Thankful

Today I am thankful for so many things that I could never list them all…but I’ll list just a few J

I am thankful for my family… as a co-worker put it so beautifully, ”thankful to have a family it hurts to miss” ..Doesn’t that sum it up perfectly?J

I am thankful for my wonderful husband who is my best friend and who loves me with everything he is.

I am thankful for my company who allows me to serve the Lord in the most perfect way for me, who allowed me to bring my “things” with me (I know it’s petty but it helps on those days that are hard), and who provides us with so many benefits like a car, a house and running water.

I am thankful for my co-workers who are there to support me, listen to me and encourage me.

I am thankful for all our volunteers who sacrifice so much to come out here and share God’s love with the people here that we love so much.

I am thankful for our car that allows us to get out to hard to reach places and has A/C J

I am thankful for our dogs that make me laugh with their antics.

I am thankful for our night guard who makes me feel a little safer at night and tries his hardest to take good care of us

I am thankful for technology, especially for Google and Skype…Google which got me through my first year of cooking everything from scratch and having to find substitutes and Skype because I get to see my family every week and talk to my friends whenever I want

I am thankfully for iced coffee…again minor things, but it gets me through the hot season!

And finally but most importantly I am thankful for my God that allows me to be a part of His marvelous plan, who gives me the privilege of working for Him in this capacity (even though He doesn’t need me) and sharing His love with the people here.  I am so thankful for His forgiveness of my imperfectness and my shortcomings and His grace. And I am so thankful that He sent His Son to die for my sins that I might have a relationship with Him. What an amazing God we serve!!

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Chicken to the rescue!

After a very long and very emotionally exhausting day, I was ready to be home and dive into the world of my latest book “A Journey to the Center of the Earth”. A woman, O, from the village asked if we could take her into town so we agreed. We had spent most of the day in her compound and B had a little shadow, M that followed him everywhere. M is one of those kids that you hate to love. He’s ornery, talks back, and cries a lot, but he talked freely to us “tuubaako’s” after about 10 minutes, pulled some hilarious antics and is cute as all get out! So when O told us that she was sleeping at M’s family’s house in town, we knew that we had to go and greet the family of this hilarious kid.

By the time we arrived it was dark. We had to walk 15 minutes down the road because it was too bad to take the truck. We got the house and I realized that since it was dark, I wasn’t even going to be able to recognize anyone in the compound when I saw them again! But thankful when M’s mom came out she invited us in and we spent the next 45 minutes chatting about life, her kids, M’s antics and her dancing baby.

As we were walking out a couple of grandma’s came up to greet us. One of the grandmas had a rival last name so B, being the man he is, started teasing this old grandma! She laughed and then the other grandma told us that she was the same last name as ours. She was so happy and laughing, which filled erased all my tiredness and replaced it with joy. So as she walked us out, she stopped us and ran, yes ran, back to her compound and came running, yes running, back out with a chicken in tote! Now we have been given chickens here before, but it’s always right before we eat them. They usually present them to us and then prepare it for lunch. But she was giving us this chicken to keep because she was overjoyed that we had come to greet the house.

Our lovely gift!

As I walked back to the car , I looked back over our day. Our long, tiring day. We’d been in O’s compound, which is our people group, and they were so loving and open even though they didn’t really know us. Then we took a little trip to another people group’s village with a different heart language than we know. There were people that wanted to hear about JC, but when we arrived there, they barely talked to us, didn’t look at us, and barely even greeted us despite them knowing the language we speak. It certainly wasn’t the reception I had been anticipating. After that I was so drained emotionally, feeling defeated and worthless. But this old grandma renewed my energy, reminded me of why we’re here and how important it is to speak in the people’s heart language. It also reminded me of how faithful our God is. Even though I didn't get the reception I thought we would, and even though doing the work there wore me OUT, God still gave me the energy to greet another 10 new people and allowed me to have an incredible warm reception at this new house where we can now go back and share His truth. 

And a chicken. He gave us a chicken :) 

Our beauty! Our guard will keep him at his house until we are ready for a coop!

Update: And we got home to find two people waiting for us to share with them. B is outside as I type this sharing the Good News with them!! God's faithfulness never ceases to amaze me!

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What gets me through the day?

In 90-110+ degree weather with high humidity levels there is only one thing that gets me through the day. Iced Coffee. Need I say more? I became addicted when I worked at a certain bakery in downtown Edwardsville where we called it “Iced Crack” because of the high caffeine levels and the addictive tendency. But when I quit there to come here, I quickly switched back to hot coffee and loved it. Then our second hot season hit and I was dying. I love love drinking coffee but drinking such a hot liquid when it's 90 degrees at 9am was ridiculous. So after doing some research I finally found a way to make iced coffee here. And let me tell you…it is the ONLY thing that will get you through the heat and wake you up!

Foam, ice, coffee = happiness :)

Iced Coffee (Cold brew)

Note: I make a quarter batch so that it doesn’t take up room in my fridge and it lasts me about a week and half to two weeks depending on how sluggish I am :0)

¼ pound of coffee grounds

8 cups of cold water (or if you’re like me..room temp because that means I have to use all the cold water in my fridge)

Put coffee grounds in a mixing bowl or sealable container. Pour water over coffee grounds and gently stir to wet all the grounds. Then cover the container and let sit overnight or for stronger coffee, 24 hours.

Strain the grounds out into another container (I use an empty 1.5L water bottle). Now I strain twice. Once in a fine sieve to collect all the grounds and another time with a filter to collect all the….really really fine grounds and to purify it even more. Store in fridge.

To Drink

Get a big huge glass and fill it halfway with ice. Then pour in your milk and whatever sugar you want to use. Fill the remainder with your coffee from the fridge and enjoy!

Now if you are like me follow these instructions:

Get a big empty Jif peanut butter container or big empty applesauce jar from the cabinet. Fill half with ice; add your Splenda (1/4 packet), soy milk and delectable cold coffee. Then put on the lid and shake shake shake! Take off the lid and enjoy your deliciousness!!!!

Applesauce jars make the best drinking containers!

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