Zimbabwe/Botswana Mission Trip

So I have considered how to tell you what these past few weeks were like. And I found, that I can't. No words can describe how grand, and majestic Victoria Falls was, or how the Spirit moved through evangelism. But, in my own little words and in the words that are in the English dictionary, so I will try.

Well the first day we broke down, and so we had to tow the Land Rover to a local farm and spend the night in the bush. What I found ironic was that while on the side of the road a two mule buggy came to see if they could help. So, 3 men, 8 woman, and 1 child stayed in the bush. We had some tent issues on the way, as well as a water shortage, survival happened. It all depends on attitude. It was comical, and all you could say on the matter was TIA(This Is Africa). But, Historical Reenactment mindset came in very handy. Don't got much so take and use what you got.

Day 2

We traveled to Francistown and stayed the night in town at a friends house. SHOWERS!! That was key to our excitement.

Day 3-4

Traveling to Victoria Falls, we got there late at night, then woke the next morning to go see the town and the falls. One of the many awesome things on a personal level was that I got to sleep in my ENO, which my brother let me borrow!
The falls were full, we pulled into parking lot, which is a good distance from the falls, and we could feel the mist. It was my understanding that we were going to see the falls later in the day and go to the town in the morning, so I thought, "Okay, I know I'm going to get soaked, but, I can wear jeans around town and then where them to the falls, 'cuz after that we will go back to camp". Nope. Since the weather was so nice we decided to go to the falls first, then go to camp, then to town.

Soaked was an understatement. But, it was worth it. And was amazing!!!! I saw the first section, beautiful. Second section, beautiful and huge. I'm thinking, since we are walking still we're just going to the other side to see the full falls at once. Well, there was more and more falls at every corner! They were so huge!! I have never seen anything like it, and a shrinking, "Oh my gosh what if I was trapped in the Zambezi" feeling of reality, came over me. The fact that water fall was so powerful it could kill me in an instant, was an interesting moment. Victoria Falls truly portrays, as much as an earthly thing can, the greatness of my Father.

Day 5

We went to the market and around town. Which market is an experience in itself, because no matter where you go, someone is trying to sell you something, for the best price of course. As well as thirty people are selling you the same thing. But you get to bargain, which is so much fun. The woman are easier than the men, the men get a little to demanding to see their shop, and you just give in to get them to be quiet.
What was interesting to me was that everywhere I was going in Victoria Falls, my mother had been twelve years prior. After

After the market we went back to camp, then went to town to book our excursions. Which started off as:
Horseback riding safari- 3 people
Bungee Jump- 2
Elephant ride- 1
And ended up as:
Horseback riding safari- 4 people
Night Bungee Jump- 3
Gorge Swing- 1
Zip-line- 1

I started off do in the Horseback riding safari, after we got there I was talking to the locals, and I decided it would be lame. So, I went unintentionally, to the scariest thing, most adrenaline, that was offered at "Wild Horizons". Closest thing to a panic attack I have ever experienced. Literally, I was in tears before I even got harnessed up. Then the guy who was doing the equipment was talking to me and as he was talking hooking another strap on and "If you don't want to do this I'll just let you try then you can make your decision". As he was doing the final strap, he looked at the team, Jordan and Shea gave him a thumbs up and he unclipped the hook at the back which kept me secure. So before I knew it, I was free-falling 72 meters. I couldn't even scream, at the end I didn't know whether to be mad or shocked that I was swinging over the Vic. Falls gorge. After I got back up, it was my conclusion that it was fun, but I would never do it again. Three hours later, I decided if I was ever there again, I would do it.


So this only half of the experience. I'll have the other half on Tuesday.



















Day 6 - after that experience we packed up and traveled to a little town called Kasane, Botswana. We set up camp, at a lodge along the Chobe River. Of course we camped beside a sign that says "Beware of Crocodiles", and another that said "Beware of Hippos". Camping with warthogs was entertaining as well.

After setting up camp, we went to go do hospital ministry, where we pray and witness to the patients and nurses. While we were there, we met a woman named Dorcas, who was in the final stages of AIDS. I wish I could say that we saw a miracle as we prayed for her, but, we didn't. And hey, that's okay, God was glorified through it, because the next day, Courtney and Kristen met her father as they were doing evangelism. We did learn that she had passed a way that night, we may not know why it happened like it did, but God has a reason.

Day 7 - Evangelism in the streets, which was an amazing experience. Robbie sang music while we passed tracks and then every fifteen minutes, we did our skit "Cardboard Testimony's". All through it the Holy Spirit was moving. After, street evangelism we did road evangelism.

That night the Global Year team was hanging out around the campsite and suddenly we heard an elephant trumpet, pretty cool and suprsing. After that we heard it again...only followed by a lion growl, so for the next thirty minutes that's what we heard. And, ALL of us were trying to make a game plan if they charged in the campsite (it sounded that close). We decided the best bet was to run into the concrete bathrooms, if it came to it. Haha, what were a bunch of teenagers thinking? Concrete, was going to save us, wouldn't have done much if they wanted in.

Easter Sunday, Day 8- Sunrise service on the Chobe River. AMAZING!!! Words can't describe it. Not only that, afterwards we came home and packed up camp. On our out of Kasane, we were able to go on a water safari. In the beginning we saw, a hippo, birds, some crocs., and a few elephants. We turn the corner, and there are 50 elephants on the beach. Literally, they were all ages, also there was a baby that had to just to have been born. We're in a boat and there are 50 elephants on a beach. Un-real. To see God's creation, that way.

At this point we have seen 4 out of the 5 (Big Five: Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, and Rhino). So we haven't seen a Leopard. We finish looking at the elephants and we hear one of the other boats say something about a leopard being up ahead. We had been praying to see a leopard all day. We go up and stop and look, there he is, under a tree, just hanging out at 12:00 in the afternoon. You hardly ever see one at that time. So we watch him and he just lays there, then after about 15 minutes he gets up and walks away. So we decide to go back...he walks on the beach with for a few minutes. Wanna talk God. Seeing a leopard is rare, seeing a leopard at 12:00 is rarer, plus seeing him walk around is like never. Leopards like to hang out in trees, so seeing what we saw, was God!!!!! On Easter Sunday!!!!


Then traveled to Panda. Panda is a little town of Afrikaan Farmers. The only building is a gas station/convenient store, that's how small it is. The farms extend for miles, growing sorghum, sunflowers, beans and maize(corn). Seeing farm land, and lots of it made it feel like home, with miles of fields.

We stayed at a farm, in the back yard of this family, that Mr. Palmer knew. That night we had our second church service at an Afrikaans Church. Which is very traditional, they were very gracious and did translation, and sang a couple of hymns in english. Communion...normally, crackers and grape juice right? Nope, crackers yes, grape juice no. So maybe wine, nope. Sherry. I knew in some churches they served alcohol, not a big deal. I'm sitting next to Robbie, and at this point we don't know it's alcohol. You could drink from the one cup, or the little separate ones. Robbie said something to me, my response was "Well at least it's not alcohol"....then I saw the glasses and "Oh boy" went through my head. So I'm preparing my self for wine. I'm thinking "I'll be reverent and go with it", then I drank it, and wine doesn't burn. So that's one point with communion. Jordan decided to to drink from the cup and is thinking it's grape juice so he takes a bigger sip then he meant...it's wine (and at this point I'm trying to keep it together and not laugh at the situation, all these Southern Baptist teenagers having communion) Then Jordan took the big gulp and gets a surprise, and I hear Mr. Palmer say "Your not supposed to take such a big gulp", and is almost in tears he's trying not to laugh. So I quietly lost it. Then afterwards, I felt so bad, I had to apologize, to God for not being reverent. So as you can see Easter services were a little opposite. But memorable.

On our drive home we got to ride on top of the Land Rover, there was no city around so the stars were amazing! I got to see the Milky Way, all of Orian, The Pliates, Southern Cross, and the Big and Little Dipper, amazing in it's self.

Day 8

We woke up that morning and drove to a elephant watering hole and spent the day. So the Global Year Team, decided to go swimming. Which was so much fun, had some mud fighting( actually, mud with a mixture of elephant poop). After lunch we had been getting pestered with gnats, so we had the brilliant idea to rub the mud mixture on our skin to get rid of the gnats. It worked. Arms, Legs and Face were covered! And our skin was really soft afterwards.
We then packed up and drove aways out and got to see an elephant grave yard. A little Lion King in there. What happened was Botswana is having a nasty drought, and so the elephants were very dehydrated. It was interesting though, because there were bee-hives in the carcass. Walking around we also came across some ivory, that stuff is heavy!! It was a good five pound chunk.

Driving back we came across lion tracks. So we tracked them for an hour, never saw any but we came across a springbok. The little guy was in front of us and I guess he thought we were chasing him, so he was running so fast, and after 20 minutes, he starts going slower and slower. By the end I thought he was going to have a heart attack. He decided to run to the side and got his head caught in the fence. Which was funny. Then it was back to running.

That evening, the family that we stayed with had horses, so we got to ride. English and bare back. I've never ridden either, so it was a new experience. After riding english, I switched and rode bareback. We were on our way back and the horses hadn't been fed yet, and I wanted to trot. Which I did really well, then it went into a canter, still doing good, gallop...then a buck. Straight on my butt. I've been bucked plenty of times, gotten back on no problem. Not this time, I have never been bucked that hard, or fell that hard. The wind was knocked out, and my back killed. So after a couple days I was better, it didn't hurt. But it took a while.

That night we were able to go back out, lay and look at the stars. So we had worship session in the middle, that worship session mixed with a prayer meeting for rain in Botswana, singing to "Let it Rain" by Jesus Culture. And that next night, Botswana got rain!

Day 9-12

Basic traveling and camping in the rain that God gave us.





This trip for so many reasons will always be one of my greatest memories. The stars of Botswana, will defiantly be the highlight. Seeing the Creators creation, the best I could was unexplainable. Seeing the Milky Way Galaxy in a field in Botwswana felt like I was in the Indescribable video by Louie Giglio. God has blessed this team in so many ways. Seeing, the Big Five, Victoria Falls in it's full Glory, a Lunar Rainbow (a rainbow created by the sun), Sunrise Service on the Chobe, the Stars, and doing evangelism on Easter weekend, telling people about their Savior on the day he saved them three thousand years ago.

Finding Contentment

October 2, 2012

Dear Lord,

Am I supposed to be single the rest of my life? It seems like everyone has someone. Everyone has someone to flirt with (and for it to be okay), to feel special to. I've never had any good luck in that realm, somehow they never turn out right. Why me? Is it a tactic to make me stronger? I didn't come here to find a husband. I didn't come here to seek attention. I came here to serve. Why do I yearn for it? Is this Satan's battle against me?
I said in my "letter" I wanted to be radical for you! I don't think I am doing a good job. What is it Lord that I need to learn and get right? Show me in your Word, not like some magic book that I open and there is the plan for my life, but let it be something that is absolutely you!
-Journal entry
No this isn't about finding a guy, quite the contrary. It's about learning to be content in yourself verses consistently having to have a guy. All my life, I had a guy in my life, whether I meant to or not. There was always someone, and yes, even though I never was into the dating scene, except for twice, a crush or something wouldn't hurt. Proverbs 4:23 means so much more to me now, then it ever did before. As a middleschooler, I was confident in the fact, that I didn't need to date and it was stupid. As a highschooler, that confidence slowly had faded, and by my senior year I had trust issues, and I had a lot of baggage that I was not willing to unpack. Mind, you I only dated once but there was a lot of back stories with him. Coming here, I realized my insecurities when it came to guys. I had plenty, and stuff to sort through. But, God mended my heart, and brought me to the realization of who I need to be dependent on. I had heard that I needed to be dependent on God all my life, but, that moment when it clicks is an amazing moment. And, sometimes an annoying one.

MY REALIZATION:
I don't need a guy, if I need a guy then well, my life is going to be terrible. Because, when Joe Smoe is who I depend on, I am going to be sorely dissapointed. If my dependence is on I AM then that is where my life line, happiness, assurance, hope, and satisfaction is going to have to lie, before any man comes into my life. Why? Because being a wife and mother isn't any easier than working here, and in being here my schedule is so crazy. When I have time to have one-on-one with my Father, I just want to do nothing, lie on my bed and look at the ceiling. So again, I gotta get my priorities straight.

Looking back I have seen how much time and emotions I've wasted. Sure I may still have never been kissed, but there was a time when I looked down on that. But what a blessing that is. I've always wanted my first kiss to be for my husband, and having that logic in my head has also been a boundary to not cross.

Some scriptures that have helped, and I have kept close when on the topic;

"I adjure you, O daughter of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,
That you do not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases"
Songs of Solomon 2:5

"For your husband is your Maker,
Whose name is the Lord of Hosts;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
Who is called the God of all the earth."
Isaiah 54:10

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you"
Psalm 32:8

"Where has your beloved gone,
O most beautiful among women?
Where has your beloved turned,
that we may seek him with you?"
Song of Solomon 6:1

Even though Solomon 6:1 is about Solomon if we are truly where we are supposed to be with the Lord, this will happen. People notice when your in love with your Maker, there are some women in my life that I can honestly say are that way. You just look at them and you know who has their heart. What a way to bring the saving grace to the world by being in love with Him. When you like, or are in love with someone, you consistently talk about that person, and what everyone to meet them. So I'm learning who I need to be in love with Him, and I'm learning where my heart needs to be. It's a long road, and hard, your fighting instinct basically.

Change of topic, but, we're headed on a two week long mission trip to Zimbabwe and Botswana. We're doing outreaches and evangelism, part of it will be in Zimbabwe where Christians aren't hugely welcome.

Love you guys, thank you for letting me share my heart. Please be consistently in prayer for our team, as we go on this trip and then also just for spiritual warfare.

In Christ,
Haili

School is back in session! By the end of last term I was mentally exhausted, and by the end of a six week break I could not wait for school to start back. Last week I played "Supervisor". At an ACE school it's a little different, there are the "Supervisors" which give the tests, grade tests and if there are any education issues(like not understanding math, or reading errors) then they take care of it. Monitors (Global Year Team and others), take care of letting the student grade their work, making sure it's graded properly, as well as doing reading. We're basically the eyes and ears of the supervisors. And last week I got to play supervisor! Because the Supervisor was needed elsewhere and I knew what to do for the most part. Which was so much fun and at times mind blowing hard! This term of school I have more responsibilities, which I'm loving. Keeps me on my toes and at times I guess I feel like more of an adult.

On Tuesday's I have break duty (recess duty), then after school I watch the Lighthouse children, then help cook. So Tuesdays are crazy! Then during the week I have different responsibilities. I'm loving having children around again, most of the families were on vacations during break. Two of the children the other day could not decide on how to properly scratch your nose. I had scratched my nose, and Justin informed me that I did not do it right, so he showed me how. Carrie, disagreed and told him that you go in your nose to scratch it. Needless to say, I couldn't stop laughing. Then in class last week one of the 2nd Grade students(the students I had last year in Grade 1), put his monitor flag up, which means he needs my attention. I get there, and asked what he needed, this is what I get.
"Funanani said I had big eyes."
"What?"
"Funanani says I have big eyes."
"Funanani, did you say he has big eyes."
"Yes, but he was talking..."
Then I quoted my mother.
"Yes, but who are we talking about right now? Ampharisaho, were you talking?"
"Yes, but he was talking first"
And then I started quoting my mom again! :)
"Okay here is the thing, you two know you are not supposed to be talking in class, you are supposed to be working on your school work, and if one of you is talking you are responsible for yourself, not the other person. Therefore, Ampharisaho if Funanani is talking then you need to keep working and ignore it, you are only responsible right now for you. And if he wants to talk then he will get in trouble for it. Funanani the same goes for you. Now is that understood?"
"Yes"
"Then get back to your work, do not talk. And Funanani, it's not nice to tell people they have big eyes, so apologize."
So then he apologized, and we discussed what he was apologizing for. Also, when I supervised, I would juggle monitoring and supervising, and my messy hair bun became a wonderful pen holder. So I had a green and black pen in my hair, while I'm listening to one of the children read I turn around and see that Popi, one of the 2nd Grade girls, and one of the sweetest little girls has two pens stuck in her hair. I turn back around and sign the paper, and I have one pen in my hair at this moment. Then I look and find that Popi now has one pen in her hair as well. So there are the moments you can't believe you are actually trying to sort this drama out while trying not to laugh, then there is the moments that you are so touched by the kids and they are so sweet. Haha, the life of working with seven and eight year olds is never boring.

Honestly, I'd been so homesick last week. That was the first time that I thought about going back, seriously going back. But God has a better picture at hand. Last term Kristin and I were asked to disciple a group of girls that just the week prior had made the decision to follow Jesus Christ. I thought it was insane. I don't do well with leading groups and there had to be someone better suited. But you know what? I love it, I want to keep doing it. Working with young girls/teenage girls has always been my heart. But, those were ones I thought I had known since they were in 1st Grade. I've never done it with those that were strangers. Amazing how the Lord keeps stretching me out of my comfort zone.

I/we can't believe that our time is almost half way through, but it encourages us to push on and do more for Him with what little time we have left. To not let ourselves get complacent, which believe it or not is so easy to do. The final number of weeks is 21, which means we have slightly less then 42 times at the orphanage. About 80 some days left in school, because we take trips here and there. It's all going so fast and I want it to slow down. Yesterday it seemed like the first of January and we were ready for school to get back, now it's the 22nd!

Haha just some facts and little trifle things that have been going on since I last blogged-
- We have had two straight weeks of rain.
- A day and a half of no electricity.
- A lonely cat that has woken up half the singles up at night. And is now being hunted because know one likes cats.
- Five new staff members on base. Three of which are young people(19-24)!

As you can see from my posts me being here is no accident. I am consistently learning and find more truths about our Heavenly Father, and through that He has been showing more about my self. He is certainly been chiseling me into His sculpture and creation, the way He wants me to be. And not what the world wants me to be. As well as, stretching me in to out of comfort zone experiences, which make me rely on Him truly. Because there is no one else I can rely on in the moment of having to speak to a group of girls. I have to pray through it.

In Him,
Haili