Coming to the US

Most of you know that it is pretty much almost impossible to get a Visa to come to the US if you are a single, 20-something, non land owning, African male. One of our closest friends from Africa, Fernando Gomes Co, recently got a Visa to study in the US.

Fernando has been through the YFC English program and internship at the Youth for Christ Center in Guinea-Bissau. Since then he has been teaching English at the Youth Center.

Fernando is a very good teacher and is now the director of English at the Youth Center.
Because you can only learn so much English in a classroom, our teammates wanted him to spend a year studying in the States so that when they leave he will be totally prepared to run the program on his own.

A few pics of Fernando at a photo shoot Jason did to get nice pictures of the staff at the center. I know he looks young, but he is my age. (They love to rock the man-prees in Guinea-Bissau)

Fernando will be arriving in the US on Saturday, July 28^th. We are picking him up from the airport in Detroit and taking him right to Simpson Park Camp. You heard me right his first experience in the US will be counseling in the youth program with Jason all week, so that will be pretty cool. We are planning on bringing some bread and rice with us, because lets face it, adjusting to food in another country is hard enough… and he has to start out on camp food, which has been known to make the boldest of stomachs quesy…. Hehe

After camp he is headed down to Florida (now that's more like his kind of weather ) because he has been accepted by the University of West Florida to participate in their "Intensive English Program" for two semesters. Over the Christmas break he is planning on going up to Vancouver, WA where he can spend time with the Lighthouse Church (Pastor Mike and Mario, that have been long time friends and frequent visitors and workers in Guinea-Bissau).

Having quality nationals run the ministry in Guinea-Bissau has always been one of the main goals of our teammates who started the work there. If we just go in and help and then leave the help is over, but if we train the people there to lead they are going to be much more effective and they are going to make a continue making a difference for their whole lives. Beautiful buildings and nice equipment are only so good, unless you have godly men and women that can utilize it for God's Kingdom. Fernando has proven to be that type of person over the years and it is exciting that he is getting this opportunity.

As you all know living in the US (especially when attending college) is not cheap. Fernando's expenses are going to be around $16,000 for the year.

1. His plane ticket will be about $1,800 to $2,200.

2. His tuition for two semester at UWF is $6,000

3. We are hoping that he could live with a host family in Pensacola and if you all know a Christian family that might want to do this then that would be great. If not, the room and board was quoted at $8,000 for the whole year.

The reason for this blog is that I would like to ask you to consider donating some money towards Fernando's trip. A lot of you are students or people who are just starting out, and I totally understand that. God gives us different means to help people at different times in our lives. You can always share this with your friends, family, Sunday school class, etc. A lot of people have asked how they can make a difference in Africa, and this is a really good way. Also, if you guys have any creative ideas feel free to use them I honestly don't think that any gift is too small. If a hundred people just give $5 then that makes a big difference.

Fernando is going to record a CD (he is one of my favorite singers) to raise money and our teammates are going to be selling some quilted bags (like my purse) that were made in Africa. YFC gave the Youth Center staff and the people at Fernando's church an opportunity to give as well. Jason and I have purchased a laptop for Fernando to use while he is here and then take back to Guinea-Bissau. The reason I am sharing this is I just want you to know that I am not asking you to consider something that we are not willing to do.

Pastor Mario, Fernando's good friend, has said that money could be sent to their church and they will set up an account there to receive it (so it would be a tax-deductible donation). You'll want to make the check out to "The Lighthouse, A Christian Church" and then mail it to the address below. Make sure you put a note on the check that it is for Fernando Gomes Co.

The Lighthouse, A Christian Church

7808 NE 94th avenue

Vancouver, WA 98662

If you have any questions about this at all please let me know. Thanks for reading this!

What a Day :-)

You know how sometimes you just need some really really good news? One of my friends just got some. There were some false accusations made and I have just been praying so much that the truth would be seen. Today it all came out and I am so happy I can stop having tears in my eyes. (I know only I cry with all emotions) We serve a God who wants a relationship with us, who cares about everything in our lives. That totally blows me away. Just when you think you are up against something that will tear your life apart He comes in and the truth just shines. I feel like hugging about 20 million people.

I've got to agree with Chris Tomlin on this one:

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Pledge... sort of

This summer has certainly been a trip so far. Africa was crazy-busy but if Jason and I thought we were going to come back to the States and kick back, we were wrong. A lot of the running around since we have been back has been good – we have seen lots of people that we missed. The hard part has just been not being settled.

I know, I kind of sound like a broken record, right?

Y'all know I don't really like it when I don't know....

Here's the thing, so far this summer every time I feel like I have something nailed down it slips out of my hands, BUT

God

always

provides.

Simple words... They really mean a lot to me right now.

In Africa it was really easy to be content. All I had to do was open my eyes for about 5 seconds and see that whatever I had I was the lucky one. I feel like it's not so easy here in America.

I think I have just slipped back into the attitude of "this is what I deserve"... Not about new clothes... or a big house... I'm not really talking about things at all. I'm talking about a sense of security, knowing what's coming next, a plan for my life, etc.

In Africa I didn't have any way of knowing what was going to happen and when stuff happened a lot of times I didn't understand why. I had a big picture, but you all know I am not a big picture person. I was totally ok with that... most of the time... I felt like I learned so much about going with the flow. I mean, when we missed our plane on the way out because they randomly decided that the Monday flight should go out at 10 am instead of 11 pm I was not fazed.

So why aren't these lessons moving with me? Why do I want to plan out my life and shut God out of the process? Surely not because I am scared... He has always taken care of me... Do I think I know more than God about how my life should go... ha...

Ok, here's the deal. Whatever happens for the rest of summer I am ok.

- if have a place to live

or if we don't

- if the people I'm praying for want to talk about God

or if they don't

- if a have a break though on SPYC follow up

or if I just use the good stuff I did last year

- if Jason gets a job

or if he doesn't

- win or loose, rich or poor, tired or rested,

happy or sad, full of mac and cheese or hungry...

I will be content.

I know that God is on my side.

I want what He has for me.

You know, life is good isn't it?

Downsizing

Ok, so I have told you before that I am a saver. I don't like to throw things away. Today I am going to go through my clothes and take out everything that is too small, too big, I really liked in the store but I haven't worn, etc. I have a lot of moving around to do this summer and there is no reason to be dragging around clothes that I might wear at some point. Let's face it, that point will never come. To most people this seems like common sense. I am trying to have that perspective It just seems a little odd...

In other news, most of you know that I am going to be working at PMA again and I am excited about it. Jason has not found a job yet, so if anyone needs a programmer let him know.

I think that when we get back to the US in December we are going to move to North Carolina. We visited some different places in Virginia and NC on vacation and we really really really like the Raleigh area. Anyone else thinking about a move? We could caravan...

Alright, enough stalling, time to go clean house

My face is normal :-)

It turns out that I was having an allergic reaction and that is why my face was so swollen. I got a steriod shot at the doctor's office yesterday and I am looking much better now.

Jase and I spoke in my parrents' church on Sunday night for missionary night (they have it once a month). I was so tired from all of the medicine I have been taking and my face was swollen so I was really self conscious. It went great. We got a lot of compliments and I actually felt very comfortable.

Anyway, it was a good dry run for camp. I think it is going to be good

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I look like Quasi-modo. Seriously, I am having an alergic reaction to something here in Little Rock and my eye is really swolen. I went to David's Bridal today to try on dresses for my sister's wedding (Amanda) and my grandmother took a lot of pictures of my other sister (Rachel) and me. I definitely don't want to see them later...

Anyway, I thought you would all like to know that I am a huge freak. Ok, maybe it's not as big of a deal as I am making it out to be, but let's face it, I'm dramatic. So, pray for my face...

(When I say my eye looks like Quasi-modo I am talking about this guy:)

Bathrooms and Weight Loss

We have been in Little Rock for two days now and I am loving it!!!!! I forgot how much I love a hot shower! I have been remembering everyday in the shower. I am really missing the African bread, but I make up for it by consuming large amounts of cheese

Many people have asked me about culture shock coming back to the States. I have only really been around my family and Jason's family so far, so I haven't really experienced anything shocking yet. I bought a new pair of pants at Old Navy (definitely my favorite store) and it was really nice to be able to try them on. Besides that I have just been appreciating weird little things a lot more. If anything shocking comes along I will keep you posted.

Speaking of appreciating weird things I am truly grateful for these things we have here called public restrooms. In Bissau there aren't any bathrooms anywhere. If you don't go in your house you are going to be going on the side of the road. Luckily I never had to do that. Actually, you see men going on the side of the road all the time, but I have never seen a woman doing that. I don't really know what they would do. I was in Walmart the other day getting my hair cut and doing a little shopping (new tooth brushes, q-tips, some shampoo, etc) and I really had to go to the bathroom. I was mad at myself for not going at home and doing a little dance in the isle when I realized, "Hey, I think they have a bathroom here!" I went over and was pleasantly delighted (It really doesn't take much more than a toilet and hot water in the faucet to impress me anymore). Anyway, I don't think I will complain about public bathrooms for a long time.

So far the best thing about being back is seeing the people that I have only been emailing. The second best thing is hot showers and the third best thing is anonymity. When I was in Walmart no one was looking at me. No little children were talking about me. No one was asking me for anything and no one was trying to charge me triple the normal price for something. In fact, the prices for everything were written right on the shelves!! It sounds kind of funny, I mean who wouldn't want to be the center of attention everywhere they go? Trust me, it gets old...

For those of you that have heard the rumors, yes, Jason did loose 35 pounds in Africa. It is not true that I didn't feed him, however. It is just hard to eat a lot when it is so hot out. Also we really didn't eat much meat. Basically we ate a lot of rice and pasta. Hmmm, so on the reverse Atkins diet Jason lost weight without trying… corny, I know. Actually he is taking steps to regain his former girth, starting with a trip to Mongolia Barbeque with a group from his tennis team.

Alright, well I need to get back to the hard work of relaxing. It takes a special kind of person to enjoy a vacation and I am going to enjoy it to the fullest.

We're Home

We're home, we're home, we're home. Just in case you missed that we are back in the USA. We had absolutely no problems with customs, we got all of our luggage, nothing was broken, and we didn't even get sick from airline food.

The trip started out in a fairly tumoultuous manner with us missing our first flight in Bissau because Air Senegal decided a week or so before that the flight that leaves the Bissau airport on Mondays really should leave earlier. (That's right only one flight a day leaves the Bissau airport...) So our 10:30 pm flight was changed to 11 am and no one told us... Jason got to the airport at 6 pm to find out for sure when we needed to check in and he was told that the plane had left and we had missed it. The office was closed so there was no way to find out if we could be on the flight the next day. We had a long debate if we should go over land (which takes 20 hours) to Dakar and pretty much squeek in right before our flight to New York. Anyway long story short we got on the flight the next day and everything went pretty smoothly.

Our flight over the ocean took 2 hours longer than usual because of all of the wind so that was ten hours and even the flight from New York to Detroit had an extra 40 min in the air tacked onto it.

So, all's well that ends well. So far no major stomach problems (I am sure you wanted to know that...) and we are doing good. We will be seeing many of you in the next few days and I can't wait.

Coconuts

So, I haven't posted a blog in more than a month… Sorry about that. I wrote a blog four weeks ago but every time I tried to post it the internet crashed or didn't work or my myspace profile was under repair. Gotta love the internet in Guinea-Bissau...

Things are going good. In my unposted blog I was sitting in my chair with a fan pointed on me eating a little munch of the first coconut out of the tree in the front yard, and I thinking about the fact that we are leaving soon. We are leaving in less than three weeks! It hasn't really sunk in. Sure, there have been times when I have wanted nothing more than to go home now! But most of the time I really like it here. I love the people I work with, I love my students, and I have gotten used to enjoying a big bowl of rice!

My teammate loves change. She likes to go buy new clothes and give her old ones away. She likes starting a new class, a new semester, or a new program. She likes to travel to different places. I certainly admire her, but that is not the way I am wired. I like familiar. I have clothes from high school. (don't hate) I like to see the same people everyday and get to know them really well. I like to teach the same students. Right now, here is familiar. When we came we had the mindset that we had moved here. We wanted to involve ourselves totally and not just be guests. We got our "moto" and we go all over Bissau on it. Our apartment feels like our home and the people we work with feel like close friends.

Saying good bye is always bittersweet, and even though I have done it so many times, I will never get used to it. I have taken some time lately to think about what's next. Do you ever get to a point when you just don't know? I really haven't. Before I graduated high school I had decided on a college. When I finished college I got married. When Jason finished college we moved to Africa. Now we are coming home for a few short months, headed back here for an even shorter amount of time, and then off into the unknown.

To tell you the truth I am starting to get a little nervous about this summer. It's just that it is hard to plan things from here. Every time Jase and I think we might have it figured out, something changes. At this point, we have a few job ideas and a few places that we might be able to stay but who knows? There is a job I would like to have but if I can't then I think I might waitress or even work at a bookstore. I have always wanted to work at a bookstore. Not exactly a career move, but we are only going to be available to work for basically three months. All that to say please be praying for us that we would be able to get settled into a place to stay and jobs fairly quickly this summer.

There are a few things we do know. Jason wants to be a photographer, we want to have kids… eventually. We want to learn Spanish and do some mission trips to South America. We want to stay involved at Simpson Park Camp. When we get home we want to eat a lot of cheddar cheese and tortillas :) (you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone)

There are a lot of things worse than the unknown and I know that there is a plan for my life that will be revealed to me as I go. For now I will just eat a little more coconut and grade some homework.