A new volunteer

Our team received a new volunteer this week from Colorado. She is working on graduating from Moody Bible College and needed to do some "field work" so she became interested in Madagascar. She is going to be here for 6 weeks total and just spent 5 days with me in the city, getting over jet lag and getting aclamated to life here.

I am praying that her time here is an incredible time that will shape and change her heart. It was great to host someone in my house, make breakfast for her, most days and have someone to talk with, read with and just do life with.

I know that she is just passing through but hosting someone in my overly large house was a great gift to me. Looking forward to more and more people coming through...

Rack, Shack and Bennie

This week I have become the proud owner of 3 dogs. They are going to be big dogs and I have my hands full with them but I am so excited to spend time with them every day, talking with them, watching them, feeding them and playing with them. Some day soon I hope to take them on walks, through the rice fields but I need a leash for that adventure and I will have to be strong because they could drag me through the fields as they chase animals, and smell new smells. Looking forward to that adventure.

I know that 3 is a hand full and they each have such different personalities but last night I was able to sit on my front step and pet them, yes all three with just the two hands that GOD gave me. It was a good place for me to sit, rest and reflect. I am working on 20 minutes a day or more and excited to see how this helps in life matters.

Rack is the boy, (BLUE bowl) he is the silver one and the biggest of the three. He is fun, sensitive and the leader of the trouble that they get into, I think? He has a very soft coat and

is afraid of water. He has light brown eyes with a dark brown outline that remind me of a recent friend that I can't spend time with anymore. There is a sadness in his eyes.

Shack (Red BOWL) is the one with the almost solid black face, the rest of her body has a tiger stripe look to her - she is the most scared of the bunch. She tries to be tough but the couple of times that they have tried to escape the yard she is the one that yelps the most and gets stuck in very funny positions. She is the most afraid at meal time, and is the last to come for attention when I am sitting in the yard petting them. She eats the fastest and gets in the most trouble...

Bennie is the one with the most mix from mother (mutt) and father (pure breed Mastiff). She is the smallest and possible runt of the pack. She is a loner, as most of the time she will not be running with the other two. She eats the least amount of

food and is easily offended or put off by the other two. She already knows how to fetch and bring back a tennis ball, so she is the most fun for the guard's 2 yr old son. It is fun to watch. She is the first to come for affection and since she is the smallest she can get out of any sticky situation quickly and gets under the fence for escape first... Almost like Rack tells her to make the way and then the other two are not far behind...

Their names come from the bible story about shadRACK, meSHACK and aBEdNEgo. This is a precious story to me because they went through the FIRE and GOD was there with them, protecting them. They were wise, listened to GOD and submitted to those above them so that GOD could be honored and praised. I need to be more like all of them and Daniel!

What about you? Could you use some wisdom and discernment under submission to those in authority over you here on this earth? Would you like for GOD to stand in the fire with you, I sure would!

September happenings and Praises 2010

I find myself needing to ask forgiveness for not posting for so long. This has been a very busy month for me, actually the last two months have been busy and full of reflection.

This month alone I went to the airport over 8 times, picking up and dropping off individuals and groups. This has kept me very busy because most of them were staying at my house for short stays each time. It was great to be busy with ministry after so long of only working on language but I was reminded when I was in town with a group that were buying souvineers how important speaking the local language is in communicating.

I have a long way to go but I am very blessed to know what I have learned already and will be changing things up in the coming month to see if I can get into more of a practicing situation with a friends mother that owns a local shop.

Praises for this month:

GOD provided dogs for me, I have been praying for this for the last 6 months and it just happened this week! I will do a separate post about the dogs and hopefully add pictures.

I had the opportunity to travel to the North to stay with some of my Malagasy friends, we had a great time praying with each other, sharing and doing life with one another. I am very blessed to be able to have friends that I trust here even if they are 10 hours north.

Finances have been tight but it was a special blessing to drive for a group and earn some money that way. I was learning about the island and was able to bless the group with transportation for a week.

BLESSED beyond measure to connect with 3 friends back in the states that will be and have been committed to praying for me and this ministry here. We are going to be talking more each week for accountability and a much needed connection while I go through some difficult things here.

LOOKING AHEAD - I am assured of the things that GOD wants to do here, and assured of the battle that will come with the great things that GOD wants to do. Praying that Satan doesn't steal the joy or purpose but that I can press on, focus on HIM and learn to trust those around me even when it is hard and I have been hurt so many times.

Thanks so much for walking this journey with me. I could not do it without your prayers, support and LOVE.

Letting Go and Letting GOD

I have been reading about our pursuit for love, acceptance and community in the scriptures. I have read about the HOPE that we have in HIM, the peace, LOVE, forgiveness and so much more.

"The greatest mystery of life is who we truly are." -the man in the iron mask

I find myself in a hard place in the last few weeks needing to give up someone that I have become quite fond of here in Madagascar. It has been very hard on my heart to let go of this friendship that I thought was true. To find that someone that I trusted with my life and my heart is not worthy of this charge.

Do you know of people that you love, that you trust that have let you down? Always find ways to lie to you and steal the Joy that GOD gives so freely? How do we trust again, how do we love and how do we embrace GOD allowing Him to use those painful times to train us in how we should go. Teach us how to stand tall and firm and righteous?

We have boundaries, the opportunity to show those that live around us what it truly means to love Christ and live out a life showing others what Trust, Love and Faith look like in real life. It is a difficult journey and sometimes includes a lot of tears, sadness and a repentant heart.

I choose to press on to see what GOD has in-store for me and looking forward still to all the growth that will be happening for the rest of my life. I am learning that growth means pain, and that is not so much of what I was praying for before but now that I am in this process, the pain is necessary to refine me, sharpen me and mold me.

Do you have someone or something that you are having a hard time living without? Do you allow GOD to have that struggle or do you hold it so close to your heart that you will not allow GOD to move as only he can? Where are you in your journey of growth? ...

Living life "GASY" style

For the last week I have been living with two "sisters" here in Mahajanga in a very simple house. We each have our own mattress, a mosquito net and live quite compactly in a small tin house. The dinner table and another small cabinet are the only other furniture items in the house. Maybe, just a bit more than a 9x9 area...

Outside and down a path there is what we adoringly deem the "long drop" with a drop that is not as long as it once was. Next to that is a small room with a wooden door about 4x3 and that is where we take our cold bucket shower. I have to be careful not to stand up straight as there are nails sticking down from the roof that have scratched my head many times. Just blessed to have water close by that we can have to take our wonderful "bucket showers" with. I am learning how to use less than 1/2 of a 2 gallon bucket of water for my entire shower... from lather to rinse. That is a challenge but fun adventure!

It has been an adventure that I love, learning from each time!

Looking forward to taking exerpts out of my journal some time in the next week as I get my thoughts and pictures together!

Praise the Lord for the simple life, what a great reminder that we don't really NEED all the things that ensnare us, no matter where we live.

I pray you find the Lord in your life, simple or complex, he is waiting for you to acknowledge HIM, spend time with HIM and allow him to change, grow and mold you...

The face of a waterfall

There is something very relaxing about looking into the face of a waterfall, examining all the cracks and crevices that are created because of the great pressure and force of the water and hearing the crash of the water upon the resting pond below.

I had the opportunity today to drive two visitors, one missionary and a malagasy friend out to an area, just outside of the city to one of GOD's amazing wonders.

I found myself lost in contemplation about life, why each of us were created and how we all work together for a final result, all giving life to something else near by. Sometimes we don't know our part, and might get lost in the vastness but GOD has a very intricate purpose and reason for each one of us, just as he has for each creature, fungus and algie that find life at this waterfall.

Thanking the Lord for this day, to reflect, ponder and rest in HIS creation.

Old computer parts

Yesterday, I found myself helping some other missionaries get their school ready to open by driving them around the city looking for old computer parts (for their computer lab).

We, went into one building with lots of little shops all selling computers, cameras and more but the prices were out of this world as the merchandise was much new new to go with the other parts that they have back at the school in the North. Up the stairs and down the stairs and then up again and down again, looking for the best deal and the parts that would make the computer class complete...

Wishing and praying that there were people in the states that wanted to send over their old and donated parts - They are still short about 10 computers but will make do with what they have until GOD provides something else.

Eventually our day took us to a street in town that looked like houses, and in-fact it might have been but we were able to find monitors that would help in the lab or classroom and were able to make a deal with the seller... Praying that they all work and this will help that school be as efficient and available to the students as it needs to be.

What a long day of driving and being stuck in the Truck. Blessed to have a truck to be stuck in and blessed even more to have wheels to drive around this large city. Thanking GOD for how HE provides...

the loss of something great

Have you ever found yourself so ensnared in something that when it is gone from your life, you did not realize what a hold it had on you?

Sometimes it could be a thing - like a car, a piece of furniture, a house, a movie collection, money, ipod or many other THINGS... Then other times it is a PERSON in your life - the desire for a future with someone, children, someone that you really enjoy spending time with but that eventually drags you away from purpose, following GOD and much more?

Living here this last year, I have seen this in others and experienced it myself... The pursuit for more than what you have already is the same in a 3rd world country it just looks different. Maybe the desire for a job, to be liked, to have a home, children, status, money and possibly even the desire for "friends." It may look different than in the States but the motives, pursuit and challenges are the same.

I am so very blessed to have the word of GOD and pastors, other Believers and time to just SOAK in the word. Allowing this to help me not conform to this world... Romans 12: 1-2 and 1 Peter 1: 13-16 In many ways conforming to this world looks the same here in Madagascar as it does in the States, the road may be different, the people different and the things different but the desire and determination for more of what one doesn't have is still overpowering.

I am praying to be set apart, focused on GOD and the greater purpose set ahead of me. Praying that I would not desire to CONFORM to this world but that I would desire more and more daily to be TRANSFORMED by the reading of scripture and allowing GOD to wash me of all impurities, allowing me to see with HIS eyes, hear with HIS ears, speak with HIS tongue and love with HIS heart those around me. Always remembering to give GRACE, HOPE and FORGIVENESS to everyone around me because we are all fallen people on a journey.

Where are you on your journey with HIM? What are you holding on to? How are you conforming to the world that you live in? HOW will you allow GOD to refine you today?

Walking on this journey of growth...

Proper celebration of one year with friends

Three of my close friends helped me really celebrate my one year here in Madagascar! I am so very excited because the 4 of us went out to a nice dinner, toasted to Madagascar and life and really enjoyed each others company.

I am very blessed to be here! Living this life of obedience to Christ! Thank you to all who see HIM in me and support my life, my decision and my love for HIM in this way.

Pictures to follow... (my camera broke so I have to wait for copies from another friend) :) Patience! I am learning this every day!