Ive been informed that my last post was too depressing so allow me to share a funny story. :)
After a long day at school, I came home to my house craving something to eat. My sandwich had run out in my stomach so I began searching through my kitchen to find something to eat. I discovered rather quickly that if I was going to eat something, I was going to probably have to get creative and cook something.
Just then, I turned and looked out my window and saw that the little Tanzanian lady across the street was selling eggs. Gosh! Deviled Eggs, which is one of my favorites to eat at home, suddenly sounded really good. How hard could it be?! All I had to do was boil some eggs! Right?! So I threw on my shoes and ran across the street to the lady. About halfway across the street, I remembered that the lady across the street only speaks Swahili.
Uh-Oh. This could get interesting.
After 10 minutes of hand gestures, broken swahili from me, broken english from her, and lots of laughter, I returned victorious to my house with half a dozen eggs. I was so excited that I ran to the kitchen and started pulling out the necessary pots and pans.
Then I remembered that I can't cook with the water from the tap here because it is extremely contaminated with disease. I would have to use water from our water filter jug. Not a problem right? That's what I thought too. However, I discovered that the water filter jug was empty. It takes about an hour to filter a new jug of tap water to make it clean enough to drink and cook with. I didn't have an hour. I was hungry. Therefore, like the spoiled American that I am, I ran back across the street and asked the lady for some bottled water for 1000 shillings (about 75 cents). She was confused because I had sad some word wrong, of course, so she gave me a HUGE jug of water and wanted 10,000 shillings for it (about 7-8 dollars). No time to argue, I was hungry! I gave her the money and returned to my kitchen.
I poured my water into the pot, placed my eggs in the pot, and then realized something.... my stove was gas operated and I had never started it by myself. Hmmm... how do you start a gas stove? I found some matches sitting next to the stove and figured that had something to do with it so I set to work for another 10 minutes trying to turn the stove on. I felt SERIOUSLY proud of myself for having gotten this far in the process.
My hungry stomach was not impressed at all.
So I boiled the eggs, pulled them out and removed the shells. Sliced them in half to get out the yolk and... uhoh, why is the yolk on the inside this white color? Shouldn't it be yellow? Is it only yellow in the states? Do Americans eat yellow yolk and Africans eat white? Why is it different? Am I going to get sick eating white yolk? If I get sick, I'll be miserable, miss school, and get behind in my student teaching so that's not an option! I know I let the eggs boil long enough! O the stress!! I called a roommate to ask them if I was going to get sick from eating the white yolk of boiled eggs in Africa. She laughed and told me I was being hilarious and I should survive just fine. What a relief.... lol.
Then, I went to the fridge and found mustard and "american" mayonnaise. Once again, I looked at these two products, wondered if they were edible, said a small prayer, and proceeded to make my snack.
FINALLY, after about an hour and a half later.... I ate my deviled eggs and committed to not try this again for awhile.
Just thought you'd like a small snapshot of an afternoon with Amanda in Africa. Always an adventure. lol.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The kind of walk that wakes you up....
Every morning, I walk to the school that I teach in. It only takes about 10 minutes and it's quite an interesting walk filled with little fruit stands, Tanzanians in bajaj's trying to give you a ride, lots of traffic, and TONS of people. Walking is one of the main forms of transportation here and frankly, it's been these walks sometimes that have been the thing that wake me up in the morning and get my mind working for the day at school.
However, on Sunday night, I took a different walk.
My roommate, Jen, loves to take walks on the weekends to just rest her mind. She invited me to join her. When it came time to choose the route that we were going to walk, she asked me, "Would you like to see the neighborhood?" Quite frankly, I thought I had seen the neighborhood between grocery shopping and walking to school and buying credit for my cell phone/internet. However, I was curious to see what she meant so I agreed to go.
She led me down this little windy road behind our compound that I hadn't even noticed was there, and told me that we were just going to "walk around the block."
I've been searching for words to describe what I saw on this walk ever since it ended and honestly, I still haven't found them. It shouldn't have shocked me. I'm in Africa for heaven's sake! However, there's something very different about watching the images of poverty in Africa on film or in a documentary vs. walking through a impoverished neighborhood.
The smell of the neighborhood was of garbage because the people have no way to dispose their waste so they dump it in the street. The people look like they are probably wearing one of the only outfits they own. Many of the houses, I struggled to be able to tell whether they were the house or the chicken coop. Many of them were built with srap metal, cardboard, or whatever that family could find.
Even more amazing were the people...
I don't speak the language much. I only know a few greetings and basic phrases. However, that didn't stop almost every person in the village from greeting me with a huge smile with the phrase "Hujumbo!" (hello) or "Karibu sana!" (you are MOST welcome!) I even had one girl grab my hand and walk with me a few blocks.
As I listened to my roommate explain the surroundings and tell stories, I couldn't help but think one phrase over and over.
"Lord, it just doesn't seem fair!"
I did not pick my race. I did not pick to live in America. The children in my neighborhood in Tanzania did not pick to be African or in an impoverished lifestyle. So why did I get to live in a nice house in Franklin, TN with a closet full of clothes while these children live with their families in single rooms, one outfit, among the trash.
As I wrestled through the night on this, I felt the Lord tell me,
"You are blessed so that you may bless."
New Favorite song for Encouragement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9_caMq_iYc&feature=related
However, on Sunday night, I took a different walk.
My roommate, Jen, loves to take walks on the weekends to just rest her mind. She invited me to join her. When it came time to choose the route that we were going to walk, she asked me, "Would you like to see the neighborhood?" Quite frankly, I thought I had seen the neighborhood between grocery shopping and walking to school and buying credit for my cell phone/internet. However, I was curious to see what she meant so I agreed to go.
She led me down this little windy road behind our compound that I hadn't even noticed was there, and told me that we were just going to "walk around the block."
I've been searching for words to describe what I saw on this walk ever since it ended and honestly, I still haven't found them. It shouldn't have shocked me. I'm in Africa for heaven's sake! However, there's something very different about watching the images of poverty in Africa on film or in a documentary vs. walking through a impoverished neighborhood.
The smell of the neighborhood was of garbage because the people have no way to dispose their waste so they dump it in the street. The people look like they are probably wearing one of the only outfits they own. Many of the houses, I struggled to be able to tell whether they were the house or the chicken coop. Many of them were built with srap metal, cardboard, or whatever that family could find.
Even more amazing were the people...
I don't speak the language much. I only know a few greetings and basic phrases. However, that didn't stop almost every person in the village from greeting me with a huge smile with the phrase "Hujumbo!" (hello) or "Karibu sana!" (you are MOST welcome!) I even had one girl grab my hand and walk with me a few blocks.
As I listened to my roommate explain the surroundings and tell stories, I couldn't help but think one phrase over and over.
"Lord, it just doesn't seem fair!"
I did not pick my race. I did not pick to live in America. The children in my neighborhood in Tanzania did not pick to be African or in an impoverished lifestyle. So why did I get to live in a nice house in Franklin, TN with a closet full of clothes while these children live with their families in single rooms, one outfit, among the trash.
As I wrestled through the night on this, I felt the Lord tell me,
"You are blessed so that you may bless."
New Favorite song for Encouragement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9_caMq_iYc&feature=related
Saturday, March 12, 2011
so I'm in Tanzania!!!!!
This is my first post since I arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I realize I should have posted before now but I honestly wasn't sure what I was going to say until now.
When I got here, I'd love to tell you that my first thought was, "O! What a wonderful country!" or "O I am THRILLED THAT I AM HERE!!! EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN!!!!" but that would be a huge lie. Therefore, I'm going to tell you that my first thoughts were closer to...
1) It's HOT here.
2)What have I gotten myself into?
and
3) I'm so confused.
Those don't seem to be exactly the best thoughts. I was told that when I enterd the country I would enter a honeymoon stage where I thought everything was wonderful and marvelous and I loved every single thing about the people and the culture and my living situation. I honestly have no idea what made those people tell me that b/c I feel like I did not have a honeymoon stage. Every where I turned, it felt like a slap in the face. Cold showers, dirty, bugs, poverty, different food, no Air conditioning, electricity half the time, and a mosquito net over my bed for protection from disease during the night.
Thank GOD for my roommates and praise the Lord that He is faithful. I feel myself slipping into a certain level of comfortability with everything and getting used to all the change. I know that I can only attribute this to my roommates guidance and patience AND the fact that I have had to COMPLETLY rely on the Lord during the last couple days to pull me through.
AND HE HAS!
Today, for the first time, I looked around and was feeling pretty good about the fact that I live in Africa for the next 2 monthes. The people are amazing. So sweet and generous and warm (no pun intended). The students are anxious and excited to work with me and I'm so glad of that. I'll write more about them and the school once I seriously start teaching later this week. :) The beaches and the view are glorious from my house and every morning I get the joy of watching the sunrise over the ocean from my room and I get to marvel at how great our God is. :) He is so great.
In a conversation with my cooperating teacher/ roommate, Delicia, she told me some very encouraging words, "Amanda, no one expects you to be 'super missionary woman!' How you are feeling is normal! Heck! I felt like you do just last week and I've been here 3 years!" I can't tell you the relief these words brought to my heart and how much better I have been since that conversation. :)
I've been getting information today about differnt places I can serve in the community other than at the school and I think that will really help to get my focus off of myself and my uncomfortableness and allow me to look around and see what the Lord sees and allow Him to do what He wants with me. :)
Prayer requests:
1) Pray that I adjust quickly to the heat and lack of electricity. It's tough on everyone but I think it's extra tough b/c I just came from 30 degree temperatures!
2) Pray that my observations this week go well and I'm able to build more relationships with the students as well as feel prepared to teach a classroom that has so many countries in it!!
3) Pray for opportunities to serve in the community alongside a ministry.
When I got here, I'd love to tell you that my first thought was, "O! What a wonderful country!" or "O I am THRILLED THAT I AM HERE!!! EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN!!!!" but that would be a huge lie. Therefore, I'm going to tell you that my first thoughts were closer to...
1) It's HOT here.
2)What have I gotten myself into?
and
3) I'm so confused.
Those don't seem to be exactly the best thoughts. I was told that when I enterd the country I would enter a honeymoon stage where I thought everything was wonderful and marvelous and I loved every single thing about the people and the culture and my living situation. I honestly have no idea what made those people tell me that b/c I feel like I did not have a honeymoon stage. Every where I turned, it felt like a slap in the face. Cold showers, dirty, bugs, poverty, different food, no Air conditioning, electricity half the time, and a mosquito net over my bed for protection from disease during the night.
Thank GOD for my roommates and praise the Lord that He is faithful. I feel myself slipping into a certain level of comfortability with everything and getting used to all the change. I know that I can only attribute this to my roommates guidance and patience AND the fact that I have had to COMPLETLY rely on the Lord during the last couple days to pull me through.
AND HE HAS!
Today, for the first time, I looked around and was feeling pretty good about the fact that I live in Africa for the next 2 monthes. The people are amazing. So sweet and generous and warm (no pun intended). The students are anxious and excited to work with me and I'm so glad of that. I'll write more about them and the school once I seriously start teaching later this week. :) The beaches and the view are glorious from my house and every morning I get the joy of watching the sunrise over the ocean from my room and I get to marvel at how great our God is. :) He is so great.
In a conversation with my cooperating teacher/ roommate, Delicia, she told me some very encouraging words, "Amanda, no one expects you to be 'super missionary woman!' How you are feeling is normal! Heck! I felt like you do just last week and I've been here 3 years!" I can't tell you the relief these words brought to my heart and how much better I have been since that conversation. :)
I've been getting information today about differnt places I can serve in the community other than at the school and I think that will really help to get my focus off of myself and my uncomfortableness and allow me to look around and see what the Lord sees and allow Him to do what He wants with me. :)
Prayer requests:
1) Pray that I adjust quickly to the heat and lack of electricity. It's tough on everyone but I think it's extra tough b/c I just came from 30 degree temperatures!
2) Pray that my observations this week go well and I'm able to build more relationships with the students as well as feel prepared to teach a classroom that has so many countries in it!!
3) Pray for opportunities to serve in the community alongside a ministry.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Amsterdam
Well, for whatever reason, I wasn't able to sleep on the flight over the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, it's 7 am here in the Netherlands and my body is telling me that it's actually about 1 am. Not fun!
I've got about 3 hours til my next flight and I'm feeling pretty bored and tired...
BUT!!!!
I'm still SO excited! I'm almost there! SO CLOSE!!!! One more really long flight and I'm there!
I've got about 3 hours til my next flight and I'm feeling pretty bored and tired...
 |
| me: annoyed and tired and apparently bored because I felt the need to take this. hahaha. When you travel alone, you have to get creative with entertainment. |
BUT!!!!
I'm still SO excited! I'm almost there! SO CLOSE!!!! One more really long flight and I'm there!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
TIME TO GO!!!! 2 DAYS LEFT!
Only two days til I go so it's PACKING TIME!!! My least favorite time! It just takes so much organization and planning which gets so tedious *sigh* BUT it's necessary!
but I mean, seriously.... this gets a bit stressful. hahaha. That's a face that looks clearly confused right? :)
Luckily, I have my mom and little sister to help and it'll all get done before I leave on Monday!
TWO DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luckily, I have my mom and little sister to help and it'll all get done before I leave on Monday!
TWO DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
3 weeks away.... a few random thoughts before the adventure starts
-Passport?....check!
-Malaria medicine?....check!
-Visa?... check!
-Financial support from amazing friends and family?....check!
-long skirts, cortizone cream, large luggage, head light, back-pack, nalgene bottle, digital camera, battery- powered fan?.... Working on it!!!!
-Prayer?..... CHECK CHECK AND CHECK
The time is drawing dangerously close for me to leave for TANZANIA!!!!!
I will be flying out of Nashville, TN on March 7th. My family and Zac will be taking me to the airport and sending me on my way on that Monday. Please pray for them all because I know that this journey for me is not just a faith walk for me but for them too!
"How are you doing with all this?"
I get that question ALL the time these days. Between student teaching in States, getting everything ready for my trip for Tanzania, saying good-bye to my friends, looking at getting jobs, figuring out plans for next year, and just daily life.... I'm overwhelmed. The Lord's presence has never felt more thick to me and He's been guiding my steps daily, but I that doesn't mean that my head isn't running at a crazy pace as I try to prepare myself emotionally, mentally, and spiritually for the next 3 monthes of my life.
Please pray that God would still my mind and that all would fall into place in the next 3 weeks. I know it will. He's carried me this far, these little details are surely no problem for Him!
My mom told me yesterday, "These are exciting days!" and I agree with her. My life is very exciting right now, but I'm praying that God would provide rest and peace in the craziness so that I may fully appreciate all that's happening around me.
He's just been so good.
Why am I so surprised that He is?
Lord, GROW MY FAITH!
-Malaria medicine?....check!
-Visa?... check!
-Financial support from amazing friends and family?....check!
-long skirts, cortizone cream, large luggage, head light, back-pack, nalgene bottle, digital camera, battery- powered fan?.... Working on it!!!!
-Prayer?..... CHECK CHECK AND CHECK
The time is drawing dangerously close for me to leave for TANZANIA!!!!!
I will be flying out of Nashville, TN on March 7th. My family and Zac will be taking me to the airport and sending me on my way on that Monday. Please pray for them all because I know that this journey for me is not just a faith walk for me but for them too!
"How are you doing with all this?"
I get that question ALL the time these days. Between student teaching in States, getting everything ready for my trip for Tanzania, saying good-bye to my friends, looking at getting jobs, figuring out plans for next year, and just daily life.... I'm overwhelmed. The Lord's presence has never felt more thick to me and He's been guiding my steps daily, but I that doesn't mean that my head isn't running at a crazy pace as I try to prepare myself emotionally, mentally, and spiritually for the next 3 monthes of my life.
Please pray that God would still my mind and that all would fall into place in the next 3 weeks. I know it will. He's carried me this far, these little details are surely no problem for Him!
My mom told me yesterday, "These are exciting days!" and I agree with her. My life is very exciting right now, but I'm praying that God would provide rest and peace in the craziness so that I may fully appreciate all that's happening around me.
He's just been so good.
Why am I so surprised that He is?
Lord, GROW MY FAITH!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Christmas break reflections... :)
With Christmas break here, I’ve been able to allow myself to stop and just breathe and think about what is to come in the next semester. I have recently found out that not only am I teaching 4th grade in Tanzania from March to May, I’m teaching 8th grade Language Arts in a public school in Jackson, TN from Mid January to early March. I can’t decide at this point which one intimidates me more! Don’t get me wrong, both placements are PERFECT and EXACTLY where I would have idealized myself being placed. However, I enjoy them because they are certainly going to grow me and push me as a person, as well as an educator, and not because they sound like such comfortable experiences. They certainly fall on two sides of the spectrum. One is in a 1st world country in West Tennessee in a public school with a predominantly African American population and the other one is in a 3rd world East African city with 32 different countries represented! I’ll probably be writing a bit about my time teaching the 8th grade in the states on this blog as well so that I can compare and contrast the experiences and YOU (my reader J ) can join along in the comparisons and admirations of what God’s sovereignty really looks like!
As far as where I am at right now in the preparation stages for Tanzania…. Money is still coming in slowly but surely. This entire fund raising process has been one huge lesson in faith and PATIENCE. It certainly hasn’t played out how I thought it might, but its ok, it’s still coming in. At this point, I’m about $1000 short of where I would like to be before I leave the country. I’m trying to work and save so that that amount can shrink a bit, but I still find myself begging the Lord to do a miracle. I’ve always been told and taught that we only receive if we are bold enough and have large enough faith to ask….so I’m asking! Haha!
I’ve gotten all the vaccinations and all the prescriptions that I need in order to legally get into the country and not get completely ill and unable to function. J Watching my mom’s face as my amazing Doctor (who is a world traveler himself) wrote and explained all the prescriptions was quite entertaining as she tried to hide her shock and concern about what I’m doing. Don’t get me wrong, she’s supportive, but this is a whole new world and experience for all my family and myself. I appreciate more than anything how supportive and amazing my family has been through this whole process, even if it makes them a little nervous. It’s been a faith walk for them too, I think.
I can hear the question already from my best friends… “How are you really? Mentally? Spiritually? Emotionally?” What a blessing they are to care so much! J J This opportunity has already revealed to me how small my faith actually is. I always thought of myself as someone who had a pretty strong Christian walk and relationship with the Father. However, this time has already pushed me to discover that my faith has grown so comfortable in the last couple years that I hadn’t even realized just how much it had shrunk and become more about what I could do instead of what HE can do THROUGH me. Therefore, I’ve been asking the Lord to increase my faith. I remember an adult I met with regularly in High School that I respected SOOO much was always asking God for the same thing and I never understood why someone as godly as she was would ever ask for that. Now I think I understand. Mentally, I feel like I’ve just reached a point where I feel like I can do this alright! In the past few month or 2, I’ve felt overwhelmed and stressed about the whole leaving-the-country-by-myself-and-student-teaching-in-Africa-thing and began to wonder if I was making a huge mistake. However, the Lord has been so gracious to remind me that He is not going to leave me hanging and He does want me to do this. Therefore, I’m feeling much much much better about the whole thing these days.
Thanks for asking.J
Prayer requests:
1)money…. Please pray that God does a financial miracle in the next couple monthes so that trip can be totally and completely paid for before I leave! That would be amazing, but I know that He is gonna do it the way He wants to!
2)Faith… Pray that God would grow my faith and grow our relationship to the BRIM between now and the time I leave. Now more than ever, I long to see His face because I know it would be foolish to do ANY student teaching (states or abroad) that would reflect His glory if I am not on the best page with Him that I can be.
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