A sneak peak at life in Wau, South Sudan

We keep pressing on here in Wau, South Sudan! We have made it through the first month of the DTS lecture phase and have another amazing 2 months to go. We have 7 students and are enjoying having the opportunity to pour into them. As is typically of YWAM Discipleship Training Schools we have many chances to pour into them and to watch as God speaks into their lives! I know some of you are curious as to what a typically day here in Wau looks like, so I thought I would give you a quick overview. We leave the staff house around 7:45 am and walk the half-mile to the classroom. From 8 am until 9 am we either have Base Prayer (on Mon), Group Devotions (on Tues, Wed & Fri) or Intercession Prayer (on Thurs). We give the students a quick break around 9 before diving into the lecture or class time. Each week we have a specific topic that we are covering and normally we have a guest speaker to share on that topic. We are in class from 9 am until 1 pm with a 30 minute break for bread and tea at 10:30. We are so grateful for our speakers and the way the Lord has been speaking through them. Teaching for 3 and a half hours in a small classroom in 100 + degree heat is no easy task and we are so grateful for their commitment to our students. After class we walk the half-mile back to the staff house where the whole school eats lunch together, typically either rice or posha (a very bland cornmeal mixture with very little nutritional value) and beans.

In the afternoons we either have staff meeting (Mon & Wed) or small groups with the students (Tues & Thurs) or we have a One-on-one time with our chosen student (Fri). We are attempting to start an English class at least a few afternoons a week as well, because we have several students who speak little to no English but have the determination to learn! (Everything we do in class and small group times is translated into Arabic for them.) Typically at least once in the afternoons we make the walk back to the classroom (a half-mile each way) either for English class, small groups or just to pick up phones and computers that we leave behind to charge completely. Dinner is served around 6:30 and the students have work duties that are to be completely before dinner. These work duties range from carrying water from bore holes to be filtered for drinking, carrying water from wells for showering & laundry, sweeping and washing the main floor at the staff house, cleaning bathrooms or helping with dishes.
We have one indoor bathroom at the house and an outdoor bathroom. The indoor bathroom has no running water but the toilet – which doesn’t have a seat on it - can be used if you bring your own bucket of water in with you to dump down after you are finished, we take buckets of water in to bath with in the mornings or evenings. The indoor bathroom is connected to our guest speakers’ room, so depending on your timing if they are sleeping or whatnot – you may or may not able to use the indoor bathroom. The outdoor bathroom has two doors similar to outhouse doors. The squatty potty – a deep hole in the cement that you squat over – is in one door and in the second door is the shower basically just a drain on a slab of cement that you again bring your bucket for showering. The squatty potty has cockroaches crawling all around in the evenings and the shower often has spiders. We were blessed last night when the shop across the street from the house agreed to allow us to pay 150 SSP (South Sudanese Pounds – $1 USD =3.6 ssp) a month and they hooked up our house to their generator! So whenever they are running the generator (mainly in the evenings for several hours) we will now have power at the house. This will help in charging computers, phones, having light to see while showering and even a ceiling fan!! We feel VERY VERY blessed!!
Our weekends are spent relaxing and doing laundry (in buckets!) typically, although we are hoping and praying that soon our weekends will be spent at the YWAM property on the Nile river to build permanent buildings so that the next school can be held on our property rather than in a rented house, a small compound with mud huts (where the students are staying) and in a rented classroom. I just thought I would share some little details of our lives and of the school here in Wau. We covet your continued prayers and are so blessed that you are walking this journey together with us!
I know many of you have seen the newest pregnancy picture on facebook and just wanted to add that both our sweet little monkey and Mommy are doing well. It is hot and some days my feet swell, but my husband does a wonderful job taking good care of both of us. We check her little heartbeat every other week or so and she continues to kick and move around – just little reminders that the Lord is protecting her!

The true love of a husband!

As I was preparing for our time here in Sudan, the Lord continually pressed on my heart how important it was that the devil was not allowed even the smallest foothold in our marriage. During the move out of our house and the start of packing for Africa it was evident that the devil wanted that foothold, he wanted to divide my husband and I – he wanted us to not be a united front. I was nervous, we were not even in Africa yet, we were not even in the hard part, and he was trying to separate us. Prayer became my main weapon as I began to fight against the devil and his schemes. I was determined not to allow that foothold – but like I said we were not even in the HARD yet!

As we traveled through airports and across countries it became clear to me that this man traveling with me was not the same man that I married. He was far better than I could have EVER imagined. His desire to put my needs and even basic comforts before his own was stronger than ever before. In the 5 days of travel that it took to get to our final destination Christopher made sure my ever need was met. He allowed me to sleep across several plane seats, gave up his fruit on the plane so that I had good food to eat, carried all the heavy bags, (and let me tell you they were HEAVY!), he made sure I was comfortable and encouraged me to walk around on the long plane rides.

There have been many bumps in the road since we have been here. It has not been easy, pioneering a brand new school, but we have been blessed and my husband has gone above and beyond to take good care of me. Filtering gallons of water a day – that he carries from a half mile away – to make sure that I am drinking good water and plenty of it. Buying me crackers at the market to dip in my jar of peanut butter so that I am getting a good amount of protein! Checking baby heart beat often, making sure that I am getting enough vitamins and nutrients, washing my feet several times a week, killing cockroaches in the latrine (squatty potty) late at night, carrying bucket after bucket of water for my bucket showers since I am not very good at just using one bucket yet, but I am getting better. J He has been so faithful to me and protected me and cared for me more than I ever could have imagined. It has been hard, it is hot, my feet are swollen, all the dust is making allergies crazy, the food is not always agreeing with my stomach, but I know that God is faithful, and I know that He has called us here – so I will keep trusting Him – knowing that He has my best interest in mind and praising Him daily for blessing with a husband who is willing to take such good care of me!

Thank you for praying for us, thank you for covering us in prayer, thank you, thank you, thank you!! Please don’t stop praying, the bumps are still coming and we are still in the hard, but God is faithful and is moving in the school in great ways. Our students are doing well and learning to hear the voice of the Lord this week. Pray specifically for finances as a school – that the Lord would continue to provide for our daily needs and that as a staff we would use wisdom in handling the finances. Pray for the students that the small bumps we are facing would not distract them from all that the Lord has for them! Pray for the staff that we would remain unified!

Sweet Baby Girl

Dear Sweet Baby Girl,

We are about to embark upon a journey, one that you won't remember because you will stay safely snuggled in my tummy while we are there, but one that I am sure you will hear stories of as you get older. Your Daddy and I want you to know that although we haven't met you we both love you so very much! Your Daddy has been a hero in making sure that Mommy has everything we will need while we are in Sudan. We listen to your little heartbeat and we are filled with joy! We know that God has created you so special and is continuing to knit you together in my womb. We haven't picked out the perfect name for you yet, we want the meaning of your name to define who God is creating you to be and so we continue to pray and search through baby name books finding the name with the perfect meaning for YOU...we will know when we find it! :-) So for the next 3 months hang on tight as Mommy and Daddy embark upon this journey that the Lord is leading us on. Stay snuggled safe in my belly and continue to grow and thrive as the Lord knits you to be the perfect sweet baby girl you are going to be! We love you little princess and can't wait to meet you in 5 months!

Love,

Your Mommy

How I know that God is going to use us in Powerful ways in Sudan...

I am convinced that the Lord is going to use us and work through us in amazing and powerful ways in Sudan! I am convinced of this fact not just because He is God and He can always work in powerful ways, but because the devil is ticked right now!! Christopher and I knew going into this month that we would be up against a lot as we prepared for this next season of our lives. We knew that it would be no easy task to sell everything, move to Africa, and do as the Lord has asked us to do. We knew that the devil would try to do things to stop us and we tried to stay on guard against his evil schemes. Here are just SOME of the events of the last two weeks that have us convinced that the devil is not only angry that we are going, but downright scared of what the Lord WILL accomplish through us.

• My Father-in-law broke his ankle and had to have surgery
• (He is supposed to be coming to Sudan for a week or so at the end of March and we are still praying that his leg is completely healed enough to do that!)

• My Sister-in-law's lap top fell off the counter onto the tile kitchen floor and broke
• She is coming with us to Sudan!! (Did I tell you that? My heart is very happy she is coming)
• We are waiting to hear a diagnosis on the laptop and what it will cost to repair it

• We found out a week ago that the Malaria medicine we had ordered for me to take, although it was safe for Mama and Baby, would not work against the strain of Malaria that the mosquitoes carry in Sudan.
• We were able to get a different prescription called in and are praying against the crazy dreams that could be a side effect of this medicine (but it is literally the ONLY Malaria medicine that is safe for me to take while pregnant and works against these mosquitoes.)

• Our Passports got lost as they were traveling to the Sudanese Embassy to get our Visa's!
• They were found and now both Passports and Visas are safe here with us in Indiana

• We bought a bunch of supplies for our trip at a camping store about 35 minutes away from our house. On Thursday as we were attempting to pack, we went to open the package of filters for our water bottles (VERY IMPORTANT) the package was empty!!!
• Someone had shop-lifted them from the store resulting in us having to drive all the way back out there to return them, only to find out they were out of them!! (We will be buying them in Indiana - no worries)

• There have many moments of silly tension between my husband and me over things that typically we would both be able to let slide.
• Some of this is my pregnancy hormones and the tears flow easily right now :-)

• My husband accidentally hit my car as he was backing out of his parents driveway to run to our house and get the very last load of stuff to move out!
• Aside from some minor scrapes and scuffs, both of our cars are okay - even though it didn’t appear that way at first glance!

• We realized after we were already on our way to Indiana that the Malaria medicine for Christopher and Nicole (my sister-in-law - get used to her name, I am sure I will mention her a lot :-) was packed in our storage unit - WAY IN THE BACK!!
• They can get this in Africa - so it will be okay

And those are only the things that I remember and that pop to the top of my head. Needless to say, it has been a hard couple of weeks! We have tried the best that we can not to let these things get to us. I could have gotten upset with my husband when he hit my car, but all that would have done is cause tension between us which is just what the devil wanted me to do. Instead I wiped away the tears and reminded myself it is ONLY a car and although I love my baby girl, she is not worth causing tension between my husband and me.

I am blogging about all of this not to cause my readers to feel sorry for us, but for our readers to be aware of what we have been and are facing and to ask you to please battle with us. If there is one thing positive that I can say about the last two weeks (aside from all the ways that the Lord has continued to provide for us) it would be how it has caused me to truly live 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - PRAY CONTINUALLY! I have never struggled with praying. In high school, I would pray while walking through the hallways. But these last few weeks have caused me to pray for things I never have before. Just last night as I was drinking a large glass of Orange Juice because I was starting to feel a little sick, I prayed that the Lord would touch this OJ and cause it not only to just be "good" for me, but to heal me of any sort of little sicknesses that were trying to invade my body.

We are in a battle against the devil and could really use you, as prayer warriors, to join us in this battle! Pray that this week as we are resting in Indiana, before we leave for Sudan, that we really would be able to REST!! That we would be renewed and refreshed, ready to tackle all that the Lord has for us in Sudan!

Tonight....

Tonight I took my last bubble bath in our garden tub...


Tonight, I will cuddle up next to my husband and fall asleep one last time in our very first home....


The home where so many memories were made, the home where we lived for the first 8 months of our married life, where we found out we were expecting our first child, I know I will look back on this house and smile at how blessed we were as newly weds! But tonight, we fall asleep here one last time because tomorrow....

Tomorrow, we move the last load or two of our stuff into storage, tomorrow we will stay at my in laws house for a few days before we begin our journey to Indiana and then on to Africa! But you see as much as there are going to be some sad moments tomorrow as we close this chapter, thinking about tomorrow also brings me SO much joy!!

Tomorrow we find out if we are having a little baby girl or a little baby boy, tomorrow will be a day we will never forget, seeing those precious 3D images of our unborn child and knowing that in a few months our lives will forever be changed by this precious child!

Tomorrow we close one chapter in our lives, only to begin the next!! As much as I hate closing chapters, I am every so excited about the things the Lord is going to do in this next chapter! I am ready to take this step of faith and trust Him completely as we board a plane for Africa in a week and a half, I am ready to embark upon this amazing journey that the Lord is going to take us on right beside my husband! I am ready!

So tonight, as I lay my head down and drift off to sleep thinking about all the precious memories this house holds, I will also smile and think about all the memories the next chapter in our lives will hold and I will rest in the peace and joy of the Lord, knowing His hands hold our every moment!

My God cares....even about hiccups!!

We have had lots of questions from many people about our trip to Africa, especially with me being pregnant. "Is it safe?" "Aren't you scared something bad could happen?" "Are you sure you are supposed to be going when you are pregnant?" "What if you go into labor on the plane?" "What if this...what if that?" At first these questions really bothered me...and had me rethinking everything...maybe they were right, maybe I shouldn't be going. The more these questions have been asked, the more I have turned my eyes to the Lord and the more assurance He has given me. He continues to confirm this trip daily! He continues to remind me that He is in control and He is looking out for me. He hears my every cry and He answers them! Last Friday was a perfect example of Him answering my every cry. I had gone to visit my husband at work, we made frozen pizza and were just enjoy a little bit of time together, until they got a call :-( Bummer! I took my pizza and started to drive home on this dark rainy night. I took a big drink from my water bottle and kinda choked and coughed a little bit, no biggie, UNTIL a couple seconds later when I started hiccuping! :-( I had just eaten several pieces of pizza and now was hiccuping and starting to feel a little nauseous. Oh no! So as quickly as this annoying painful hiccups started I prayed out loud in my car and just simple said "Jesus, take them away!" 5 seconds later I hit a big puddle in the road that I didn't see because it was dark out and it made the loud splash noise under my tire...it scared me...and scared away my hiccups too!!! This may sound silly and I'll be honest it is, but the fact of the matter is...as I drove the rest of the way home and thanked Him for taking away my hiccups He reminded me again, that He is in control!! If he cares about me enough to allow me to hit a puddle to scare away my hiccups, than surely He cares enough about this precious little one inside me and will protect him or her!! So you see...My God cares...even about my hiccups!! :-)

Quick Update on My Mom!

If you read the post bellow and prayed for my Mom.....THANK YOU!!! The Lord heard your prayers!! This piece of equipment can help my Mom and she is definitely a candidate for it!! We are so encouraged and very excited for the doors that this could open for my Mom's future!! Now if you would just join in praying that the insurance would cover this equipment, it is not cheap piece of technology!! Thanks again for all your prayers!!