Janet's Place

I am back from my homestay at the wonderful Janet’s place.  She was so generous, so kind, and so encouraging as a sister in Christ.  I stayed for the weekend and got to experience a full range of emotions.  Instead of giving a tedious play-by-play of every minute spent, I will simply touch upon some of the feelings I experienced this weekend.

Fear: 

Yes, I will admit that I felt some fear—fear of not being able to communicate with Janet’s family, fear of being judged by other S. Sudanese women, fear of running into a snake or scorpion in the zara (garden).  I was lucky, though.  God didn’t put me in any situations that I couldn’t get through.  Also, the gentle Aida (teammate Heidi) was there alongside me the whole time.

Guilt: 

I knew the American guilt would eventually creep in while I stayed with Janet and Agnes.  For starters, Janet is in the upper years of adulthood and is still taking care of many people in her family.  She walks a mile to the bore-hole a few times a day and has to carry a ridiculously heavy jerry-can of water on her head, as it splashes all over her face along the way back.  Very little water is drunk during the day, despite how hard she works and how hot it gets.

Material possessions are scarce and very well used.  The children went wild when I brought out pens and paper for drawing, and I started to realize that even what I considered “essentials” for entertainment and education were not available.  I started to realize why it is that so many white people simply give and give without thinking about the long-term effects.          

Agnes was another source of guilt for me.  A young woman in her twenties, she lives with her Aunt Janet and helps with the cooking and cleaning.  Her playful spirit and unrestrained love for all make her appear younger than she is; however, a closer look at her life reveals experience far greater than my own.  She has one child who lives in town apart from her and one who died after several months.  She still cries when he is mentioned.  Like many young Sudanese women, she dreams of moving to America and asked Heidi and me how much money it would cost to get there.  We told her, “Much much.”  Her desire to travel and see the world is one that I can definitely relate to and it is hard to accept that she will probably not get to fulfill her dreams.

Encouragement:  

God was good to encourage me throughout the weekend.  For starters, I got to watch Heidi (who had originally been struggling to learn Arabic) have full on conversations with Janet and her aunt Susannah.  She did most of the talking when I failed to communicate through my few Arabic phrases.  Even though I’m still in the beginning stages, I felt encouraged by those few interactions when I pulled out an Arabic word from the corner of my mind and spoke it to a kid or to Agnes.  Bridging this language gap is just one simple way for me to enter into Moru/ Sudanese culture. 

            The unbelievable hospitality of Janet and Agnes was also a great encouragement to someone as self-conscious as I.  The hostesses served Heidi and me joyfully, while still allowing us the pleasure of helping out in the kitchen and in the garden for a bit.  They asked questions in earnest about the work we are doing with WHM and answered any language question we threw their way.     

Joy:

Observing Janet taught me a thing or two about everyday joy in Christ.  She set about weeding her garden with that peaceful smile of hers and kept it, even when she was killing the snake and the scorpion that crossed her path! Each night, under the bright, silvery light of the moon, she would pray for us, content in the Lord’s righteous provision.  Going to her church on Sunday, I got to observe even more joy!  Nothing beats African praise and worship.  At the end of the weekend, Janet was shocked to find that Heidi and I would be heading back to our respective tukuls.  She wanted us to stay for much longer and told us that she would gladly have us anytime.  I know I’ll be taking her up on her offer.

I know that it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. -Philippians 4:12,13

Mail Time!

For those of you who want to send mail and fun packages, I finally have the mailing address you can use:

Jennifer Disse/ World Harvest Mission

355 Arua Uganda

It’s that simple!  Use regular US Postage boxes/envelopes.  Your mail will ship to the small airstrip that Mission Aviation Fellowship uses.  Whenever our team gets a new visitor, they bring with them all the mail that has come.    

The team loves getting packages of any kind!  Seriously, we just got a package that contained colored erasers and people were mesmerized.

Things to consider sending our team…

-       Composition journals

-       Tissues!

-       STATIONARY!

-       Reese’s Cups

-       Cookies

-       Dried fruit

-       Hand sanitizer

-       School supplies

-       Tape

-       Educational posters

-       Photos of you!

-       Picture frames

-       Room décor

-       Good books

-       Good movies

-       Good T.V. shows

-       Twist-top mechanical pencils (Gabe loves these)

On another note: This weekend, I will be going on a homestay with teammate Heidi (Aida).  That means we will be staying with a Sudanese friend, helping in her garden, learning about Moru/Arabic language, and experiencing Sudanese culture first hand.  Pray that we will be encouraged and energized during this time.   

Rough Sketch of Daily Life

     I’ve been in Africa for only a week now, but have already had enough time to feel a sense of community, a sense of routine in my home within Bishop Bismark’s compound.  With all of the busyness in preparing for the West End Pres. visit, people’s days have been varied.  Luckily for me, as a teacher for Gaby and Liana, my days have had some consistency.

A rough sketch of life for me:

My day usually starts around 7:30, so I can be in the schoolroom at 8:30.  Most of the other girls on the team get up at 6:30 so they can squeeze in a P90X workout.  I have yet to join in on the fun, mainly due to laziness, but also due to the fact that I’ve left my capri workout pants back in the states!  I’m hoping that one of my teammates can pick me up some when they go into Kenya in a couple weeks.  If not, I may be running the streets of Mundri in a long, flowing skirt! 

Breakfast usually consists of coffee with granola and yoghurt.  Michael picked up about 90 eggs while in Juba, so we have recently been indulging omelettes!  The market in Mundri has been meager in the past couple of months, so the team rejoices when eggs, peppers, and zucchini are available for consumption.

The energetic Gaby (9 years old) is my first student of the day, and I often find him on the floor of my room, barefooted and content, doing his homework even before class has started!  He is an eager and bright learner and does everything I ask without complaint.  We take turns reading, and both pour out as much character and energy as we can into the characters—anything to turn learning time into playtime.  A lot of laughter echoes through the room during his lessons.  What an encouragement he is! 

After a 30-minute break I teach Liana, his thirteen-year old sister.  She is at my all-time favorite age to teach, when she’s becoming more self-aware and is experimenting with life in the adult world, as opposed to a kid’s world.  More reserved than her younger brother, she takes more coaxing into speaking up and volunteering her answers, but when she finally braves an answer, it is always spot on!  She is a grammatical whiz, and loves looking at the roots of words.  I’m astounded at her vocabulary, which is a result of much Latin study.  She is slightly worried to tackle the dreaded essay next school year, but I know that if I can show her through our time together how brilliant she is, she will be more confident with the pen. 

After school I fix a lunch, which can be anything from leftover stews to wraps or p.b.& j. sandwiches.  I’ve been introduced to the delicious passion fruit, a hard, round shell of a fruit with tart, orange pulp and seeds on the inside.  The tartness of it always makes me break out in a sweat, but it is worth it. 

My days have recently been filled with orientation and time spent with my teammates.  As the new girl, I have a lot to learn about the individuals on the compound and about how the team functions.  Luckily for me, we all see each other so often that the learning curve is quite steep.  A couple of times during the day I have ridden my bike into town to get Arabic lessons.  The beautiful Karen and Wendy can speak superb English and are more than willing to answer any questions I have.  I’m hoping to spend more time with them and develop a friendship, as Karen and I both already have a love of literature and are close in age. 

Food prep takes some time given the amount of people being fed (around 15), so the process of chopping, boiling, thawing, and smashing various food items can begin as early as 3.  Dinner is around 6 and is usually followed by some bootlegged entertainment.  Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and various comedy television shows are the popular ones on the team.  There has been word of some Wes Anderson showings in the near future and I have been rallying for that. 

Bedtime for me is anywhere from 9:30-11.  It just depends on how much I have physically exerted myself earlier that day.  There are ample spots to find shade, so I’ve been lucky to not have to stand directly in the sunlight, as I had worried.  So far, I haven’t even the slightest hint of a burn on me!

I have been blown away by the comfort of my tukul (cement hut).  Not only do I have large, decorative windows and a living room with furniture, but I also have endless bookshelves, working lights, and a fan for those hot nights during the dry season.  The only nuisance I’ve faced thus far is a certain little bird that likes to sing out the same loud, obnoxious tune starting at 6:00 am. 

Sorry for all the nitty gritty details, but I know some people wanted to know the specifics of day-to-day life.  I will write more about interactions in the community and Mundri education later!

Keep me in your prayers!

The Start of Things

         I am finally settled into my new home in Mundri, South Sudan!  Sorry for the delay, but internet service has been pretty spotty with all of this rainy weather we've been having. (Gmail is not very responsive, so I apologize if I've failed to reply to any of your emails!)  It is the rainy season in South Sudan now, which means the grass is green and lush, the air is cool, and the showers feel uncomfortably cold (which I am enjoying now, while it lasts!)  These past couple of days have almost felt like my orientation at JMU, as I am introduced to a new town, to my living quarters, and as I ask questions about anything and everything.  I find myself feeling guilty over needing help with the simplest of tasks, like making coffee or adjusting the seat of my new bike.  However, my teammates have been so gracious to take me step by step through each process.  I look forward to when these things become second nature to me.

     Tomorrow begins my first day of teaching my new pupils, Gaby and Liana.  It has been such a blessing to finally meet them in person, experience their personalities, and talk to them about their feelings toward school.  I am ready for the comforting constancy of daily school life, and they are, as well. In hindsight, I would have brought more decorations for my classroom--- the room is HUGE!  I've tried to spruce it up with a few hand-made posters, but the walls still look quite bare.  I'm going to have Gaby and Liana add some of their own art to the room, so I'm sure that will give it more personality.

    Sorry, I'm not able to post any photos online today.  The internet is too slow.  I'll be sure to take some of my teammates in the next couple of days.  We are having an Olympic-themed birthday party for Liana, in which we represent a country and compete in various events.  There will also be an "exhibition"performed by each of the teams.  I'm still trying to brainstorm what I have to contribute to that.  (Perhaps some dance moves?...)

Thanks for your prayers!  The Lord has been good to bless me with good health and much peace during these initial days in Africa.

The Big Day

Final NYC visit!

Enjoying crepes with Daniel

Slumber Party w/ the Gals!

Dream Phone: who has the crush?!

       I'm stir crazy as I sit to write my final blog post from the States.  Tomorrow morning I will be heading to my new home in Mundri Town, South Sudan!  The past year has truly been one of eager anticipation and buildup to this moment-- almost like that of a bride preparing for her wedding day-- a lifetime of expectations and patiently watching on the sidelines as other's get to experience it.  As a kid, I was never one who fantasized about what her wedding dress would look like or where she would say her vows.  My daydreaming consisted more of me flipping through the pages of National Geographic magazines, imagining what my life would be like if I lived in the Amazon or in Machu Picchu or in a village at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  I would stare at the pictures of the people's simple houses, their colorful meals, their foreign but lovely faces, and would pray to God that He would send me to these places that felt more like home than the suburbs of Richmond.  I was always afraid that I would miss God's call-- that it was through some secret sonar waves that only the super-pious had the ability to detect.  If I wasn't doing exactly what I needed to do at exactly the right moment, the chance to go would pass right by and I would be stuck in my neighborhood forever.

GMB Akash

Steve McCurry

Cedric Gerbehaye

Albert Moldvay

Steve McCurry

    The Lord has been patient to teach me of His mighty hand and has been gracious to bring me to a place that I'm so passionate about; however, if I don't continually submit to the Lord's will, I will become disillusioned that my fantasy of missions is not the reality.  A woman in missionary training told us the advice she gave her daughter before her wedding.  She said,  "You are the same person walking down the aisle as you are walking back up with your husband.  Nothing magical changes when you say those vows.  The same sinful tendencies you have in the morning are the same ones you'll have that evening.  The same sinful nature that your husband has before the ceremony is the same one he'll have after."  The same idea applies to those going out into the mission field.  I will not be magically changed into some brave, strong, selfless martyr when I land on African soil.  I bring with me the same sinful nature that all of my teammates in Mundri already have.  I will be impatient, egocentric, self-righteous, and faithless.  My teammates will struggle with the same things.  The best we can do is turn to Jesus to direct our hearts and direct our hands.  It will not be how I dreamed it would be when I was seven years old, memorizing Spanish words from my little dictionary and thinking of how I'd say them to my new friends in Mexico as we hiked with our goats along the trails, eating tacos and wearing bright panchos.   But it will be how God has planned it to be, and He is good.

Paula Bronstein

Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this city, spend a year there, 

carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen

tomorrow.  What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then

vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this

or that.' As it is, you boast and brag.  All such boasting is evil.  Anyone then, who 

knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

-James 4:13-17