Better Late Than Never

Ok, so I obviously haven't blogged in over a month. I guess its time for an update. So I survived midterms. I also survived Africa. It was so amazing!!!! I know I have told some of you stories. There are just too many to tell. So I'll tell you a few that have definitely made an impact in my life.

So the first day we were there, we taught some basic counseling skills and a theory to some of the college students in Nairobi (they were part of the Christian group on their campuses called Journey). Dr. Grant (facutly advisor) would teach them the basics then the rest of us would form groups and have the students practice them. It was difficult to understand what they would say because of the accents and I am sure they felt the same about me. At first I thought I would not be able to teach them these things well at all and that they would not understand the way I would explain the ideas. The students in my group made me feel better about my abilities. At the end one of the guys in my group (Nash was his name) announced in the big discussion about what they had learned in their groups that he thought I did a wonderful job and was impressed by me. Although I felt this compliment was undeserved, especially in front of everyone, it gave me some much needed confidence and let me know that this is what God wants me to do.

Another memorable moment that has impacted my life was working with the young kids at an orphanage called Kenya Kids. I worked with a group of 6 boys ages 8-12. These kids knew English (though some of them not as well), but did not know it well enough to understand things I would explain to them. The first day I felt like a complete failure because of the language and cultural barrier. I ended the day with just teaching the kids songs and games to get them to open up to me. Apparently it worked because the second day they all ran up to me when I got there and told me how they practiced one of the songs I taught them to be able to perform it at the assembly later that day. It made me happy that they were excited about it. They seemed a lot more warmed up to me and I was able to do more with them like ask them about how they got there (about what happened to their family) and have them act out David and Goliath. These kids were so happy the whole day. At the very end of the day their happy faces left and sad ones returned. They knew that I was about to leave and I could tell they were upset. I definilty grew attached to them, and knowinng that they don't have people visit them very often hurt. I cried. I still do when I think about them now that I'm back. I definitely pray for each of them. I learned so much from that experience, that when I am faced with a challenge I shouldn't give up because with God's help, I can find a way to reach the unreachable.

Another story was when I was working with the high school students at a school outside of the slums. These kids understood me a lot better and they seemed to open up to me really fast. I really felt in my element while working with them. I loved to talk to them about their goals and dreams in life. It was surprising and wonderful to hear how ambitious their dreams were. Some wanted to be a doctor, engineer, astronomer, nurse, a general. They had high hopes in their lives which is hard to have when you come from such a poor home. The kids discussed how it washard for their family to be able to provide for everyone. These kids were all at this school on sponsorship from people from the church. One girl mentioned how her biggest fear was to become a "bad girl" (prostitute). Her mother was the only one providing for her family and she feared that she might become a "bad girl" in order to help earn money for her family. I told her that she did not have to let her circumstances control her, that she did not have to be what she did not want to be. She was greatful to hear that her life did not have to take that route if she did not want it to. I told each of these kids before I left the last day that God is a God who keeps His promises. He has been faithful to them in the past, and He will continue to do so in the future.

My last big story from Africa is a very eventful one. That thursday (that evening after my last day working with the highschoolers) before I went to dinner while taking a nap, I heard gun shots. Now that morning we were told that a sect leader had gotten out of jail and there were strikes and possible uprisings. Of course the most dangerous part would be in the slums which we were no longer near being back at the hostel. Well waking up to hear gun shots I immediately thought "uprising!" and ran to the door and locked it while my roommate was in the shower. I then jumped to the ground and grabbed a shirt to put over my tank thinking "what if they come in here and see me half naked!". My roommate jumped out of the shower and leaped down to where I was freaking out about as much as me if not more. She was in tears so then I knew I would have to be stronger and comfort her. So when the gun shots were over we went to my bed and we held eachother and I grabbed my Bible and began reading Psalms. It calmed me down. Then my professor Dr. Grant came and got us to make sure we were ok and told us there was a shooting on the other side of the builiding on the street. I went into the boys room where they were looking out the window onto the street below where crowds of people had formed around a white car and a dead body lay on the ground. Yes I saw the dead body. Apparently the guy shot was an activist causing the public transportation to go on strike. The assains were the police (but they left and the non undercover police showed up over an hour later). Where we were staying was on a university's campus. Well to make a long story short, my group went to dinner and before we headed back we heard that riots had started where the shooting was and there were rocks being thrown at police officers by the college students and gun fire and tear gas. I was terrified. Dr. Grant, after talking to tons of other people, decided we should head back because once inside we'd be safe. Well the problem was getting there. I do not want to drive through a riot that included gun fire and tear gas and being stoned. They called the tourist police (yes they have special police in africa for tourists) to escort us. This terrified me more because it was the police the students were attacking!! I started to freakout in the back seat. Tears were just coming like rivers out of my eyes. My friend Kayla held on to me in tears herself. In our van (there were 2 to transport us the whole trip), we decided to sing worship songs on the way back while also praying. Halfway there God reminded me about what I had said earlier that day to those high schoolers "God has always been faithful in the past and will continue to do so in the future". I have always believed in trusting God always. I always have. But I think in that van was the first time that my trust in God was all I had. After God reminded me of this statement, I felt a peace. When we got to the street everything was clear. Not a person in sight. Only after we got back up to the rooms did we hear people outside again. Before I went to bed (my roommate and I stayed in another room so there were 4 of us), we prayed for peace in the night. 5 minutes after we prayed, the riots ended for the night. God is great!! God answers prayers! He is a God who provides!





Well those are my Africa stories. I have plenty more, but that would make for an even longer blog. But this blog is still not over considering Africa was back in the beginning of March.

So I have an apartment here in MO for the summer since I am going to be going to Grad school in the fall. My next big worry was finding a job. Well I do workstudy in the financial aid department. Even though I'm graudating, the lady I work for, Sue, wanted me to ask if I could still do workstudy for the summer. I asked the lady in charge of workstudy if that was possible and she said no since I was graduating. She then realized that there was a temporary fulltime posistion available for the summer since one of the ladies in the office is going on maternity leave soon. So she talked to the assistant director (who I used to work for last semester) about the possiblity of me applying. Sheila (the a.d.) got real excited about it since I already know a bit about financial aid and how to run the programs. So I applied. Monday they interviewed me but it wasn't really an interview. It was basically a meeting to figure out how thing were going to work this summer and gettingme trained. They did not even bother looking at any of the other applicants. I got the job!!! They told me I was an answer to their prayers, but I knew it was the other way around. I am so excited about this job!! I will have my own office and everything!!!! I'll be working 40 hours a week at a very good rate!

In other news Spring Fling was this past weekend and the theme was In the Jungle. I dressed as the smoke monster from Lost and my friend Sarah was the numbers, and my friends kayla and andy were jack and juliette. We won the costume contest for best group!!!!

I also played Halo with Sarah this weekend and we beat the game! Oh and I got an A on my Personality test last week!!! (this is the class where the whole class failed the first test and I stilld din't do very well on the second so this is a big deal)

God is great!!!!

Sorry for the uber long post