A Typical Day in Yendi

Yesterday was a good day. I woke up and decided I needed to wash some clothes. So, I went outside and filled up 3 large buckets with precious water to let my clothes soak in the soap. I got an urge to play with bubbles. So I went and got some bubbles and started blowing. Within seconds ten kids were there playing in them! It was a hit! They loved them. Letifu (a special needs boy) was eating them, which made me laugh because I remember doing the same thing as a child. So, by the time the bubbles ran out, my energy was out!! Mainly because I have malaria. So then I stared washing and six of the children came to help. We had a great time. We were all soaked by the end. (I think the 4 year old does a better job than I do). One of the girls helping me had a twin sister around 9 or so. I found them sitting in the hall. The sister was crying so I thought something had happened to her. I quickly found someone to interpret what she was trying to tell me. Comes to find out she had lost one cedi (equivalent to 70 cents). I felt so bad because she had probably been out selling tomato's or something all day. So I came in and got 10 cedi and gave to her. She just looked at me as I told her Yisa Yura (Jesus loves you). A few minutes later she found me to give me 9 cedi's back! I almost cried. I finally got across to her that I wanted her to keep it. They were so grateful. She bowed down and said natuma.(thank you). Then Jon Michael and I walked into town to get some malaria medicine and pick up something from the seamstress. (we only had to walk a few miles in the 100 degrees weather) So we got home and it began to rain. No, pour. I love the rain and it was so inviting. I talked Jon Michael to come play with a beach ball in our volleyball court (our front yard). The kids were just laughing at us because it is taboo to play in the rain. It's almost as if they are scared of it. However, after about ten minutes they decided to join us. We had a blast! Eventually I had to come in because I thought my head was going to explode (from the malaria). So, in all, a great day. I love loving.

Honesty

Honesty with yourself can be the harshest, brutal, and bloody of all wars. But, in the end there will be a peace treaty with your soul. Only when we can be brutally honest about our own failures, hang-ups, and insecurities is when God can give you the fullness of His grace. This morning I was reading through Matthew. Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Poor in spirit is the opposite of self-sufficiency. Jesus was speaking of the deep humility of recognizing one's utter spiritual bankruptcy apart from God. As, Christians, we must be brutally honest with ourselves and realize our lostness and hopelessness apart from divine grace.

God showing His power.

Jon and I were in Kumasi (about 7 hours from Yendi) a while back waiting on Muss to get out of a wedding (which lasted about 3 hours) and a girl named Sylvia opened the door of the van and hopped in and sat with us. We were like alright....comes to find out she knew Muss's family and bought something for them so she found the van and hopped in. So, this girl is amazing. She was maybe 25 or so. She was so encouraging and has some awesome stories. One I remember so plainly is the one about some students in the village. Some of the students from her school go into the villages in the northern region for break to spread the gospel and encourage churches. One particular group was at this one village having a prayer meeting. They were sitting in a circle on the ground, in the dark, when they got news that some Muslims from another village were on there way to them. They decided to stay there and pray. As they sat there in the dark on the ground the men came with machetes to take their lives. However, they walked all around them and didn't see them! God had made them blind to the students and the church members! The men left and the students gave glory to our God! This is a wonderful story that is a reminder that God still works miracles!

Ramadan

Ramadan is the Muslim celebration lasting for about 30 days, according to the moon. This is a time of fasting from 4:30a.m. to 6:30p.m. They do this to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. So, for the last month, we have had tons of people to ask us if we were fasting. Our reply was Christians don't celebrate Ramadan. Most of the Muslims do this in hopes of advancing their way to God. I have met some of the most genuine, devoted Muslims here. They do good deeds, pray 5 times a day, fast when they are supposed to...in hopes of doing enough to get to a Holy God. Its heart breaking. I told one of my Muslim friends that I could never be a Muslim because I could never "do enough" to get to a holy, perfect, and just God of the universe. So, today is the last day of the fast and the streets are insane. People are wearing their nicest attire, shouting, dancing, singing, drinking, eating, riding bicycles and motor bikes. The police are patrolling the streets all night to ensure "safety."

Challenging Books

Concerning my last blog, I just want everyone to know it was out of love. We are all on the journey of following Christ. I am burdened because I know America is becoming a lost nation and their blood could be on our hands. I fight every single day on totally surrendering to the cross. Its a struggle to go against the current. Its not easy to give up everything that is familiar...but thats why its the greatest adventure! We are all in this adventure together. Here are some books that are highly motivating and challenging. So, if you find yourself in a complacent position with Christ and want a challenge to run after Christ, here are some wonderful books that have helped guide me to where I am today:

• Bible (of course)
• Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne
• Radical by David Platt
• The Barbarian Way by Erwin Raphael McManus
• Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning
  

The American Dream

The American Dream. The American Dream is something we are all familiar with. We live our lives around it. We lose sleep over it. We are willing to sacrifice marriages, friendships, and even our children over it. Let's admit it: It is the heartbeat of our Western culture. Every student, after high school gradation, is expected to go to college and be successful. After all, the only way to make it these days is to have a masters degree, right? However, the more I read the gospels, the more I doubt the American Dream. What??!! Could it be that Jesus calls Christians march to a different beat than that of the rest of the world??? No way! Let us be reminded that Jesus is the one who said, "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be my disciple." In other words, pick up an instrument of torture and follow me. The One we claim to follow also says, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." -("Go, sell everything yo have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow me.") Hmm....this does not exactly match up with the "American Dream." Sounds to me that Jesus was asking His disciples to abandon their comforts, security, safety, dreams, goals, possessions, careers, and everything that is familiar to them and follow Him. But, that was a different time. A different culture, right? So, He certainly was not speaking to modern day Christians, or was He? David Platt's, Radical, has pointed many of these things out and helped me understand a lot about our western culture's agenda. As Christians, we tend to claim the verses like, "I come to give life, and life more abundantly." But, we do not think the verses like "sell all you have and give to the poor and follow me" do not apply to us. So do we have the authority to choose which verses applies to us personally?? It is time we face the truth: The American Dream is not biblical. Jesus calls all Christians to die daily, esteem others higher than ourselves, humble ourselves to the point of dying for our friends, hate our mother and father, go out in the midst of wolves as sheep, carry our crosses, give until it hurts, be a living sacrifice, live in community, go the the end of the Earth...abandon ourselves. This does not sound like the American Dream. The American Dream is self-centered and the God Dream is Christ-centered. There can be no balance. God requires us to be either hot or cold, no luke warm Christians are allowed or He will spit them out of His mouth! (He said it in Rev. 3:16! I didn't say it) What I fear the most is that the institution of the Christian Church is marching to the beat of the culture. Kids are having kids, children trying drugs, girls with identity issues, prostitutes searching for love, children becoming homosexuals, people committing suicide, sex trafficking (even in our own county!), children with no one to love them, children living in trash heaps around the world, kids being forced into war and a life of violent monsters, 600,000 children dying every day from malnutrition and preventable disease, and lets not forget the millions of people dying every day without hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ, all the while the Institution of the Christian church is arguing over 500$ chairs for people to sit on if they are tired of standing, new carpet, better popcorn machines, new pews, better worship centers, more lights, more strategies to attract the people, the best technology, how to get people in, how to be better than the church down the road, how we can make the gospel sound appeasing instead of self-sacrificing like the gospel of Jesus Christ, when will we have our next meal to fill our bellies while others down the road may not have enough to feed the children that day, better, best, more, more, more... This may be a sick and twisted image, but it's true. It is time for the Church of Jesus Christ to rise up out of our pompous self-righteous religiosity and continue the revolution that Jesus started 2,000 years ago: The Revolution of Love.

Scars of Tignaln

Tignaln was one of the villager boys in Ineudu. He was so precious and had the deepest eyes I have ever seen. He seems to be staring into your soul when he looks at you. He was only six or seven. I knew something was special about this little boy but I couldnt exactly figure it out. He clung to us all week. I noticed the other kids were not very nice to him. He seemed like he only wanted love. His laugh was so contagious. He loved to be tickled. I saw that he always hid his hand where no one could see it. Finally I saw the reason why. His whole hand was scarred up. It looked like he had been burnt very badly. He couldnt even function properly with his hand. I could tell he was embarrassed by his scars. So, I got a translator to tell him that I thought his scars were very cool! I told him it showed that he was strong. I even showed him all of my scars. A huge smile swept across his face as he slowly uncovered his scars. I told him that if I was him I would show everyone my cool scars so they would know how strong he is. Later that day I saw him playing with both of his hands. I pray this precious little boy will be set free from the embarrassment and insecurities of his scars.

Ineudu

This week John and I were in the village of Ineudu. He got there on Monday and I arrived on Wednesday because I was taking care of a girl who had malaria. This is actually the first time I slept in a village. I have been waiting a long time for this! It was amazing. I slept in a mud hut with a straw roof. It was apart of a big compound, so I felt like I was apart of the community. Each night we cooked under the stars on an open fire. They cooked a dish called Tezit every night. It is similar to banku or fufu, but much better. We eat with our hands, sharing with several other people. There is a sauce they cook to dip it in. The sauce is equivalent to liquid fire. So spicy but delicious. It was a contest between John and I who could go the longest without drinking water. I would always win of course. I showered at night time after everyone went to bed because the "shower" was a little round thing outside that only came up waist high. It was interesting, but really cool that I could see the beautiful sky while bathing. ( 3 shooting stars the first night) The sky was breath taking. You can see the Milky Way Galaxy so clear. It looks like spilled milk. There are no lights or electricity for miles and miles. I saw shooting stars every night. If I slept till 6:30 they just laugh because they get up so so so early. During the day we would walk around the village and talk to different people on the verandas. Around lunch time the children would gather and we would play games and teach a few bible stories. John had a small bible study with the leaders of the church after noon and at 9 we would have worship under the stars, by lantern light. Night worship was awesome. The men and women were out at farm all day and had to come home and cook so this was the best time. The last night one guy stood up an said he needed Jesus in his life. Glory to God. We left the village with a bucket full of memories and 3 chickens. I was very sad to leave them.

Just a walkin...

So yesterday I made the decision to walk to and from school. I heard there was a short cut, so I decided to take it :) So, I set off on my journey to school around 6:30. I walked and walked and walked. There were many many different trails and paths to choose. I usually took the one that was less traveled. So I passed many people, schools, and through peoples compounds. I was walking in total confidence so no one knew I was absolutely lost. I just smiled and sung songs. I spoke with everyone I saw on the way...So, I finally decided to ask someone where the school was. He laughed because a teacher could not find her own school. He pointed me in the right direction and I arrived around 7:18. I found out I totally went the wrong direction at first, but I loved just a walkin and talkin to people on the way. I decided to walk home and master the "short cut." I made it about 15 minutes quicker this time! I also walked this morning. It is a great challenge to find the short cut, but I am confident I will master it by December.

Yisa

Sometimes we meet people we will never forget. Yisa is one of those people for me. Yisa is a crippled man who is on fire for the Lord. He is in an "african wheel chair" (which is a hand operated 3 wheeled contraption made for the dirt roads) He is a church leader for his village. If this is not enough he has planted over 15 churches around his village. This would not be that big of a deal if he had some sort of modern transportation, but he travels miles and miles and miles in the scorching hot sun on his "hand bike." He pours everything he has into the Kingdom of God. He is such an inspiration to me because there were some days I just didn't feel like going to the village or my back or head hurt. But, after meeting Yisa, I was reminded that God will supply the strength we need to complete His work. Everyday this man travels hours to disciple these churches and not once has he complained his arms hurt or he is tired from pushing all his wait with his arms, not to mention on the horrible roads of Africa. In fact he is one of the most joyful, humble, and thankful people I have met. It is humanly impossible, so I conclude that the hand of God must be pushing him. I told Yisa that I will always remember him and his dedication to the expansion of the Kingdom of God. I told him I would tell many people in America his story so that his life would inspire many people, even across the world. So if you are reading this please tell someone about the dedicated life of Yisa. And may his life inspire us to be ready- in season and out, crippled or well, on the mountain or in the valley- to always be mindful and dedicated to the Great Commission.

Baby Jacob

The very last village we went to there was a lady, Augustina. She brought her new born baby to me. I held him the whole time we were there. He was so precious I wanted to take him home with me. I asked her his name and she has not even named him yet and wanted me to give him a name. I decided to name him Jacob. I promised her I would pray for her and Jacob and would come to visit them if God ever brings me back to Ghana.

Aventures of Courtney and Brittany

Courtney has not only been my roomie for the past 2 months, but also my ministry partner, and adventure partner. We are very different, but we have so much fun together. When we are going to do something, Muss always tell us to have fun and be responsible...we tell he I will have fun and she will be responsible. I am very sad that she is leaving me next week. I will always remember the fun times and the awesome God moments we shared. I wanted to dedicate this post to our adventures in Africa. Well at the beginning of the summer we got lost, by ourselves, in Tamale. Tamale is a big city about an hour and half away. We were to grocery shop :) Well...we did our shopping in the city and then called Muss, who was driving us. He dropped us off then left. However, his phone was dead! So we were in the middle of the city, surrounded by Africans who barely spoke English and did not have a way to get in touch with Muss. If we were not a side show already by being the only white people, we carried huge boxes of groceries around the city. I tried carrying it on my head, but its not as easy as they make it look. We went and sat int he middle of the median, thinking that was the best place. Some Ghanaian told us we were trying to commit suicide so we moved. After an hour of searching we finally found him by God's grace. If we had not gotten lost we would have missed out on some awesome snickers ice cream we found in a store!
I will also miss the long rides in the back of a pick up, driving a stick shift in Yendi (which neither on of us are professionals so say the least), dodging goats, killing, plucking, cleaning, cutting, and cooking an organic chicken; baking cakes in an outside African oven, random misfortunes we laugh at (like a huge log falling out of a tree giving her a concussion, slashing her leg open in the market, and me getting electric shocked twice, burning my hands and catching the kitchen on fire.....
I will miss our fun times, but that's what life is all about-forming relationships, loving, and living life to the fullest.

Brave little Tito

Tito is the bravest, strongest little girl I know. The Texas team set up a medical clinic in a village last Saturday. I was at the prayer station. Being me, I am curious and like to explore things. I went inside where they were caring for the villagers. This little girl with extreme burns all over her hand caught my eye. The nurse had to take off all the dead skin and clean it up. I sat down with her and held her. It was not long before I started crying. I knew she was in so much pain. She did not shed a tear until he was half way done taking off her skin. I held her so tight and we wept together. We did not speak the same language, but I know she knew I was praying for her. Thirty minutes seemed like a lifetime. When he got done, I got her name and took her picture and had the translator tell her a few things. I can say God spoke to me through this painful experience. I loved this girl so much, even thought she did not know me. I loved her so much it hurt. I even wept with her in her pain. I cant even imaging the pain God feels for us when we are hurting. My love for her and pain for her was only a glimpse of what Christ feels for us when we are hurting. I will always remember how this moment gave me a new and fresh understanding of God's love.

Road Surfing

So I know my mom is going to freak out when she reads this. Dont be mad at me mom I love you!! So Courtney and I went out to the villages this past week. We went in the pick up. We decided it would be more fun to ride in the back of the truck. First of all, these roads are no joke. I think they are worse than the movies! Some holes are big enough to swallow a whole truck! So we were in the back and I had this great idea to stand up and hold on to the bar on top of the truck. So I felt like I was in one of those cool arcade games where you put a thing over your head...except it was real life. It was so fun! Last week I actually rode on top of the truck, but that was a little risky, but fun :) Our driver probably thinks I am some crazy white American now because I was hoopin and hollerin and havin a blast....I held on real tight mom, I promise!

End of Revival

June 1st started the beginning of the 21 day revival at Ditney Babtist. If you have never been to an African revival, I suggest you put in in your bucket list. It was so powerful. WOW. The singing, dancing, and worship was so raw and unfiltered. They hold nothing back. They worship with everything they have. I have seen and experienced things I never imagined the past 3 weeks. My favorite night was Sunday night. Yendi had a black out. A huge storm came rolling in. This did not stop the worship. If anything, the claps of thunder and flashes of lightening intensified the worship. I guess there is nothing to do but fall down and worship our powerful and mighty God during a storm like that.

Witch Village

Last week we were able to go the the witch village. This is a place where villages send women and men who practice witch craft. Most have killed people. The people in this village will die there. They live alone in their own little hut. Sometimes, the village will send one of their children to help care for them if they are not too dangerous. I had been looking forward to going all summer. I did not really know what to expect. I half way expected boiling pots where they made magic potions lol. They were very normal. I was very broken for them. They are outcast and untouchables. They had no hope for the future because they would die there. I found great joy in loving on these people and showing them the love of Christ. The truth is that they are accepted in Christ. He died for them too. They need love. I loved that we had something great to offer them. Hope for eternity in Heaven! They were so grateful. You could tell they were starving for love and acceptance. If I ever come back, I want to stay in the witch village. Pray for these men and women. Pray they will know they are accepted and dearly loved by the One who gave His life for them.

Funeral

So, before we had left to go to a village in Bimbila, Mark (the missionary in that region) was telling us a story about a women. This is what happened...this lady was in a very pagan tribe, who practiced many demonic rituals. There is a church in this village and she went and God grabbed hold of her and changed her. This is a big deal because her family disowned her because of her decision to follow Christ alone. She was older in age and grew sick. The family decided to take care of her. However, the Christian leader in the village wanted to take her for prayer. The family said if she died with them it would not be good for the Christians. So, they took the lady (somewhere) for prayer (possibly to another village church, but unclear of where and how long). Well the women died becasue she was very ill. This was be a horrible thing to tell the pagan family that she died with the Christian prayer wariors. She was dead for a long time. They were bringing her back to the family and praying a miracle would happen. God worked a miracle and raised her back to lilfe for His glory. She stayed alive for a time after (maybe months? [Mark does not have great English so the time was unclear]) The first thing she asked when she came back to life is for prayer for her family that they would believe God and His power. God is working on her family now. They gave her a funeral when she died (which can last up to 40 days). We were asked to go in the room with the body to mourn with them. This was interesting. I know we do not understand everything God does, but everything He does do is for His glory. I have faith that the whole family will come to Christ through her death.

Divine Appointments

I truly believe God sets up divine appointments. Especially when we pray for them. While in Bimbila, I met two guys at a "bar" beside our "hotel." I was not in the bar (lol), but there are tables set up outside the hut. Its was in the same compound as the kitchen and our guest house (if that makes sense.) Mr. Eugene and Conner. Mr. Eugene was a Ghanaian and Conner was a Canadian, living with him for a school project. Mr. Eugene i n a Muslim and has two wives. For some reason, God lead me to share my life story with him and how Jesus has made a difference in my life. He was very interested and had many questions. He came back the next night to talk about God. I know God is working on him and I pray I planted a seed of hope in his empty life.

Shockazulu

Shockazulu is my new friend. We met in Bimbila. Before our journey to Bimbila (we stayed one week) I took motion sickness meds because these Africcan roads are horrible. So...I was a little drugged up when we got there. I got out and sat on the ground under the tree for our team meeting. Thats when I saw him. I thought I was seeing things because the meds make me loopy. So, I studied him for a minute and realized there really was a monkey looking at me! That was the beginnig of our friendship. We played everyday. I fed him banannas and everything. He cried when we left, seriously. Now, I want a monkey like Shockazulu :)

Baby Naming Ceremony

Saturday we had the privilege of going to a tribal baby naming ceremony. We not only got to celebrate with then but we also got to name the baby! This was such a great honor. We named her Aaliyah. This is a Hebrew name meaning exalted. We believe that God has lifted this beautiful little girl up and has wonderful plans for her. After the ceremony was over, we noticed they were bringing out covered bowls. It didn't take long to pick up that we were to eat what was in them. So we uncovered them and there was rice with goat ribs on top. yummy. Its offensive to not eat their food and since I am embracing the culture, I dug in with a smile! It wasn't that bad. Definitely an experience eating from the same bowl.

Fermented Squash

So this past week the team had just arrived to a village when a little boy came running up to me and handed me a round mushy green thing. I just smiled and said thank you. However, the boy was still standing there starring at me. So I asked the translator what it is and he said the boy had climbed all the way up a tree to pick it for me and that i should eat it. So I just smiled as a million things raced through my head like how dirty the boys hands were, strange insects could and pecked on it.....then I closed my eyes and took a big bite. I tasted like fermented squash! But, it brought a huge smile to little boy's face that I will never forget.

The Women in the Village

So Tuesday we went to this village and there were a lot of babies like always. I had just got done telling the children a story and playing games with them. The team was loading up and this lady holding a baby motioned for me to come over there. She did not speak any English but I soon found she was trying to give me her baby! Many people here, especially in the villages know that their children would have a safer and better life with us so they will try to give us their children. Of course I wanted to take it because he looked very sickly. This brought tears to my eyes, but I know God has a plan for the child. However, if I would get the babies back in America I think I would take every single one I can!! lol I pray one day God gives me the opportunity to adopt from Africa. :)

The Sick Baby

Sunday we were at church when Mrs. Brenda (a volunteer worker from Oregon) noticed a little girl carrying her baby brother. Here it is not uncommon for children to be responsible for their baby brothers or sisters. Brenda saw that this baby was not well so she picked him up and he was nearly lifeless. He was so week and so hot from a fever. She took him to the pharmacy to get some medicine and they told her he would have died that day or the next. Brenda spoke with the mother and she said she had already taken him to the hospital, but he did not get better so she just gave up. This baffled me that a mother would send her dying baby boy with her 8 year old daughter out in the 100 degree weather. Some things I will never understand but I am so grateful God put them in our path to pray for and get medicine. The sad thing is that this baby is one of many of the stories. The medical care is limited in Yendi and none in the villages. I realize how much we take for granted our access to medical care. A flu or cold to us is not life threatening, but to them it may mean death.

Just some random thoughts

Being here has already made me realize so much. Life here is so simple and seemingly "hard." Howevr, I am finding a simple life brings much joy. I love the life here in Ghana so much. From washing clothes and bathing in buckets to peeing and sleeping outside. Tonight we went visiting with some of the Christians in this Muslim nation to encourage them. They have many hardships and and rejection from their own family, but they all had one thing in common: joy. I have learned that that is one thing no one can take from you. Anther thing i have come to understand is when Paul said he became all things to all people. Now, i understand that may mean sleeping in a hut, washing clothes and bathing in buckets, peeing in the woods, and even roling in the dirt so you will be dirty like them. This is all worth it and i count it all joy...if only one person comes to know Christ. Life is so fragile and short. Im all in. I am betting EVERYTHING on the hope of eternity. I will spend my life for the cause of Christ. Some find it as pure foolishness, but i find it as totally surrendered. Something is wrong if our lives make sense to unbelievers. So, whatver i do may seem crazy, wreckless, and insecure but i am "just a pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the whole world." (Mother Teresa)

Second Week

Monday and Tuesday were days for the college team to get settled in our rooms and rest a little bit. Yesterday we went into the city to shop for food, which was crazy chaos!! lol and fun :) The people here are so friendly. The rest of the week we willl be doing church visitation and helping do the Sunday service because Mustafa is out of town at his brothers funeral. Monday is when we start traveling into the other villages for church planting and discipleship.....oh ad Mustafa and his family are amazing people of God. He is a great missionary who has a passion for seeing people come to Jesus. His wife is also taking great care of us. We are already apart of the family. He has 4 little girls who are full of life and energy! Well until next time, PEACE AND BLESSINGS!!

The first week

WOW! The first week was so amazing! The team from SABC was here. We made a team of 20. During the day we planted chuches, which was an amazing process, and during the evening we had VBS with about 1,000 village children. This was an exciting adventure. Many of the children have stolen my heart already. They are so grateful for just a yarn necklace. This is a Muslim nation so many of their families were of that religion. However, several gave their life over to Christ and decided to make Him Lord of their lives. Thursday we had the opportunity to have a huge baptism service in the river for the ones who decided for follow Christ in the villages. This touched me so much to see these villagers, terrified of the water, trust Jesus and a "white man" to baptize them. They were all lined up so excited. This day was not a day planned to plant any churches, only baptisms. However, God had other plans. Another tribe saw us from across the river so they canoed across the river to see what was going on. After the baptisms, John shared the gospel with these people. They were so excited and wanted to follow Jesus also. So, we had another baptism service after that!! I dont know the exact number of people who decided to follow Christ last week but God knows. It has truly been a humbling experience to be apart of God's great work being done here.

Getting here.

Well we have been here for 11 days now and so much has already happened. It all started with the plane coming over here. We had left New York for about 45 minutes when I saw something suspicious. There was jet fuel coming out of the wings! Then the announcement came on that said we were turning around because we were having a few complications, but not to worry we were safe lol. I just prayed the whole time. I knew our take-off and ride was a little more bumpy than the one to atlanta. So, when we landed, which was prolly the worst land ever, there were tons of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks lined up where we landed! I guess they were expecting us to crash, but God was looking out for us...so we got on another plane and finally made it about 16 hours later. I was thinking to myself that God had a plan for everything. When we arrived, we had to get on buses for another 14 hour ride up in the bush. We stopped at a gas station in the middle of the night and got to share Christ with some people there. God used our plane delays for 6 people to come to Him. The scare was well worth it. We arrived at our destination about 3am safe and blessed.

4 DAYS!

Wow!! Only four days until we leave. I am getting very excited, I think. I have had only 7 finals, 4 left to go so I have not had much time to think. Brother and Lauren is coming tomorrow night and Mom and Daddy Ralph are coming Thursday morning. They are helping me take care of my "stuff." Thursday is mom's bday so I will be able to celebrate with her before I leave :) Friday we are spending time together, after BJ's graduation, at the beach. I am excited to have a day of relaxation before I leave. Muss, the African pastor we are staying with, set a goal of us planting 40 churches by the end of the summer! God is going to do great things while we are there, things I can not even imagine or comprehend! I am excited to experience God in a whole new, fresh way. I am so willing to do anything He asks me to do. I want to truly be the hands and feet of Christ to glorify the Father and make His name known. The Great Commission is not an option, its our priority! I have chosen to spend my life for the cause of Christ. He deserves nothing less than my lifetime of service for the sacrifice He made for me. I have grown so much this past year and God has taught me the importance of life. The only thing that is eternal here on earth are the souls of people...so why not invest in people, which will last through eternity! I long to see souls saved, lives redeemed, captives set free, and the enemy defeated! God is powerful and capable of anything, thats why I am expecting Him to do great, miraculous, super-natural works in Africa.

Almost there...

Well we have 13 days until we embark on the greatest adventure I have ever been on. God has done some crazy awesome things! He is so faithful and knows our every need. We only have a few things left to do and everything will be taken care of. I am so thankful for everyone who God used to make this trip possible. My prayer team is some wild Jesus lovin prayer warriors!! Thanks yall for your prayers! I will be able to send out updates via email maybe once a week. Well anyway...God has definitely prepared a wonderful team. He has been unifying us and building us as one body. He has great big plans for us!! Well 13 days and I will be serving on African soil...unbelievable

Getting close to departure

Ok...so the departure date is May 15. Thats seven weeks! It's getting so close. Its is not real to me yet, but I know God is already doing great work. The team has met a few times to pray and discuss the trip. We have an awesome team that, without a doubt, God put together. I have already gotten half my vaccinations and get the rest Wednesday. I have to get my malaria drugs and a few more meds and appropriate clothes and I will be ready! God is so good and faithful. I hope to have new posts atleast every week until we leave. Thanks for everyone that is praying for me you have no idea how much it has helped!
Love Brit