The Wright family is finishing their furlough and will be headed back to Uganda on Wednesday. Of course, this is making me itch to get back to Karamoja, too....
9 1/2 weeks left in America! Seems like forever.
As many of you know, I'm working hard to save money and raise money so I can go back to the Orthodox Presbyterian Uganda Mission. There is one particular way that someone out there may be able to help me.
If you have frequent flyer miles that you don't use, would you consider sending some my way to help send me to Uganda? Plane tickets across the globe are very expensive ($2,000 give or take) and even a little bit of help in this area could be a huge blessing.
There are many other short-term missionaries who could benefit from frequent flyer miles -- this is just one of many creative ways you can help RP Missions!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
The happiest place on earth...
... WHITE LAKE!
I am beginning my yearly appeal that everyone go to White Lake. Also, because I'm a team leader for the counselors this year (RP Missions sends a team each year) I'm looking for a few more fun, kind, Jesus-loving, energetic guys and gals to join our team. If you love working with kids (7+) or teens and you've got a few weeks open at the end of July/beginning of August, this could be a great way for you to minister to the church, meet some lovely people and make lasting memories. Some of the kids who come have grown up in the church; others have never really encountered the gospel before.
Check out the WL facebook page
or the WL website
to learn more.
Who wouldn't wanna spend three weeks with these bundles of fun?
I am beginning my yearly appeal that everyone go to White Lake. Also, because I'm a team leader for the counselors this year (RP Missions sends a team each year) I'm looking for a few more fun, kind, Jesus-loving, energetic guys and gals to join our team. If you love working with kids (7+) or teens and you've got a few weeks open at the end of July/beginning of August, this could be a great way for you to minister to the church, meet some lovely people and make lasting memories. Some of the kids who come have grown up in the church; others have never really encountered the gospel before.
Check out the WL facebook page
or the WL website
to learn more.
Who wouldn't wanna spend three weeks with these bundles of fun?
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Singleness and the Mission Field
I want to write about an important facet of missions that I think isn't talked about too much. It's kind of a taboo subject.
The ratio of single men to single women on the mission field is 1:10. So, any guy going to the mission field has plenty of options as far as finding a spouse! But for a single woman who feels genuinely called to the mission field, we have to face facts. Most women who go to the field single will stay single. The rare exceptions prove the rule.
No one likes to talk about this. It's uncomfortable. But it's true - singleness is one of the things that has been the biggest stumbling block to me as I've tried to honestly say to God, "I'm in this for the long haul." This is not to say I haven't been content with being single. I think I have been; and I'm still young, so I haven't been too stressed about it. But I think most single women you meet who have committed to mid- or long-term missions work will agree -- marriage was always an assumption. We've grown up just expecting that it would happen eventually. Now we have to seriously face the prospect of postponed marriage, or never getting married, and maybe never having children of our own.
James 1:2-3 says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness."
Count it ALL JOY.
I looked up the word steadfastness in the dictionary. It means unwavering, firm in conviction, fixed or unchanging. Keeping your eye on the prize, keeping the goal in mind, staying fixed on that goal.
As single women on the field, we face down the prospect of living alone in a hut or apartment for years and years. Many days this is fine, even exciting, and we KNOW it's worth it. Other days, it feels like a real trial. But just like any other trial, God puts this one in front of us and asks us to face it and overcome it through His strength so that we get to a point where we are more steadfast, unwavering, committed to the work of missions that He's called us to. And I think a part of facing the trial and getting to a place where you can "count it all joy" includes allowing yourself to mourn (for a time! not forever!) over your singleness.Mourn it, and move on. Don't linger over your bitterness, or constantly wonder if you should give up missions and go home to find a husband. Settle the issue once and for all.
This is something I have been fighting against for a while. I didn't want to mourn it, though some missions books I'd read had advised me to do so. I didn't want to accept it as a very possible part of the job description. But as I've been home in America for a while and so many people ask me about this, it's been hard for me to answer them honestly and say that I might not get married. It's been hard to honestly say that I'd be okay with that, if it's God's will.
So I prayed about it. I thought about it. I allowed myself to mourn my singleness and wrestled with God about it until now I think I've come to a place where I can honestly say that I am ready and willing to go to the mission field and stay single. I've settled it. I'm not going to fight with Him about it anymore.
I recognize that there may be work that I'm better able to do as a single woman. The fact that I love working with kids (which I always assumed meant I'd be a good mom) means that I can "mother" lots of kids overseas in a way that a married woman, focused on her own family, couldn't. That's a beautiful thing. I may also be able to go to places and work in settings that a family simply couldn't, or wouldn't.
And I know that the Lord is good. He's not punishing me, or my sisters in Christ who are serving alongside me. We're not defective or abandoned. We're not less worthy of marriage than our happily married friends. And who knows, maybe I will still get married someday. But if I don't, that's okay. I don't want that to get in the way of my steadfast following after God.
I'd love to hear how my other single missionary friends have dealt with this, and how I can pray for you. It's such an important topic and I think we should discuss it freely.
The ratio of single men to single women on the mission field is 1:10. So, any guy going to the mission field has plenty of options as far as finding a spouse! But for a single woman who feels genuinely called to the mission field, we have to face facts. Most women who go to the field single will stay single. The rare exceptions prove the rule.
No one likes to talk about this. It's uncomfortable. But it's true - singleness is one of the things that has been the biggest stumbling block to me as I've tried to honestly say to God, "I'm in this for the long haul." This is not to say I haven't been content with being single. I think I have been; and I'm still young, so I haven't been too stressed about it. But I think most single women you meet who have committed to mid- or long-term missions work will agree -- marriage was always an assumption. We've grown up just expecting that it would happen eventually. Now we have to seriously face the prospect of postponed marriage, or never getting married, and maybe never having children of our own.
James 1:2-3 says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness."
Count it ALL JOY.
I looked up the word steadfastness in the dictionary. It means unwavering, firm in conviction, fixed or unchanging. Keeping your eye on the prize, keeping the goal in mind, staying fixed on that goal.
As single women on the field, we face down the prospect of living alone in a hut or apartment for years and years. Many days this is fine, even exciting, and we KNOW it's worth it. Other days, it feels like a real trial. But just like any other trial, God puts this one in front of us and asks us to face it and overcome it through His strength so that we get to a point where we are more steadfast, unwavering, committed to the work of missions that He's called us to. And I think a part of facing the trial and getting to a place where you can "count it all joy" includes allowing yourself to mourn (for a time! not forever!) over your singleness.Mourn it, and move on. Don't linger over your bitterness, or constantly wonder if you should give up missions and go home to find a husband. Settle the issue once and for all.
This is something I have been fighting against for a while. I didn't want to mourn it, though some missions books I'd read had advised me to do so. I didn't want to accept it as a very possible part of the job description. But as I've been home in America for a while and so many people ask me about this, it's been hard for me to answer them honestly and say that I might not get married. It's been hard to honestly say that I'd be okay with that, if it's God's will.
So I prayed about it. I thought about it. I allowed myself to mourn my singleness and wrestled with God about it until now I think I've come to a place where I can honestly say that I am ready and willing to go to the mission field and stay single. I've settled it. I'm not going to fight with Him about it anymore.
I recognize that there may be work that I'm better able to do as a single woman. The fact that I love working with kids (which I always assumed meant I'd be a good mom) means that I can "mother" lots of kids overseas in a way that a married woman, focused on her own family, couldn't. That's a beautiful thing. I may also be able to go to places and work in settings that a family simply couldn't, or wouldn't.
And I know that the Lord is good. He's not punishing me, or my sisters in Christ who are serving alongside me. We're not defective or abandoned. We're not less worthy of marriage than our happily married friends. And who knows, maybe I will still get married someday. But if I don't, that's okay. I don't want that to get in the way of my steadfast following after God.
I'd love to hear how my other single missionary friends have dealt with this, and how I can pray for you. It's such an important topic and I think we should discuss it freely.
Challenge... accepted?
Today was a good day.
God was kind of nudging me along all day, pushing me towards something. I couldn't tell what. I read my Bible, I wrote in my journal, I took a look at Operation World (which was getting dusty on my shelf). I read the new RP Witness magazine. I took a look at the Gentle Reformation blog.
Through a lot of different avenues, my thoughts today were pushed towards the unreached peoples. I often think about Karamoja, because I miss it, and it's become my home away from home. I often think about Sudan, because I have friends there. But today I kept feeling my thoughts drawn towards the Middle East.
I won't say I had any breakthrough moments or strange visions or anything. But somehow or other God got me thinking about this whole missions path I'm on. Where does this lead? Why am I doing this? How far am I willing to go? Am I using my resources and my gifts in the best possible way?
I know I'll be in Karamoja until next summer, but I really haven't thought at all about what I'll do after that. I keep challenging people to think about missions, to get involved, to go or send or support. But am I following my own advice? I'm quick to challenge others -- am I willing to challenge myself? Or rather, am I willing to accept any challenge the Lord might put in front of me?
Today I received my TEFL certification "diploma" in the mail. I took the TEFL course because I had been planning on teaching English in South Korea. That plan fell through, but now I have this certification that opens up a world (literally) of possibilities.
There are billions of unreached people in this world. Unreached. They are born, live, and die without ever hearing the name of Christ. There is NO local church to evangelize them. They know just enough about God to be condemned (Romans 1). They have an awareness of God, but they don't know the way to escape His wrath. They have never heard that there's a Redeemer. They have no idea and they never will know unless some go to tell them.
The fact is, the places that are still unreached are dangerous, and they don't want Christians. But that is NO excuse not to go.
I could get into difficult countries posed as an English teacher. But am I willing to go? Do I trust God enough to follow Him to a place where I will face persecution? Would I follow that road and face that challenge if He asked it of me?
Those are hard questions that we ALL need to ask ourselves.
I want to say yes, I'd go, but I have to be honest with myself. I'm not sure I'm at the point where I could do that. But I want to get to that point where I could follow such a challenge. I don't want to settle for a mediocre faith that allows me to be comfortable in America, or Uganda, but that couldn't stand up to the rigors of life in Pakistan or Nigeria. I can't put provisos on this call to missions. I can't say -- "God, I'll serve you faithfully, but not in these five countries." It's all or nothing. Because for the unreached peoples, my decision about this, and YOUR decision about this, could mean eternal life or death.
Don't brush this aside. If you're not specifically and clearly called to STAY in America in order to fulfill a ministry God has for you here, then you should seriously think about whether He wants you to go.
I was blessed by this sermon on missions by David Platt. It's worth a listen.
http://t4g.org/media/2012/04/divine-sovereignty-the-fuel-of-death-defying-missions/
God was kind of nudging me along all day, pushing me towards something. I couldn't tell what. I read my Bible, I wrote in my journal, I took a look at Operation World (which was getting dusty on my shelf). I read the new RP Witness magazine. I took a look at the Gentle Reformation blog.
Through a lot of different avenues, my thoughts today were pushed towards the unreached peoples. I often think about Karamoja, because I miss it, and it's become my home away from home. I often think about Sudan, because I have friends there. But today I kept feeling my thoughts drawn towards the Middle East.
I won't say I had any breakthrough moments or strange visions or anything. But somehow or other God got me thinking about this whole missions path I'm on. Where does this lead? Why am I doing this? How far am I willing to go? Am I using my resources and my gifts in the best possible way?
I know I'll be in Karamoja until next summer, but I really haven't thought at all about what I'll do after that. I keep challenging people to think about missions, to get involved, to go or send or support. But am I following my own advice? I'm quick to challenge others -- am I willing to challenge myself? Or rather, am I willing to accept any challenge the Lord might put in front of me?
Today I received my TEFL certification "diploma" in the mail. I took the TEFL course because I had been planning on teaching English in South Korea. That plan fell through, but now I have this certification that opens up a world (literally) of possibilities.
There are billions of unreached people in this world. Unreached. They are born, live, and die without ever hearing the name of Christ. There is NO local church to evangelize them. They know just enough about God to be condemned (Romans 1). They have an awareness of God, but they don't know the way to escape His wrath. They have never heard that there's a Redeemer. They have no idea and they never will know unless some go to tell them.
The fact is, the places that are still unreached are dangerous, and they don't want Christians. But that is NO excuse not to go.
I could get into difficult countries posed as an English teacher. But am I willing to go? Do I trust God enough to follow Him to a place where I will face persecution? Would I follow that road and face that challenge if He asked it of me?
Those are hard questions that we ALL need to ask ourselves.
I want to say yes, I'd go, but I have to be honest with myself. I'm not sure I'm at the point where I could do that. But I want to get to that point where I could follow such a challenge. I don't want to settle for a mediocre faith that allows me to be comfortable in America, or Uganda, but that couldn't stand up to the rigors of life in Pakistan or Nigeria. I can't put provisos on this call to missions. I can't say -- "God, I'll serve you faithfully, but not in these five countries." It's all or nothing. Because for the unreached peoples, my decision about this, and YOUR decision about this, could mean eternal life or death.
Don't brush this aside. If you're not specifically and clearly called to STAY in America in order to fulfill a ministry God has for you here, then you should seriously think about whether He wants you to go.
I was blessed by this sermon on missions by David Platt. It's worth a listen.
http://t4g.org/media/2012/04/divine-sovereignty-the-fuel-of-death-defying-missions/
Friday, May 18, 2012
Emotional Needs of Women on the Mission Field
http://mrnet.org/system/files/library/emotional_needs_of_women_on_mission_field.pdf
This is an extremely helpful article on the emotional needs of both married and single women on the mission field. Whether you're a missionary yourself, or the friend of a woman on the field, this is good reading. It will help you at home know how to pray for us and encourage us on the field -- and it will help those of us on the field know how to support each other! I'm going to spend some time really thinking and praying through these topics. I was shocked at how the author hit the nail on the head. She addressed problems that I know have been in the back of my mind, but I haven't been able to articulate even to myself.
This is an extremely helpful article on the emotional needs of both married and single women on the mission field. Whether you're a missionary yourself, or the friend of a woman on the field, this is good reading. It will help you at home know how to pray for us and encourage us on the field -- and it will help those of us on the field know how to support each other! I'm going to spend some time really thinking and praying through these topics. I was shocked at how the author hit the nail on the head. She addressed problems that I know have been in the back of my mind, but I haven't been able to articulate even to myself.
Recent articles about Karamoja - including Nakapiripirit district
The Karamoja Cultural Museum. Funny that they had to give the definition of a museum in the article! We should visit... -- http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Farming/-/689860/1365580/-/1045t8z/-/index.html
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/We+have+lost+confidence+in+Museveni++say+Karamoja+MPs/-/688334/1404554/-/jrnyec/-/index.html -- so much for our road being paved! they were promising that when I went in 2009, they had shown some signs of progress last year (piles of marum on the side of the road, not yet smoothed out) -- now it sounds like it's been taken off the reconstruction list
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Uganda+among+worst+countries+in+human+devt/-/688334/1405322/-/n9lrv7z/-/index.html
Serious flooding especially around Namalu, which is the market town we go to each week. This flooding will probably cause serious food shortages for the Karimojong later on in the year.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1404566/-/ahy3rnz/-/index.html
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1395080/-/avhe13z/-/index.html
Nakapiripirit is the most corrupt district in Karamoja, 1 billion Ugandan shillings embezzled -- http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1375656/-/awpc6gz/-/index.html
Kidepo!! -- http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Travel/-/691238/1375130/-/nnh43i/-/index.html
Wildfires -- http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1369572/-/ax94ivz/-/index.html
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/We+have+lost+confidence+in+Museveni++say+Karamoja+MPs/-/688334/1404554/-/jrnyec/-/index.html -- so much for our road being paved! they were promising that when I went in 2009, they had shown some signs of progress last year (piles of marum on the side of the road, not yet smoothed out) -- now it sounds like it's been taken off the reconstruction list
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Uganda+among+worst+countries+in+human+devt/-/688334/1405322/-/n9lrv7z/-/index.html
Serious flooding especially around Namalu, which is the market town we go to each week. This flooding will probably cause serious food shortages for the Karimojong later on in the year.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1404566/-/ahy3rnz/-/index.html
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1395080/-/avhe13z/-/index.html
Nakapiripirit is the most corrupt district in Karamoja, 1 billion Ugandan shillings embezzled -- http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1375656/-/awpc6gz/-/index.html
Kidepo!! -- http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Travel/-/691238/1375130/-/nnh43i/-/index.html
Wildfires -- http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1369572/-/ax94ivz/-/index.html
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Email List
IMPORTANT REQUEST:
During my last stay in Karamoja, I did not send email updates. I'd like to send regular updates and prayer requests while I'm over for 11 months, beginning in September. I'll be using an email service called MailChimp to send these regular emails.
If you would like to receive my email updates next year (which will hopefully include pictures, prayer requests, and highlights of my work) please email me at emilygpihl@gmail.com. I'm putting my email list together now so I can send out a test email and see how this works.
I'm guessing I'll be sending email updates more often than I update this blog (because last time I went through long periods when blogger wouldn't load on the slow internet connection). I'm hoping to send them out biweekly.
Thanks!
Emily
During my last stay in Karamoja, I did not send email updates. I'd like to send regular updates and prayer requests while I'm over for 11 months, beginning in September. I'll be using an email service called MailChimp to send these regular emails.
If you would like to receive my email updates next year (which will hopefully include pictures, prayer requests, and highlights of my work) please email me at emilygpihl@gmail.com. I'm putting my email list together now so I can send out a test email and see how this works.
I'm guessing I'll be sending email updates more often than I update this blog (because last time I went through long periods when blogger wouldn't load on the slow internet connection). I'm hoping to send them out biweekly.
Thanks!
Emily
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Reality Check
So, I admit it, I'm enjoying America. I like having soft hair. I like going five minutes up the road to Wegmans to buy any kind of food I want. I like paved roads and speaking the local language (annoying Western NY "a's" included). I like my comfy bed and going outside at night without a flashlight and not having to remember my malaria pills every day.
But a particular conversation popped into my head the other day. It wasn't a conversation, really. More like a rebuke. Once I was with the Wrights and one of the kids was talking about this or that thing that they missed from America, and their dad Bob said very bluntly that grumbling and complaining is sin. Don't think about all the nice things you miss in America. Don't complain, "well, we wouldn't have to deal with THIS in America!" Just don't. If you're where God wants you to be, be thankful. Don't focus on the negatives. Grumbling is one of those respectable sins that we all do -- but that sin sent Jesus Christ to the cross just as much as the sin of murder.
I do love America. I'm glad I'm here. But I've realized over the past few weeks, as lots of people have asked me, "Do you think you could actually LIVE over there? Like, forever?" I can say YES and really mean it. America is not my home. Just last week I was beginning to steep myself in the whole "American dream" thing again -- imagining living in this country forever, and all the things I'd want. But it didn't take long for me to realize what I was doing -- how materialistic and self-centered that mindset is. I don't think God planned for me to live the American dream. I don't really want it. I WANT to be in Africa. I love being there. And even some of the things that from an American standpoint would seem like losses there are actually a blessing. Bad roads mean you stay close to home which means you build a great sense of community. Living simply is a relief. Not feeling a need to keep up with the Joneses is fantastic. Even the freedom to walk around without makeup and not having to iron nice clothes - it's freeing :)
Maybe I will end up living in America, and that's fine. But I don't ever want to fall into the American Dream trap. I don't ever want to start believing the ads on TV that say your life is incomplete without the new cool thing on the market. I would much rather live in a hut with almost no possessions and really LIVE, than live in a nice house full of all kinds of gadgets, and be a shell of the person God created me to be.
Those are just my disjointed thoughts.
But a particular conversation popped into my head the other day. It wasn't a conversation, really. More like a rebuke. Once I was with the Wrights and one of the kids was talking about this or that thing that they missed from America, and their dad Bob said very bluntly that grumbling and complaining is sin. Don't think about all the nice things you miss in America. Don't complain, "well, we wouldn't have to deal with THIS in America!" Just don't. If you're where God wants you to be, be thankful. Don't focus on the negatives. Grumbling is one of those respectable sins that we all do -- but that sin sent Jesus Christ to the cross just as much as the sin of murder.
I do love America. I'm glad I'm here. But I've realized over the past few weeks, as lots of people have asked me, "Do you think you could actually LIVE over there? Like, forever?" I can say YES and really mean it. America is not my home. Just last week I was beginning to steep myself in the whole "American dream" thing again -- imagining living in this country forever, and all the things I'd want. But it didn't take long for me to realize what I was doing -- how materialistic and self-centered that mindset is. I don't think God planned for me to live the American dream. I don't really want it. I WANT to be in Africa. I love being there. And even some of the things that from an American standpoint would seem like losses there are actually a blessing. Bad roads mean you stay close to home which means you build a great sense of community. Living simply is a relief. Not feeling a need to keep up with the Joneses is fantastic. Even the freedom to walk around without makeup and not having to iron nice clothes - it's freeing :)
Maybe I will end up living in America, and that's fine. But I don't ever want to fall into the American Dream trap. I don't ever want to start believing the ads on TV that say your life is incomplete without the new cool thing on the market. I would much rather live in a hut with almost no possessions and really LIVE, than live in a nice house full of all kinds of gadgets, and be a shell of the person God created me to be.
Those are just my disjointed thoughts.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Life Update :)
I've been negligent lately. I'm facing serious writer's block, and thinking about making some changes to the way I blog. But in the meantime, for those of you who diligently check this page and are constantly disappointed (what awesome friends you are!) here's a short life update.
I'm settled in at home with my parents and my huge American cats in Fairport, NY. I really do like our little town on the Erie Canal. It's a 20-30 minute walk from my house down the canal path into the village, where there's shopping, restaurants, a library, and a couple nice coffee shops. Plus, it's just beautiful on the canal. I'm always telling my parents we should get kayaks or something, but that hasn't happened yet. Maybe someday.
I've been blessed with plenty of short-term work so far! My first full week back I did three nights of overnight babysitting and some daytime sitting, which went fine. Now I'm helping with house remodeling/post-remodeling clean up (sheet rock dust!!) for a family in my church. Stephen and Terri have always been so helpful in either giving me work, or helping me to find work. THANK YOU! I'll be working with Terri on the house for at least two more weeks. I've also had several people contact me already for regular babysitting work, so I'm booked up. It's a good feeling!
It's been wonderful to be back with my church family again. I missed them so much. I really have a wonderful family at church -- they are so encouraging and supportive. I missed my girls! I tend to hang out with the teenagers at church, which is fun. It's cool to see the kids I used to take care of now taking the SATs, doing high school sports, thinking about college or careers. And of course, I missed the babies at church. There are a LOT of them!
I'm looking forward to spending a week and a half in California at the end of May. My grandma is turning 90, so mom, David and Christi and I will go up to Fresno to celebrate with her. Unfortunately dad can't get off work, so he's gotta hold down the fort in Rochester. I love visiting California, and I'm glad I have so many relatives over there so I've got an excuse to go there every couple years! We'll spend a couple days in LA with David, then go up to Fresno for the rest of the trip. Looking forward to a tour of Paramount Studios, some hiking ("death marches" as we so lovingly refer to them) and seeing my Karamoja roommate Erika in San Diego!
Keep in touch!
Emily
I'm settled in at home with my parents and my huge American cats in Fairport, NY. I really do like our little town on the Erie Canal. It's a 20-30 minute walk from my house down the canal path into the village, where there's shopping, restaurants, a library, and a couple nice coffee shops. Plus, it's just beautiful on the canal. I'm always telling my parents we should get kayaks or something, but that hasn't happened yet. Maybe someday.
I've been blessed with plenty of short-term work so far! My first full week back I did three nights of overnight babysitting and some daytime sitting, which went fine. Now I'm helping with house remodeling/post-remodeling clean up (sheet rock dust!!) for a family in my church. Stephen and Terri have always been so helpful in either giving me work, or helping me to find work. THANK YOU! I'll be working with Terri on the house for at least two more weeks. I've also had several people contact me already for regular babysitting work, so I'm booked up. It's a good feeling!
It's been wonderful to be back with my church family again. I missed them so much. I really have a wonderful family at church -- they are so encouraging and supportive. I missed my girls! I tend to hang out with the teenagers at church, which is fun. It's cool to see the kids I used to take care of now taking the SATs, doing high school sports, thinking about college or careers. And of course, I missed the babies at church. There are a LOT of them!
I'm looking forward to spending a week and a half in California at the end of May. My grandma is turning 90, so mom, David and Christi and I will go up to Fresno to celebrate with her. Unfortunately dad can't get off work, so he's gotta hold down the fort in Rochester. I love visiting California, and I'm glad I have so many relatives over there so I've got an excuse to go there every couple years! We'll spend a couple days in LA with David, then go up to Fresno for the rest of the trip. Looking forward to a tour of Paramount Studios, some hiking ("death marches" as we so lovingly refer to them) and seeing my Karamoja roommate Erika in San Diego!
Keep in touch!
Emily
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
So, how was it?
“So, how was it?”
You couldn’t ask a harder question. How to summarize six months into one answer? I’ll tell you it was great, amazing. But where to go from there?
To those of you who asked me this question in the last few days, I apologize for any lame answers I gave. To be honest, answering this question effectively requires a lot of thought and intentionality, and I can’t say I offered much of substance to every person I talked to this week.
When someone puts this question to me, my mind spins and I seem to lose the power of speech. What does this person want to hear? Everyone wants to hear about snakes, safaris, massive spiders, language lessons, etc. It’s easy to sensationalize the experience. But even as I’m rattling off the snake-in-a-bag story again, in the back of my mind I know that I need to offer a deeper answer.
How was it? Let me tell you what God did for me, for my team, for the Karimojong. Let’s get past the fluffy, exciting stories and get to the meat of the matter.
Ask me specific questions about the ministry there, about how God is growing His church in Karamoja, about my role in the work. I would love to talk deeply about all the things I did and saw (and now that I’m not jetlagged, maybe my responses will be coherent). Don’t be afraid to challenge me with real questions. It’s good for me to think deeply about my work there, and it’s edifying to the body of Christ when I can share with you how our Lord is at work across the world.
You couldn’t ask a harder question. How to summarize six months into one answer? I’ll tell you it was great, amazing. But where to go from there?
To those of you who asked me this question in the last few days, I apologize for any lame answers I gave. To be honest, answering this question effectively requires a lot of thought and intentionality, and I can’t say I offered much of substance to every person I talked to this week.
When someone puts this question to me, my mind spins and I seem to lose the power of speech. What does this person want to hear? Everyone wants to hear about snakes, safaris, massive spiders, language lessons, etc. It’s easy to sensationalize the experience. But even as I’m rattling off the snake-in-a-bag story again, in the back of my mind I know that I need to offer a deeper answer.
How was it? Let me tell you what God did for me, for my team, for the Karimojong. Let’s get past the fluffy, exciting stories and get to the meat of the matter.
Ask me specific questions about the ministry there, about how God is growing His church in Karamoja, about my role in the work. I would love to talk deeply about all the things I did and saw (and now that I’m not jetlagged, maybe my responses will be coherent). Don’t be afraid to challenge me with real questions. It’s good for me to think deeply about my work there, and it’s edifying to the body of Christ when I can share with you how our Lord is at work across the world.
Reentry Blues
I’ve experienced culture shock before, but this reentry period is much
rougher than any others I’ve experienced. Part of it is that this has
been my worst ever case of jet lag. It doesn’t help that it’s about 80
degrees colder here in western Pennsylvania than it was in Uganda!
The first culture shock experience that really hit home was in Newark airport on Wednesday. I went to buy a bottle of water from a convenience stand, and it cost the equivalent of 6000 Ugandan shillings – several days’ pay for most of my neighbors in Karamoja. For WATER! I was appalled. I wished I hadn’t bought it.
My friends took me out to dinner when I arrived in Pittsburgh, which was wonderful. American food! The next day I made the mistake of having a Pop Tart for breakfast. Too sweet. When I got to my best friend Jenny’s house, she gave me a pile of hoodies, sweatpants and blankets, and I hunkered down for a few days. I’m just now beginning to acclimate to this dreary weather!
The only shopping I’ve done since I got back was in WalMart. It makes me laugh to think that we call the little general store in Namalu (probably about the size of your kitchen) “WalMart”. In Nakaale, going to one store in town that has everything – milk, juice, oil, laundry soap, yarn, jewelry, biscuits, shoes, tools – is a real shopping experience. We really could get much of what we needed for day to day life in that little hole in the wall store, plus the fruits and vegetables and clothing we’d buy out in the market. The whole American advertising scheme telling you that you NEED this or that is really disturbing. I promise you, you don’t.
I’m also discovering that my sensitivity to germs, bugs, etc. has changed quite a bit. I have to remind myself that, generally speaking, it’s not normal in America to pull a bug out of your food and keep eating (but throwing away perfectly good food? What a waste!). “Disgusting” bathrooms here are five-star establishments. Why? They have flush toilets (as opposed to a hole in the ground), toilet paper, running water, and soap. What else do you need?
The first culture shock experience that really hit home was in Newark airport on Wednesday. I went to buy a bottle of water from a convenience stand, and it cost the equivalent of 6000 Ugandan shillings – several days’ pay for most of my neighbors in Karamoja. For WATER! I was appalled. I wished I hadn’t bought it.
My friends took me out to dinner when I arrived in Pittsburgh, which was wonderful. American food! The next day I made the mistake of having a Pop Tart for breakfast. Too sweet. When I got to my best friend Jenny’s house, she gave me a pile of hoodies, sweatpants and blankets, and I hunkered down for a few days. I’m just now beginning to acclimate to this dreary weather!
The only shopping I’ve done since I got back was in WalMart. It makes me laugh to think that we call the little general store in Namalu (probably about the size of your kitchen) “WalMart”. In Nakaale, going to one store in town that has everything – milk, juice, oil, laundry soap, yarn, jewelry, biscuits, shoes, tools – is a real shopping experience. We really could get much of what we needed for day to day life in that little hole in the wall store, plus the fruits and vegetables and clothing we’d buy out in the market. The whole American advertising scheme telling you that you NEED this or that is really disturbing. I promise you, you don’t.
I’m also discovering that my sensitivity to germs, bugs, etc. has changed quite a bit. I have to remind myself that, generally speaking, it’s not normal in America to pull a bug out of your food and keep eating (but throwing away perfectly good food? What a waste!). “Disgusting” bathrooms here are five-star establishments. Why? They have flush toilets (as opposed to a hole in the ground), toilet paper, running water, and soap. What else do you need?
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Kidepo Pt. 2
We had a pretty nice campsite. There were two open-sided bandas, one
for our ranger Ben to stay in (he guarded us at night and travelled
with us during the day, armed with his AK-47), and another which we
used as a kitchen/hangout spot. We set up our tents pretty easily, and
I was on cooking/dishes duty so I helped Martha feed the hungry
masses. We were on a small hill, and all around us were valleys full
of herds of animals. The edges of the park were marked by the
mountains surrounding us in the distance on all sides. I can't really
describe it, so you'll have to see the pictures sometime!
Each morning and evening we went on a safari drive. The park is huge,
and on one of our drives we even crossed over the border into South
Sudan (just far enough to awkwardly straddle the line between the
countries and snap a picture). Most of us young folk (plus Kristy
Rosenbaum) would sit or stand in the back of the pickup during the
drives, to get the best view. It was SO MUCH FUN. I love the Wrights
and Maria and Jamie, we had some really funny conversations, laughed a
lot, went a little crazy, just enjoyed each others' company while we
saw hundreds of amazing animals.
We saw WAY more animals than I expected we would, and they were much closer than I had anticipated (something about being in the bed of a pickup truck completely exposed to wild animals kind of heightens the experience). We saw tons of elephants, thousands of cape buffalo, Jackson's hardebeasts and several other kinds of antelope (oribi, dik diks, etc.), giraffes, warthogs, ostriches, and lions. Yes, lions. We
saw 11 lions one morning. A bunch of us are in the back of the pickup when Ben directs us towards a group of lionesses. They're down a little gulley so we could see them, but we weren't too close. We turn off the engines and enjoy the sight, amazed that we had gotten so close.
Then we drive on a bit, and before we know it Ben has sent us to a group of five male lions. They were younger (didn't quite have full manes yet) but they were HUGE. And we got about six feet away from them. They weren't scared of the vehicles, they were just sitting
there watching us, dozing off, bathing, stretching – it was probably one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. They were SO CLOSE. We turned the engines off again and spent probably almost 30 minutes just watching them and taking pictures.
We couldn't top that. The whole trip was amazing, but nothing beat
being so close to the lions. We also sat in the middle of a HUGE herd of cape buffalo for several minutes, but they're pretty dumb and the
wind was in our favor (not blowing our scent towards them) so they didn't bother us. But they could have done some serious damage if they
wanted to.
A few years ago the Wrights went to Kidepo and were charged by a bull
elephant, and their guard had to shoot his gun to scare it off. I
didn't expect this, but I was more scared of the elephants than
anything else we came across. They are massive and almost every time
we saw them, there were baby elephants around (so cute! And yes they
do hold their mama's tail when they walk) so they were very
protective. I admit I said some prayers on a couple occasions. But no
incidents to report!
for our ranger Ben to stay in (he guarded us at night and travelled
with us during the day, armed with his AK-47), and another which we
used as a kitchen/hangout spot. We set up our tents pretty easily, and
I was on cooking/dishes duty so I helped Martha feed the hungry
masses. We were on a small hill, and all around us were valleys full
of herds of animals. The edges of the park were marked by the
mountains surrounding us in the distance on all sides. I can't really
describe it, so you'll have to see the pictures sometime!
Each morning and evening we went on a safari drive. The park is huge,
and on one of our drives we even crossed over the border into South
Sudan (just far enough to awkwardly straddle the line between the
countries and snap a picture). Most of us young folk (plus Kristy
Rosenbaum) would sit or stand in the back of the pickup during the
drives, to get the best view. It was SO MUCH FUN. I love the Wrights
and Maria and Jamie, we had some really funny conversations, laughed a
lot, went a little crazy, just enjoyed each others' company while we
saw hundreds of amazing animals.
saw 11 lions one morning. A bunch of us are in the back of the pickup when Ben directs us towards a group of lionesses. They're down a little gulley so we could see them, but we weren't too close. We turn off the engines and enjoy the sight, amazed that we had gotten so close.
Then we drive on a bit, and before we know it Ben has sent us to a group of five male lions. They were younger (didn't quite have full manes yet) but they were HUGE. And we got about six feet away from them. They weren't scared of the vehicles, they were just sitting
there watching us, dozing off, bathing, stretching – it was probably one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. They were SO CLOSE. We turned the engines off again and spent probably almost 30 minutes just watching them and taking pictures.We couldn't top that. The whole trip was amazing, but nothing beat
being so close to the lions. We also sat in the middle of a HUGE herd of cape buffalo for several minutes, but they're pretty dumb and the
wind was in our favor (not blowing our scent towards them) so they didn't bother us. But they could have done some serious damage if they
wanted to.
A few years ago the Wrights went to Kidepo and were charged by a bull
elephant, and their guard had to shoot his gun to scare it off. I
didn't expect this, but I was more scared of the elephants than
anything else we came across. They are massive and almost every time
we saw them, there were baby elephants around (so cute! And yes they
do hold their mama's tail when they walk) so they were very
protective. I admit I said some prayers on a couple occasions. But no
incidents to report!
Last I wrote, the Wrights and Erika were on their way up country
again, along with Bob's sister Kristy and her son Justin. I had been
alone on the compound for a couple weeks, so it was great to have the
place humming with activity again. And boy, were we busy. We were
packing for a safari.
Just a few days after they arrived in Karamoja,
14 of us (plus all our tents and camping equipment) drove north to
spend a few days at Kidepo Valley National Park.
Now, when I say we drove north, this was not a comfy road trip (not for most of us, at least). A few people road in the Wright's SUV, but me, Erika, Rachel, Justin, Mary, Kipsy, Bobby, Anna and Jamie climbed onto the back of the pickup truck, on top of all our camping gear, and held on tight for the 8 hour drive north on the dusty, bumpy Karamoja roads.
It was fun at first – we talked, had some sing-alongs, enjoyed the scenery. After a couple hours it was not very much fun anymore; it
was just plain painful. The only really unbearable part of the ride was a certain section we passed through when we were getting pretty close to Kidepo. The road was very bumpy and slow going, and as soon as we had to slow down to navigate the ditches, we were attacked by tse tse flies. We are very fortunate not to have a lot of tse tse flies in Nakaale. They are big, persistent, fast (like horse flies but WORSE)… they can bite through clothes, they're very hard to squish, and their blood burns your skin if you do manage to kill them. Cool.
I was so glad to finally go north of Nakaale, though – it's hard to
imagine any place more barren and less developed than Nakaale, but the
northern districts of Karamoja are EMPTY and the mountains and hills
are stunningly beautiful. We drove through a few "cities" and got lots
of stares and shouts and waves. We wazungu were a sight to behold –
dirty, sunburned, exhausted.
One thought that struck me again and again as we drove farther away
from civilization was this: so few people in the history of the world
will ever see these mountains, these amazing rock formations, these
savannahs and caves and hillsides (how blessed I am to be one of the
few!). But God made this place beautiful anyways… for the few who
would see. He displays His beauty, His strength, His creativity, so
that even in these remote places people will see the evidence that He
is there. He loved the Karamojong enough to place them in a
magnificent country where they can't escape the fact that He IS.
About eight hours after we set out we arrived at the ranger station
parched, hungry, dusty (all the ladies had nice moustaches by this
point!), extremely sore, and extremely happy. Just driving into the park to get signed into our campsite, we saw a herd of elephants.
again, along with Bob's sister Kristy and her son Justin. I had been
alone on the compound for a couple weeks, so it was great to have the
place humming with activity again. And boy, were we busy. We were
packing for a safari.
Just a few days after they arrived in Karamoja,
14 of us (plus all our tents and camping equipment) drove north to
spend a few days at Kidepo Valley National Park.
Now, when I say we drove north, this was not a comfy road trip (not for most of us, at least). A few people road in the Wright's SUV, but me, Erika, Rachel, Justin, Mary, Kipsy, Bobby, Anna and Jamie climbed onto the back of the pickup truck, on top of all our camping gear, and held on tight for the 8 hour drive north on the dusty, bumpy Karamoja roads.It was fun at first – we talked, had some sing-alongs, enjoyed the scenery. After a couple hours it was not very much fun anymore; it
was just plain painful. The only really unbearable part of the ride was a certain section we passed through when we were getting pretty close to Kidepo. The road was very bumpy and slow going, and as soon as we had to slow down to navigate the ditches, we were attacked by tse tse flies. We are very fortunate not to have a lot of tse tse flies in Nakaale. They are big, persistent, fast (like horse flies but WORSE)… they can bite through clothes, they're very hard to squish, and their blood burns your skin if you do manage to kill them. Cool.
I was so glad to finally go north of Nakaale, though – it's hard to
imagine any place more barren and less developed than Nakaale, but the
northern districts of Karamoja are EMPTY and the mountains and hills
are stunningly beautiful. We drove through a few "cities" and got lots
of stares and shouts and waves. We wazungu were a sight to behold –
dirty, sunburned, exhausted.
One thought that struck me again and again as we drove farther away
from civilization was this: so few people in the history of the world
will ever see these mountains, these amazing rock formations, these
savannahs and caves and hillsides (how blessed I am to be one of the
few!). But God made this place beautiful anyways… for the few who
would see. He displays His beauty, His strength, His creativity, so
that even in these remote places people will see the evidence that He
is there. He loved the Karamojong enough to place them in a
magnificent country where they can't escape the fact that He IS.
About eight hours after we set out we arrived at the ranger station
parched, hungry, dusty (all the ladies had nice moustaches by this
point!), extremely sore, and extremely happy. Just driving into the park to get signed into our campsite, we saw a herd of elephants.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
"Paul reduces all the actions of the new life to three classes: sobriety, righteousness, and godliness... Nothing is more difficult than to forsake all carnal thoughts, to subdue and renounce our false appetites, and to devote ourselves to God and our brethren, and to live the life of angels in a world of corruption.To deliver our minds from every snare Paul calls our attention to the hope of a blessed immortality, and encourages us that our hope is not in vain. As Christ once appeared as a Redeemer, so he will at his second coming show us the benefits of the salvation which he obtained.Christ dispels the charms that blind us and prevent us from longing with the right zeal for the glory of heaven.Christ also teaches us that we must live as strangers and pilgrims in this world, that we may not lose our heavenly inheritance."
- John Calvin's Golden Book of the True Christian Life
- John Calvin's Golden Book of the True Christian Life
Saturday, January 28, 2012
this deserves a *happy dance*
So, I have exciting news -- the missionaries have asked me and Erika to return to teach again next year! The mission has approved and my parents gave me the ok, so please pray that all the necessary details get sorted out. The hope is that we'll be able to come here in late August (after White Lake camp, of course, I wouldn't miss White Lake for anything!) and stay until May -- 9 months. I'm soooooooooooooooo excited :) Erika will primarily teach the Okkens while I'll teach most of the Wrights' classes and Omnibus (early church - Reformation) for James and Josh Tricarico.
Also, I wrote an article for RP Missions which will appear in the January RP Witness. Certainly not my best piece of writing, but it'll do. So keep your eyes "Pihled" for that (yeah I just did that).
Also, I wrote an article for RP Missions which will appear in the January RP Witness. Certainly not my best piece of writing, but it'll do. So keep your eyes "Pihled" for that (yeah I just did that).
"You are very important to me"
The Wrights and Ericka have been down country for over a week, so I've been enjoying a breezy teaching schedule and lots of downtime. I spent most of my time reading, hanging out with Leah Hopp in the evenings, and putzing around on the internet (since the middle compound, where I live, has been home to only three people instead of ten, we've had tons of power! My poor old Grove City laptop has 30 minutes of battery life, so it's wonderful to be able to plug it in all the time!).
In other news, Bob Wright cut his arm badly earlier this week, and yesterday morning he had surgery which successfully reconnected a nerve and two tendons. Poor Bob :( His arm is in a cast and he can't use it for six weeks, so the Wrights and Erika are coming back from Kampala a week early, along with Bob's sister and her son Justin, who are here for a visit.
Leah had a birthday last Friday, so we had tortillas and hummus and watched tons of episodes of the Cosby Show... oh the 80s. Gotta love the outfits :)
The kids Bible study on Monday went very well. Leah came with me this time. I taught them the parable of the lost sheep. Only 25 kids came (instead of forty, as we'd had the week before) which, I admit, I was thankful for, because a group of forty kids is hard to control. I brought along a big jump rope. Some of the older girls were pretty good and they had three kids jumping at once. I think it was a hit.
This morning Ruffin (a 19 year old visitor who's been here for 6 months), Jamie Tricarico, Jim and Jenny Knox and I were on the road at 6:15am to visit the Pian Upe Game Preserve, which is just a little ways south of the market town of Namalu. We went on a mini-safari :) We arrived and the guide brought us into his office. "If you are lucky, you will see some animals... if you are lucky, you will see some animals... if you are lucky... you will see... some animals..." He was a very funny man... he said "for-ay-nee" instead of foreign and repeated himself a lot. Jim had to sign the guestbook because "you are very important to me."
Jamie, Ruffin and I climbed up on the roof rack of Jim's SUV (easier said than done for a shorty like me!), and our guide plus a ranger (complete with AK-47s) sat in the back seat. The sun was just rising as we set off on the three hour drive through the bush. It was terribly uncomfortable sitting on the metal bars of the roof rack, but after a while I didn't notice it so much. The view of Mount Kadam was breathtaking... I'll post pictures soon. Unfortunately, we didn't see too much wildlife, but we saw tons of cobs (a type of antelope) who run SO fast... they were outrunning our car. It felt like we were in the middle of a National Geographic film. We also saw Jackson's hardebeasts, which are huge antelope-type things with big horns. We also saw a very large, very fast rodent thing and some guinea fowl and other neat birds. No cheetah, ostriches, leopards or baboons... but the view alone was worth the trip. That was my first time riding on the roof of any vehicle ever... and it was so much fun :P
I think I got a bit of heat stroke/sun stroke cuz when I got back I crashed in bed and slept for two hours. I'm still feeling exhausted and dehydrated but it's all good. I'm just chugging water like it's my job. Tonight we have a group dinner, and it will be Ruffin's last before he goes home, so I have to make an epic dessert :)
"Have you chewed the donkey?"
Last night, Jim and Jenny invited me and Ruffin over for dinner, along with Moses, Albert and Fred, three of the young men on the clinic staff. I think all three of them are roughly my age. They are hilarious.
"Have you ever chewed the rat?"
"What??"
"The rat? have you chewed?"
"You don't say that in America. You say tasted or tried."
"How about chewed and swallowed? Have you chewed and swallowed the rat?"
"If you say that in America people will look at you very strangely."
We talked about eating rats, cats, dogs, small birds ("you could fry them like a chicken, but I think maybe even you must eat the whole head, even the what? The bones.") camels, chameleons (in a stew or something??) and donkeys.
Fred said that on the radio that day they were offering 5,000 shillings (about 2 dollars) to a caller who could answer this question: If the man is the head of the family, the woman is the what? Fred put the question to us. Jim told him he should call in and say the woman is the body, because Christ is the head of the church and the church is the body. We also considered the neck (she turns the man any direction she wants!) or the heart. Apparently one person called in and said the tail (?!). The callers had such a hard time answering the question that they were going to continue the discussion on the radio the next day. Jenny said that here in Karamoja the men say that women have ears on the "buntocks" (as they call it) so you must beat them in order to make them listen. Women are not very respected here, but believe me, they do must of the work.
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