Update

I haven’t been able to blog for the last week because my internet has been down, so I kind of have a lot to say, so just bear with me.
First off, I just want to inform everyone on what has been going on at the orphanage lately. In 2008 GSF took in 4 children, and the year before that it was around that same number. In 2009 the orphanage has taken in 17 kids, including 6 just in the month that I have been here. Three days ago we got our newest addition, Arridad. I think that is what they were calling him anyway, but we are calling him Aaron for short. He came from just outside the perimeter of GSF property and he is the cutest kid ever. I think he’s about 6 months old and is the baby of 6 children. His father is gone and his mother is very sick. The “jaja” (grandmother) was taking care of all six children and simply couldn’t do it all with a sick baby. So it has been a joy having little Aaron around. Wednesday we took 10 of the new kids who hadn’t been tested for HIV to nearest clinic to have them tested. All the test consisted of was a quick finger prick and they told us the results would be out in 15 minutes. At first they said ok, one of your girls is positive and the rest are negative. This didn’t come as a shock because the virus is so prevalent, but it is extremely sad to hear because of the huge affect it has on a life. A few minutes later they came out and said that there had been a mistake, all the kids tested negative. This was truly an answered prayer from the Lord!

I feel like I am getting adjusted to living in Africa pretty well. I really love it here, but it can be a little discouraging at times. When I first arrived I was on that initial energy high and I was set on conquering as many problems, helping as many kids, and making the biggest impact that I could. After that initial surge wore off I began to see how vast the struggles, suffering, and pain are in this country and it is a bit overwhelming. It began to seem impossible to fix some of these issues. One night at a missionary devotion I realized that of course it seems impossible to me, but to God nothing is impossible. I just have to seek him daily and he will get me through it all. Mother Teresa once said something like this: you will never get anything accomplished if you are constantly looking at all the problems that you face. Look at each day, and each person as individual case, and do the best you can to improve that persons life in some way. This approach has been very helpful to me. God has called me here for a specific reason, and not only am I having an effect on these kids, I am growing so much in this experience. Isaiah 41: 9-10 says: “I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, You are my servant. I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Another thing that has been a bit discouraging at times is not being able to look to my friends and family everyday for encouragement and joy. In a devotion I’ve been doing called My Utmost for His Highest God showed me that my joy shouldn’t come from those places. It said: Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place and that is when we falter, fail, or get discouraged… What I need is his surgical procedure. His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification. Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. You’re prayer will then be, “ In all the world there is no one but You, dear God, no one but you.”
I really felt convicted of this because I felt like I needed people to satisfy those human desires, but Oswald Chambers put it pretty clear, God first, second, and third.

…Oh yeah and I went white water rafting on the Nile River today. It was the most adventurous day of my life paired with the amazing scenery of God’s incredible creation at its best. I can’t really put it into words, but I’ll try to get some pictures up to give you a glimpse.