I know where Peanuts do NOT belong!

So, yesterday was great. The short term team I am with is a medical team, but they split up into 4 different villages. Only one of those is the one that does the medical part of it and that’s where I was asked if I would serve by handing out reading glasses. It was such a blessing. I was able to help many to see clearly for the first time in ages while also sharing how Christ is the ultimate Healer that allows us to truly see! It’s also so much fun getting to know the translators. Of course, trying to learn some of the language is always something else…typically includes me being laughed at a lot!! Some because of how horrible it is, but the other part is simply because they are excited that I’m even trying!

It is always so interesting finding myself in the place I was for a bit yesterday. I think it’s safe to say that I’m pretty confident in sharing the Gospel, even in settings such as yesterday, yet I found myself questioning if I was doing “enough”. Was I explaining it well “enough”? Was I using “enough” scripture? I left that day just trying to figure out what that was all about and feeling like I could so easily slip into discouragement. I’m convinced it was the enemy. He would have LOVED to have me all defeated thinking that the message I was sharing wasn’t “enough”, when it is EVERYTHING! I was SO encouraged by the devotion that morning, too, and was trying so hard to simply meditate on it and he simply couldn’t have been pleased with that. It really is amazingly powerful. Jeremiah 1: 5-10 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Ah, Sovereign Lord, “I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, “I am only a child.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, “declares the Lord.” Isn’t that POWERFUL?!! It just spoke right to my heart. It goes on to talk about how God then reached out his hand and touch his mouth and told him that He put HIS words in Jeremiah’s mouth. What a stinkin’ good reminder and an awesome encouragement to remind me that it has NOTHING to do with me outside of being obedient to His calling! You should now go and read all of Jeremiah 1! J

So, last night was hot, y’all. That’s all there is to it. I’m not complaining, just stating a fact. J It was a bit tough to sleep because of it. I know I already mentioned this, but it’s interesting because at home I NEVER woke up to my alarms the first, second, sometimes even third time it went off, but I’ve just been waking up on my own here! Well, by on my own I mean to the sound of the water pump lever going up and down and the rooster’s crowing…It’s actually really nice and way more peaceful to wake up to that than an annoying alarm clock beeping in only a way an annoying alarm clock can. We ate breakfast, had our praise and devotional time, and off to another village we went! Today we were welcomed with dancing and singing!! It was beautiful and just plain humbling. I have video, but I’ve been having trouble so we’ll see if I can share that with you or not. I did the eyeglasses again today and spend some really awesome time with the people of this village. All of the people I saw claimed to be born again and most all of them seemed pretty legit! I was able to pray for and with them. It was wonderful. Most all of the elderly asked for me to pray for the younger generation who were all involved in drinking alcohol and as a result have family problems, etc. It’s real problem that they were all burdened by. Could you please pray for a release from that addiction for these people? It’s a bit different here than there in the states in the sense that social drinking isn’t really seen. It’s a life altering type of drinking here and it affects so many as addictions always do. My heart broke as I looked into the beautiful, wrinkled faces of the elders of this village today. I had a good amount of time to TRY and get some of the phrases down with a few of the Sudanese guys today, too! I tell you what; the ng sound that they make in SO many of their words is going to be the death of me!! It’s like a guttural throat/tongue noise. I keep trying and trying but I still have yet to master it. At least I provide entertainment for everyone in the process. They are impressed that I can roll my r’s though. Haha You’re missing out!

So, we got back from the village and had a couple of hours to hang out, shower, and eat before our evening meeting and praise time and I decided I needed to unpack. I feel so much better now. I can say that I am beginning to feel more comfortable and like this could actually be my home for the next 4 months! As I was unpacking (and undoubtedly sweating off pounds) I heard this noise and looked back at the door and didn’t see anything so I kept going and heard it again to see under my desk little miss chicken walking around like she owned the place! So, I’m like great…I can’t kick it like I’ve seen many people do already because I just don’t have the heart….so I grabbed my sandal and shooed little miss thang out the door! She turned right back around and tried running right back in, can you believe it?! Haha…I laughed out loud and amazingly enough it made me feel more at home! So, a little bit later on I decided that some goldfish sounded good (they made the flights!) and I throw a big handful in my mouth and start to chew and they tasted incredibly similar to laundry detergent!!! I thought, “Great, I won’t get sick from any of the normal Africa stuff but from my poisoned goldfish crackers!” I guess they got too close to my soap stuff!? I don’t even know how that works considering they are in their own zip lock baggie. So, I get that all situated and I’m waiting around the back of Kaya’s home for the shower and I see that his wife and the kids are “plucking” peanuts (shelling them) and I asked if I could help. I just sat there and talked with them and helped out. It’s moments like these I love. Then, after about 10 minutes little Mike Congrove (the youngest little boy who’s 3) walks up and looks like he’s picking his nose. His mom motions for him to stop and then I can tell she realizes there’s something more going on. I’m literally just shelling peanuts watching. So, I’m thinking, “Man, he must really have something going on because the little one’s noses run all the time and it’s not a big deal here.” Haha…Well, I soon realize after she grabs him and puts him in her lap and she’s digging in his nose that she’s a bit concerned. Alice comes over and has a skinny piece of stiff grass and is trying to retrieve something from his nose while they keep telling him in KuKu to “blow” his nose. After about 2 minutes out blows a peanut!! I laughed so hard, y'all. We all did. (once we all knew he was okay) I reverted back to when I was a kid and my brother Jacob stuck a bean in his ear. Kids will be kids and boys will be boys….no matter where you are! J Kaya’s response when I tell him, “It’s all a learning experience! He wouldn’t be a boy otherwise!” So true. I walked into the conference room for sharing time and was very happily surprised to see sweet Norma!! I saw her briefly the day I got here, so it was happy to see her again! I am just so genuinely happy that she’s here…simply a mile and a half away. God is just too good to me. We had a great time of sharing tonight and then afterward Stephen who works for Water Harvest (same compound Norma’s at) asked how everything was going and I was telling him…and mentioned that my toilet was kinda gross. I was told I could just pour water down it and it would empty, but I tried and it just rose!! And let me tell you..I’ll spare you the details, but what was in there when I looked for the first time was nasty and old…and smelt of it so I made sure that lid went down as fast as it came up!! He asked I I’d like him help me because there was a way to do it that made the water go down. Um, of course I said yes! He was right…he got it down! Is it bad that it made me feel validated and less girly when he was just as grossed out as I was by the NASTYYYYYYY smell that poured out into my whole room when he got it all to flush?!! Yikes. Praise God that’s taken care of! Kaya actually came later and showed me how to actually get it to flush!! A simple adding water to the tank, sticking your hand in that water and grabbing a little lever, pulling up, and I’ve got me a flushing toilet folks! J Oh, and I found out my windows DO open. Hallelujah, praise the Lord…I will have ventilation tonight! J Speaking of, I need to hit the sack. I’m in for another wonderfully long day tomorrow. I think I might actually be getting to go out to the village to evangelize!

Until then…

Jess