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.

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

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

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.

End of the year girls' party -  Maria Tricarico, Kipsy Wright, me, Erika Bulthuis, Anna Wright and Mary Wright. I love these ladies a lot :)

James and Stacey (Kamam) Kyalo, our little Kenyan friends. They're both 4 years old. The Kyalos invited me and Erika over for dinner on Kamam's birthday, and Erika made her a lovely birthday cake. You can see from this picture that they're adorable, but they're trouble! I'm REALLY looking forward to working out some kind of real school schedule with them next year - hoping to go down three times a week to work on their English, and probably help James with some math and science too. And they'll teach me some Kiswahili along the way -- right now all I know is kisu (knife I think?), mbiti (tree), mesa (table), asante sana... yeah I need to work on that :)

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