reflect on the year, i’m grateful for God leading me to mundri and looking forward to all he has in store for the second half of the ride. i know it won’t be an easy one, but i’m trusting the Lord as i put one foot in front of the other and thankful for those who help and encourage me along the way.

Only Wanna Be With You

these days, i've been missing home. wanting to see familiar faces of friends, be with family, to squeeze on my nephews. i wish time would freeze and they wouldn't grow. i wish my africa world was somehow closer to all the ones i love. if only i could drag the entire north american continent across the atlantic to settle nice and close to africa, maybe it would solve all of my problems. or maybe this sense of longing will always remain, and the focus only changes.

even so, i am grateful that God continues to open my eyes to see his abundance of blessings in the here and now. i'm thankful for a brief, yet sweet, reunion with an old friend, who actually lives on the same continent!

i'm thankful for my growing relationships with young women at okari. i love our hair-braiding, tea-sipping, language learning chats. i love that they ask about dominick and camden (i think they're aware it's my favorite topic). our interactions are becoming more familiar despite my slow moru and their lack of english.

though it doesn't quite compare to holding my own nephews, snuggling with this little guy was just the bonus of an already great day.

and on the days when i only want to be with the ones so far away, i'm thankful to be surrounded and loved by my moru community, and mindful of the joy in being exactly where God wants me, near to Him.

"But for me it is good to be near to God.  I have made the Lord my refuge, that I may tell of all your works."     Psalm 73:28

Round Here

some pictures to give you a look at life 'round here lately...

a new school year begins, gaby in 5th grade and liana a big 7th grader.

mary braids heidi's hair.

even john fashions the braided look.

a group from brook hills visits mundri.

we celebrate john's 23rd birthday, hillbilly style.

we attended a moru wedding at the cathedral. the main job of the best man/ maid of honor was to fan and wipe sweat from the bride and groom's face. non-stop, during the entire ceremony. now that's a friend.

but my favorite part...the youth choir.

River Deep

with all the rain lately, it’s been difficult to get around. puddles are filling up pot-holes, and roads are quickly becoming miniature lakes. we recently drove a friend to the nearest hospital, an hour away. just before reaching, we come to this.

heidi braves the waters, quickly realizing the fast-flowing river is no match for our vehicle. we had no choice but to stop and let them walk through the river to get to the hospital. 

riding our bikes in the mud and muck has proved to be an adventure this week. this picture was taken just before heidi’s bike chain snapped in two. now that’s rough ridin’.

in recent news, i’m learning to drive stick-shift....on these roads! watch out, mundri!

Three Hens

mary, heidi, and i are waiting for the rain to pass. we sit inside her tukul, near the warmth of the fire, telling stories of kenya and catching up on mundri news. 

soon, we make our way outside. mary puts us to work sweeping away the leaves and debris left by the rain, and we settle under a large tree on her compound. 

preparations for tea begin without delay, and the three of us sit and enjoy some bread and eggs with hibiscus tea. 

we watch the chickens roam around, pecking at crumbs, and we shoo them from under our feet.  

“how many chickens do you have?” i asked mary.

“there are three hens but no husband (rooster)” she replies.

heidi begins to laugh, “just like us...three hens with no husband!”

Teacher Training

thank you all for your prayers for teacher training. in many ways this particular training was all new for us. we had double the participants from various schools, two streams of classes, and a team from the U.S. coming to help in the teaching.

we had a great group of teachers, eager to learn and grow. they engaged in teaching strategies and learning styles. as a theme for the week, we discussed how Christ's love for us impacts our relationships with students.

the teachers spoke enthusiastically of what they had learned, and we had many requests to extend the next training to a few weeks. not sure we're ready for that, but i'm so thankful for our time with these teachers and excited to see how God will use them in their schools.

IndepenDANCE

july 9th was south sudan's independence day! it was exciting to be in mundri and celebrate the newly independent country with friends. 


here are some pictures to walk you through our day, beginning with a feast and ending, of course, with a bit of DANCING!

andrew and his family welcome us to celebrate with them.

i sat next to the tribal chief.

and ate corn on the cob.

bethany and i made some chocolate chip cookies. they were enjoyed by all.

especially the ladies :)

after lunch, we headed to town to join the crowds, just in time for dancing.

we moved from group to group, checking out the different tribal dances.

gaby had the best view.

Do It Again

as a kid, i remember my dad tickling me until i couldn’t breath. i would laugh and laugh uncontrollably, and with my last gasp of air beg him to stop...all the while wanting him to do it again.

(foto, pictured above, can’t get enough of heidi’s tickles :)

heidi recently lead our team in a night of worship and prayer. she encouraged us to share our “do it again” moments, those which we want to live over and over again. we all had different things to share... wonders in God’s creation, the familiar and predictable routine of family, or things that simply reminded us of loved ones. 

what one person would consider mundane, everyday rhythms are sometimes extraordinary treasures to another.

(though he can’t quite reach the seat, martin pedals like a pro, riding a bike for the first time.)   

one reason i loved working with preschoolers was their ability to see the world through fresh eyes. they would point out the tiniest insect or an intricate spider web that i would have normally overlooked or even found bothersome.

what God reveals to one may not be obvious to his neighbor. sometimes we need a little help (from a child or from a friend) to see the blessings around us.

(bethany and i model the ever-fashionable paper disguises.)

i’m thankful for my day with foto and martin, who remind me to be childlike. and i’m thankful for the gift of teammates, sharing in our differences, bringing attention to our daily joys, and together giving thanks for God’s goodness.

Kotobi

this was my second week teaching at kotobi teacher college. since english is now the official language of the new south sudan, teachers are required to take courses as part of their training. and i get to help! 

they are such a fun group, eager to learn and ready to participate in my activities. pray for my relationships with these teachers, that they would be encouraged in their studies, and that God would be growing them as leaders to impact their community.

Time of the Season

as rainy days are more frequent and the heat of the dry season is behind us, it’s planting time here in mundri. everyone is busy in their gardens, tilling the soil and planting seeds.

mary shows off her newly sprouted garden.

children head to school, hoe in hand, ready to dig in their school garden.

even liana and i have embraced our inner farmer, sowing flower seeds behind the new school house.

i love this season. the long rains. the cool mornings. all things new and hopeful. it’s refreshing to see beautiful mundri, covered in green again.