We're here! Amanda and I arrived safely in Cape Town on Tuesday night. We've been unpacking and trying to get settled in to our new home. We're staying at a Bed and Breakfast housing unit with other individuals who are participating in Living Hope and ACTS Africa. So far, so good! Amanda will be in returning to the US on July 29th. I will be here until December 1st. We're just getting introduced to our new team members and we will learn more about our individual programs/work assignments by early next week. I'm looking forward to getting established here and creating a new "home" away from home. I'll be getting a cell phone soon and I'm also looking into buying a car with another girl here. Crazy, huh!? I don't even know if I have my license back in the states, but I'm looking into getting an international license... (they drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is located where our passenger seat is). Def. shoot up some prayers for that one!
Hope everyone is doing well. Much love!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Safari in South Africa
My team and I left Mozambique last Sunday. I had a few complications on my flight from Mozambique to South Africa - my ticket wasn't in the system and the plane was full. I had to get approval from the pilot to let me on the plane. Thank the Lord that everything worked out. Because the plane was completely full, a teammate of mine sat with the pilot in the cockpit and I was able to have her seat. What a relief!
We stayed at Mabula Lodge, a resort north of Johannesburg, from Sunday until Tuesday. It was a great ending to our trip. We were able to unwind and decompress from our time in Moz. During our stay at the lodge, we went on three safari game drives (two in the morning and one in the evening). It was soooo unbelievable! Our guides were amazing, the animals were so close and so wild, and the scenery was breathtaking.
We stayed at Mabula Lodge, a resort north of Johannesburg, from Sunday until Tuesday. It was a great ending to our trip. We were able to unwind and decompress from our time in Moz. During our stay at the lodge, we went on three safari game drives (two in the morning and one in the evening). It was soooo unbelievable! Our guides were amazing, the animals were so close and so wild, and the scenery was breathtaking.
I've attached a few pictures for your viewing pleasure....
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Internet Connectivity
For the past 2 1/2 weeks my internet usage has been VERY limited. Therefore, my posts are a little out dated. I will try to blog a bit tomorrow to get everyone caught up with my happenings. Stay tuned..
Good-bye Mozambique
This weekend was filled with stories, laughs and tears as we said our “good-byes” to Mozambique.On Friday, the people of Dondo gathered together to bid us “farwell”. Students, teachers, patients, and co-workers prepared speeches and dances for us in honor of our work with the “The Ray of Light Project”. One of the translators spoke on behalf of the Mozambican group and said, “If we had money, we would give you riches. But since we don’t have money we will show you our thanks with music and dance”. Their performances were amazing, and boy could they move!! They also gifted each member of our team with a capalana (a capalana is printed fabric used for clothing). Just to put it in perspective, a typical family has about five members and lives off of $30 a month. So this gesture speaks volumes to the generosity of these people.
On Saturday we spent the evening with Jeronimo and Noemia Cessito, the founders of “The Ray of Light Project”. We had engaging conversations about our time here, how we’ve changed, and what their vision is for the program. We also talked about specific prayer requests that I would like to share with you. If you feel lead, please lift up “The Ray of Light Project” by praying about these specific things:1. Resources for a full-time nurse at the clinic
2. Christian teachers for 2009 school year at El Shaddai (the elementary school )
3. Funding for Project Life (the AIDS hospice program)
4. Health, education and spiritual renewal for the people of Mozambique.
Also, if you would like to sponsor a child or make a financial contribution to any of the programs in “The Ray of Light Projects”, visit www.childrensrelief.org/.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Mozambique - Week 2
As my second week in Mozambique comes to an end, I reflect back on all that I experienced these past few days. Here’s a briefing…
Last weekend I traveled with a group of 11 people (5 team members and 6 nationals) to a church plant 8 hours away (we literally spent three days in “the bush”). The road trip was quite an adventure since infrastructure and transportation are less developed here. I felt as though we were off-roading for the entire duration. The purpose of our trip was to participate in a wedding (the Pastor we traveled with facilitated the ceremony). It was so cool to witness the cultural differences between a traditional/Christian American and African wedding. The bride and groom stayed stone faced the entire day. This is normal etiquette to show that they are sad to be leaving their families. I was also surprised at the amount of singing and dancing that took place. There were countless presentations prepared for the ceremony and the reception. We even danced our gifts and offerings up to the happy couple (it is typical to dance our offerings up during church service. To me it depicts joyful giving). And to my surprise, the bride and groom had a place for us at the head table, as their special guests. It was quite an honor!
I continue to enjoy my time teaching English to the students here in Dondo. More and more, I begin to understand the extreme importance of education. Although my time here is limited, the knowledge that I’ve shared with the children in the schools is more significant than I could understand, as it provides hope for a better life. I would encourage all of you to consider investing in a child’s life through education. Even if you don’t have teaching experience (I sure don’t), you can truly impact a child’s future.
I also participated in “Project Life”, which is a hospice program for individuals infected with HIV and AIDS. I traveled with a translator and a couple nationals as we visited different women in the case load. During these visits relationships are formed as we take time to have conversations, check on their health, and pray over their needs.
Most of the women in “Project Life” are Christians; however the first house that I visited was that of a witch doctor. As we discussed the importance of salvation and restoration, she informed me that she practiced witch craft and wasn’t ready to give up her life style (she even had “clients” waiting for her while we were there). It was disturbing to have such an “in your face” encounter with the dark side. However, I wasn’t surprised that this happened. There are approximately 20,000 people living in the district of Dondo where we work, and 7,000 – 10,000 of them are witch doctors. I think this statistic paints a picture of the battle between good and evil that is prevalent in Mozambique.
Darkness is deep in this country, but there is also light. The people of “The Ray of Light Project” and many other individuals continue to bring hope, truth, and life to the people of Mozambique.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.
Last weekend I traveled with a group of 11 people (5 team members and 6 nationals) to a church plant 8 hours away (we literally spent three days in “the bush”). The road trip was quite an adventure since infrastructure and transportation are less developed here. I felt as though we were off-roading for the entire duration. The purpose of our trip was to participate in a wedding (the Pastor we traveled with facilitated the ceremony). It was so cool to witness the cultural differences between a traditional/Christian American and African wedding. The bride and groom stayed stone faced the entire day. This is normal etiquette to show that they are sad to be leaving their families. I was also surprised at the amount of singing and dancing that took place. There were countless presentations prepared for the ceremony and the reception. We even danced our gifts and offerings up to the happy couple (it is typical to dance our offerings up during church service. To me it depicts joyful giving). And to my surprise, the bride and groom had a place for us at the head table, as their special guests. It was quite an honor!
I continue to enjoy my time teaching English to the students here in Dondo. More and more, I begin to understand the extreme importance of education. Although my time here is limited, the knowledge that I’ve shared with the children in the schools is more significant than I could understand, as it provides hope for a better life. I would encourage all of you to consider investing in a child’s life through education. Even if you don’t have teaching experience (I sure don’t), you can truly impact a child’s future.
I also participated in “Project Life”, which is a hospice program for individuals infected with HIV and AIDS. I traveled with a translator and a couple nationals as we visited different women in the case load. During these visits relationships are formed as we take time to have conversations, check on their health, and pray over their needs.
Most of the women in “Project Life” are Christians; however the first house that I visited was that of a witch doctor. As we discussed the importance of salvation and restoration, she informed me that she practiced witch craft and wasn’t ready to give up her life style (she even had “clients” waiting for her while we were there). It was disturbing to have such an “in your face” encounter with the dark side. However, I wasn’t surprised that this happened. There are approximately 20,000 people living in the district of Dondo where we work, and 7,000 – 10,000 of them are witch doctors. I think this statistic paints a picture of the battle between good and evil that is prevalent in Mozambique.
Darkness is deep in this country, but there is also light. The people of “The Ray of Light Project” and many other individuals continue to bring hope, truth, and life to the people of Mozambique.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Mozambique - Week 1
I’ve been in Mozambique for over a week now. The dust is beginning to settle and I’ve started to gather my thoughts around everything that’s been going on. I’ve already experienced a whole heck of a lot and will try to recap this past week as best as I can.
Children’s Relief International partners with The Ray of Light Project. The Ray of Light Project is run by local Mozambicans, Jeronimo and Noemia Cessito. The project includes a variety of initiatives: schools, clinics, churches, daycares, an AIDS hospice, a farm, and a bakery. These units are spread throughout the village of Dondo. My team of 11 has split up to work in the different programs best suited to each member’s interests and abilities. I’ve been teaching English in the elementary and VoTech schools. It has been a bit challenging at times, since most of the children do not know a lick of English. God is definitely teaching me humility through this experience. As I dance and sing at the top of my lungs for these children, all of my pride goes out the window. (For those who don’t know about my singing abilities… a co-worker of mine described it as the sound of a dying cat... thanks, Brian).
A couple of times this week I’ve toured the village - visiting homes, markets, schools, etc. I learned that approximately 4 out of 5 people in this area are infected with HIV or AIDS. Can you believe it?!?! Apparently the official statistics are much lower because many people refuse to get tested (out of embarrassment, denial, fear, pride, etc.) I find this quite astounding.
I also had the opportunity to serve soup in the hospital (people generally go to the hospital when they are in their final stage of life). The Ray of Light project sends volunteers to the hospital once a day. During this time we pray with the patients and serve them a hot meal. It may be their only meal of the day. The building is divided into 5 wards which house about 6 people each. There is a separate ward for children, one for women, and another for men. The rooms are very empty, hosting only a steel bed with an empty mattress. Some people have a thin blanket to cover with, while others shiver to keep warm with their clothing. I saw cockroaches scurrying around everywhere; even over the bodies of the patients. It appears the level of care is severely lacking; there is inadequate nursing staff (none when I visited), medical physicians (one doctor for the entire hospital), and hospital staff to keep the environment clean (one woman had died a couple of days earlier but was still lying in her bed). Also, it seems people don’t have the proper nutrition or medication needed to care for their bodies. The bodies looked very emaciated, malnourished and frail. There was little hope in their sunken eyes.
Despite these dire circumstances and the brokenness that I’ve witnessed, there are dedicated people who will stop at nothing to make a difference in the lives of these Mozambicans. I am encouraged by the faithfulness, compassion and servant hearts that I have encountered.
Galatians 5:14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Children’s Relief International partners with The Ray of Light Project. The Ray of Light Project is run by local Mozambicans, Jeronimo and Noemia Cessito. The project includes a variety of initiatives: schools, clinics, churches, daycares, an AIDS hospice, a farm, and a bakery. These units are spread throughout the village of Dondo. My team of 11 has split up to work in the different programs best suited to each member’s interests and abilities. I’ve been teaching English in the elementary and VoTech schools. It has been a bit challenging at times, since most of the children do not know a lick of English. God is definitely teaching me humility through this experience. As I dance and sing at the top of my lungs for these children, all of my pride goes out the window. (For those who don’t know about my singing abilities… a co-worker of mine described it as the sound of a dying cat... thanks, Brian).
A couple of times this week I’ve toured the village - visiting homes, markets, schools, etc. I learned that approximately 4 out of 5 people in this area are infected with HIV or AIDS. Can you believe it?!?! Apparently the official statistics are much lower because many people refuse to get tested (out of embarrassment, denial, fear, pride, etc.) I find this quite astounding.
I also had the opportunity to serve soup in the hospital (people generally go to the hospital when they are in their final stage of life). The Ray of Light project sends volunteers to the hospital once a day. During this time we pray with the patients and serve them a hot meal. It may be their only meal of the day. The building is divided into 5 wards which house about 6 people each. There is a separate ward for children, one for women, and another for men. The rooms are very empty, hosting only a steel bed with an empty mattress. Some people have a thin blanket to cover with, while others shiver to keep warm with their clothing. I saw cockroaches scurrying around everywhere; even over the bodies of the patients. It appears the level of care is severely lacking; there is inadequate nursing staff (none when I visited), medical physicians (one doctor for the entire hospital), and hospital staff to keep the environment clean (one woman had died a couple of days earlier but was still lying in her bed). Also, it seems people don’t have the proper nutrition or medication needed to care for their bodies. The bodies looked very emaciated, malnourished and frail. There was little hope in their sunken eyes.
Despite these dire circumstances and the brokenness that I’ve witnessed, there are dedicated people who will stop at nothing to make a difference in the lives of these Mozambicans. I am encouraged by the faithfulness, compassion and servant hearts that I have encountered.
Galatians 5:14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Sunday, June 8, 2008
We're here!
We have arrived in Mozambique - Yippee Skipeeee!!!! The travel went very well. I think I ate and slept more in the past 2 days than I have in the past 2 weeks. Fo real. We stayed in a super cute bed and breakfast last night in Johannesburg, South Africa. This morning/afternoon we took a small cargo plane to Mozambique, and finished up the trip by driving an hour into Dondo (the village we'll be staying at for the next couple of weeks). Overall, I'm feeling pret-ty good. Although I have many mixed emotions and miss my friends and family back home, I'm also super excited to be here and I'm looking forward to beginning this new chapter of my life. Stay tuned for details...
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Links
Here are the links to the organizations that we are involved with:
Mozambique:
www.childrensrelief.org
www.wooddale.org
South Africa:
www.actsafrica.com
http://www.livinghope.co.za/
Mozambique:
www.childrensrelief.org
www.wooddale.org
South Africa:
www.actsafrica.com
http://www.livinghope.co.za/
Amsterdam Airport
We've completed our first leg of the trip. Amsterdam, we have arrived! Lay over for 4 hours and then off to Johannesburg, South Africa. Flight went well, no motion sickness. :)Ashley Alvarez, our youngest team member missed her high school graduation today. We had a mini ceromony for her in the airport.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Africa Trip
I figured I should give a brief overview about my trip, for those who are interested. My flight departs this afternoon from MN to Amsterdam (approx 10 hours) and then to Johannesburg, South Africa (another 10 hours or so). We'll spend the night in Joburg and tomorrow travel to Mozambique, Africa.
My Wooddale Africa missions team (11 members in total) will stay in Mozambique for 19 days. During this time we will be expanding upon the efforts of previous missionary groups by participating in community service projects and various other ministry opportunities (teaching in the schools, working with HIV/AIDS infected individuals, mentoring orphans, etc.).
After this time, our Wooddale team will travel back to Johannesburg for a weekend retreat. This retreat will include an African safari - 2 morning and 2 evening safaris. How cool!!!! The Wooddale team will be returning to the United States on June 25th.
Amanda Miller and I will then travel to Cape Town, South Africa where we will be staying for the remainder of our time in Africa. Amanda will be joining me in Cape Town for 5 weeks. I will be staying in Cape Town for approximately 5 months, returning on Dec. 1st. We will be doing similiar mission work in Cape Town as we will be doing on Mozambique. But for what I've heard, the two countries are very different so the experiences will be unique and new in both places.
Okay, I have to cut this short. Off to the airport I go....
I will miss you all sooo very much. Please please please keep in touch! xoxo
My Wooddale Africa missions team (11 members in total) will stay in Mozambique for 19 days. During this time we will be expanding upon the efforts of previous missionary groups by participating in community service projects and various other ministry opportunities (teaching in the schools, working with HIV/AIDS infected individuals, mentoring orphans, etc.).
After this time, our Wooddale team will travel back to Johannesburg for a weekend retreat. This retreat will include an African safari - 2 morning and 2 evening safaris. How cool!!!! The Wooddale team will be returning to the United States on June 25th.
Amanda Miller and I will then travel to Cape Town, South Africa where we will be staying for the remainder of our time in Africa. Amanda will be joining me in Cape Town for 5 weeks. I will be staying in Cape Town for approximately 5 months, returning on Dec. 1st. We will be doing similiar mission work in Cape Town as we will be doing on Mozambique. But for what I've heard, the two countries are very different so the experiences will be unique and new in both places.
Okay, I have to cut this short. Off to the airport I go....
I will miss you all sooo very much. Please please please keep in touch! xoxo
Prayer Send-Off: Thursday, June 4th
On Thursday my Africa mission team and I met at Wooddale Community Church for a prayer send-off. This was a time for our friends and family to come together to pray for our preparation, our time in Africa, and our safety home, among many other things.
Tom Correll, Wooddale's Outreach Pastor, began the evening by introducing the importance of mission work. Rose and Steve, our team leaders, then explained a bit about our trip: where we'll be staying, what we'll be doing, etc. Afterwards, each team member (there are 11 of us) talked a little bit about the trip (ie. why we are going, what we expect, prayer requests, etc.).
I was the last person to speak. At this point I had so many thoughts going on in my mind. I looked into the audience and saw an entourage of my supporters. I reflected back at the past few weeks and was so overwhelmed by all of the friends, family and co-workers that have stood by my side. Words can't even express what that means to me.
Soooo... needless to say, I got a little choked up during my speech. What a big baby I am! More than anything I realized how blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. I believe that God is doing something huge with this mission. Something that is so much more than me. I am just a tool for Him to use and He is choosing many others to partner with me.
Thanks again to everyone for your support, encouragement and continuous love.
Becky's Fishing Tournament: Saturday, May 31st
My brother, Travis Frank, hosted a fishing tournament on lake Waconia last weekend as a fundraiser to support my service in Africa. Approximately 60 people participated in the fishing event, raising over $1,500. Many more people joined us throughout the day for bbq-ing and beach games. It was such an amazing day! The weather was gorgeous, the laughter was plenty, and the encouragment from all of the supporters was astounding. Thank you to Travis for coordinating this memorable event. And a big "thank you" to everyone for coming out! This mission is just as much yours as it is mine.
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