Wow, the support and comments that you all have left me have given me so much strength. Thank you all so much, I can never communicate the amount of encouragement that I have received from you all. Thank you so much for your love and support and encouragement.
Tomorrow our team will move out into K town, or "the bush." We are separated into teams of twos, and I will be staying with a girl from Ohio who I like very much. We get along well and I'm excited to spend the summer with her!
Being here is hard because it is so foreign, but it is so good because in everything I do, I am using His strength. I mean it- from the moment I wake up, to when I take my nap, to when I go to sleep at night-- it is all by His strength that I am moving forward into what He has. Seeking Him is not hard, because He is already there. When you get to a place where you can't do anything without Him, it becomes easy and wonderful to live in the Spirit. I am thankful that I am in such stretching circumstances that I do not have to worry about myself all the time.
We have been staying in the city for a week now, but tonight is our last night! We ate lunch with our hands yesterday. We sat on the floor, tucking our long skirts between our sweating legs and leaning down to scoop up soggy rice, beans, onions and peppers with our RIGHT hand (if you use your left hand then that is just not acceptable--people wipe with their left hands..and I'm left handed so changes have quickly been made). People in Africa not only eat with their hand, but they all scoop out of the same bowl! The people here are incredibly friendly, and in African culture, people are the first priority. People always have time to spend time with people--"things" just don't matter here. It's all about community and people.
Things in Africa are becoming normal here, but I will try to continue to keep my updates vivid. I am getting used to the culture, but I'm sure that once we move to the bush we will experience culture shock. As a team, we have mainly just been interacting together, but as of tomorrow, we will be surrounded by a foreign people group constantly.
The people group that we will be living with are very friendly, dramatic and loud. They are very excited that we are coming to stay in their village, and this eases my nerves greatly because I was afraid that they would not want us there. But they are already fighting over who gets to do our laundry!
My appetite has been increasing greatly, and every night at 11 o'clock I start starving. I think my body schedule was just messed up, but I am eating well now, so no worries mom.
We saw our first African roach yesterday. D woke me up screaming, and I went to kill it, but I freaked out when I saw how big it was (it was on our shower curtain), so we got K to kill it. She is so hard core...
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement, they have given me supernatural strength and even joy that has uplifted myself and those around me. He has done more than just provided for me here, He is giving me extra joy!
We will get back to the city on June 17-19 and that is when I will be able to update again. We will come to the city for two days every two weeks to take a break from the village. Thank you again for supporting me and I will continue to stay strong through Him!
Also- one more thing-
Today we ate lunch with a group of University African students (they were all young African men in their 20s). They spoke English, and we were able to really connect and share with them. They were all believers, but they told us that they were the only 5 believers in their university of 500.
Their joy was beautiful, and even though our language prevented us from communicating flawlessly, I received life from their vivid facial expressions, their loud talking and laughter, and their joy. The people in Africa are so expressive and energetic that it's almost impossible NOT to communicate with them, even if you speak different languages. It brings me to tears to see the energy inside of these people. It's contagious and so beautiful.
Please yarp for our interactions with the village people, yarp for divine appointments and for supernatural communication of His word. The people here (esp the women) are very oppressed for various reasons, so please yarp for a breaking of the chains that they live under daily.
Know that yours yarps are being heard, and that I am having an amazing time. I love all of you and will report back soon!!!
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12 comments:
Wow Hailey...today is joyful with your call to your parents and this new post. Each one is a treasure to me. I am so thankful that you're able to eat..that has been a major concern to me, but you have reminded me clearly that HE is watching over your every need and I don't have to worry about what HE is in charge of:) I have the clock and the weather where you are displayed on my computer so I was glad to see that you should have a day soon where the high will be 90 degrees..that comforts me somehow because that's about how hot it is here now. I miss you and think about ALL of the time. My yarps are with you day and night. I love you. Nanny
Hailey-
I'm so glad you are doing well. As I read this new post, it became apparent to me that God is breaking you. This reminded me on something Shane and Shane talk about when they say if you ask to be broken, he will not deny you. Maybe you didn't think this would be a "break" but now it is apparent it is just that and more. You know just as well as I do that when He breaks you down, you become closer to Him than ever before and that in turn makes you very keen to the work He has laid out for you. There is no doubt in my mind that you are prepared for what is to come in "the bush." Reading of your strength gives me strength and reminds me of when I was closer to Him. You went all the way to Africa to tough people with the Spirit, were you aware that you are doing the same here? I am so proud of you for doing this, you know it would be hard for me to do the same :) Mom and Daddy and Nanny are constantly worried but your posts calm their nerves haha they talk about you a lot...to call from your cell (I know you're trying not to) dial: 00-227-318-xxx-xxxx. This should work, if it dodesn't, play around with those first few numbers. When you read this, you'll have survived 2 weeks in "the bush!" We miss you, good luck! Love xo--Sarah
I love reading your posts, and I am so glad that your appetite has returned. I continue to yarp for the Spirit to prepare the way. Thank you Lord, for the gift of joy! I can't wait to hear about your next 10 days. I love you! Mom
This sounds like such an amazing experience Hailey! We are all (obviously) very proud of you and all you are doing. Of course we are especially glad to hear that you are able to eat! Can't wait for the next posts!
Love you,
Aunt Laura
Hi Hailey--we yarp for you often! Thanks for sharing about those 5 boys--we will yarp for them too. Your Dad actually spent the night with us (6/10/09) while over here on business!? Looking forward to the next posts...Love, Aunt Karyn
Hi Hailey- I wanted to share your mail from this week. Barbara sent a check! and the following prayer card came from Calvary:
"Dear Summer Missionaries,
We at Calvary Church are praying for you as you serve as summer missionaries- May the Lord be near and supply all your needs- and be with those you minister to
In Prayer
Carl and Melba Voda
I love you and am yarping daily!
Hailey!
I have returned home from Indo... Know that I have been in constant yarper for you. Having experienced it myself, know that I am yarping some specific yarps about warfare for you and Dani. I am so proud of your willingness to embrace God's will and live by His strength alone. I miss you a lot but at the same time, I feel very close to you. I am so glad that you are doing well. I cannot wait to hear more about your grand adventure! I love you and I am with you in spirit!
Hailey, I'm up way too late reading and reading your blog. It makes me feel closer to you. I'm finding that I think about you and yarp for you so much that I can't really tell where my thoughts end and my yarps begin. I'm so thankful that He knows our hearts. Eugenia called today for an update on you..she was able too read some of the blog but they're having some kind of trouble with their computer now. She yarps for you faithfully and so does her reyarp group. I'm so looking forward to the next time you write..can't wait to hear what your life in the bush is like. Stay strong in Him. Much love, Nanny
Hey Hailey!!
Its so good to read all about your experiences in Africa. I hope you continue to have an extremely moving and wonderful time, and continue to grow close with Him. I'm so proud of you for doing this, and so happy that you have the chance. I will continue to yarp for you daily, I'm wearing the bracelet you made a few years ago to remind myself to keep you in my thoughts and yarps. I love you, and I hope you have had an awesome 1st two weeks in the bush!!
<3 Kaitlyn : )
Dear Hailey,
You are doing something that I always wanted to do. I am happy and excited for you.
Also, you have become my favorite travel writer, one who writes with beautiful descriptions and with a sense of humor.
Looking forward to your next post. Take care and know that you are loved.
Granny ESue
I love reading your blog, Hailey, and it's so exciting to hear about the new experiences you are having! Even here in Germany, there is someone who is interested in you and your endeavers, your life and wishes and hopes. Much love, Dawn :-D
Hailey, its your old pal alice'. random: my mom told me about your blog. she is loving your blog SO MUCH, so i have decided to follow you. keep up the updates, i love you so much and i just said a prayer for you. he is faithful!
love, alice'
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