To be honest, the past week I have literally been dreaming about home. I miss my family and the beautiful food that America has to offer. I miss being in the comfort of my friends that know me well and I mostly miss just cuddling up with a warm blanket on a big comfortable couch. Living in America is so easy and this past week I have been realizing that more and more and honestly it’s been hard…

Then came Thursday…

I had a dream on Wednesday night of being at home. I was laying in my grass in the backyard just sobbing because I wanted to be here in Africa. I missed the kids in the baby house that I see everyday. I missed the people from the school that have become my family. I missed the group of Mozambiquen pastors that I have gotten to know so well. I missed the view from the prayer hut of the Indian Ocean. I missed the dirt roads and riding in the back of trucks but mostly I missed the atmosphere that I have been in since the day I arrived. I woke up confused but then I went to class and listened to Heidi speak…

Any time Heidi Baker speaks I get wrecked (this is two times a week, ya!!) Everything she says is from the heart she had a plan to talk about the beatitudes but when she arrived in the morning she felt like she needed to talk about something else. She simply said that she wanted to talk about Philippians chapter two which is all about imitating Christ’s humility. Humility. Humility. Humility. So then it hit me, it hit me hard.

“Make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others […] taking the very nature of a servant […] do everything without complaining or arguing so that you become blameless and pure.”

Near the end of Heidi’s session she said seven words that made my heart leap, she said, “will you give up the comfortable couch” and without even thinking I said yes. In the end, the couch will not matter. My comfort will not matter, ah. There are WAY to many people in the world who need to know that they are loved. If I have to give up everything so that only one person who is lost or unloved can feel loved, I will, I have too. I’m here in Africa learning how to love in a way that I was never taught or ever understood.

It’s not about me. Finally, I have figured it out! I had to fly across the world to figure that out but hey, at least I am learning!

So that was just Thursday morning—Then came Thursday night…

I know I have mentioned my Mozambiquen Pastors in my last posts but I wanted to go into more depth about them, I wish I could bring them home with me so that you could have the opportunity to just listen to their hearts, but since I can’t I just want to honor them as much as I can.

In the missions school we are all on different color group teams. There are 10 of us from the school on the green team and we are paired with 12 Mozambiquen men who are here on the same base for Bible School training to be Pastors. When we go on outreach we go as a team, the mission school and the Bible students. Let me tell you something about these men, some of them travel by foot to get to the school, they leave their families for months at a time just so they are able to come to the school.

These men are so passionate about the nation of Mozambique that they will give up everything just to come to hear more about God. Mozambique used to be the poorest nation in the world but now it is blossoming into a nation that strives for something more. These men are my hero’s. When we go on outreach they take it upon themselves to be our protectors. They make sure we are comfortable in their culture and they always put us first. When we set up our tents, or rather, after they are finished setting up our tents for us, they set up theirs right outside of ours. They have become my family and my heart aches when I think about not seeing them on a regular basis.

As a team we decided that we wanted to bless the pastors in our group so on Thursday we surprised them with dinner at a nice restaurant that is right on the beach. It was the best night I have had since being here in Mozambique. Most of these men have never stepped foot in a restaurant. One of them said that he had walked past this restaurant many times never imagining of sitting and eating in a place so nice. One said that he never thought he would ever eat from a plate that was not his own. None of them knew was pizza was because cheese here is very expensive. After they all received their meal which was elegantly given to them, and their cokes, they each tried a piece of pizza, it was great. Each and every one of the men said how grateful they were. One of them said that he couldn’t wait to get home to his family to tell them how privileged he was to come to a restaurant, going to a restaurant was a privilege. I can’t describe in words how much this dinner meant to me, I can truly say it changed me. I have learned more from these men than I have from anyone I have ever met.

I have three weeks left in Mozambique. Two weeks left of school and one week left on the base. It’s insane how fast this summer has gone. I have been so happy the past two days because I have been living in today. I will enjoy the last days I have here and when I do leave to come home I think it will be hard but I know I will be back here, and maybe some of you will come with me! It will rock you. I will never be the same but I am so so so so so excited to see where my life is heading, it is so thrilling to be in the will of God.

Life is so good.

Tomorrow I am going back to Felipe’s house in the village right after church. I mentioned him in a past blog, his family has been hunting us down asking us to come back, they want to spend more time with us, I love it. I hope that wherever you are that you make the most of it, because honestly life is so quick. Last night when we were all going to bed (I share a room with six girls) we were all just laughing at each other and at one point I said, “Ok, I have to go to bed, goodbye July 23, 2010” and I was like whoa, this day is gone and there will never be another July 23rd 2010, it’s crazy if you think about it, I know I am so corny right now, but its true!

Life is so quick so live everyday with love, it’s the best way to go. Love you all!!!

“Wherever you are—Be all there” Jim Elliot

The Journey Never Goes Backwards…how awesome is that? This week has been amazing. This is going to be a quick post because SO many people are trying to get on the internet and it is super slow today so here we go:)

On Thursday I left with ten other students and twelve Mozambiquen men for outreach. We left around one on Thursday and traveled across Mozambique on the back of a truck for about four hours…it was awesome. When we arrived in the village we were greeted by children and Mamas singing, it was beautiful. The first night we spent time with the people in the village and did a short time of testimonies and singing. The kids at this village were stunning, they loved when I would take their pictures and then show them, it was as if they were seeing gold. I don’t even know if any of these kids knew what they looked like until they saw the picture on the camera.

When I woke up Friday morning and came out of my tent I was greeted by about fifteen kids just smiling with their hands pressed against their eyes, wanting more pictures…I loved it. Later that day we walked about fifteen minutes with our team and people from the village to a small river where we baptized 20 people. Every step I took to get to that river, I enjoyed because here I was walking with all these beautiful people who wanted to leave everything in their past behind them and come out of the water bran new…it was so exciting. When we were finished with the baptisms we headed back to the village and I saw this cute little pig sitting under a shady tree, so of course I took a picture, not knowing that, that poor pig was going to be our dinner (or I should say their dinner because I don’t eat meat and I am especially happy about that after what I had to witness). They slaughtered this pig and the squeals are stilling going back and fourth in my head even today!!! Horrible, but when in another culture, anything goes. One of the pastors took my camera and thought it would be so hilarious to take over twenty pictures of the pig before, during and after it was killed, I deleted them all haha. But the crazy animal eating did not stop there, later that night I was in a tent with my two friends who are married, we were just hanging out and I felt something on my hand but just ignored it because I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me, then all of the sudden Matt freaks out and says that something bit him…there was a mouse in our tent, and we FLIPPED OUT haha, it was so funny but so gross at the same time... I wish it would have been video taped. One of our Mozambiquen pastors came to our rescue and caught the mouse and flicked it until it died haha, I am laughing out loud at the internet café right now just thinking about it. After the mouse was dead it was put on a stick with about 30 other mice and they ate them all, yes, they ate the mice, ah!!! So, last Friday I witnessed things that I never thought I would see in person, but it’s Africa, and I love the fact that I was able to be apart of everyday life for some of the most beautiful people that I know. After the killing of the animals was complete and everyone's stomaches were full we headed 10 minutes up the road to another village where we showd the Jesus film to people that had never heard of Jesus before, it was pretty amazing. We were able to pray with people and talk with the people of the village...it was an experience I will never forget. So many of the people here live everyday as if it is their last and when I hear their stories and get glimpses of what they have been through it makes me sad but it also makes me want to live everyday as if it my last day. I know I have said this before, but everyday here my eyes are opened even bigger than the day before.

Saturday came around quick and in the morning there was a Mozambiquen wedding that lasted about four hours because there were three couples being married at the same time, it was such an awesome experience. It was funny because in the middle of the wedding they asked us to do a skit haha, it was so funny, you guys have no idea how different weddings are here than they are in America. I mean, three couples at one time with a random skit from Americans in the middle of it, so funny. The wedding was beautiful and the couples that were married were truly in love so it was a blessing to be apart of their special day. We left around one to get back to our base in Pemba and didn’t arrive there until around five but the time went by super fast because we have many entertaining Mozambiquens on our team, it was such a blast and the fact that I had a nice cold shower after four days of no water, made the outreach even more amazing.

I really cannot believe that I only have about three more weeks here, I will be home in less than a month, crazy. Today when I get back from town I am having an interview with Iris about long-term commitment. I obviously have to come back and finish my last year of school (Don’t worry Dad) but after that I really have no idea what I am going to do with my life haha. I really believe that I will know a lot more during this next year than I do now, and I am really ok with that. As of right now I am trying my best to just live in today because who knows what tomorrow will bring, everyday here is so different yet so insightful and exciting, life is just exciting!!

I hope that everyone at home is doing well, everything here is going great I am healthy and have been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for every meal the past three weeks haha…ok and chocolate and popcorn when I am lucky, ha! I hope that you have a wonderful today, thanks for checking in on me..missing you all:)

Today is a good day, and this past week has been a good week. I will admit I have dreamt of things at home such as a couch with a bag of popcorn and a movie. It was funny, the other night I was with three of my friends and we watched a movie on a laptop and for a snack we had almonds and cucumbers pretending they were sour patch kids and buttered popcorn, ha! But other than the random thoughts of being at home my mind has really been focused on what is going on here and now.

This past week I heard a story that will never leave my mind because of how much it impacted my heart. It was about a little girl who has been adopted by Iris and has lived here for a couple years now. Her mother used to make her and her sister steal food to bring back for their family. They would be sent out each day and if they didn’t come back with food their mother would punish them severely. One night her sister did not come back with any bread so her mother put her in the latrine. If you don’t know what a latrine is, it is a hole in the ground that is made to go to the bathroom. This poor little girl was put in the latrine and died there. When this was found out the mother was taken to prison and the little girl was adopted by Iris. This is only one of the many stories I have heard that have impacted me to the point of tears. My heart breaks for some of the people here because of what they have been through.

I have been learning a lot about love here. The little girl who lost her sister is in a safe place and now knows that she is loved but there are many more people and children out there that have not experienced the feeling of being loved yet, that is why I feel so called to love those who have nothing. I spend most of my time here in the baby house because I have such a passion for children. The other day I noticed that Marcelino, one of my favorite little boys, was not being himself. I found out later that someone forgot to put a diaper on him the night before and he woke up in a crib full of diarrhea. Then later on in morning there was a fight with the older toddlers and Marcelino got cornered so by the time I came to see him he was super distraught and unable to eat. I checked up on him everyday for a couple of days and then at one point I asked if I could take him home for a half an hour just to get him out of his little home with all the other kids. Right when we got to my house I gave him some bread and juice that he ate within two minutes. As I sat with him and just loved on him I felt his fever leave and I saw his smile return. He began to rest when I held him and I could just sense that he felt comforted just by being held, he’s two so he doesn’t talk much yet but he didn’t need words I knew he knew he was loved, and it hit me, it’s so simple. Loving someone is so simple and can truly change someone, even physically. He just needed to be held and comforted and he was right back to his old self- I literally saw what love is capable of and it challenged me in so many ways it’s hard to put them in words.

Another thing that has been challenging me here is the difference between pity and compassion. When Jesus had compassion on someone he did something about it, He didn’t just say, “Aw, how sad”, no, He did something about it. I can’t even count on my fingers how many times I have felt pity towards some of the people here but I can count on my fingers how many times I have actually done something about it. This is one thing that I hope to bring home as well, just really making a difference in people’s lives. Every day I come in to contact with people but since I have been here I have challenged myself to really impact people and not just come into contact with them. I hope this makes sense I am trying so hard to type from my heart but sometimes that can be unorganized and confusing, ha, so sorry. Basically, my point about some of these things I have mentioned is that it is so simple to love and EVERYONE needs to feel loved but what comes after that is compassion, where we step in and actually do something about it! I love being here because I feel like I learn something new every day but at the same time my heart just leaps to get home so that I can do it even in Chicago, it’s so exciting.

Ok, so I think I’m done with the heart stuff, haha, let me update you all on some other little things that have been happening here!! My sandals that were stolen on the beach about three weeks ago were found hanging in town on sale for about 50 meticais, haha. We have had running water and electricity this whole week except for one day when it went out for a couple of hours. I am a pro at 5 minute showers, only using the water for half the time. I went to the beach yesterday and swam to a boat that was docked in the water with a couple other friend and jumped off it at least 6 times, it was so fun. Every day the weather is perfect and the sunsets are unreal. My favorite quote from this past week was from Bill Johnson when he said, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less”. I was told that I should write songs and that I should sing over children so that they can be set free, ah! Yesterday we dedicated a new baby Josephina into Iris, she is 3 months and is stunning. Mido, another one of my favorite babies, sat with me the whole time at church and discovered ice in a water bottle, he was entertained all morning. Portuguese is so hard for me to learn but I have been working really hard and remembering everyday that love has no language barrier. My tan lines are hilarious – I cannot show my knees even at the beach so I have a huge farmers tan…just on my legs, ha! I haven’t had one mosquito bite, praise God, but the bed bugs are another story. I watched the movie Persuasion by myself on my top bunk the other night and absolutely loved it, I didn’t think I would ever like a Jane Austin movie but, things change when you are in Africa. I wish I had a video camera to show you all the process of getting into town, today we jumped on a packed truck full of beautiful Mozambiquens, which stopped half way because of the weight, then the truck was pushed, then it stopped again so we got off and jumped on a another truck that was so packed I had to hold on to some random lady and I inhaled the exhaust fumes for the rest of the drive…it was seriously comical but so awesome. Every day is an adventure here and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I have four weeks left here in Mozambique. I really cannot believe how fast this summer is going. Four weeks seems so short so I plan to make the most out of everyday. Thanks to everyone who is staying updated I really am looking forward to being home because I know this is not my last time in Africa. I have a new home in Africa and I know when I do get back to Chicago a piece of me will still be here, I am definitely ok with that.

Love you all!!!

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before you very eyes” Zephaniah 3:17-20 My new favorite verses, ya!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JONATHAN LOWRY ONE DAY LATE!!!!!!!!!

I cannot believe that it is July, July fifth at that. Time here seriously disappears before my eyes. This past week has been amazing. I believe I posted last week in the middle of the week and already since then, so many things have happened. It’s hard to write out everything that has been happening here and today I feel a little overwhelmed but I am going to try and tell you all my highlights from this past week!

I had the opportunity last Wednesday to go to a wedding here in Mozambique. It was for two Iris Missionaries and for some reason I was asked to take pictures at this wedding, yes, I was one of the photographers for a wedding, crazy huh? There were three of us from the school that had the opportunity to go to this wedding and I feel so blessed that I was able to be apart of it. Wedding’s in Africa are NOTHING like weddings at home. I met the bride and groom at Pemba Beach Hotel (Let me tell you, I forgot I was in Africa for a while, this place is unreal) anyways, after we took some pictures at the hotel the bride jumped in a Land Rover and headed to the beach where she was getting married. There were about 15 of us in the Land Rover haha, it was so insane but seriously so fun. The wedding took place on the top of a hill over looking the Indian Ocean, it was beautiful, super chaotic but stunning at the same time. These two people really loved each other and even though there were African children running around and only one speaker working, it was such a beautiful wedding. Heidi did the service and Rolland gave the bride away, it was amazing. After the wedding we headed back to the base and they had a reception with chicken and cake, I even helped make the wedding cakes, ha! It was a wonderful day. The rest of the week was filled with the beach, the baby house and spending time with the people here.

This upcoming week is pretty huge for Iris because all of the leaders from around the world are here for a global conference. There are Iris bases all over the world so everyone is here for one week and we are fortunate enough to hear from some of these amazing speakers. Yesterday after church we went straight over to the beach to watch people get baptized, it was such an amazing event. Heidi was in the water next to Stacey Campbell, Bill Johnson and leaders from places like Kenya and from around the world. They were baptizing everyone in the Indian Ocean, it was awesome and such a cool way to start off the week of all these amazing people being here.

Other than those couple of things, the past week has been pretty normal, well, as normal as you can get in Africa. It’s so different here because things are not run by time. In Africa, if you say be there at 8 (you really don’t even say that, but if you did…) being there by 9:30 would be appropriate. It’s been really nice but for me, I love structure and schedules so it’s been a new way of living, more relaxed which has been very nice actually! I have been learning a lot about myself since being here, which is good but convicting at the same time. I take a lot of things for granted such as having the internet whenever I want it, let me tell you, by the time you find someone to go into town with you, jump in a taxi or random truck, and get the internet to actually work…it’s a three hour process…oh, and then writing everything in less than one hour checking my mail and Facebook…ah! It’s nuts. Or, something as simple as being able to flush toilet paper down the toilet, you can’t do that here! But honestly, even the little things that I miss at home I wouldn’t trade being here for any of them. I’ve found myself here. I have never felt so much joy in my life before, even when I go to bed every night sweating under a mosquito net with no fan, I love it! I have really been stretched and broken but through all of that I have really learned about myself, and for that I am truly grateful.

I hope that everything at home is going well, I seriously wish you all could come here just for a day to see what I see everyday. It’s a different world here but one that I hope to share with many of you. I have already gone through one memory card for my camera and the picture I have can’t even describe the beauty that is in Mozambique, ah! I will try my best to get more pictures up soon, it usually doesn’t allow me to do it but hopefully I’ll get some posted soon!

This week is going to be crazy so I don’t think I will be getting into town until next week but I’ll make sure to keep my highlights coming because I want you to stay updated, thank you so much for spending time with me!!

Loving you all today:)

"The Lord delights in those who fear Him who put their hope in His unfailing love!"