Faith Safari

Slacker

2009-09-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's me. I've been a blog slacker recently. I haven't wrote in... wow, three months. That is way to stinking long. So here is the story of my summer for the most part.

I was asked to be a counselor for a week long preteen camp. At the time they didn't have enough kids, so I didn't expect to actually be attending. I wasn't too happy when I found out that I would actually be attending, last minute. Any of you who know me, know I am not a last minute person. I had no information about the camp and no one else really knew anything. Needless to say, that's how the entire week went, the directors were not very organized or structured. However, I had an amazing time with the 8 girls in my cabin and the other women counselor, Jill.

The camp was up at Round Lake. So we had many swimming and canoeing activities. Jill and I more than once had to rescue stranded canoes by towing them behind our canoe, or even swimming out and pushing them in. I was so exhausted and sick (with a cold) by the end of the week.

The area around Round Lake was severely burned in the B&B fire six years ago. The wildlife is starting to return to the area. There is a little green growth occurring, but it was amazing to see the beauty in a burnt forest. I wish I would have taken some close up pictures of the burned trees. Who ever came up with the phrase "Beauty in ashes" was right. The burnt trees are blackish-silver-metallic. Its hard to describe without seeing it. The burn patterns are a work of art. I don't suggest trying burning a forest as an art form, but observing what has already been done is beautiful.

This summer I re-met a wonderful man. I actually knew of him from my math class junior year of highschool (his senior year). He started serving at the church doing technical stuff. I end up doing the media at church. So that is how I re-met Sam. We started dating a little while after and have been happily together for 2 months. It's amazing how God's timing always works. I was so discouraged to be having to move home and not be moving to Seattle, but I wouldn't have got to know Sam if that would have happened. So Seattle will come one day.

I've been trying to take a lot of pictures this summer. My photography itch just won't go away though. Here are some of the pictures I've taken this summer that I like sharing. And I will try not to go so long without blogging. :-)

Wave Jumpers

Me and Sissy at the beach

My beautiful sister

Rob and I on top of Strawberry Mountain. Yes, it does really exist.

I love sunflowers

Photography

2009-06-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

I've taken some photos recently with my aunt's Canon Digital SLR. I've been slow in getting them posted. I hope you enjoy my perspective and colors that I've been enjoying! These are the true colors of these flowers. I didn't edit them.

Final days....

2009-05-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

Today was my last day working at the library. It was definitely a bittersweet day. Sweet because Mr. McGrath brought us ICE CREAM! Bitter because it was goodbye to many of my supervisors and co-workers. The library has been a wonderful place to work for the past three and a half years of my college career. My mom had been wanting pictures of me at the library so here they are!

Looking cool at the Circulation Desk.

Rob and I at the Circ desk.

Shelving with a smile!

Shanae and I. And Katie in the back.

Almost finished

2009-05-02T21:16:00.000-07:00

I survived my undergraduate schooling. Well, almost. I still have two final exams to take. And I have to survive the whole walking up on the stage to get my diploma (holder), without tripping. That might be more difficult than the exams. :-)

I am so excited for the next part of my life. I am also terrified out of my mind because I have no idea what is coming next. I was really hoping to have a job by graduation and start the beginning of June, but so far no luck. I'm still holding out home. Going home for three weeks will be long enough.

Graduation is in 7 days. It's crazy. I'm not ready to start saying goodbyes. The last four years have gone by so quickly. Luckily I have a lot of pictures and memories to remember them by. Here are my college senior photos I did with Natalie Waltman, a local photographer. She is amazing!

It was very cold and windy this day in April. I tried to look like it wasn't though.

So if the whole business career doesn't work out, I'll go into modeling. Just kidding.

My favorite!

Long time no blog....

2009-04-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

So maybe long time is an understatement. Three months is more like it. Graduation is only a month away and I'm scared of out my mind. I really need to get back into the habit of blogging. I think it's good for me...

December 29th & 30th, 2008

2009-01-27T19:52:00.000-08:00

December 29th...

After a very long time traveling we finally landed in Johannesburg! We arrived very late (11pm) into Johannesburg and had to spend a long time waiting to get our passports stamp. Many of us were tired and cranky and frustrated with each other. Courtney and I were just happy to finally be in Africa!

Once we finally got through customs and immigration we found our luggage and went to meet our hotel shuttle. The shuttle had a trailer on the back of it, but it wasn't big enough to hold all of our luggage. We finally ended up piling us in the van and the putting luggage on top of us. We really just wanted to get to our beds awaiting us.

Courtney was my roommate. We had two to a room. Many people didn't sleep the first night very well because they had slept so much on the plane. I hadn't slept very much and pretty much passed out once my head hit that pillow. Our room was very tiny, but for one night it was a bed and a shower and we were very happy with that.

December 30th....
The next morning we were to leave for Maseru (the capital city of Lesotho). We went downstairs and had a nice continental style breakfast. Cereal (with warm milk), toast, eggs, ham, pastries, coffee and tea. After breakfast and while we were waiting for our taxi van to show up, Courtney and I went out and about and wandered around the hotel grounds. It was early in the morning and was so hot already. We knew we were in Africa!

Johannesburg

Our Hotel

I think we were all expecting a nice taxi van like what the hotel had. Large, spacious, plenty of room for all of us without being squished. And then Super Nova showed up....

That's right. We had Super Nova for the two weeks we were there. The sound system in that thing was incredible. Africans don't listen to music, they feel their music. We fit fifteen of us in that little thing. It was very crowded for the five hour drive to Maseru.

FINALLY... We made it to what would be our home for the next two weeks. Once we all made it through immigration and across the border (after we made the officials mad for taking a picture of the above sign, because they thought we were taking their picture) we headed for our camp, where we would be staying for the two weeks. Durham Link is a Christian organization camp. The below picture is a picture of where we stayed.

The very bottom level (that is cut off in the photo) is the main dining hall and kitchen. The next level, is the boys rooms. The small next level is another small kitchen and bathrooms, and finally the girls were on the top.
We arrived late afternoon and were able to get our first view of Maseru, the city we would be working in for the next two days. We had a team meeting that night and then went to bed because the next day all four teams would all be out working in their project areas.

I made it...

2009-01-26T15:55:00.000-08:00

I'm so sorry that I haven't written about my trip. I know many of you have asked my mom about my trip and my experience. I literally hit the ground running as classes started for me the same day I arrived back in Idaho.

I had a wonderful experience in Africa and cannot wait to go back one day. Our team experienced many amazing God moments while we were there that are hard to put into words.

Ok so here is my plan... I want you to be able to hear about my experience and see the pictures as things were happening. Our first day in Africa would have been on a Tuesday (which coincides with tomorrow) and I am going to write on my blog daily and post pictures as if I was in Africa writing to you. Does that make sense? I hope so! So check my blog daily and I will send out e-mail reminders every few days so that you do in case you forget.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support!
~Jillian

It's Here...

2008-12-26T22:02:00.000-08:00

Well I leave in approximately 23 hours for Africa! It's been a long time coming. We've been meeting for the past six months to plan and prepare for our trip. And now it is here. I am so excited to go, but I know the two weeks will go by faster than I will want them to. Is it sad that I can already say I don't want to be back in the states and I haven't left yet?
I couldn't be going on this trip without all of you. Without your prayer and financial support. I was reflecting on how I raised all of the money and am actually getting to go to Africa. But it wasn't me. I did not do this. God did this, and he used many of you. I am so thankful for everything God has done and taught me through this. More so, I am thankful for each one of you who have prayed for me and/or supported me financially.
I want to share a verse that I have been dwelling on recently.
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58
This verse has really become my motto for my trip. I know that I will be frustrated because I might not see the fruits of our labor while in Africa. But as our leader Connie continues to remind us, that we are making an eternal impact, not a temporary impact.
I'm not quite sure what my small team is doing when we get there. We were supposed to be doing puppets, but I haven't seen any scripts. We were supposed to be doing a VBS but I haven't seen anything for that. Any of you who know me well, know that I like to know what's going on and when it's going to happen. I want to know what time we are leaving the camp to go to the orphanages, what a rough schedule of our day will be, what time we will return etc. I have NO IDEA what we are doing and it scares me. A schedule is my comfort blanket and I don't have one. So I decided to come up with my own schedule and it goes like this:
Wake Up- When my alarm goes off.
Go to the orphanage- When my group does
Agenda for the day- LOVE on the kids
Agneda for the rest of the day- LOVE on the kids

I think you get my point. I'm going to love and to serve. And then to serve and love some more.

Thank you for all of your prayers. Please continue to pray for our safety (hopefully our planes can leave the ground) and while in Lesotho.

Jillian

A Christmas Story

2008-12-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

I want to share a story that our leader, Connie shared with us about Christmas in Lesotho.

I remember one Christmas in Lesotho, the guys in the hangar were listening to Christmas music and the song, "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" came on. Do you all have the tune going in your head? It dawned on Jason that Christmas in Lesotho was in the middle of the summer and even though the Basotho guys working in the hangar spoke English, he wondered if they understood what the song meant. So he asked Ntate Solomon what he thought. He said, "It means it is a Christmas for white people." Solly was a humble, quiet man with a great smile. But he grew up in an area of the world where Apartheid touched very close t his home (his father resisted Apartheid and disappeared one night. He was never heard from again). For Solly to say this about the song reflected his worldview."

I am so glad the God's love through his Son, is not just for the white people. I took a Minority Voices in American Literature class this past semester. We read seven books (novels) over the course of this semester regarding African American history. It really opened my eyes to how much of white girl I am. I have no idea what it is to be like to be treated a certain way because of the color of your skin. Or even if you are mulatto, you were still regarded as being "black." I'm glad I took this class, especially right before going to Lesotho. It really made me realize how even though I might not think I'm racists, it is just kind of inherited by being an American. Thoughts to ponder...

I don't do well with shots

2008-12-02T17:23:00.000-08:00

Yes I know, two posts in two days! I don't expect this to become an everyday occurrence, but I felt like I had written enough for yesterday. I have to get my shots this week. Typhoid and tetanus. I have the opportunity to take a five dose of liquid typhoid meds that is cheaper and will last longer, but many of my teammates have become very ill during the treatment. I guess it is a temporary symptom that makes it worth it in the end, but during my final weeks of school I cannot risk being sick to my stomach for five days. So I'm opting for the shot. I hate shots. Anything with needles and poking me actually. I had a bad experience with getting my blood drawn yesterday (it really wasn't that bad, but to me it was horrible). So pray for me because I have to force myself to do it. My mom isn't here to drag me there and sit on me to make me get them. When I was younger sometimes that's what it took. Just ask her. I could probably get my best friend Melanie to drag me there, she's a nursing major and nothing really grosses her out. But that would be even more embarrassing. Me and shots don't do well.

On the other hand we raised over $7000 for the orphanage from our Gala! This money goes directly to provide bedding and beds for the children and to buy supplies for the playground we will be building.

If you would like to watch a video about our team click on the link below. It is at the bottom of the page. The first one is a shorter version, the second is a longer version that played during the Gala. I'm trying to get some more pictures of the Gala to show you.

http://crossroadsafrica.com/

I was trying to find a good verse to close this post with, but am not finding one I like. So send me a verse!

Love to you all!

27 days...

2008-12-01T18:28:00.000-08:00

I know I have not written for awhile. Sorry Ruth! :-)

Life has been crazy for most of the African team. Two weekends ago, we held our African Gala. Everything seemed to be coming together. We had 34 tables set for 8. Our whole team was there and many sons, daughters, wives, husbands and friends who had willing hands and a willing heart to serve. Almost everyone was there in the morning to set up the tables and the silent auction room. We had everything almost done so that we had a 3 hour break before needing to return at 4pm to start prepping for dinner. About 2pm it started slushing. Not really raining, but really snowing but an inbetween mixture. We weren't sure how that would affect our fundraising efforts but we were ready. We had 18 of us serving the 34 tables. So we got our directions from our coordintor and we were ready.

Within the first 10 minutes our coordinator realized that those in the kitchen couldn't serve up food fast enough to keep a steady flow of us going out to the tables serving. About 30minutes into the first course, salad, those in the kitchen realized that half of the salad they had bought had froze and then thawed and was disgusting. So we had half of our tables served salad, and the others waited another 45 minutes while someone ran to Sam's Club to get more.

Our leaders had spent weeks planning the agenda out to the minute of how everything was going to go. They knew when each course would be served, when the speaker would speak, when the drama team would perform, and when the African choir would sing. It was DETAILED. The agenda went out with the ruin salad and we all started just going with the flow. It was a great team building activity.
This was the set up of the room. We held it in the chapel building at the MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) Headquarters in Nampa.

The simple, but elegant tables.

The African choir from a church in Boise.

The dinner guests not to sure about doing the moves with the African choir.

Everything worked out in the end. I'm not sure how much money we raised. Many of us were there until after midnight cleaning up. We had to hand wash all the dishes. Multiply 34 tables, by 8 place settings, by 4 utensils each, and that is how many forks, spoons, and knives I washed by hand. (1088 utensils). I had pruney fingers for two days after.

The gala gave me a chance to work with people other than those directly on my team. I got to know some of the other girls who are a little bit younger than me. It was nice to hang out with people closer to my own age, as I am the youngest one on my small group team. I have never had so much fun working so hard. It made me realized how blessed I am by my connections and friendships with my teammates. I still struggle with the personalities on my small team, but I know that the 37 hour plane ride will be a lot of fun because we will be so tired and everything will be funny :-)

This blog is turning into a novel.... But like I said earlier, Team Africa has been pretty busy. On November 22nd, Aaron left for Lesotho. Aaron is our leader's Jason and Connie's oldest soon. He was born in Lesotho and he feels more at home there, then here. He left to visit old friends and to start getting things ready for us. Last Saturday Jason left for Pennsylvania where his father was dying, and died Sunday morning. On top of all of they lost a dear family friend their sons age to a tragic accident Saturday night. Our whole team is feeling the affects. Please pray for Aaron as he is in Lesotho and lost both his grandfather and one of his best friends in a matter of day. Pray for Jason and Connie as they go through these loses and loved ones and are preparing to lead the first team to leave on December 8th. Jason will be returning to Nampa on Wednesday to turn around and leave next Monday for Lesotho. Connie is trying to remain calm, unstressed and strong for the rest of her family and it's wearing on her.

Well I think this is enough for now. I will try to write again this week as to not disappoint my dear reader Ruth. :-)

An itinerary, a packing list, 51 days, a flat tire, and an African-American president. What a week!

2008-11-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last week at our Team Africa meeting we got a general packing list of mostly what we shouldn't take. And were told that we should only back a small duffel bag. For 2 weeks. All of our stuff must fit in there, and our needed supplies for the orphanage. Most of you know me well enough to know I am not a light packer. So thank goodness for space bags!

So this past week has been interesting just for me. Not really regarding Africa stuff, but just life in general. Tuesday was of course the election. It is considered to be the most important election in my life time (I'm not sure how they can say that when I'm only 21, but supposedly it's true). I try to stay out of politics. I'm usually on a need-t0-know basis with politics and that's it. I don't get overly involved. I know usually this blog only talks about Africa stuff, but it's my blog and I feel like writing some other things today. So about the past election... I was honestly disappointed to see the way many of my Christian friends reacted to Obama's election. Most of it that I heard was here in Nampa, some from Prineville via IM and phone calls. Many reactions I heard were "Life as we know it is over," and "I'm not ready for a socialist president" and "The world is coming to an end." I might not agree with Obama on his policies he wants to implement. I might not like the fact that he is a democrat. And maybe he is a socialist. But, the last I checked the Bible it said we are to respect those in authority. I don't think spreading slanderous statements about him via e-mail or texts is respectful. And I don't know about you, but my God is bigger than Obama and I trust that he has this in his control. Where is the trust people? Because a democrat is elected, we no longer trust God? Because Obama is supposedly a socialist, we no longer trust God? Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." So maybe Obama is a socialist. Maybe he will implement socialist policies and I end up homeless and living on the streets. Even then, I choose to believe that is God's plan and it is good for me. So if you want to talk about how Obama is a bad person, or any kind of slander or gossip, please don't include me. He's the future leader of our country and I choose to respect him. He is the one who has to give an account to God for what he does, not me. I am only accountable for myself.
Ok enough of that.

Back to Africa stuff.... We have our silent auction Gala coming up in a few weeks and thankfully things are coming together. We have an African choir coming to perform. Each of our teams will also be performing something. We are gathering silent auction items which has been a little difficult with the current economic times. No one really wants to donate anything.

Rather than that, life is crazy as always. I got a flat tire on the freeway this week. Thank goodness for Les Schwab. I'm writing papers like crazy, working on presentations in both English and Japanese 日本語. I'm also learning bookmaking in my photo 2 class and it's so much fun! Admist everything going on. Admist all the craziness of life, being sick, flat tires, homework, homework and then some more homework, I have an indescrible peace. I feel tranquil, even when I feel like I'm in a tornado and everything is flying around me. It could only be God's peace which I am so thankful for. I leave you with one of my all-time favorite verses:
"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise for he has been good to me." ~ Psalm 13:5-6
His love is truly unfailing and his mercy never ends. May God give you his unfailing love, never ending mercy and his indescrible peace.
~Jillian

Can I get one grande Perspective to go please?

2008-10-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since my last blog that I'm not sure where to start....

There is good news and bad news. Tears and joy.

A week and a half ago two of our leaders for the trip asked to meet with me. The week before this had been crazy. I was so stressed and overwhelmed with school, Africa stuff, friend situations, work stuff. When they asked to meet my initial response was that I don't have time tonight, because honestly I didn't have time. I ended up having to leave work early so I could meet with them. We met and they asked me to seriously consider whether this trip was for me. They didn't feel like I had the time and effort to put into as. Or I did not have as much as they needed from me. They said that being a senior in college and trying work was a noble thing to be doing and that they wouldn't look down on me if I stepped off the team. They were concerned my heart wasn't in this trip as it should be, and that they needed me 100% in it. So I needed to make a decision and commit within before we left the coffee shop that night.

I was not in any position to be making a decision on the spot. I was very stressed and overwhelmed from everything that had been going on and to add this onto top was the straw the broke the camels back. I just sat there stunned and shocked because this was the last thing I was expecting them to talk with me about. The three of us sat there in silence for a few minutes because I shocked and they were done talking. One of my leaders asked if they could pray with me regarding my decision, of course I agreed because I needed as much prayer as I could get at that moment in time. After they prayed with me, they said that I probably needed to think about this, so I could call them by 9pm that night with my decision.

I walked out of the coffee shop in a daze, I couldn't believe they were asking me to step off the team! For any of you who know me, you know I'm not emotional. I don't cry. People die, and I don't cry. As soon as I reached my car, I started bawling. I have been working so hard towards this and to just give it up... After crying and thinking for awhile I called my mom and some of my close friends to ask for their advice.

I felt like my world was a snowglobe and God had just shaken it really hard. Not just with my Africa trip, but everything that had been going on that week. The Africa stuff was the last thing I could handle. I had been working so hard towards this trip with preparation and fundraising, and was I just supposed to walk away now?

After much prayer, thinking, and consulting with those I look up to, I decided this trip is for me. I would be willing to fail all my classes this semester to go on this trip (and that is a HUGE sacrifice for me). It means so much to me.

I really really hate times in my life like this. Where it takes God shaking up my world like a snowglobe for me to realize that my perspective is off. I was looking at things through my eyes not Gods. I was relying on my strength not His. As much as I hate times like these, they are necessary. So yes, I am still going to Africa, and am more excited than ever about it.

So I'll stand, with arms high and heart abanonded. In awe, of the One who gave it all. And I'll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered. All I am, is Yours.

I love that song.

Moving on.....

We had another team meeting last week where we started working with puppets. I now know that there was a reason I never got into puppeteering.... It is so much hard than it looks! Pray for my team that we get the whole moving the puppet, talking, and holding our hands above our heads at that same time. We might have to start working out just to have the muscle strength! :-)

"I have a ticket, I have ticket. I have a ticket, hey hey hey hey" (Name that movie! Except it's with a pickle)
I have a plane ticket with my name on it! And the cost of our trip was reduced to $2500! Which is a huge blessing, because the $750 that we were to receive from fundraising, isn't likely to happen!

Ok, enough of my novel. See the comment button below? Leave me a comment so that I know I'm not just writing this and sending it into the great unknown of the internet!

How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Savior's love for me!

Struggle

2008-10-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

I felt like this topic deserved it's own separate post because the previous one was just so happy. We found out our group and project assignments three weeks ago and I have been struggling with it. I am not happy with what our team was assigned too. My heart just isn't in it. My heart isn't in puppeteering. I've been wrestling with this in both my thoughts and my prayers. I've been wrestling with this so much I've been contemplating not going on this trip because I am no longer excited for it. I'm starting to dread group meetings and group assignments. I have no desire to puppeteer. Please pray for me. Pray that my heart will be changed to my assignment or that my assignment will be changed. I haven't approached our leaders about this because I don't want to seem like a whiner.
You know when you have that feeling that something just doesn't feel right and at first you don't know what it is or why you have that feeling? That's how I have felt since our group and project assignments were announced, even before I knew what the other groups would be doing.
PRAYER PLEASE!

Oh Financials...

2008-10-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

Well I've raised $1728 so far. I have another $500 pledged from PBCC and another $750 pledged from Crossroads which puts me $22 short of my $3000 goal. Hallelujah! I still have to have spending money and money for meals on the way there and back, but that is a minor detail at the moment. I'm just so excited that I am so close to my goal. I would love to not need the $750 from Crossroads because that is just more that gets to be used on the orphanage.

If you are excited with me, leave a comment below! I enjoy hearing from you all and the only one who has commented so far is my mom. I love my mom, but it would be great to hear from everyone else as well.

Website

2008-10-02T19:15:00.003-07:00

Our group website is up and running! Check it out.

crossroadsafrica.com

Deadlines

2008-10-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

Well the September 30th, deadline of needing to have $1500 down towards my trip has come and gone. Unfortunately, I didn't make my deadline. I didn't get $1500 raised. :-(

I only come up $15 short of that amount, and I still get to go to Lesotho. :-) I had an anonymous donor donate $500 to my account. I have no idea who it was, but THANK YOU! God is amazing. My best friend Melanie said that it wouldn't be trusting God if He didn't bring it in until the last minute, and that is what he did.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. The journey in raising support is still in the process and the actual adventure of the trip is still 87 days away. Let's keep praying and keep trusting.

Heart of Gold

2008-09-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Oh what a week this has been. I feel like I'm constantly going. And even when I'm sitting still my mind is going a million miles a minute. So much to do, so little time.

So a little story that happened this past week... One of my supervisors at the library had mentioned that he and his wife wanted to support me on my trip. And that his oldest son had also been saving money for me. Mr. McGrath's sons frequently hang out at the library in the afternoons, so I know them. Danner is nine (I think, if I get this wrong, he might take his support money back). And Garrison is six. They are two of the most amazing boys. We play random little games in the offices. And it's probably my fault more often than not that they get in trouble for being too loud. :-) Danner has been my buddy at work since I started there three years ago. He'd help me with my work tasks and tell me everything anyone would ever need to know about sharks. Danner is a super smart kid and his heart is in the right place. Very few nine year olds would give thought about supporting someone on a mission trip.
That is Danner. He's an amazing boy. God will do great things with him as he grows and matures and continues to have a willing heart.

Danner's act of kindness really affected me this week. It's probably the best thing that has happened all week. Here I am, exactly 90 days until we leave for Lesotho. We are starting our training. We are all getting ready to minister to others and especially the children. And yet here a child is ministering to me. It is amazing how God works through others at just the right time.

Danner, thank you for your support. And thank you for the lesson you taught me in kindness.

Reality

2008-09-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

This past week has been very discouraging. The reality of not being able to go to Lesotho because of not raising enough supporting has hit me hard. I'm really at a loss of what to do. I must have $1500 raised by the end of this month in order to go, and I'm not close and I have 9 days. I know God is an awesome God, but is He that awesome? I've been trying to think of anything and everything I could do to raise money, but haven't come up with anything. Inbetween working 30 hours a week, plus 21 credits of classes, plus the three hours of homework per each credit (so that's 30+21+63= 114 hours a week of work and there is only 168 hours in a week). I'm slightly overwhelmed to say the least!
Many friends have suggested that there will be other trips to Lesotho and other trips to Africa and maybe I'm not supposed to go on this one. I've really been struggling with that. I've never just wanted to go to Lesotho, it has never been on my list of things to do. It's not the place. It's the people, it's what we would be doing, that has captured my heart. I LOVE loving others. I don't mean to sound self-glorifying when I say this, and believe me that is far from what I mean. But I LOVE serving, and helping, and working with others, and just showing them Christ's love through my actions, not necessarily my words. It truly is what my heart is. And that is why I'm struggling. Because I want to go love on these missionary families who are burned out and tired. I want to love on these children who were orphaned because of AIDS. I want to give them teddy bears for Christmas and see the joy in their eyes, because when all has been lost they still have hope.
And this is reality. Reality is I might not go. Reality is another time, another place. Reality is disappointing, but it's reality.
Reality also is that I know that God has me in His hands and regardless of what happens, His plans are better than mine. Reality is that I have a Heavenly Father who would never do anything to hurt me, if I would just trust Him to guide me instead of making my own plans. Reality is I must trust Him.

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise, for he has been good to me. ~ Psalm 13:5-6

Count down...

2008-09-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

Gay sent me this verse the other day. (I'm using a different translation)

That is why we always pray for you, asking our God to help you live the kind of life he has called you to live. We pray that with his power God will help you do the things you want and perform the works that come from your faith. We pray all of this so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will have glory in you, and you will have glory in him. That glory comes from the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. ~ 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

These verses has been very encouraging to me today. I just realized what the date was today: September 16th. I have fourteen more days to raise at least $1000 if I am going to Africa. We have a deadline of September 30th to have half of our funds raised. I'm running out of time, ideas, patience, and energy. School is taking most of my energy and time right now.

I am at that point where I don't know what else to do but PRAY and throw my hands up in the air and say "God, I give up. It's up to you."

Faith and Deeds

2008-09-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if people claim to have faith but have no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accomplished by action, is dead.
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that people are justified by what they do and not by faith alone.
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. ~ James 2:14-26

I've been working through this passage for the past few weeks and what it means. I know in my heart that God has called me to go on this trip, or at least work towards going. I feel as though I'm stepping out in faith, knowing that God will lead and provide. I KNOW I do not have the same amount of faith as Abraham did to sacrifice his son Issac. I feel like there is a point that you can have faith, but eventually you have to face reality. I know it shouldn't be like this. I have faith that God will provide, but in reality, if he doesn't by September 30th, I'm not going to Lesotho. It's hard to find the balance, or maybe there shouldn't be a balance. Maybe it should all be faith. And that is why this is my faith safari, my faith adventure. Learning to trust God in the things that I can't see at all.

Prayer Request~
~ Finances. I'm only 1/4 of the way there! (If anyone has any good fundraising ideas please let me know!) and others on the team are struggling.
~ The team leaders Jason & Connie as they train and lead us before we leave.
~ Delrine, one of the missionaries in Lesotho has been having serious pains, originally thought to be kidney stones. Now the doctors don't know what it is.
~ Me, Jillian, just to be able to manage 21 credits of school, an internship, job and preparing for Africa.

My Team

2008-08-20T19:10:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of TEAM AFRICA! I think the youngest team member is 13 and I'm not going to guess how old the oldest is. :-)

~ Jillian

The Adventure Begins

2008-08-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

My friend Shanae has started calling my trip to Lesotho "Jillian's Safari." It started out as a joke, but now I'm finding it to be true. Safari is Swahili for "journey." That is what this whole adventure is: A Journey. Not necessarily a journey to Africa, but a journey in faith. A faith safari. I have no idea how God is going to work this out, but I know He will. He has already started. My biggest concern for myself and the team is the finances. It will take $90,000 to get thirty of us there and back. It will take another $25,000 to put a roof on the orphanage, buy every child a bed, bedding, and a teddy bear, and to bring gifts for the missionaries. I am so glad we serve a big God!
Here is a map of where Lesotho is. It is a small country completely surrounded by South Africa.

This is the orphanage we will be completing. We are hoping to construct a roof for them.

Currently there are 22 kids in this orphanage. They sleep 4 to a bed such as this. I've never had to share a room (except a dorm room), and I most definitely would not want to share a bed with three others.
My heart goes out to these children. They have nothing, but hope. I know this trip is going to change my life. I can't imagine not having food or clean water. Children will drink beer because it is cheaper than decent drinking water. That just is unfathomable for me.

Specific Prayer Request:
- Pray for TEAM Africa. The devil does not want us going, and that is already showing. Pray for us as we prepare and for our safety while we are there.
- Pray for me, Jillian, as I start my senior year of college next week. I'm taking 21 credits (19 is considered a full load), working 25 hours, and trying to fundraise to go Lesotho.
- Pray for our missionary leaders, Jason and Connie. They've lived in Lesotho but never led a team there. They are full time missionaries and are trying to raise enough money for their entire family to go on this trip.

~ Jillian