Blessed.

My mom has been getting on me lately to blog and let y'all know what I am up to. I kept telling her we aren't doing much, therefore there is nothing to blog about, but I suppose that there are a few things that I can share that is worthy of a post.

I've officially been here for a week. In that week the Lord has shown me over and over again how blessed I am to live where I do with parents that can financially support all of my needs and wants. I've always known I was a complainer. I use to deny it, but lets get real, I complain about the little things that bother me or things that I just don't want to do. It isn't something I am proud of but it is truth, my parents and especially my siblings would agree. I complain about having to unload the dishwasher and cleaning around the house. I mean, who does that?! ;-) Well this week I am pretty sure that almost everyday so far I have HAND-WASHED and dried everyone's dishes. It has been frustrating and annoying but it is what it is. Last night the sink ended up getting clogged and it was so disgusting but we got it done! That is what you've got to do if you are going to be part of the family. Everyone has things they have to get done in order for our family to work together. I've got to do the dishes and put out or sometimes prepare the food for everyone. My roommates next year and my family, for that matter, will really appreciate all the little things I've learned so far. :-) The Lord has definitely showed me how blessed I am to have a family who can afford a dishwasher where all I have to do is put the dish in and then take it out. Ridiculous.

Another thing that I am appreciative of is a shower. When we got here, Connie and I walked into, what we like to call, The Icebox and saw where we would be staying. The beds aren't too bad, but as I walked into the bathroom my eyes got really big and I thought, "You've got to be kidding me". I knew that coming to Africa would be hard and that it wouldn't be like it is back home, but actually seeing it and realizing this was it was still difficult for me. I am showering with a bucket and a cup, in a bathtub. Thankfully we have a water heater so we aren't showering in the freezing cold house with cold water. The first time I took a bucket shower was rough and really frustrating. I wasn't sure I would be able to make it for 6 1/2 weeks. Then a few days later we went to the mall and I got a bathmat so I could at least sit down on it instead of squatting and trying to hold myself up. That first shower with the bathmat was Heaven. I couldn't believe that one 10 dollar bathmat could make me so happy. I know that if I had first walked in there and it would have already had the bathmat that I would have felt the same way, but the Lord was good and showed me that I can do this and it is the little things that are such a blessing in my life. Besides the broken windows and freezing cold house, all in all, it is not too terrible at all. I am grateful for my subzero sleeping bag that keeps me warm and my little bathmat!!

The past few days and for the next two weeks we are in the office working on Gateway Camp logistics and programs. It has been a bumpy road and we still aren't sure if it is actually going to happen. They have had to redo and fix a lot of previous problems so it isn't going as smooth as they had hoped. We are also struggling with getting a venue because the one we thought we were getting is under renovations. Also, no one has really signed up for the camp. South African culture is really last minute and they do things in their own time which is really stressful for us because we need their info to get a lot of our stuff done now. So if you would, please pray that the Lord's plan would prevail, Gateway Camp or no Gateway Camp and that are purpose here would shine.

love to all of you,
Jodi