Wedding

Also in the month of April, I was able to attend a wedding of one of our team.  It was the first Kenya wedding I have been to, oh what a blessing.

We continue

February, March,April 2012;

Once I returned from Sudan, meetings were held, purchasing started as there were things that needed to be put into place for me to return to Thiangrial and live with the people I love.  However it was not going to be in the timing I thought it would.  AFter about a week, I started having problems with my right knee, after a while I had our team doctor look at it, but we didn't think it was anything serious.  Well after about two weeks it was getting worse.  Once again I was put into a situation where I was ready to go back to Sudan but my body wasn't. 
    "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
     As I reflect back on this time (it is now June) I realize that had I been in South Sudan when this knee pain started, it very well could of gotten worse and worse until I couldn't walk, and that would of meant and emergency evac.  "He knows the plans He has for me, plans to prosper and not to harm, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.

     During these months,I have had the opportunity to join the logistics staff again, and help them through the many trials they face in getting this team in and out of Sudan.  I thank God for this time of renewed relationships.  Meet once again the logistics team for SIM Sudan 

 I have had the opportunity to be with all my team mates.  April SIM Sudan had their Spiritual life conference, which is a time of refreshment, being together as a team, spiritual renewal and worshiping our Lord and Savior.  What a blessing.  It can get pretty cold in Nairobi and I think when the photo below was taken it was 58.  That is cold for people who normally live in South Sudan.

                                             Susan, Karissa, Debbie, and Christiane  
I thank the Lord for all that He has allowed me to be a part of.  Even though I am not back in South Sudan, I know without a shadow of a doubt I am right in the middle of His will.

The story continues

February 2012:  Once I got settled into Nairobi again, I started making plans to return to Sudan, specifically Thiangrial.  I lived at Thiangrial in 2008-2009.  The base was closed down in 2009, so this trip was a survey trip to assess the condition of the base, and to spend time with the Thiangrial community.  Oh what a blessing to be back in Sudan, and to be back in Thiangrial, to greet people I had not seen in three years.  Thank you Jesus.

Once into Malakal we traveled by road to Mulet, then onto Thiangrial, it was a very long ride, on rough roads, but oh the joy in my heart as we reached the village.

                                          Above were some of the roads we traveled on

       The village, it was good in one way to see that nothing had changed, but sad in another.

   So my tent that was left at the base in 2009 is still standing and still in pretty good shape.  Praise the Lord.
    There was going to have to be quite a bit of work done, before the compound was livable again.  But oh how my heart filled with joy, as I saw Peter the guard again, and so many others in the village.

Back in Kenya and Sudan

It has been a long time since I last updated here, but if you will forgive me and follow along with me, I will hopefully with God's grace bring you up to date.

February 7th, 2012 -- I arrived back in Nairobi Kenya, as I was looking out the window and seeing all the countryside, I thought "well Lord were home".  I have had people ask me where home is? And my answer to that is, wherever God has me lay my head.

It was great to be back to reconnect with team mates whom I hadn't seen nor heard from in over 9 months, to catch up with everyone, to be blessed as I heard from many how God had been working in their lives, and to meet new team members who had just recently joined the team.

The beauty of God's creatures, and the beauty of Nairobi.

Thank you Father for your travel mercies, for the people you put in my path in the airports and on the planes, and for the ability to stretch out on the long flight.

There will be more coming, however it will have to be when the power comes back on.  :-)

Returning to Sudan

Well the days in the states are coming to a close. I moved out of my house last Saturday, and moved in with my sister and brother-in-law for the time I have left here. What a blessing to be able to stay with them and have this time together. Stuff has been stored, Action Packers have been packed, unpacked, packed, unpacked, trying to get them down to 50lbs each. Have you ever thought about how... heavy dried fruit is????? So with one foot in the states the other foot in Africa and the rest of my body, going every which way, the time for farewells has started. I am thanking God for this time, for all that He has shown me, and for family (all family) What love has been shown. I will miss everyone here.

During my quiet time a few months ago when things were really hard God lead me to Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan."

As decisions were made and meetings held God continued to bring me back to this passage, and I realized this isn't just for Sudan, it is for all of us where ever we are.

I choose to run with the horses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I leave for Sudan on Feb 6th. All praise and glory to God!!!!!

God's Beauty

Taken from my front window, what beauty, what love the Father has for us.  We see God in our everyday living, just by stopping, and looking at what the Creator has created.

As we celebrate the wonder of Jesus' birth, and we celebrate our rebirth into eternal life, let us allow thankfulness to flow freely from our hearts in response to the glorious gift He gave us. The greatest gift of all time our Messiah, Immanuel, our Savior.


But please know this gift that was given to us is for everyone who believes. He is extending salvation to everyone who will believe.

John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Do you know Jesus, now is the time of Salvation.

Merry Christmas