Describe an experience in which God surprised you.
I have found that God has different plans for us than we often have for ourselves. I have heard that if you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans…and my second year in Malawi was exactly that. I went to Malawi with a plan and purpose: to work with the youth program of the Synod in starting a girls’ program. Within 2 months of my return my contacts in the Youth Department had been fired and I had to find my calling outside my original plan for the year. My plans had fallen apart in the first months of my return, I felt lost, useless and like I must have misread the signs about coming back. It took time and reflection to adjust my outlook and find the ways that I was called to be in Nkhoma—to not be affiliated with one of the many facets of ministry there but to help where I could in the community. I spent the year helping at the hospital, the school, and the guesthouse as clerical assistant, teacher, headmistress, teacher assistant, and manager. Had I planned to come and help at the school, hospital and community in the mish-mashed way that I did, I most likely would not have returned. The surprise at finding my niche in the school and hospital and community after my youth work failed was gratifying. Beginning the year with a completely different picture of what I would be doing and how I would be helping, I found it to be an eye-opening experience of what I could do and how to be flexible in God’s plan. I felt that I was supposed to be there, doing what I was doing and maybe that was why God got me there.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
more reflection
I had to write some essays and do some deep reflections for the application to volunteer in Haiti...
Describe previous mission experiences and the way in which you grew as a person as a consequence of that service.
Since graduating from college I have had many jobs and enjoyed them…most of them working with youth or adults and I figured that my calling was there. When called to Malawi, I had no idea what to expect. The school needed a kindergarten teacher. I had no training in early childhood education or teaching but as a kindergarten graduate (24 years before) I was assured that I could do it. I had worked one-on-one with K, 1st and 2nd graders, but never in a classroom to myself. My understanding was that school was in English, there was curriculum and plenty of supplies there ready for me to use. My first day was a nightmare. It sunk in (quickly) that while English was used in school, these children didn’t know English and I knew no Chichewa and had no assistant or translator. I was ready to jump back on the plane and head home—I was in over my head! After a pep talk from a mentor and a chance to journal, I awoke the second day and did a short devotional before going back to school, and while it certainly was not a cake walk it was better than the first day. And each day after that got better—well, there were days that didn’t but they were in the minority. The kids and I grew and learned together. What I expected for the day didn’t usually happen—if I “knew” it was going to be a great day, it was more chaotic than normal; when I expected chaos things went smoothly. I learned to continually remind myself that it was God’s day and whatever happened would be in His hands, we work to meet the plan but nothing we do can throw it off. It is a great lesson that I’ve taken with me. My teaching was fulfilling and challenging in a way I would never have foreseen. I could do it and enjoy it.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
HOM
So headed down to Haiti with Haiti Outreach Ministries (haitioutreachministries.org). Started in 1989 to build a church it has expanded to continue in its ministry of loving thy neighbor by embodying Christ in the daily lives of its volunteers and goals.
HOM does this through education in training and teaching to help Haitians to help themselves and their communities, through vocational training to help them get jobs to make a living to support themselves, through medical care that they would otherwise go without, and through nutrition to help with health and growth. This will grow Haitian leaders, economy, community and opportunities for outreach groups.
HOM does this through education in training and teaching to help Haitians to help themselves and their communities, through vocational training to help them get jobs to make a living to support themselves, through medical care that they would otherwise go without, and through nutrition to help with health and growth. This will grow Haitian leaders, economy, community and opportunities for outreach groups.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
what's next?
This along with many other equally impossible to answer questions come from everyone I meet. "How was Africa?", "When are you going to grow up?", "Are you going back?" I don't really know that people want or listen to an answer which is ok as I don't really have one for them. I find my answers just as broad..."Africa was good. I really enjoyed it.", "Not in the plans.", "Someday, I just don't know when yet."
And then comes "What's next?" When I say that I don't know yet I am usually then given a smile and the statement "Take your time, you just got home, it will come, it is nice to relax and process, there is no hurry." (Any or all and in any order) I come away feeling like i needed to be reassured even though I wasn't the one asking or even apologizing for my answer. But maybe it was the way I said it, as though I might wish I had a better answer for them.
Well, now I do! Even before I arrived home I had been given a heads up from a friend in Raleigh that the NGO Haiti Outreach Ministries was looking for some staff. I looked it up online and couldn't find anything but he got me in touch with the right people. It is another year-long volunteer position (maybe someday I'll get paid for what I do). It looks like I will be teaching English to 5th and 6th graders as well as some after school classes for young adults as well as helping to coordinate the volunteer groups that come down. The plan is to head down after Thanksgiving...more to come!!
And then comes "What's next?" When I say that I don't know yet I am usually then given a smile and the statement "Take your time, you just got home, it will come, it is nice to relax and process, there is no hurry." (Any or all and in any order) I come away feeling like i needed to be reassured even though I wasn't the one asking or even apologizing for my answer. But maybe it was the way I said it, as though I might wish I had a better answer for them.
Well, now I do! Even before I arrived home I had been given a heads up from a friend in Raleigh that the NGO Haiti Outreach Ministries was looking for some staff. I looked it up online and couldn't find anything but he got me in touch with the right people. It is another year-long volunteer position (maybe someday I'll get paid for what I do). It looks like I will be teaching English to 5th and 6th graders as well as some after school classes for young adults as well as helping to coordinate the volunteer groups that come down. The plan is to head down after Thanksgiving...more to come!!
Friday, September 21, 2012
MALAWI: YEAR 2
I want to thank you for all of the support, prayers, encouragement, cards and emails I received while I volunteered for my second year in Malawi. Also for all your support for my parents when I over stayed my year and wasn’t sure when I was coming home. Running around barefoot, swimming in the lake, and talking with strangers…all things we are told not to do but which make the world the amazing place that it is…well, at least I took my anti-malaria pills!
THE PLAN When I returned to Malawi I was planning to help start and implement a girls program through the Synod. This began with an intensive language course…I spent a little less than 2 weeks with a missionary from South Africa who had been in Malawi for over 40 years. Mornings were spent one-on-one learning grammar…I know lots of rules (though I still have trouble putting them into practice). In the afternoons I went to a nearby village with Amai Chigaga and took part in their day-to-day work from cooking to harvesting to prayer meeting to carrying water. A wonderful experience that helped to jumpstart my Chichewa…However, my contacts with the Youth Department of the Synod were fired and I got redirected—>
EBENEZER SCHOOL After realizing that my days in the Youth Department were over, I went back to the school where I worked during my first year. As the curriculum is mostly American, there were things that I could help decipher and explain. I helped in the second grade class with math and with reading in the other classes. I also helped in the office with the computer, laminator, copy machine, etc…and for a few months was even headmistress! When the third term began I was asked to take the second grade class as that teacher had moved away, so I was back to teaching mostly full time.
HOSPITAL I also helped at the Mission hospital about 2 days a week. I began by helping keep notes for the epilepsy clinic on Tuesday mornings. Africa Burn Relief (American organization) pays for all of the burn patients and, as epilepsy is the largest cause of burns in third world countries, they also pay for the epilepsy treatment. They wanted to know if patients were coming back, if the treatment was helping, if they were taking their medication, etc...I also helped to put patient files together (all the paper work for the doctors to fill in for the patients) and do computer entry for some of the government programs that pay for health care.
COMMUNITY I made some wonderful friends in the Nkhoma community: long term volunteers, missionaries, medical students from other countries, and Malawians at the school and at the hospital. It was a great time to be there and to feel that I was helping and useful. Though I felt at a loss in the beginning when my proposed plan fell to the wayside, it was an amazing year and a half. With the support that I received (from here and there) I felt that I was in God’s hands and I am so grateful for that.
TRAVEL While there I did some traveling… this time mostly in private cars instead of public transport. Many weekends were spent at Lake Malawi relaxing, swimming and eating fish dinners. Over Christmas I traveled with Ute (eye doctor in Nkhoma from Germany) to Mozambique to swim in the Indian Ocean and try out my nonexistent Portuguese and to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls, go on safari, and admire the astonishingly beautiful and varied landscape we found. People everywhere were extremely helpful, positive, friendly and hopeful for a better future.
Once again it was hard to leave Malawi, but I'm glad to be home.
Zikomo kwambiri (thanks a lot).
THE PLAN When I returned to Malawi I was planning to help start and implement a girls program through the Synod. This began with an intensive language course…I spent a little less than 2 weeks with a missionary from South Africa who had been in Malawi for over 40 years. Mornings were spent one-on-one learning grammar…I know lots of rules (though I still have trouble putting them into practice). In the afternoons I went to a nearby village with Amai Chigaga and took part in their day-to-day work from cooking to harvesting to prayer meeting to carrying water. A wonderful experience that helped to jumpstart my Chichewa…However, my contacts with the Youth Department of the Synod were fired and I got redirected—>
EBENEZER SCHOOL After realizing that my days in the Youth Department were over, I went back to the school where I worked during my first year. As the curriculum is mostly American, there were things that I could help decipher and explain. I helped in the second grade class with math and with reading in the other classes. I also helped in the office with the computer, laminator, copy machine, etc…and for a few months was even headmistress! When the third term began I was asked to take the second grade class as that teacher had moved away, so I was back to teaching mostly full time.
HOSPITAL I also helped at the Mission hospital about 2 days a week. I began by helping keep notes for the epilepsy clinic on Tuesday mornings. Africa Burn Relief (American organization) pays for all of the burn patients and, as epilepsy is the largest cause of burns in third world countries, they also pay for the epilepsy treatment. They wanted to know if patients were coming back, if the treatment was helping, if they were taking their medication, etc...I also helped to put patient files together (all the paper work for the doctors to fill in for the patients) and do computer entry for some of the government programs that pay for health care.
COMMUNITY I made some wonderful friends in the Nkhoma community: long term volunteers, missionaries, medical students from other countries, and Malawians at the school and at the hospital. It was a great time to be there and to feel that I was helping and useful. Though I felt at a loss in the beginning when my proposed plan fell to the wayside, it was an amazing year and a half. With the support that I received (from here and there) I felt that I was in God’s hands and I am so grateful for that.
TRAVEL While there I did some traveling… this time mostly in private cars instead of public transport. Many weekends were spent at Lake Malawi relaxing, swimming and eating fish dinners. Over Christmas I traveled with Ute (eye doctor in Nkhoma from Germany) to Mozambique to swim in the Indian Ocean and try out my nonexistent Portuguese and to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls, go on safari, and admire the astonishingly beautiful and varied landscape we found. People everywhere were extremely helpful, positive, friendly and hopeful for a better future.
Once again it was hard to leave Malawi, but I'm glad to be home.
Zikomo kwambiri (thanks a lot).
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
beach
Then off to the beach (I can’t stay away from the water) with mom, dad, aunt Liz, and family friends Mike and Diane. Beautiful weather, wonderful food (I’ve missed shrimp!) good waves and plenty of down time to read, chat, watch the democratic convention, and US open and to play some tennis our selves.
Monday, September 10, 2012
housesitting
Can’t get away from it! though this is a much shorter timespan to house sit (just the weekend), here I am in the mountains of NC with an amazing view of a valley, beautiful sunsets and a big black dog named Cokie. I was asked to walk Cokie only if I felt like it but that was no problem. the first night I waited until after dinner as it was a hot day…went out to find her, put her leash on as she was in the driveway (ready I thought) and then she turned around and went in the house…no walk on her schedule. But we walked both of the next days (but she only wanted one a day—as I tried for a second one and she refused)…some of the views I got…perks of housesitting: television, internet, air conditioning…although there is really nothing on television worth watching even with 800 channels!—well we did find “the princess bride” though the tv cut took out some important (in my opinion) scenes.
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