In Focus

I find it fascinating our inclination to pause and reflect at the end of one year and the beginning of another. Why don’t we feel the compulsion to do the same at the end of each month or week? What is the big deal with our 12-month reminder that it’s important to assess where we’ve been, what’s happened, where we are headed, and what we are resolved to do? I’m not suggesting that I’m in opposition to this general trend; merely questioning our reason and tendency for doing so. That being said, I am happy to announce that I am one of those people who like to think about the year as a whole at this opportune time. In this post, allow me to share some highlights of my life this past year.

January brought about the end of a wonderful trip to Kenya for Christmas. Departing from Nairobi, it was pleasant and warm. Landing in Springfield, we encountered ice, snow, and freezing cold – quite a rude welcome home. After much anxiety, I finally learned I had been offered a job at St. John’s hospital, which I started later that month – January 24, 2010, to be exact. I learned the duties and skills of being a PCA/tech and became certified in CPR and basic life saving for health professionals. Those first few weeks were somewhat stressful as I tried to learn and navigate my position and the hospital.

February brought in a ton of more severe winter weather. At one point, the governor of Missouri declared a state of emergency due to weather, and the National Guard was called out to help. Those few days of seclusion were one of my fondest memories with my roommates. Valentine’s Day was spent in celebration with many other single girls at our apartment during which we play single-related games including love song lyric charades, Guess Her Date, and Loaded Questions: Valentine’s Day-Related edition. During this month, I also began a wonderful friendship with a Vietnamese student through MSU’s English Language Institute (ELI) program.

March came in with a whirlwind round of training with the secretaries in the emergency room, learning the art of direct communication, social niceties, and juggling a thousand things at once. As I observed one of the secretaries in her role, I was impressed and inspired with her graceful nature and the strength of a gentle spirit. I am indebted to her for her example in so many ways. She was not only my trainer; she became a friend and source of support. Although much of my time was spent at work, I was also able to continue accompanying for voice lessons and meet up with friends for special events.

April rolled around with many activities. Although I was no longer a student at Evangel, most of my friends still were and one of roommates was finishing student teaching. Therefore, this month was filled with much graduation preparation. (All four of us living together were participating in the graduation festivities). Other events of this month included getting my first massage at Nu Essence (heavenly experience!), attending the Evangel production of Hello Dolly, dying Easter eggs with Van Anh, and my 23^rd birthday.

May entered on a sad note with the funeral services for my roommate’s grandparents. The first week was crazy busy with graduation-related events as well: first, the

baccalaureate service, then graduation party at Sharon’s, and finally graduation. I am beyond blessed by the support I received from friends and family during this difficult transition time from student to official adult. I ended my college career on a high note with a perfect g.p.a. and receiving the Outstanding Student in Biology award. After the events of the first week, the rest of the month seemed calm. I did, however, get to go home for a belated graduation party with friends and relatives at home. My friend Lauren was also was able to stay with us for a short time this month during which we celebrated her birthday with an awkward first attempt at making cheesecake. Since then, I’m happy to report, we’ve improved :)

June marked the beginning of summer…and everyone being gone for break. I spent a lot of time at work. Unfortunately, this time was when I hadn’t learned to say “no” yet. However, the paychecks were beautiful. For Father’s Day, I was able to make a trip back home. I was also able to start volunteering at Convoy of Hope again during the summer months.

July found me excited for the 4^th of July and going home to celebrate with the parade, fireworks, and family time together. Much of my time this month was spent memorizing GRE vocab, taking practice tests, and reviewing my test prep book. After much preparation, I took the test and did excellent! To celebrate, my roommate, best friend, and I went out for Thai and had a fun evening together. It was a wonderful end to a lot of hard work. One of my roommates also got married this month!

August began with a visit to the county fair. My roommate, Megan, also got me hooked on Zumba classes at the Discovery Center, and when I wasn’t able to go with her, I took my best friend with me. We were soon ardent fans and went every week, usually following our calorie-burning workouts with calorie-rich dinners :) Later in the month, St. John’s hosted an employee appreciation day at Silver Dollar City (SDC), which my sister and I attended and loved. Once school started back up again, we had a back-to-school party with several of our college friends. I became involved with volunteering with Healthcare Ministries (HCM) – the medical world missions division of the Assemblies of God.

September felt like it brought much of the same as the previous month. I still was working many hours every week, volunteering at HCM, and attending zumba. In addition, though, I was able to celebrate my Vietnamese friend’s birthday. My roommate and I also attended the first EU football game of the season, mostly to watch the debut performance of the marching band.One highlight of the month was the JRA’s Women’s Conference– it was several days filled with wonderful sister time, powerful speakers, moving worship, concerts with Group 1 Crew, “Just Be”, and carnival fun. Megan and I were also able to host friends over several times. It’s wonderful having an apartment where we can host so many people and events. I love it!

October blew in with beautiful fall colors and brisk evenings. Lauren came over to help me in an attempt to redeem ourselves from our first cheesecake endeavor – this time we made a pumpkin cheesecake and it turned out much better. I was also able to attend my first EU homecoming as an alumna. Although it felt a little surreal, I enjoyed being back with everyone, watching EU’s Got Talent, rooting for our team at the game, and visiting with dear professors. At this point in my life, I was desperately craving home, and I was able to manage a trip back to enjoy the loving acceptance and support of my family for a bit. The month ended with a trip to St. Louis to the Cheesecake Factory and Fox Theater to hear Straight No Chaser. During October, I was able to celebrate my half birthday, go to an amazing corn maze, and experience my first haunted house.

November didn’t feel incredibly eventful, but I think that’s due to the distinct separation of the events that occurred. Daylight savings rolled in to everyone’s lament of earlier, darker days. Finally, I was able to see the result of all the practice and hard work of my friends by attending “Into the Woods” presented by the Evangel drama department. By the middle of the month, I was anticipating my friend’s birthday party at my apartment, which was quickly followed by another friend’s senior voice recital. And, after several weeks of waiting and advanced ticket purchase, my friends and I were able to go to the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn Part I. Yes, I know; we’re such girls. The Thanksgiving holiday was filled with wonderful food and family. And on Black Friday, instead of joining the nation in shopping, I attended a friend’s wedding.

December swept in with Christmas-related events. I was finally allowed to publicly play Christmas music by my roommate, and we threw ourselves into the festivities of the season: the Evangel Christmas concert, decorating our apartment, gingerbread baking, and eggnog drinking. I was able to go sing with concert choir at SDC, celebrate my sister’s birthday with the family, attend Christmas parties, and go home for the holidays. There’s something special about the Christmas Eve and morning services that I just can’t get enough of. In the midst of all the Christmas celebrations this month, two good friends were married to each other here in Springfield. We were honored to host many of the girls who came to attend the wedding, including the bride herself!

And that brings us to now – the last day of December and consequentially Year 2011. Although this year has been extremely difficult at times, I am thankful for God’s ever-present grace, wisdom, presence, and love. Without His Holy Spirit and the strength of my roommates, friends, and families, this year, I wouldn’t be the same person I am now. I have learned that God will never leave me or forsake me, He owns all the resources in the world, He is sufficient, He satisfies my heart’s desires with good things, He is good and does good, His grace is enough, and my life exists to glorify Him. My prayer is that next year is filled with many opportunities to know God better and serve Him wholeheartedly. May you find your New Year to be filled with joy!!!! Happy 2012 :)

Life. It's a Good Thing.

Before today, it had not crossed my mind that my blog was in serious neglect. I bet it’s feeling lonely at the moment. But no longer, for I am now bringing all my readers an update.

First off, before delving into the past, let’s begin with the present. Today is a mile-marker in my life. Halfway to the next year of my life. Yep, it’s my half-birthday. And, yes, I did celebrate with brownies and ice cream. Haha! My family always taught me to find small things to celebrate, and I have definitely taken that message and embraced it wholeheartedly. Now, on to the happenings of my life.

Of course, much of my time these last few months have been spent working long hours at the lovely St. John’s ER. Especially since one of our techs was out for weeks recovering from surgery and another tech had to quit because she began grad school. Although it is easy to view my work as just another job, I am constantly reminding myself that what I do is important. It can be discouraging when we are confronted minute-by-minute with people’s hurts, demands, and general unpleasantness. Medicine can seem like any other customer service business at times. But if we really question what we’re all about it breaks down to something like this: We save people from dying and try to improve their quality/quantity of life; the underlying presumption being that life is worth saving and improving, that life is valuable. And it is. I’m just glad I can approach it from a Christian worldview or I’m not sure it would be worth trying to approach at all.

While work has taken up much of my time lately, I have also been able to add a few news activities into my life recently. For one, zumba. Now, if you’ve never been introduced to zumba, you are missing out. Around the middle of July, I started attending classes at our Discovery Center. Zumba is a wonderful concept of using dance and choreographed steps and motions to comprise a workout session. We dance to a variety of songs with motions used to emphasize particular areas such as cardio, flexibility, and toning. I’m kind of addicted to going to the classes…haha :) Usually, I only attend once a week, but lately I’ve done a lot of zumba. It’s a way for me to meet up with my school friends and catch up or hang out with my roommate on our random nights off of work together.

I’ve also recently begun volunteering with Healthcare Ministries which is part of AGWM (Assemblies of God World Missions). When I went on my spring break missions trip to India it was through this organization. After some persuasion from a friend, I decided I wanted to get involved with the behind-the-scenes work and learn who the people were that made all the details flow smoothly. It’s been a great opportunity to meet people, stay informed about the world of medical missions, and learn what has to happen in order for trips to be successful. Most of my work has been with logistics – working on spreadsheets for flights, researching country facts/culture/history to send out to team members, copying documents and licenses of the med professionals to send to the host countries, and helping with filing. I’m hoping to branch out eventually to working other departments as well, but so far I feel like I’ve learned so much just in the one.

Recently, my sister and I attended the women’s conference at James River Assembly – Designed for Life (DFL). The amazing speakers shared from their experiences and expertise, and we were moved to embrace not only ourselves, but also other people. The line-up included: John and Debbie Lindell, John and Helen Burns, Nancy Alcorn (of Mercy Ministries), and Charlotte Gambill. Throughout the three days of the conference, we learned, were challenged, relaxed, and had fun being girls :) This event was definitely a highlight of the summer/fall…first, anticipating the event; then enjoying the event; now, reflecting on the event. It’s always wonderful to be encouraged in the faith, and that’s what DFL is all about. To see highlights from this year, click here.

Me and my sister at DFL on the first evening.

The last thing I’ll related is this past weekend. I attended my first Evangel University Homecoming as an alumna. Although I’ve graduated, I still have so many friends who are currently students that it almost doesn’t feel like I’ve completely left. Since I live in the same town, I really wanted to attend the festivities. The only dilemma? Work. So, with some shuffling around of the schedule and some awesome co-workers who traded me shifts, I was able to make it to everything I wanted to attend. Those events included: EU’s Got Talent, the Sci/Tech Reception, Concert Choir, and the Homecoming game (we won!). I will always be grateful for the education, direction, and friendships I received while attending this university. It really was like going home…so many memories. Can’t help thinking where I’ll be by my fifth-year reunion. Who knows?

So, that’s the update. If you’ve stuck through to the end, congratulations. I will attempt to do better with keeping up with postings in the future. For now, enjoy what you got.

I recently found this reminder the other day. I thought it was fitting to share it with you all. It's so easy to get caught up in our own little world, but our lives are short-lived in the grand scheme of time. Just something to think about...

Nine Things God Won’t Ask You On That Day

1. God won’t ask you what kind of car you drove. He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

2. God won’t ask the square footage of your house. He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3. God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet. He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4. God won’t ask what your highest salary was. He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5. God won’t ask what your job title was. He’ll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6. God won’t ask how many friends you had. He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7. God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived. He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8. God won’t ask about the color of your skin. He’ll ask about the content of your character.

9. God won’t ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He’ll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven and not to the gates of Hell.

Oh, Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear

When asked in the past which sense I would like to keep if I could only have one, I always responded with sight. I couldn’t even imagine a world where there was no possibility of viewing people’s facial expressions, the beauty of nature, or reading text on a page. In my opinion, it was far less of a loss to not be able to hear, smell, taste, or touch something. But lately I’ve been re-evaluating my decision.

Certainly, the best scenario would be to keep all five senses. However, if left with only one sense, I no longer know which one I’d choose. You see, within the last week, I’ve developed an ear infection and lost hearing in one ear and been left with only muffled sounds in the other. It’s an extremely frustrating and limiting situation, and it’s made me realize more consciously the importance of hearing. As a musical person, I always knew it would be difficult to not be able to hear well. And working with people makes hearing an absolutely vital sense to have in the emergency room.

Hearing is helpful in everyday situations as well though. For example, I was driving the other day and an ambulance crossed the intersection four cars in front of me; I couldn’t hear the sirens and it kind of freaked me out. I won’t say there aren’t any advantages to hearing loss though…lately, it’s far easier to ignore the crying kid in the back row of the movie theater or the road noise while trying to fall asleep. There are definite disadvantages though. Like not being able to hear your alarm or needing to turn my head so my right ear can hear the conversation.

I’m not too panicked about the situation yet because I still have some antibiotics to finish off, but hopefully this won’t be a prolonged effect. In the meantime, I just keep waiting and praying and hoping I’ll be able to hear clearly soon. It couldn’t come soon enough.

Baking Adventures :)

If I had to list some of the best perks of having our own apartment, they would include the following:

1. Dishwasher. No longer do we have to do all our dishes by hand as was the case in the dorms and my last apartment. Not that doing dishes by hand isn’t exactly fun…Megan and I have bonded over a dishful of soap and not-so-pristine plates and silverware, but it is wonderful to have the option of just loading up the appliance, throwing a tablet of cleaning powder in the compartment, and turning the knob to begin the transformation process :)

2. Washer and Dryer. In the same category of cleanliness, there is the washer and dryer. Although we are currently renting the appliances (therefore still having to pay for laundry), it is wonderfully convenient to have these two machines in our apartment. We can do laundry whenever we want to, as many times a week as we need to, and don’t have to lug our clothes up and down three flights of stairs anymore. I seem especially blessed to have usually lived on the third floor, and I don’t miss those treks to the laundry room at all.

3. Stove. And last but not least is the perk of having a stove/oven. I’ve not always enjoyed cooking, but for as long as I can remember I’ve loved baking. This summer, Megan and I have experimented with several different recipes. Our co-workers love us because we are constantly bringing in our latest attempt to satisfy our sugar-cravings. Since moving in, we have always had some delicious dessert lying around waiting to be eaten. And of course, we aren’t eating them all by ourselves! We’ve made coffee cake, Tiramisu layer cake, carrot cake, chocolate molten cake, peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake, Amish Friendship Bread, orange/maple scones, blueberry/white chocolate scones, cappuccino muffins, and cinnamon rolls just to name a few. I thought I’d share some of our successes with you. These were definitely some recipes we will make again for years to come :)

Cappuccino Muffins

(recipe: Corrine Lowenberg)

2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ t. baking powder
1 T. instant coffee
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon

1 cup milk
½ cup melted butter, cooled
1 egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the melted and cooled butter, egg, milk and vanilla.
Blend lightly together. Add the chocolate chips. Put in greased muffin tins. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes 15-18 muffins.

Chocolate Molten Pudding Cake

(kraftrecipes.com)

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix
1 pkg. (12 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks, divided
3 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Chocolate Instant Pudding
1/3 cup Italian Cappuccino mix
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Stir in half of the chocolate chunks. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish or shallow casserole dish; set aside.

POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes, flavored instant coffee and cinnamon. Beat with wire whisk 1 min. or until well blended. Pour over cake batter in center of pan; sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chunks.

BAKE 1 hour or until cake appears baked in the center. Cool slightly.

1 Peter 1:16

My heart is heavy with the hurt of those around me. Recently, I’ve been around those who are going through extremely difficult circumstances…and some don’t even know they are. It amazes me the terrible advice people give out to others and by which they live themselves. Although I can’t go into details for the protection and privacy of said people, I’ve witnessed the following: one who nearly died from drinking so much alcohol; another who advised her daughter just to live with her fiancé just to avoid making a possible mistake by marrying him; one who tolerates a live-in boyfriend who verbally destroys her self-esteem; another who is in the process of a divorce due to physical abuse; and yet another whose son wrecked his car the day he got his license and ended up as a trauma in the ER.

And these situations are only reflective of my co-workers. When it comes to patients, there are drug addicts, neglected children, women in domestic abuse rescue centers, the homeless, the hopeless, those diagnosed with cancer, couples facing miscarriages, and teenage girls with STDs. Many of these people are not responsible for the circumstances in which they find themselves; some are responsible and are either blind to the fact or in denial.

As a Christian striving to live a pure life, I feel as if I stick out like a sore thumb. My roommate and I have discussed this several times recently because she is in the same boat at her place of employment. As women who strive to live as Jesus did, we don’t have a lot in common with the world. Our experiences don’t include sex, drugs, drunkenness, rebellion, and crime. And therefore, we have little to offer in way of conversation…not that we’d care to share.

To me it’s not a badge of honor to not be able to remember a holiday because I was passed out drunk and doing things I normally wouldn’t do. It’s not a mark of pride to gamble away my money in Vegas or adopt a child with a lesbian partner or do shrooms and trip out. These are not the lofty act to which we are called. And I am not going to feel guilty that I have not gone down the rough, hard road of willful, sinful, disobedient living. We are called to be holy, even as God is holy. Some of these people claim to be heaven-bound, but there is doubt that they are striving to be all the God wants them to be.

My heart aches for them to know the fullness of Christ Jesus in their lives - to be filled to overflowing with divine purpose and joy in life. It is such a glorious thing to be reminded that amidst all the despair and darkness of the world, there is a light and a hope! God hears us when we pray; he will use us to bring glory to his name. And he’ll start right where we are.

Fish Sandwiches: Just What the Doc Ordered

Sometimes I wonder if God looks down and smiles at us in our childlike desire to figure it out on our own. Like a toddler trying to open a door by banging on it with all his might, but not tall enough to reach the door knob, we may know how to get what we want, just not be able to do so in our own strength. I’ve been reflecting on the reality that our God is one of miracles. He is our provider. His heart yearns for us to love him and those around us, and he also desires for us to seek him for the very source of that love.

Recently, I have been in much thought, prayer, and conversation about the path of my life. God has placed desires in my heart that don’t make sense together; they seem in conflict with each other both with regards to time and money. Those desires: medicine and missions. Now, it doesn’t seem like these would be in opposition. There are so many options for medical missions work. But, I’m considering the less logical direction of missions before medicine. And that brings up finances….

It costs money to travel, eat, and minister. It also costs money to pay back loans, pay rent, and buy gas. The number I’m roughly calculating I will need for everything to happen as envisioned is $35,000 in one year. Seem impossible at this point? Yes.

However, as I’ve been reading through Mark’s gospel, I’ve been reminded that Jesus is the master of the impossible. Take, for example, the story of him feeding the 5,000 men (plus women and children) with one boy’s small lunch. The disciples with their natural eyes couldn’t see how that amount of food could feed that amount of people; but it did. And, in addition, there were plenty of leftovers.

Their situation is not much different from mine. I don’t have enough resources on my own – just a fraction of what is necessary. But if it’s God’s plan, then it doesn’t matter. He can and will provide. Even if I can’t see how he’ll work out the details, I know if he has his hand on the door knob, the door will open.

Truths from the Emergency Room: Part 2

Sometimes I feel like all I relate lately revolves around work, but honestly that’s where I’ve spent most of my time recently. Therefore, I think it’s appropriate to share a little about what I’ve been learning there. Keep reading to find out…

1. Complaining is not productive. You can complain and gripe and rant about the injustices of the system and you can still not achieve anything productive. This view comes from an employee/fellow co-worker stance. I work with some people who always talk as if they are the victim when it comes to what patients they see, when they see them, the time constraints, etc. However, I’ve observed much more gets accomplished when less talking and more acting occurs. At times, it’s difficult to remain positive and optimistic when surrounded by Johnny Raincloud and Debbie Downer, but I continue to try to keep a bright outlook on the situation.

2. People lie. No duh! That's a no brainer, right? Well, this one has been more difficult for me to embrace and I believe I know the reason. My entire life I’ve been surrounded by my Christian family, friends, school, etc. where principles and values such as honesty and integrity are upheld and assumed. My reality thus far has proven that people have good and decent intentions and are telling the truth. But the more I’m at the ER, the more I’ve had to come to grips with the fact that people are sinners, manipulative, addicted, and violent. They come seeking relief from pain and consequences and will do whatever they deem necessary to obtain it. It’s difficult for me to change my mindset to constantly consider that someone is trying to deceive me. I’m still not incredibly successful in this area, but I’m sure I will continue to improve as I work.

3. Having initials behind your name (M.D., D.O., P.A., N.P., etc.) does not exempt you from common courtesy. Now that I’ve been at the ER for several months, I’m beginning to be able to evaluate which practioners I admire and respect and which ones I don’t want to model my career after. There is one particular doctor who is always kind to those “beneath” him. He lets you pass before him instead of running you over; he says thank you when you do something for him EVERY time instead of not even acknowledging your presence; he laughs with his patients; he comforts those who are grieving; he gracefully handles fellow co-workers’ and his own frustrations; and he doesn’t (at least publicly) indulge in the gossip circle so prevalent in any work setting.

4. Never assume anything. I’ve learned the hard way that this lesson should be taken to heart. Just when I think it’s safe to assume something, I end up wishing I hadn’t. For example, assuming that surgery knows you’re coming since the nurse just called up with a report and therefore not calling…but being directed to the wrong surgery waiting area and causing a whole lot of unnecessary chaos, panic, and stress. Or that the computer tells the truth – a room is marked clean so we move a patient there…only to find out it’s not just dirty but trashed. Or thinking someone was just correcting the pronunciation of their name when you call them back…only to learn that the wrong patient answered and was mistakenly roomed. All of the tedious, detailed protocol that we have to follow saves us from making these careless mistakes. There are no corners to cut when it comes to emergency medicine. And this unit only functions well when everyone works together this way.

So, there you have it: my latest revelations about life. There are so many things that I’m learning. Although, at times, it seems like I’m so far away from what I actually enjoy (the medicine part), I am learning highly valuable interpersonal skills such as teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, effective resource utilization, and good patient interaction. And, on that note, I’m going to wrap this post up. I have one more day at work before having a much needed break, so I must catch some sleep.

Operation "Life Organization"

My day got off on the wrong track from the moment I awoke....to the sound of a text message from my sister asking me if I was at church yet. I was still in bed.

Recently, I've been re-evaluating the direction of my life. You know, facing those hard questions we all know are there but don't really want to look in the face. Like 1) What is my purpose? 2) Am I making a difference in the world? 3) Do I like who I am becoming? 4) What are my priorities and what should they be?

After much soul-searching, thoughtful prayer, and conversations with some trusted friends and family members, I'm beginning to see the next steps I need to be taking.

Thus, Operation "Life Organization" has begun. I've always been one for organizing anything and everything. I wouldn't label myself as OCD, but ever since I was 3 years old, my parents have caught me secretly cleaning my room, organizing our desk drawers, and helping clean out all my family members' closets if requested :)

The first step tonight was to organize my room. This includes the storage containers, the books shelves, and the folders of mementos from every major vacation/trip in the last 4 years. There's something freeing about purging the trash, keeping the good, and knowing where things are.

The next step is to organize my finances. Continue keeping track of my expenses and income, setting money aside to pay off my student loans as quickly as possible, and reserving funds for missions giving. It's important to keep track of my money - we're called to be good stewards of our money, therefore I need to be vigilant in this area.

Continuing down the list to academic organization, I have decided to take the GRE and the MCAT. Tonight I'll make a study plan to prepare for these 2 life-directing tests. My goal is to have all my PA application stuff organized by the middle of May and take the GRE then. The MCAT will require more time and I'm aiming toward the end of July/beginning of August.

Spiritually, I haven't been the most diligent. And I can tell it's affecting every part of me. So, I'm going to plan to read through the New Testament a book at a time. There have also been a couple of biographies I've been wanting to read of great Christian leaders that I will make an effort to finish. I consider reading these biographies a form of mentorship from those who have persevered and made a difference for Jesus during their lives. Finally, I am making a prayer list for needs of those around me as well as hurting people in the world. By focusing on others rather than myself, I will be able to become more like Jesus.

With regards to music, I am striving to be faithful to practicing for the students I accompany. They deserve only my best and it's important for me to keep that standard in mind. It's so easy for me to become overwhelmed with the demands of life and work, but I'm going to make an effort not to become so.

And lastly, I'm organizing memories from my college years for graduation. I think it's helpful to see where you've come from so you can know where you're going. It's incredible the opportunities I've had while at Evangel to grow, learn, and experience things I never knew or had done before. The impact of my time there has made a huge impression on me lately.

My priorities are shifting.

I'm learning that it's more important to
-glorify God
-be financially responsible
-pursue education
-be physically fit

than to
-live for myself
-splurge on materialistic items
-be entertained by media
-not give thought to things that affect my body

As I was cleaning out my papers tonight, I ran across a fortune from a fortune cookie I had saved; I guess I thought it was intriguing. Want to know what it said? "A bold and dashing adventure is in your future." I'm excited to see where these changes will take me in the next couple weeks.

I am 22, Going on 23...

April. 10. 2011.

It’s been a year since April 10, 2010. And that’s when I decided I would try to do 22 new things throughout my 22nd year of life. This past year has been full of huge changes, but I’ve also gotten to experience many new “little” things. Some of the things I originally put on the list I wasn’t able to complete so they will roll over to my life-list, but let me relate the 22 things I did do.

1. Eat sushi.

To celebrate my 22nd birthday, some friends and I went to one of the best places in Springfield for sushi – Kai. Its downtown location makes the restaurant unique, and the funky, techno atmosphere makes it fun. I loved what I ate and was happy to have taken the plunge into trying raw seafood.

2. Get cartilage pierced.

My sister and I decided we would get our cartilages pierced. Originally, I had wanted to get it done for my 21st birthday, but the timing didn’t work out…so a year later we finally did it. We went to Kaleidoscope which offered the best type of piercing – threading – and an experienced staff of professional piercers/tattoo artists.

3. Have a manicure and pedicure done.

This one was accomplished in two settings. I had my manicure done the day of my birthday here in Springfield, and I had the pedicure done in Nairobi, Kenya at the Country Club. Both were delightfully girly and relaxing. I remember sharing with a fellow customer when I had my manicure done that I was working on experiencing 22 new things for my 22nd birthday, and she told me she thought it was a lovely idea. She just didn’t know if she should start at 40-something years old :)

4. Go tanning.

Another thing accomplished the day of my birthday. Several friends and I signed up for a free week of tanning at Hawaiian Sun. We were impressed with their customer service and knowledge about the process so had a great experience using their facilities. All in all, it was wonderful…just one sunburn and a small amount of time shaved off my life for excess UV exposure. Haha.

5. Travel the west coast.

Multnomah Falls, OR:

Los Angeles, Walk of Fame:

Concert choir toured the western part of the United States for 3 weeks last summer and we were able to experience many amazing places, meet new people, and grow in our abilities. Some of the most memorable places we visited included the Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX; the strip in Las Vegas, NV; the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, CA; Chinatown in San Francisco, CA; the Oregon coast and Multnomah Falls; Boise, ID; and Salt Lake City, UT.

6. Rent an apartment.

This past summer I roomed with one of my best friends in a one-bedroom apartment. We had many adventures living there during that time, but were glad to move out and back into the dorms once school started. After graduating from college, I moved in with 3 other girls into an apartment. This particular apartment has truly felt like a home and is certainly an upgrade from the one before it.

7. Engage in a prank war.

Towards the end of spring semester, several of us girls and a few guys became wrapped up in mischievous behavior ;) This included many stunts with live animals, some glow-in-the-dark paint, and “eligibility” flyers up around campus. So. Much. Fun.

8. Become certified in CPR.

This one was accomplished free of charge as part of my technician requirements for working at the hospital. I’ve wanted to become certified for several years now, and loved being required to become so to work where I do.

9. Visit Kenya.

After a year of planning, I was able to spend Christmas break with one of my best friends in Nairobi where she grew up and her family still lives. This trip in itself afforded many new opportunities and has been one of the best trips of my life. I learned so much about another culture, was able to help with medical clinics, and had a firsthand view of missionary life.

10. Ride a motorcycle.

Thanks to another friend of mine who owns a motorcycle and loves to drive people around on it, I was able to check this one off the list. It took a little bit to get used to how to lean with the turns and jive with the driver, but it was so much fun. Highway riding was a little rough, and I learned quickly that I needed to wear a t-shirt so as not to have my more girly shirts balloon out with the wind, but I really enjoyed it overall.

11. Read 52 books in one year.

This one I didn’t completely attain. I only read 31 books. Several were worth it, others not so much. The main goal I had was to broaden my horizons by choosing different genres as well as educating myself in other people’s experiences by reading biographies.

12. Eat Ethiopian food. Ruthie and I planned a trip to the nearest restaurant, which was 3 hours away, and made a day of it in Kansas City. The food was absolutely delicious although it doesn’t necessarily look so. Then when we were in Kenya, we ate Ethiopian again at her favorite place – super awesome.

13. Swim in the ocean.

Pacific:Atlantic:

First the Pacific in May, which was freezing. Then the Atlantic in August, which was nearly as freezing. Both were delightful though. One of the most memorable parts of these two swims was the surprise of the saltiness of the water. My eyes stung, my lungs hurt, and my mouth was parched by the end, but it was totally worth it.

14. Shadow in the ER.

This one quickly changed from “shadow” to “work.” Little did I know last year that I would be working in the ER now, but I am. And I love it. It’s always interesting, I’m never bored, and I’m surrounded by medical professionals in their element. With this position comes many new experiences: seeing angiograms, observing the organized chaos of code blues, seeing someone defibrillated, watching suturing and stapling, observing CTs, ultrasounds, and x-rays, and preparing a body for the morgue.

15. Go to Jr/Sr Banquet.

Asked a friend to go, wore the dress, had my hair fixed, and immensely enjoyed the evening. My date was only too thoughtful to buy me a corsage, be attentive to me all night, and really be a gentleman. It was my last chance to go, and I’m glad I did.

16. Ask someone to Spring Fling.

Had a wonderful time coming up with an invite, deciphering the response, brainstorming for costumes, and attending the show. The theme was Circus, and we doubled with some friends to go as Lions, Tigers, and Bears. Oh my!

On a side note, I was also asked to Harvest Fest for the first time. The theme was Out of this World and we went as constellations: Virgo and Orion.

17. Feed a giraffe from my mouth.

While in Nairobi, we visited a giraffe park. Ever since I knew you could feed a giraffe with your mouth, I had wanted to do it. So, I did. It was slightly disturbing thinking about that huge, slobbery tongue swiping nearly my entire face, but I summoned up the guts, stuck the pellet in my mouth, and braced myself for the kiss. It basically felt like a cat’s tongue – rough – only much larger. And of course I had to do it several times for a good picture ;)

18. Tour a tea plantation.

While in Kenya, Ruthie’s family, some friends, and I made a girls' day out of visiting the tea plantation. We were able to taste the tea, tour the fields, and had a lovely luncheon on the lawn to wrap up the afternoon.

19. Ride a trolley in San Francisco.

We walked all over San Francisco to save money, up and down the hills…but mostly up. On the way back to the bay, though, we were just too tired to walk any further. So, we hopped on a trolley, and in a few minutes, we were back again. I’ve always thought it would be cool to ride one…and now I have.

20. Watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Our layover from Kenya to the States allowed us to explore London for a few hours. So, before we left Kenya, we mapped out all the places we wanted to see and visit. One of the main attractions was watching the guard change at the Palace. We arrived to join a huge group at the gates, struggled for a spot to see, and waited. Then they came…marching down the street like a fanfarish parade. The ceremony took about an hour. It was such an interesting experience to know I was watching something that thousands of people come to see and has such historical meaning.

21. Get involved with the ELI program at MSU.

The English Language Institute pairs up foreign-speaking students studying English at MSU with native-born speakers. For several years, I’ve been wanting to get involved, but now I actually have time. My girl is Vietnamese, and it’s been such a rewarding experience to learn about her culture, invest in her English-speaking growth, and share my American culture with her. Another new thing that’s come from this friendship is trying Vietnamese food for the first time – Pho.

22. Graduate from college.

It’s still a little hard to believe, but I’ve come to the end of my journey as a student at Evangel. I even have the diploma to prove it. After 4.5 years of dedicated study, learning both from books and life, and making memories, I am done. This May I will walk in the ceremony and receive honors for my work. It’s just another big change in my changing life. In another year, who knows what I’ll have been able to experience - meeting people, visiting places, learning new things. There are still so many things I want to do in life. I think I’ll be surprised where God takes me in the coming years, but I’m ready for Him to bring it on!

Truths from the Emergency Room

It’s been nearly three weeks since I’ve finished my training and been on my own in the ER. These last three weeks have taught me many things – things my trainers could not teach me but only experience could. When people find out I work in the ER, the first question they ask is if I like it. And I do. Although it’s physically challenging, I love the variety and fast pace the department embodies. Each day I have no idea what I’ll encounter, which makes it interesting.

A few truths I’ve come to see since my time in the ER are as follow:

1. Don’t take it personally. I received this advice the first night I had orientation in the ER. My education supervisor let us know that this department was stressful and sometimes didn’t allow for niceties when it came to communication. I’ve found that most of my co-workers are quite pleasant, but if I had not been warned beforehand, it would not have been good. You see, I’m a people-pleaser by nature. I’m also a type-A perfectionist. I don’t like to disappoint. When I make mistakes and get called out on them, I just have to remember not to take it personally. Learn from it and move on. Also, when nurses have had awful encounters with patients, doctors are frazzled and overwhelmed, and patients and their families are the furthest things from saints, I have to let it roll off my back.

2. Every person is human. It doesn’t matter what your age, gender, career, family situation, location of residence, or education level, every person is mortal. We don’t live forever in our earthly bodies, and we all can be placed in a situation of dependence. When I was little, I remember the president of the United States placing temporary power into the VP’s hands while he underwent a colonoscopy…and I remember thinking it strange that such a private medical concern should be public knowledge. It just goes to prove, though, that it doesn’t matter who you are, medical concerns affect us all. Keeping this in mind helps me be able to relate to everyone on an equal plane; each person is worthy of the best care possible and I am able to respect each patient as a person by not having my perspective clouded with pre-conceived notions. Usually I show up to a room not even aware of the reason the patient is in the ER. I’m just there to serve in whatever way I can.

3. Small things matter. In a world where a one-digit difference on a code pulls up Suzy instead of Johnny, little aspects make it or break it. I’ve found that it’s important to check the O2 tanks under the beds so as not to run out on a transport, include a middle initial on an EKG, clean under the bed so as not to leave trash or objects that could hurt someone if the bed is placed in a psychiatric room, change the battery in my phone at the beginning of the shift, and let people know when I’m going to lunch. I’ve found that by doing my tasks well and to the best of my ability, my co-workers are beginning to trust me. I know that no one else will have to pick up the slack because of my inattention.

4. I love the field of medicine. In the midst of all the messiness and complexities of our patients’ lives, there lies one common thing: they have a problem. Sometimes the problem is the body, sometimes the mind, and sometimes the spirit – or a combination of these. Although St. John's is better than other hospitals about acknowledging the spirit due to its Catholic heritage, the other two receive more attention. I love that there are the few brave, dedicated men and women who have pursued the study necessary to understand the body. They can look at a situation with an underlying medical problem, recognize that problem, and know how to treat it. Some of the interesting procedures I’ve been able to watch include lumbar punctures, stapling head wounds, cath lab procedures, splinting, CPR (code blues), CTs, X-rays, and ultrasounds. I’m continually learning new things about the body, it thrills my soul, and I know I’m in the right place at this point in my life.

So, that’s what I’ve been up to these last few weeks. I’m hoping as time goes by to earn the doctors’ friendship and be able to take on more of a student-mentor relationship with them. For now, I will continue to be faithful in the small things at work, respect my patients and co-workers, and strive to be a light for my Savior. There are so many opportunities to do so.

With that being said, I’ll leave you with the verse I’ve taken to heart recently. Psalms 118:14 – The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation (NIV). Truly, he is what keeps me going in this physically challenging job. He is the joy of my heart and the One my soul worships with both audible and inaudible singing. And he is redeeming me day by day; a sinner in need of mercy and grace being transformed into the image of Jesus and his righteousness.

The Difference a Few Months Can Make

Recently I’ve been reflecting on the difference a few months can make. I was just relating to a friend today how things I was unsure of or concerned about have resolved themselves. Last November, at a point in my life when I was completely overwhelmed, I went to talk to my choir director. She listened to me as I poured out my concerns, encouraged me in my decision to fast and pray for God’s direction, and kept me in her prayers as well. As of two weeks ago, all of the issues had an answer. But I didn’t know what those answers would be in middle of November 2010…

My reason in sharing this difficult time in my life is to encourage you in your difficult times. That time may be now or in the future, but either way I can attest to God’s faithfulness. It’s hard and goes against our human nature to trust him. It feels so much better to be able to take the situation into our own hands and DO something about it. But that’s the worst thing we could do.

Let me fill you in on what I was facing just a few months ago.

1. School – I was coming up on finals, and I only had one more round of tests in which to maintain my perfect GPA. This caused a lot of self-induced stress. Then I also had to study for the algebra CLEP test that I had waited 4.5 years to take. (Side note: I literally took the test on my last day of college; the day I passed the CLEP is the date on my diploma for graduation.)

2. Employment – I knew I needed a job for when I came back after break, but I honestly didn’t have time to submit applications. I felt like I had no connections to people here in the medical field, so I didn’t even really know where to start.

3. Finances/Loans – Not only did I want to get a job in the medical field for experience, I needed a job to help pay for an apartment and bills. Plus, loan repayments would begin 6 months after graduation.

4. Apartment – There were a few other girls and I who were thinking of getting an apartment together, but only one of us had any assurance of income (and her’s was through student loans because of student teaching). I knew I wanted to stay in Springfield, but all of us were unsure of our situations, so it was stressful.

5. Relationship – I was at a point where I was unsure of the direction of a special and significant relationship in my life. I desperately needed God’s wisdom and guidance in this area.
On top of all the major changes that come with ending one stage of life and beginning another, I also had to think about moving my dorm possessions out of my room before break (but not having anywhere to store them) and traveling to Kenya and being out of the country for nearly 4 weeks.

And, now, let me relate how these needs were met. The two other girls (besides the student teacher) finally heard back from their interviews and were hired! We decided to sign a 6-month apartment lease. I submitted many applications to the two hospitals here and received a call from one for an interview, which I attended the week before school ended with no guarantee of knowing if I’d receive the position until several weeks later. I passed my finals with A’s, took and passed my CLEP, got all of my dorm room stuff moved (thanks to a friend) into my suitemate’s room to store during Christmas, made it to Kenya safe and sound, and had a wonderful time while there during break.

While in Kenya, I would occasionally have periods of time when I would begin to panic about my situation back in the States when I would return. My bank account was looking pretty slim, I had signed the apartment lease, and I didn’t have a job. But honestly, the only thing I could DO about it was trust God. I literally couldn’t call the hospital to follow up since I was in a different country. I also only had a first name of the person who had interviewed me so I didn’t even know who to call. It was a great time of relying on my faith in my Creator. He had a good plan for me whether I could see how things would work out or not.

The night we got back to the States I couldn’t sleep because of jet lag. Although I had checked my texts once back, I didn’t see that I had any voicemails to check. While lying there in bed not able to sleep, thinking about the huge job ahead of me of moving my stuff to the new apartment and needing to follow up with the hospital, I had the feeling to check my messages. What do you know, I had a voicemail on my phone offering me the job for which I had interviewed. Such relief!

And the final thing – the relationship – yeah, that one was finally resolved 2 weeks ago. It’s been difficult to lose the attention and affection of one of my closest friends, but I know time will make it easier. And it’s caused me to be reminded that human love cannot fully satisfy our longings – only God can. Yesterday I was at a women’s rally, and the speaker made an illuminating remark – God is love and we were made in the image of God. Therefore, we can were created with the desire and ability to embrace his love. And perfect love is many things: patient, kind, not envious or easily wronged, always hopeful and perseverant. God’s love never fails.

So, that’s my story. It’s amazing how much can change in 3 months. All of my concerns have been met; some in ways I would have never seen or expected. Although I’m not sure exactly why I felt impressed to write this post, I did feel strongly that I should. Maybe it’s for you to be encouraged. Or perhaps it’s for myself – to be able to see God’s past work in my life so that I can be encouraged to trust him with my future now. Either way, my hope is that you will be able to see that not every difficult thing lasts for a lifetime. God is faithful. You can rely on him for your answers.

Lessons of Life

Maturity is hard. Transformation is painful. But in the end, something beautiful is achieved.

These last few days I have felt like a caterpillar trying to break out of a cocoon or a toddler constantly trying to learn how to walk and ending up face-first on the ground. It’s difficult adjusting to change, and sometimes in the process one ends up with bruises and injuries.

Even though I may be lonely at times, I know One who will never leave me alone. When I fail to guard my heart, His heart overflows with love for me. During times when depression tempts me, His joy is ever-present. And in the midst of change, I can rely on the only One who never changes.

These truths I must rely upon; otherwise, life could overwhelm me.

One-Month Reflections: 2011

As we near the end of the month, I realize that I've been terribly neglectful of posting on this blog. Perhaps it's due to the fact that I've returned from the trip to everyday, normal kind of activities. Or maybe it's due to the fact that so many changes have occured that I don't know how to adequately express my thoughts. Or the fact that other things seemed more important at the time. Or, lastly, that I didn't know how to relate everything I've been feeling without being vulnerable. Regardless, I've decided to share some of my life these past few weeks with you again :)

Since January 10th, many changes have occured. Most notably, I've moved into a new apartment here in S-town with three other amazing girls from Evangel. Three of us are grads; the other is student teaching this semester. It's been a blessing to live with these women, share life with them, and become acquainted with new friends. This apartment definitely was an upgrade from this summer's: majorly. Haha! The four of us share 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms along with a living room and kitchen. Perks include a washer and dryer, dishwasher, pantry, and porch with a storage closet. I am more than content with our living arrangement. Another perk is being so close to where I work, which leads me to the next big change that has occured.

The night we flew back in from Kenya I decided to check my voicemail while trying to fall asleep (stupid jet lag!). In an answer to prayer, I had received a call offering me the one and only position I had applied to before leaving for Christmas break: ER technician at a local hospital. Between that time and now, I have passed background checks, signed my life away in new-hire paperwork, and attended 4 days of orientation. Today was my first round of clinicals in the med/surg unit. I still have 1 more week of orientation and 2 more weeks of training before I'll be placed in the ER. I am incredibly grateful to be gaining this medical experience. And God knew what he was doing when he placed me in the ER; I can't handle boring, monotonous jobs, and the ER is anything but boring :)

In my spare time I've spent hours visiting with amazing friends, went home to see my incredible Mom and Dad (oh and the dog, haha!), read several books, finished another season of Psych, worked out numerous times, made a couple treks to Orange Leaf, spent some time babysitting my 4 favorite little men here in town, tasted Russian tea, had a roomie girls' night complete with a chick flick and cupcakes, volunteered at Convoy of Hope, and signed up to be an English Conversation Partner with a foreign exchange student from Vietnam.

Although at times it's incredibly difficult being away from Evangel, I am trying to distance myself some. It's hard to limit my time when most of my friends are still there, but I know it's healthy to give them space and for me to be able to adjust to my new stage of life. No matter how badly I wish I were still there with my circle of friends and professors, I can't dwell in the past without crippling my present. So, I continually rely on God to meet my need for friendship, take extra measures to initiate meeting with friends so as not to become too lonely, and learn to be content being alone. I've never really struggled with needing to be the center of attention, surrounded by a large group of fans (so to speak), but I know myself...and I know that especially during the winter, I'm more prone to being slightly depressed. Not to worry; it's not a big deal and I'm aware of it...just being real.

So, as we creep up on February, pause to reflect on the month that's passed since we rang in the New Year 2011. Looking back on my own experiences, I notice several differences. January 1st found me under the warm, night sky of Nairobi, Kenya gazing up at the stars and watching fireworks burst. February 1st will find me in America anticipating below-freezing windchills and a blizzard warranting the governor of my state to put the National Guard on alert. Two completely different situations. In the past month, I've experienced incredible growth in some areas; I've regressed several steps in others. But through it all, I know that God is still the same, his love is unfailing, and his plan is good. And despite the uncertainty of the future, I know I can trust the One who created all time and space. May you rest confident in this assurance as well as we pass another milestone of this year.

Home Again, Home Again

*continuation of our return travels

We made it back to the London airport with plenty of time to grab our carry-ons, go through security, and make our gate. It had been a lovely day, but at that point we were just ready to be home. The next 8 hours of flying brought us to Chicago. It’s always an interesting feeling going through customs; being allowed back into your home country. I was coming back to the familiar, but not everything was the same; I had changed and my perspective was different.

The first things I noticed when arriving in the airport were the Christmas decorations and snowflake lights along the highway outside the airport. It was the most Christmas-y I had felt all break. I was hit by the difference between the O’Hare and the Nairobi airports. One was cold and enclosed; the other was warm and open.

There are always little things that stick out when assimilating back into American culture. With India, I had only been gone a week, but I was coming back from an entirely different Eastern culture. This time I was gone nearly four weeks, but I had been in a most Westernized country. In both cases, I noticed different things. Both times were difficult in different ways.

One thing that always gets me is the hesitancy I have with drinking water out of the fountain. I almost feel guilty. “Is it safe? Am I ok drinking this? I can’t drink this; it’s not filtered.” Haha! “Oh, wait. We’re in America. It’s fine. Get a grip.”

Another thing I noticed this time was the prevalence of disposable wrappers, cups, bag, etc . with the fast-food restaurants. The portion sizes were also much larger and I could tell the difference in the healthiness of the food. I thought it odd when everyone was going on and on about how much healthier the food in Kenya was – how they could tell the difference from school to home, there were less preservatives, etc. I didn’t understand and didn’t notice the difference going from America to Kenya. But from Kenya to America I could taste and feel the difference in my body as I was eating the food. And then everything they said finally made sense.

Our layover in Chicago was only 2 hours, so we were soon on the plane for Springfield. Although we were delayed in leaving due to a problem with the lights in the cabin that had to be fixed, I didn’t notice. I was asleep before we took off and stayed asleep until just before landing. When we arrived in Springfield, a good friend from school and one of my new roommates was there to pick us up. It was great to see her after our 37 hours of travel. It was snowing and icy. What a change from the 70 degree weather and sunshine of Kenya! On our way out of the airport parking lot, we even spun out on the ice. The rest of the trip back to Evangel was uneventful and soon we were greeting the girls in the dorm. I spent the night with Ruthie one last time in Walther.

The trip to Kenya was amazing. Besides amazing, there are many other adjectives I could use to describe it: unforgettable, life-impacting, humbling, stretching, and rewarding. I hope throughout these posts you have been able to develop a respect for the Kenyans, the people who work and serve in this beautiful country, and the M’s who love the people they have chosen to live with. I’m sure what I’ve experienced and have tried to relate barely touches the surface, but I’ve made a good effort and it’s certainly a good beginning.

London Bridge...is falling down?

For many years now, I have wanted to go to Europe, particularly England. And on our 11-hour layover from Kenya to the States, Ruthie and I were able to do explore London. We had sat down with the google search bar earlier in the break to map out a path we wanted to take, so we were prepared. We even had metro schedules printed off. It’s amazing though how things can look so nice on paper and are so different from reality. Like the differences in time that we calculated for making it through the line for UK entry. Or the difficulty in exchanging currency, finding the luggage storage place, and buying a metro pass. And everything cost more than we had calculated from online. But in the end, it was all good.

After we had stashed our carry-ons for the day and bought our underground pass, we were on our way into the city!!! The underground ride was about an hour to our first stop – London Bridge. We exited the underground, emerged above, and followed the signs that indicated the direction of London Bridge. When we made it to the river and walk though, we couldn’t believe we were actually at the right place. That’s London Bridge? It was so unimpressive. Just a normal, plain bridge. But, low and behold, it was the bridge we sought. Haha! It was even engraved for our convenience.

Despite its humble appearance, Ruthie and I decided to make it into an epic moment and cross the bridge with the hundreds of people swarming into the city for work who were doing the same. I honestly can say we were the only people in that mass who were wearing jeans. Everyone else was dressed up to impress. And they were all in black and gray…a little odd. We definitely stood out with our purple-ish and blue coats. We had an awesome view of the more impressive Tower Bridge from the center of London Bridge and did not miss the photo opportunity it afforded.

Then we headed back to the underground to make our way to Parliament. Alas, the underground on the Piccadilly line was delayed for the next 20 minutes. Ruthie and I debated walking to our next destination, but we decided that by the time we got our bearings and started in that direction, the line would be running again. So, we grabbed a free underground paper, skimmed the articles, and waited. Once the lines were cleared up, we were on our way to Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey.

When we debarked from the underground train, we saw an amazing sight. Parliament was beautiful. It’s amazing to think about the influence of the British political system on the rest of the world. I felt like I was coming home. It was so cool to be in the country with which America shares so much history. We took some pictures with Big Ben and the Eye of London (which was unfortunately closed to visitors due to annual maintenance) before crossing the Thames and capturing the entirety of Parliament in our pictures. We arrived on the scene around 9:30, so we heard the clock chime at that time. Then we headed over to Westminster Abbey to view it. Although we did not tour it, we ended up strolling around St. Margaret’s church nearby in an attempt to past time before 10 am when the clock would gong. Our efforts succeeded and we heard the clock strike the hour.

Upon hearing the bells chime, we headed to Trafalgar Square. On the way, we stopped to have some fun with the telephone booths and once at the square we wandered around for a little while. There were several fountains and statues. Then we glanced around some tourist-y stores before making our way to Buckingham Palace to watch the Changing of the Guard. This ceremony ended up being quite fanfarish with a parade of the guards and band marching in. There were a ton of tourists crowding the gates, so it was difficult to see some of the ceremony, but we could hear the music regardless. By the end of the ceremony (45 minutes), some people had tired of waiting around, so we had a better view into the enclosed area.

After the guard had changed, we were numb from the cold and hungry, so we looked around for somewhere to eat. Our goal was to find some cute little café on the way to the underground station we would use to ride back to the airport. It turns out that we did find a café; it was just a hole-in-the-wall, loyal-customer place that served amazing paninis and lattes. By the time we finished eating, we were happy, full, warm, and content from hearing all the British accents surrounding us. When we tipped the waitress, she told us, “Cheers, darlings.” Loved it.

*story continued in next post…

Convoy of Hope

The last afternoon I was in Nairobi I was able to meet with the director for Convoy of Hope East Africa. He and his family lived in the garden next to Ruthie’s, and the Convoy of Hope center was located the next garden over from that one.

When I met with Bryan, he took me over to the center to view the containers and models they had for working with the people. Most of the work they do involves feeding programs and disaster relief. I asked how often they typically have disaster relief activities and, although he didn’t give me a number, he said they were expecting one soon with the Sudan referendum causing an influx of refugees into Northern Kenya.

Although Convoy of Hope US has really given a push toward feeding programs, Bryan would like to see more sustainable agricultural models employed by Convoy of Hope Kenya. Some of the models available for us to see involved water filtration systems, the beginnings of a fish pond, a garden, and turkeys and chickens. They are working on expanding their warehouse and building a new dock ramp for deliveries. The containers held tons of food and clothing. One ironic story Bryan related had to do with some donated clothing. A group had given clothes for Kenya, but some of them were so big three grown Kenyan men could fit into them. Haha. Apparently, someone wasn’t thinking about the starving Africans in their attempt to be ambassadors of goodwill.

While in the States, I had checked into the intern program through Convoy of Hope, which sends teams all over the world. So, I asked Bryan if they ever had teams come through and, if so, what they accomplished. Were they beneficial to the cause? Was it worth the money necessary to be on a team?

He told me they had just had a team visit for two months fairly recently. He told me that short-term missions teams are as effective as they can be in that time frame and they had to rough it in some areas they worked. Although other Kenyans could have easily done some of the work they performed, it was beneficial on a personal level for the members of the team to experience what they did. So, in essence, he respected and appreciated the team that had been there, but the team probably gained more from the experience than Convoy of Hope Kenya.

I was extremely interested in the sustainable farming models they were trying to build. The idea behind these projects was that people interested in started to use them could come and see a model of the result in progress. As a biology major, Bryan encouraged me to pursue looking into this idea to help other people around the world. He mentioned a group in the States called Sustain Hope to contact for more information on how I could get involved.

It was extremely beneficial and interesting for me to view everything Convoy of Hope was doing internationally. I have been interested in the organization for many years now and even volunteer occasionally at their headquarters in Springfield, but I had only known about their involvement on the national level. Now, I am privileged to have seen both sides. I appreciated the time Bryan took to explain the program and it was honor to meet him. He and his family are absolutely amazing…go figure :) All of the M’s in Kenya were amazing.

After meeting with Bryan, I rushed back to Ruthie’s house to finished packing and stocking our luggage before heading out to the airport. Josiah Pennington and his dad ended up going with us to the airport since his flight left just before our’s did. It was awesome having another friend at the airport. We also ended meeting up with Nicole Beggs and Andrew Moore, one of Ruthie’s friends from Rosslyn who was on his way back to Texas for college.

We congregated at Java House (a great coffee house/restaurant), waited in a horrendously long line, and ordered some coffee. On the way to the airport, Uncle Steve told Josiah he would give him some money so Josiah could take us on a date and buy us coffee. Then he proceeded to joke that we were all pathetic – we were a trio going on single dates together. Haha! So, thanks to Uncle Steve, there we were in the airport at the end of a terminal drinking our mochas and lattes…and sweltering. It was kind of a joke because they had air conditioner units there, but none of them were turned on. Supposedly, it was bad news for anyone who tried to change that situation. Supposedly, they knew this from first-hand experience.

Well, long story short, we had a great time chilling with each other, then proceeded to pass through security and wait for our flights. Nine hours later, our plane touched down in London. It was 5:30 am. And then the crazy day began…

Final Weekend and Goodbyes

After we returned from Brackenhurst, we had a few hours to get ready for Julia to leave for Sudan. Thus, there was laundry, and packing, and family pictures, and lunch. Then we headed over to village to meet up with her team, loading up her luggage, said our goodbyes, and the buses pulled out for the airport. It was such a joy to meet and visit with the team from Sudan. The work they are doing in Khartoum is commendable. The teach at a school in a strictly Muslim area of the country, braving the harsh desert environment of 110 degrees, strict dress codes, and language barriers. They were headed back the day before the referendum.

Some of you may not even be aware of the referendum. I must confess I wouldn’t have been if not for being in that part of the world. Essentially it’s a vote for Sudan to split into two countries – south and north. I may have already mentioned this vote, but it’s a difficult situation. The south wants to split because of the horrible oppression and violence they’ve endured from the Muslim north, but the north wants access to the oil-rich areas of the south. They want the land but not the people of the land. If the countries split, the north will become much more strictly Muslim, making the gospel even more challenging to share.

It’s a hard situation, and it was nearly inevitable that there would be violence. So the team was heading back the day before, school was closed the day of the referendum, and then they were just going to wait and see if they needed to evacuate.

After Julia and her team had departed, we decided to eat lunch and shop a little at Village. We had Indian food for lunch, and then went and purchased some awesome leather sandals with great beadwork. Our last stop was Nakamat for tea, coffee, juice, and some other Kenyan items. My new favorite flavor is passion fruit. I’ve never seen it in the States, but it’s everywhere in Kenya. The actually fruit was not my favorite – more like a gel-filled fruit with crunchy seeds – but the juice is amazing. So, I stocked up, hoping the boxes would make the trip back to the States in my luggage. And they did!!!!

So that was our last Saturday in Kenya.

Our last Sunday consisted of attending Ruthie’s home church (Bahati) again. This time, though, it was a normal service. We went to the first service in English. There were some Swahili phrases here and there, but I could sing along in worship this time, which was nice! We took tea and chapattis with the pastors before the service began and, in true Kenyan style, arrived late to the service. (I’ll have a video clip up on f/b of the worship soon. It looks like more people are white there than there usually are because the security team from Brackenhurst was attending. Normally Ruthie’s family is the only white one there. Haha.)

After saying our goodbyes to the people at church, we headed over to have one last round of Ethiopian food. It was a little strange not having Julia with us, but we still had a delightful lunch. It’s amazing how something that looks so disgusting can be so delicious. But it is. One cool thing about going to an Ethiopian restaurant with Ruthie’s family is that they can relate and talk to our servers in Amharic since they lived in Ethiopia. It’s pretty sweet. Habasha seemed to be the place to eat because several other M families ended up being there too. Just goes to show it’s a small world after all.

We headed back to the house after lunch to finish packing. Our flight left at 11:30 pm, but it’s wise to leave the house about 4 hours before the flight, so our plan was to head out around 7 pm. That only left 5 hours to pack, shower, have dinner, and for me to run over and talk with the director of Convoy of Hope for East Africa. It all happened though. Barely :) In the next posts, I’ll finish up telling about the trip including my chat about Convoy of Hope, our layover in London and trip home, and some of the differences I’ve noticed since being back in the States. Thanks for hanging with me this long. It’s been a great journey.

A Quick Tutorial on Swahili

The post will introduce to the basic Swahili I learned while in Kenya. It was extremely important for me to learn a few terms so as not to completely give myself away as a foreigner :) The following were the ones I used the most.

1. Asante sana. Thank you very much. The word “sana” mean “very much” and is used with nearly every word you can imagine. I actually commented one day to Ruthie’s mom that everything was “sana” here…and she just laughed. Which I took as agreement. Haha!

2. The second word is practically married to the first – karibu. This word was actually the first one I learned. While still on the plane (Kenyan Airlines), I saw a magazine on the floor that said karibu. When I mentioned it to Ruthie, she said it meant “welcome.” And in Kenya, you are welcome everywhere. You walk up to someone’s house and it’s all “karibu, karibu.” You greet someone and it’s the same. You thank someone for welcoming you and they tell you you’re welcome. Haha! I love it.

3. One tradition I would love to carry over in the States and would work well in the dorms is using the word “hodi.” Basically how this one works is you approach a house, usually with the door open but the screen closed, and loudly call out “hodi!” It mainly means, “Hey, I’m here. Is it ok if I come in?” The correct and typical response is “karibu.” I definitely picked up on this greeting quickly. I could totally see walking up to a dorm room, cracking the door and yelling hodi, and hearing someone respond with karibu.

4. Habari? Mzuri (sounds almost like Missouri). It’s the equivalent to our, “How are you?” “Fine.” I heard this phrase over and over. It was nearly as common as the English “How are you?” I was constantly being asked by everyone, including kids who wouldn’t know what my response would mean if I even did respond. (P.S. Check my f/b page soon for a video demonstrating the ever present “How are you?” and the intonation the kids used when they asked this question.)

5. Another term I quickly learned was baridi sana. Very cold. Because of the refrigeration capabilities or lack thereof, the sodas are usually served warm. Ice is a luxury. So, the common situation was a glass bottle of soda served warm. At the Windsor, Ruthie ordered both of our drinks baridi sana. I, of course, knew what sana meant – they use it ALL the time. But I didn’t know baridi. She told me that it meant cold, and she also told me you had to specifically request it this way or they would serve it warm. Good to know for my Western tastes!

6. Jambo. Just a cheater’s way of saying, “Hello. I’m trying out my Swahili, but please don’t actually speak to me in Swahili or I won’t know what you’re saying.” The response is the same. “Jambo.” “Jambo.”

7. Bwana. Our equivalent of sir. It’s a term of respect and used often. It can also be used in reference to God such as in Bwana asifiwe, which means “the Lord be praised.”

8. Likewise, the term of respect for women is dada. This word means “sister.” At the clinic we worked, it was common for them to call the next person in line by dada or bwana. I love the sounds of these words.

9. Another relational term is baba, which means “dad” or “father.” I love how it’s so similar to abba but not quite the same. I could see myself using this term with my kids and their daddy one day :)

10. Ndio and hapana. Yes and No. The only way I could remember the difference is that the one that started with “n” in Swahili (ndio) was not the one that started with “n” in English (no). Haha!

So, there you have it. The top Swahili words any tourist should know. It made me feel just a little more like a native once I knew some of the common phrases they used :)