There has been a lot going on, in and around me the past several days. Almost too much for me to really get it all out in words right now. So I am sharing a link with you that you can read that will really speak to whats been going on.
http://avalanchelove.tumblr.com/
That is the link to my friend Connie's blog. We are in South Africa together and learning and growing together as the "Americans"
Please continue to be praying! Praying for rest and more of the Lord's joy and strength. I am missing home a lot today. I got to talk to my mom and stepdad on the phone today and cried! I have almost been gone for two weeks, which is the longest I have ever been away from my family so it is just hard. I am also missing my house church friends more than they will ever know. This past year they have become more than just friends but my family. I miss getting to see them every week and just be filled with love by them. I am so grateful for email and just getting encouraged by them and reminded that they are praying for me and thinking about me.
This week we have been talking about thankfulness. I am thankful for my family, for the friends that have become my family and for the little things, like mexican food and dr. pepper! Even though I miss those things I am thankful for the opportunities and the lessons I am learning here.
love to all of you! Check Facebook for new pictures =)
Friday, July 1, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
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
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
Monday, June 27, 2011
Home Is Where the Heart Is
So, I miss home. Don't get me wrong, I love being in South Africa and I love getting to experience all it has to offer me. It just isn't home. Yes, my title is cliche, but it is true. You can make anywhere your home, as long as your heart is there also. See, everything I love about my home has nothing to do with where it is or what it looks like or what I can do there, home is what makes me feel like me and makes me feel loved. My house is full of hugs. If you don't already know, I LOVE hugs. I love giving them and receiving them. They make me feel loved, safe, comforted. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't hug at least one person and if I only see one person, I probably hug them more then once.
I've only been gone for 6 days and I don't go home for another 39 days. I've received/given less hugs in the past 6 days then I have in probably one day back home and that is hard for me. Also, in the past 6 days, I've only heard "I love you" once, when I talked to my mom on the phone. These things are extremely important to me so the next time you give someone a hug or say I love you, remember that it is a gift given to us from the Lord and not to take it for granted. What an awesome way we get to share Jesus' love with one another.... Not only has it taught me how much of a gift those things are, but the Lord has also begun teaching me what it looks like to be satisfied and filled up, loved and comforted by Him alone! Talk about tough, yet in the end so rewarding.
Another big thing I miss about home is the people I do life with, my wonderful community. They know me, the real me, with all my struggles and heartaches and the joys and laughter. These people know when I am happy and when I am not as fine as I say I am. The past two days the Lord has shown me how I take them for granted. I get to be intentional with these people, tell them the good the bad and the ugly and most of the time I am scared to do that, so I keep my mouth shut or get all nervous when I do share or am called out because they know I need to talk. I have loved getting to know the people I am serving with here, but they don't know me. Everyone knows each other well minus me. There have been times recently that I wish they just knew me and my story, but there isn't a time for that and I am not sure there will be. It has really made me appreciate the community I have back home and how I really want to be more open and quick to share because I know those people really do want to know me and they care about me deeply.
There hasn't been too much going on around here. Today is our first official office day; working 8:30-5 all week and next. I have a few random stories to share from the past few days but I will save them for another time. For now though, I decided to share what was on my heart and some things the lord has been teaching me
Thank you for the continued prayers and for reading my blog! Please feel free to leave a comment, I've enjoyed the ones I've gotten previously.
I've only been gone for 6 days and I don't go home for another 39 days. I've received/given less hugs in the past 6 days then I have in probably one day back home and that is hard for me. Also, in the past 6 days, I've only heard "I love you" once, when I talked to my mom on the phone. These things are extremely important to me so the next time you give someone a hug or say I love you, remember that it is a gift given to us from the Lord and not to take it for granted. What an awesome way we get to share Jesus' love with one another.... Not only has it taught me how much of a gift those things are, but the Lord has also begun teaching me what it looks like to be satisfied and filled up, loved and comforted by Him alone! Talk about tough, yet in the end so rewarding.
Another big thing I miss about home is the people I do life with, my wonderful community. They know me, the real me, with all my struggles and heartaches and the joys and laughter. These people know when I am happy and when I am not as fine as I say I am. The past two days the Lord has shown me how I take them for granted. I get to be intentional with these people, tell them the good the bad and the ugly and most of the time I am scared to do that, so I keep my mouth shut or get all nervous when I do share or am called out because they know I need to talk. I have loved getting to know the people I am serving with here, but they don't know me. Everyone knows each other well minus me. There have been times recently that I wish they just knew me and my story, but there isn't a time for that and I am not sure there will be. It has really made me appreciate the community I have back home and how I really want to be more open and quick to share because I know those people really do want to know me and they care about me deeply.
There hasn't been too much going on around here. Today is our first official office day; working 8:30-5 all week and next. I have a few random stories to share from the past few days but I will save them for another time. For now though, I decided to share what was on my heart and some things the lord has been teaching me
Thank you for the continued prayers and for reading my blog! Please feel free to leave a comment, I've enjoyed the ones I've gotten previously.
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