We have met incredible people all over the world during this past year. We have gotten to live day in and day out with people who are putting it all on the line to follow God's vision for their lives. We leave most months inspired and thankful that God would allow us to see the ways in which He is moving throughout the world.
This past month Team Ninja from the J Squad worked with one such inspiring person. His name is Vuthy Nurn, and he lives in a small, remote village in Cambodia called Toch Village. He was born in the village but spent his childhood in Phnom Penh, the capital. After a few rebellious years, he accepted Christ through YWAM. Almost immediately God laid a vision on his heart for how Vuthy could transform his village.
Vuthy's vision is almost as big as his heart is. His vision includes building a home for abandoned children from the village, as well as for orphaned street kids from Phnom Penh. He wants to construct a youth center for the local youth from his village and the surrounding area. He wants a place for the youth to gather to learn about God, to have a space for a computer lab, and to run English classes. He currently runs English classes every day for local children and youth.
Throughout the month Team Ninja and the J Squad caught Vuthy's vision. We believe that God is working mightily through his life. In order for Vuthy to be able to see these dreams come to pass in reality, he will need financial support. He needs money to begin the initial process to build both the orphanage and the youth center. Please watch the video that we have put together to give you a more complete picture of Vuthy and his vision. We hope that you will be able to see the amazing things that will come out of your donations to his project.
I hate goodbyes! Cambodia was amazing and it was difficult to say goodbye for the 10th time on the race...ugh! I loved serving at Salem Chapel in Phnom Penh, helping out with their English conversation classes and children's ministry. Here's a few pics of our time!
Ashlee is back! Team Olur is so excited to have our sixth member back for the final months of the race. Thank you for your continued prayers for health and safety.
Our team is assigned to teaching English classes at a church in Phnom Penh, to groups ranging from 5 year-olds to college students. It's been great/ fun/ hilarious and I look forward to posting pictures soon.
In addition to teaching English, this week we will be visiting The Killing Fields memorial and museum and the International Justice Mission office. I'm expecting to be very depressed this week, but hopeful to learn/ see more of the history and the redemption experienced by this country, along with actions for justice to stop human trafficking.
Our last day on the field is June 29 in Thailand. I'm spending a couple of days with a good friend in LA, and then flying to South Carolina on July 1. I can't wait to catch up with you all! I plan to be in the Carolinas all of July and August and look forward to seeing YOU. After 30 years in the same house, my parents have just moved to a new house out at Lake Murray. Kayaking anyone?
The fruit here is amazing. Below is a picture from a local market. My favorite is a funny-looking, hairy fruit called a rambutan. In Malay, it literally means hairy.
Vietnam was definitely one of my favorite months on the race. Our primary ministry contacts during the month were the incredible staff and volunteers at a coffee house called Sozo.
They have a variety of projects in Ho Chi Minh City, including working with street children, an orphanage for children with HIV, English clubs for college students/ professionals, and a jewelry project to benefit the elderly.
For the jewelry project, Sozo staff and volunteers visit the elderly home each week, including the supplies for the elderly to string together beautifully beaded necklaces and bracelets.
This activity stimulates their minds, improves their motor skills and gives them opportunities to socialize.
Their creations are sold at Sozo, and the proceeds in turn benefits the elderly in sustaining and providing for needs they have at the home.
I feel very inspired by the work of this ministry and blessed to have met so many wonderful people in Vietnam!
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, for which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Ephesians 2:10
From the Sozo Website:
Sozo is a cafe which was established for the purpose of helping disadvantaged Vietnamese families break the cycle of debt, be trained for employment and have the opportunity for a new start in life. Sozo also aims to facilitate more jobs for people who are willing to work.
Sozo currently has 25 to 30 staff in the shop training program giving them basic skills of life, so that they will have a hope and a future. We are sending the children to school and sending some of the older ones to further education. They are learning how to bake, handle money and run a business.
Our aim is to change lives, restore hope and be available for any who are in need; to make a difference in the lives of all who come in to Sozo; and finally to do all things with excellence and for the glory of God.
So much happens every day on the race, and my blogs do not do justice to how much we've seen and done. March was an incredible month as we spent the time serving in Tanzania- and we capped off the month in Zanzibar as I turned the big 3-0! Someone gleefully remarked, "30, Flirty and Thriving!" and quite honestly, coming out of Africa, I felt like I was "30, Dirty and Surviving." Africa broke my heart in such a major way...especially Uganda. I'm still processing a lot of that experience, but it totally changed my perspective in so many ways.
I prayed a lot in Africa. Three out of six of my teammates had pretty severe cases of malaria (two are still recovering months later- please continue to pray). I managed to come out with just an amoeba and some bad motion sickness on the rough roads, one of our trips was as long as 38 hours- and few bathroom breaks!
I talked a lot in Africa. Tanzania was amazing and completely beautiful, lying at the foot of the majestic Uruguru Mountains, just three hours from Dar Es Salaam. We were involved in a lot of different ministries, including serving at a Compassion International School. We learned a lot about the organization, which was cool since I'm a big supporters of Compassion. The teachers and staff were amazing and the curriculum and facilities were solid and legit. Our days were so long, hot, and tiring as we traveled mostly on foot and preached and teached daily. So many people accepted the J*sus into their lives. I remember one morning when every person we met decided yes- and many came from a Muslim background. It was encouraging to see G*d at work.
I danced a lot in Africa. I haven't danced since I was in elementary school, but during our three months in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, we would dance for hours and hours at church buildings, under meeting tents, mango trees, beneath the stars. At our church in Morogoro, I danced a solo interpretive dance to the song "Take my Life"- this song was so special to my Grandfather (Dad's Dad) who passed away three years ago on Easter Sunday in Sumter, SC. The timing was special as it was also the day of my Dad's birthday, and a special gift to him. My Grandpa would sing this song in his deep voice and move his hands and feet to the words of the song.
I walked a lot in Africa. In Uganda, most people walk for miles to get water, and I attempted to carry a big jug on my head- I think I still have some neck problems from that day. It's amazing to see such small children carrying these jugs on their head and a baby on their back!
I screamed a lot in Africa. We visited a Masai village in Tanzania- and the people were so beautiful and friendly. We traveled in a jeep- and on the way back home, as I sat in the front seat, I felt something nibble at my ankle. I jerked my leg and looked down and saw a huge tail. "AHHHHHHH!" I screamed my head off, and everyone looked at me, told me to chill, it was probably just a lizard. The tail was big and did not look lizard-like!!!!!! I said it's either a snake or a rat. Our contact Raphael reached under the car seat and yanked out a BIG FAT RAT!
I saw a lot of crazy animals in Africa, including a giant centipede that crawled around the outhouse. I went on a safari and saw eight lions (including baby Simba lions rolling around in the tall grass!) I was chased by a family of wild baboons (when the sign says, "DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS" take my word that it's not a good idea!)
I read a lot of great books, including Donald Miller's latest, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. One of my favorite parts of the book was when he talked about hiking Machu Pichu, and he described how there is an easier path and a more painful, steep trail you have the option to take. He said the painful journey made you appreciate the city all the more. He writes, "the story made us different characters than if we showed up the easier way- it made me think of the hard lives so many have had, the sacrifices they've endured and how these people will see heaven differently from those who've had easier lives."
I've met so many people this year who have had painful journeys that have made them brilliantly colorful characters. I think about my friends in Uganda who were forced into horrid situations, and how they will see heaven. As my teammate, Shannon Morgan, has preached before, Chr*stianity is the only religion that does not avoid suffering. All other major religions try to avoid suffering but we know there will be hard times, but ultimately J*sus suffered and made the ultimate sacrifice- and so many places in the B*ble describe the peace and comfort he will give during those times. G*d knows us and loves us and cares for us in such a real, tangible way.
God of All Comfort
3 Blessed be the G*d and Father of our Lord J*sus Chr*st, the Father of mercies and G*d of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by G*d. 5 For as we share abundantly in Chr*st's sufferings, so through Chr*st we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 2 Cor 1:3-7
"Joy is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ" -E. Trueblood
The man pictured above wears a shirt every Sunday to church with a nametag that says Jesus. Jesus totally lives in Gulu. Our team has spent this month serving alongside Victory Outreach Church. We have stayed busy going to crusades, home groups and church- spending time in prayer, preaching, sharing our testimonies, organizing children's ministry, singing, dancing, etc.
When our team was leading the children ministry this Sunday, I asked Betty, a lady helping with the children's ministry, if she'd like to take a picture with my camera and she smiled shyly and said ok. Her face radiated with pure joy when she learned how to take the picture and saw the results of the image she captured- and I was overwhelmed with joy by her joy! I told her to feel free to take as many pictures as she'd like and so she took off with my camera for the next two hours. Betty took nearly 100 pictures! She ran back and forth from the main church service to the children's service, about 50 meters away capturing images of the preacher speaking, children working on crafts and then the congregation dancing and singing under the tent.
After the service, the pastor's wife said that I made Betty's day. I learned that she had some horrid experiences from the war. Lots of children, including girls, in Northern Uganda have been tortured and raped, and then forced to kill people and drink their blood, as young as seven or eight years old. Betty has never talked about her experiences, but she was taken into the bush under this regime.
This area has suffered in such a major way for a long time that every person either knows of, or is related to, or is themselves affected by the war. They are desperate for the gospel and to learn of the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ. We had so many people ask us for Bibles when we did door-to-door evangelism. The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few in this area. This weekend, our team will join in a church plant about 45 minutes outside of Gulu.
"Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted." -Isaiah 49:13
What a month! Our team experienced 19 people accept Christ through evangelism and numerous people attend church through invitations we made door-to-door. Praise God! It's been an amazing month and in just a few days we're heading out to Uganda.
This month has really stretched me out of my comfort zone with teaching, preaching and evangelism. We've been so blessed by everyone we've met, especially at Deliverance Church in Lang'ata. They were like family. I truly felt like I was in South Carolina this month in a lot of ways. We even had collard greens a lot of time for dinner, which makes me happy :-)
Ken Virzi wrote a blog and created a video of our time in the Kibera slums. The children were so beautiful and joyful. I expected to see dire situations, but instead saw the most radiant faces. There is an amazing church, Deliverance Silanga, that works in the slums and we were blessed to work alongside them.
We also had an opportunity to go out to Garissa, a town that's about a six hour bumpy bus ride outside of Nairobi. It was amazing! The people are mostly from Somalia, and have come to this town in recent years. It is predominantly Muslim region, but we worked with some amazing people serving as Christian missionaries in that area, Ruben and Faith. We helped out at a school for 4-5 year olds and did some construction-ish work taking down thorn bushes to prepare for a new school site. Here are a few pictures of our time in Garissa:
Thank you all for your prayers & support. I wish I could skype and email more, but it's been really challenging with internet access and I think it will be this way for the next few months.
Team Olur is living and working at a church next to largest slum, Kibera, in Nairobi, Kenya this month for ministry and it's been wonderful! So far we've taught a local school, visited a hospital, participated in door-to-door community outreach and helped the church with administration work. This week we're busy with construction work projects. The people are warm, the weather is beautiful and the food is delicious...sweet potatoes & collard greens. I feel like I'm in THE south! Internet access is very limited, but just wanted to say...Jambo!
Team Olur has had an incredible time in Turkey this month. Once again this month, we've been asked to be as discreet as possible for safety purposes. Our contacts have been amazing and they are doing incredible things here in this country.
We've made some great friends along the journey. The people here are incredibly hospitable and very proud of their country.
My teammate Ashlee and I met two students at the university and they completely dropped everything they had planned for the afternoon to show us around the city and we ended our day with chai on the waterfront. We've had some great conversations this month.
Ashlee wrote a blog about an impromptu basketball game with a few boys in our neighborhood here. This is one of my favorite moments on the race so far!
Last weekend my teammate Kendra and I volunteered to help with children's ministry at an annual Christian conference in Turkey. We had a blast playing games, teaching, and learning Turkish with the kids, like head shoulders knees & toes, or baz omuz diz & ayak, diz ayak.
So, the adventure continues! Thank you for your prayers and support.
This month has been an interesting month for Team Olur. We arrived in Tel Aviv and traveled north to spend one night camping near the Sea of Galilee and then settled into our ministry site in a town in northern Israel for two weeks. Our team will finish this month serving in a southern town in Israel. Ministry has been very different this month. The contacts that we've worked with have asked that we do not share much information about their locations or type of ministry because of safety purposes.
So...I feel limited on what I can write, but one thing that I suppose I can write about is the quality team bonding time we've experienced this month. We've had some great team meals and so many have involved that delightful chickpea spread we know and love, hummus. The hummus in Israel is amazing and so prevalent. One night, Team Olur ate at a local restaurant in the village near our ministry site and each team member received enough hummus for four people. Well, all good things must come to an end because the hummus brought a wave a diarrhea to the team.
Our daily discussions inevitably veer toward the bathroom convo.
"How many Imodium tablets did you take today?"
"Is it more environmentally conscious to fold or crumple?"
"Do you prefer quilted or ribbed?"
The toilets are janky compared to the sturdy power jets back home. Though I should be thankful since soon we will be squating in latrines. Well...just after two days in our newest location, the toilet fell apart and hit the ground with water gushing everywhere. It was a dramatic event. We were all gathered in the living room, and one of my teammate warned us, "this toilet is missing a screw and any minute it could fall down..." and CRASH! It happened. And this is what happens when six Americans eat too much hummus.
We're feeling much better and perhaps we've adjusted to the diet. Our team will leave at the end of this week for Turkey. Please pray for safe travels and that God will guide and provide along every step of this journey. Thank you for your continued prayers & support. It's truly been an amazing month here in Israel and we've had some awesome opportunities to visit the country and witness Biblical sites, like Nazareth, Jerusalem and En Gedi.
