So I have to admit… I didn’t have the best possible attitude leading up to my time in Mozambique. I was scared of stepping out of my comfort zone. I was afraid of the creepy crawlies… and the bigger stuff, too. I was nervous about traveling to that part of the world. I was unsure of my decision. I was a little upset with my husband for encouraging me to go. I was a little upset with God for not stopping me from going.
This mission was hard and scary and inconvenient.
It was about 24 hours after we arrived in Mozambique before I realized how proud I had been. This wasn’t hard and inconvenient. Nobody (including myself!) should be patting me on the back for making this “sacrifice” of going on this mission. No, this was a privilege. It was an honor to be allowed to be part of that team. Who am I that God would use me? Why should I get the absolute privilege of seeing a whole different part of His creation, of sharing and bonding with these beautiful women that He made? He is the God of the universe and He could have chosen anyone? Why me, especially with my crummy attitude?
I also realized that I had been prideful in my preparation. I had come in thinking that I was just going to be a fabulous teacher and God was going to use this to add to my repertoire of experiences and stories to use in future teaching/speaking opportunities. And as I sat in that teaching hut, it hit me how completely and totally self-focused I had been, and how very very very much this was NOT about me.
Unfortunately, God had to kind of hit me right in the face with it, in a bit of an embarrassing way. Our teaching sessions were 2 hours long, which is approximately 1 hour of actual teaching since everything has to be translated. On our first day, my teaching partner Carmen took the lead in the morning, and I was “on” for the afternoon. Before we started that day, I told Carmen that my greatest fear was that I would run out of stuff to say after about 25 minutes. I wish I had held my tongue. I started teaching at 2:00, and at 2:15 I realized that I was ¾ of the way through my outline. While Sonnet (our translator) was talking, I glanced at Carmen in an absolute panic and mouthed, “I’m almost done!” It was exactly 2:25—yep, 25 minutes—when I got to the end of the material I had prepared… and my mind was completely blank. I had NOTHING else to share.
But Carmen, God bless her, took right over and did an amazing job of making it up as she went… and it all fit perfectly. Perfectly. I could almost feel God tapping me on the shoulder and saying, “Katy, this is my show, not yours. I will provide the words, but you have to stop taking the credit or I’m going to take it away for you.” I was humiliated, but also truly humbled. I realized that I wasn’t there because I was so great. I was there because God was allowing me to be used by Him, to be part of the work He is doing there in Mozambique.
And guess what? That truth isn’t limited to Africa. No matter where I am, no matter what I’m doing… it’s not about me. (Is it just me, or does this sound familiar to anyone else? I am so darn hard-headed.) God doesn’t need me. He doesn’t think, “Oh thank goodness Katy is here—I wouldn’t be able to do it without her.” Ha! No, it is quite the other way around—I can’t do anything without Him, and every time He calls me to serve… it is an honor.
Once I found my proper perspective, the whole experience was different. My eyes were opened, and I was able to see Him and worship Him in a whole new way. The beauty of His creation, the love He has for his people, the way He is willing to work through us—because He loves us and wants to include us in His plan, not because He needs us. It was overwhelming… but in a much different way than I had been overwhelmed before. It was overwhelming in an indescribable, beautiful, amazing way.
Finally I was able to truly serve, the way He had intended for me to serve from the beginning. And the more I did, the more humbled I became. I served lunch to the women and church leaders who had come to the teachings, and it was an honor to do it. I realized the sacrifices the women were making to be present at the teaching—taking time away from the hard work they do just to survive—and I was humbled. I made a complete fool out of myself trying to dance with them, and I loved it. I held their hands, held their babies, held them up in prayer, and I was blessed. There was no more room in my heart for pride—it was too full of love.
Showing posts with label Mozambique. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mozambique. Show all posts
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Mozambique, in brief
Good morning! I'm HOOOOOOOOME! I have missed you all and wish I could have blogged while I was gone--although honestly, we were so busy that I'm not sure I would have had time anyway. But I am so so so thankful to Patti, Jamey, and Erin for keeping you all entertained while I was gone. I hope you enjooyed their posts and checked their blogs out as well--and if you stopped over from one of their blogs and decided to stay a while, welcome! :-)
Mozambique was amazing. Incredible. Unbelievable. Life-changing. At times heartwarming, at others heartbreaking. It was truly an experience that I will never forget, and one that I hope changes me for good. I am still trying to figure out the best way to tell you all about it--there is so much to share!!!
For this morning, though, I just want to give you a little peek. On the way home, the pastor who led our team asked if we would each write a brief summary, explaining what we think is "the big deal" there--why our church is/should continue to be involved in the villages in Mozambique. I'd like to share with you what I wrote, and a few pics too...
********
“Have mercy on us!” the woman cried. “This is the water we use for drinking, cooking, bathing, and eating! Have mercy on us!”
But they need mercy for their spiritual needs as well. Traditions, witchcraft, and ancestor worship leave them deeply fearful. They work to please their family members who have passed on, they strive to please the spirits. They need to know that Christ has set them free—that He doesn’t require their works for their salvation. They just need to accept His free gift of salvation, His mercy.
Providing sources of clean water takes hard work and money. Wells or ditches may need to be dug, tanks may need to be installed—it’s not an overnight solution. It’s the same with leading people to Christ—convincing them to let go of their time-honored traditions, that they don’t need to appease an angry God, is slow going. But the opportunity to provide someone with clean and living water is priceless.
Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. –Psalm 28:2
Mozambique was amazing. Incredible. Unbelievable. Life-changing. At times heartwarming, at others heartbreaking. It was truly an experience that I will never forget, and one that I hope changes me for good. I am still trying to figure out the best way to tell you all about it--there is so much to share!!!
For this morning, though, I just want to give you a little peek. On the way home, the pastor who led our team asked if we would each write a brief summary, explaining what we think is "the big deal" there--why our church is/should continue to be involved in the villages in Mozambique. I'd like to share with you what I wrote, and a few pics too...
********
“Have mercy on us!” the woman cried. “This is the water we use for drinking, cooking, bathing, and eating! Have mercy on us!”
To me, those four words sum up our entire reason for being in Mozambique. Mercy for physical needs—not wealth, not handouts, just some help with getting clean water.
The people in the village of Macalawane, where we saw this woman, are “lucky” to have a source of sweet (not salt) water… but it is dirty and full of bacteria. Cholera outbreaks and alligators are deadly predators in the drinking water throughout Mozambique. Water, one of the most basic needs of mankind, is a source of fear and desperation.
Women walking with huge jugs of water on their heads prove that they are willing to work for what they need—they just don’t have the resources to get clean water for themselves. They need a little help, a little mercy.
But they need mercy for their spiritual needs as well. Traditions, witchcraft, and ancestor worship leave them deeply fearful. They work to please their family members who have passed on, they strive to please the spirits. They need to know that Christ has set them free—that He doesn’t require their works for their salvation. They just need to accept His free gift of salvation, His mercy.
Providing sources of clean water takes hard work and money. Wells or ditches may need to be dug, tanks may need to be installed—it’s not an overnight solution. It’s the same with leading people to Christ—convincing them to let go of their time-honored traditions, that they don’t need to appease an angry God, is slow going. But the opportunity to provide someone with clean and living water is priceless.
Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. –Psalm 28:2
At the end of our time in each village, they held a farewell for us and presented us with gifts. The material wrapped around my shoulders is called capulano and is what they use for their skirts, for tying their babies on their backs, for carrying loads of stuff, and just about anything else! The head scarf is also something that they traditionally wear. Both of these were incredibly sacrificial gifts from a people who just DON'T HAVE extra money.
Our team!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Here we go!!!
Happy Monday, friends! This will be my last time to talk to you before I leave for Mozambique. Oh. My. Word. I cannot believe this is really happening...!!!! So many parts of my brain are rebelling right now, I am all but speechless.
I am nervous. I am anxious. I am sad to leave my family behind. I am terrified of bugs and spiders. I do NOT enjoy sleeping in a cot or the type of plumbing (or lack thereof) I will be experiencing for the next two weeks.
I am excited. I am humbled. I am amazed at what God has already done to make this trip happen. I am looking forward to growing friendships among the team. I am ecstatic to meet and love on these women that I have been hearing about in our two years at our church. I am hopeful to see God do unbelievable things during our mission there.
See what I mean? My brain is on overload.
Unfortunately, I will not have internet access while I am in Mozambique. BUT I have great guest bloggers all lined up, as I mentioned before, and I am taking my laptop with me so that I can record every second of my time there and share it all with you when I get back.
Thank you for all of your prayers & support. I'll see you in June!
I am nervous. I am anxious. I am sad to leave my family behind. I am terrified of bugs and spiders. I do NOT enjoy sleeping in a cot or the type of plumbing (or lack thereof) I will be experiencing for the next two weeks.
I am excited. I am humbled. I am amazed at what God has already done to make this trip happen. I am looking forward to growing friendships among the team. I am ecstatic to meet and love on these women that I have been hearing about in our two years at our church. I am hopeful to see God do unbelievable things during our mission there.
See what I mean? My brain is on overload.
Unfortunately, I will not have internet access while I am in Mozambique. BUT I have great guest bloggers all lined up, as I mentioned before, and I am taking my laptop with me so that I can record every second of my time there and share it all with you when I get back.
Thank you for all of your prayers & support. I'll see you in June!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
7 days and counting
Good morning, my dear neglected bloggy friends. I really need to ignore my children get less sleep neglect the laundry and dishes post more often, I know. I am astounded at the bloggers who post deep, insightful posts full of pictures that they have taken, edited, and uploaded every day. I still consider it a victory if I shower most days.
But I felt the need to post today and tell you that one week from now, I will be on a plane. ONE WEEK from today I will be heading for New York, then Johannesburg, then Maputo, Mozambique. In SEVEN DAYS I will leave my children in the care of my husband (and mother-in-law and my parents and several very helpful friends--don't you love how many people it takes to fill in for one mom?!? :-) ) and I will head for a land full of bugs & spiders. OK, I know that there are bugs & spiders here too, but they're not nearly as scary.
Yep, it is just one week until our short-term mission. If you will notice, the ChipIn on the right is gone. That is because we have raised every single cent of support we needed--and more! Each individual on the team was asked to raise $1750 of the $3000 (per person) cost, and thanks to many of you, I was able to raise over $2700!!! In fact, our entire team is funded beyond what the church had asked, which is a fantastic blessing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This week is full of preparations... I am trying to get the house as clean as possible, prepare my lessons, get a few surprises ready for the kids for while I'm gone (including Lamb's birthday, which is two days before I get back!), and do all of the last-minute running. Not to mention, I'm trying to soak up every minute I can with my family. Oh my goodness, I am going to miss them. It is hard to find that balance between telling the kids how much I love and will miss them, and reminding them how important it is that I go on this mission.
Oh, and while I am gone, you will all be very well taken care of, so have no fear. I am excited to announce that I have some fabulous guest bloggers lined up, including Jamey from Zehlahlum Family, Erin from The Wonder Years, and Patti from A Perfect Lily--and maybe more, if I can get the details worked out by the end of the week. And of course, I'll still be posting my adoption story as well. So don't worry, you'll have more to read while I'm gone than you do while I'm here! lol :-)
Well, since I'm not in Africa yet, I suppose I should get back to reality and fold some laundry. Happy Tuesday!
But I felt the need to post today and tell you that one week from now, I will be on a plane. ONE WEEK from today I will be heading for New York, then Johannesburg, then Maputo, Mozambique. In SEVEN DAYS I will leave my children in the care of my husband (and mother-in-law and my parents and several very helpful friends--don't you love how many people it takes to fill in for one mom?!? :-) ) and I will head for a land full of bugs & spiders. OK, I know that there are bugs & spiders here too, but they're not nearly as scary.
Yep, it is just one week until our short-term mission. If you will notice, the ChipIn on the right is gone. That is because we have raised every single cent of support we needed--and more! Each individual on the team was asked to raise $1750 of the $3000 (per person) cost, and thanks to many of you, I was able to raise over $2700!!! In fact, our entire team is funded beyond what the church had asked, which is a fantastic blessing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This week is full of preparations... I am trying to get the house as clean as possible, prepare my lessons, get a few surprises ready for the kids for while I'm gone (including Lamb's birthday, which is two days before I get back!), and do all of the last-minute running. Not to mention, I'm trying to soak up every minute I can with my family. Oh my goodness, I am going to miss them. It is hard to find that balance between telling the kids how much I love and will miss them, and reminding them how important it is that I go on this mission.
Oh, and while I am gone, you will all be very well taken care of, so have no fear. I am excited to announce that I have some fabulous guest bloggers lined up, including Jamey from Zehlahlum Family, Erin from The Wonder Years, and Patti from A Perfect Lily--and maybe more, if I can get the details worked out by the end of the week. And of course, I'll still be posting my adoption story as well. So don't worry, you'll have more to read while I'm gone than you do while I'm here! lol :-)
Well, since I'm not in Africa yet, I suppose I should get back to reality and fold some laundry. Happy Tuesday!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Progress, Productivity, & Procrastination
Hi, my name is Katy, and I'm a procrastinator.
Whew, it feels good to get that off my chest. In fact, I wanted to write this post last night, but I kept putting it off. I wish I were kidding for the sake of a lame joke, but I'm not. I mean, it's not like I put it off for nothing. I had important things to do… like… play backgammon online... until midnight. (Yes, I said backgammon. I am that much of a nerd.)
A lot is happening here at the zoo—we're trying to buckle down on our budget (gotta love the economy), I'm leaving for Africa in a month, Lamb will be out of school for the summer before we know it, etc—and I'm really trying to bring my A-game when it comes to getting things done around the house. It just gets so darn overwhelming, though. And I hate when a day goes by and I realize I didn't set aside any play time with my kids. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed & frustrated that I just shut down. I wander the house, looking like I'm working, but I don't really get anything done. Or I work halfheartedly on something meaningless because I'm intimidated to attack the project that really needs done.
I'm happy to say, though, that I will be getting lots done today, thanks to a little something that Mr. Fantastic calls "Dogg Night." A few months ago, he and a friend started a work swap night—twice a month they come here and work together on projects for an evening, and twice a month they go to his friend's house to work. (Don't ask me why they call it "Dogg Night"—they're 30-something men and they think it's cool.) I have really admired how much they get done on their evenings together, and I have envied the quality friend time. J So a few months ago a friend of mine and I decided to do the same thing during the day… And by "a few months ago", I mean we did our first work day in January, and then our second one last week. It's been a busy few months. Anyway, I think she's coming over today for Round 3, and I am giddy about how much we can accomplish. Already I am realizing that 1 + 1 equals more than 2. When we work together, we are both so much more motivated than when we're on our own. The work doesn't seem overwhelming because there's someone else to talk to. It's great to have some girl time and not feel like I'm getting farther behind. And even though I do have to set aside some time to take care of Roo, I don't worry about taking time away from my kids because I get so much done in one morning working with my friend that I can devote the afternoon and evening to nothing but my family. It's a good thing. (Plus today after school we're having an awesome playdate with friends at a place that's all full of those inflatable bounce house things. Shhhh… My kids don't know—just in case it somehow doesn't work out—but they are going to be so happy!)
And speaking of procrastination, I finally got my shots for Mozambique yesterday. I know, my trip is still a month away and it seems like I have plenty of time, but one of those immunizations is a 3-shot series over the course of 6 months… so I'll have to go back twice after I come home. And I've known since November that I was planning to go on this Short-Term Mission, so I could have at least gotten 2 rounds in. Oh well. My right arm is quite sore from the tetanus shot, but overall it was not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I went to our county health department, and it was quite a bit cheaper than anywhere else, the people were friendly and knowledgeable, AND they had self-retracting needles that hardly even hurt. It was a really positive experience!
Oh, and about Mozambique, don't believe the ChipIn on the right—we have had some wonderful donations. THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed. You all are much better at being on the ball than I am. ;-) The ChipIn doesn't reflect this because it only records the online donations, and all of the money so far has come in directly to those of us on the team, or to our church. I don't know an exact total of what we've raised so far as a team, but I know that I am about halfway there for my own portion of the trip. Yes, I said we were planning to do a big giveaway/fundraiser, but I am still mulling that one over. This is partly because the money is coming in pretty well, but mainly because I'm not sure we'd get the participation in a giveaway for a missions trip that we would for something else (like the orphans on Reece's Rainbow)—which is totally fine, but I don't want to be wasteful, you know? I just can't decide if it would be worthwhile. But anyway, thank you again to everyone who has donated to the trip, and please feel free to click on that ChipIn on the right or contact me if you are interested in supporting me! I'll be posting more about my upcoming trip soon—I'm excited to fill you all in as we get closer to the big day!
So… it turns out our chickens are not procrastinators at all. We got our first egg less than 2 days after we picked them up from my brother, and now have 2 (out of 4) laying. As much as I fought having them, I am enjoying the fresh eggs, the kids are loving them, and Mr. Fantastic seems to like them too. (I have only been back to see them once since we got them… a week ago today.)
And while we're talking about progress & productivity, let me give you a little update on Roo, who is my big helper while I am writing this morning. (Darn early risers. Who knew that 2 of my 3 kids would be morning people?!) In addition to his continued reign as Cutest Baby I've Ever Seen, he is now the proud owner of THREE teeth—two on the bottom and one on the top. He is so close to crawling, he can almost taste it. He gets up on his hands & knees, scoots one knee forward, then PLOPS down on his belly, raises his hands and feet in the air, and acts like he's flying, then repeats the whole process. But don't let the lack of crawling fool you—he gets where he wants to go.
Well, as much fun as it is to retype every third word while Roo continually tries to snatch my laptop away from me (He is the most techno-savvy 1-year-old…), I need to run. It's almost time to wake Lamb up for school, and I like to be dressed & ready before she's up… I don't really have time to get that done now, but I've been putting it off for a while… When will I learn?
Monday, March 14, 2011
Support!
Friends,
Below is the support letter I am sending for my upcoming short-term mission to Mozambique. I would love for you to be part of my support team. If you wish to contribute but would prefer to send a check rather than use the Chip In, please e-mail me through my profile and I will get you the information that you need.
Thank you in advance!
Katy
*****
Dear Friends & Family,
Have you ever been afraid that getting water might cost you your life? Have you ever worried whether the water you drink might cause you to fall sick? Have you ever worried that your husband, who was leaving for months to provide for your family, might not come home again? For countless women in Africa, this is part of daily life. They walk to crocodile-infested rivers to draw their water—water which is often contaminated with cholera or other bacteria. They work all day in the fields, leaving children as young as 3 or 4 to take care of their infant siblings, because their husbands have traveled hundreds of miles away to find work in mines.
The Chapel has adopted two villages in Mozambique in an effort to combat these sad circumstances. Our mission, called Fresh Passion, began by providing fresh water to these villages. Now we are providing them with Living Water—that is, the good news of Jesus Christ. Twice a year, teams from the Chapel travel to Mozambique, where we partner with an organization called World Relief to provide spiritual teaching to the church leaders, women, and children in the villages of Chiamite and Koca Misava. We are also working with them to find new ways of improving the local economy so that the men won’t have to travel so far to find work.
Why am I telling you all of this? I am excited to tell you that I will be joining the next team going to Mozambique! On May 24, 2011, a team primarily made up of people from our ABF (much like a Sunday School class) will be traveling to these two villages for almost two weeks to provide biblical teaching and aid in the current financial project we have developed with them—hand-knit bags.
This mission is a little bit scary, but a lot exciting. And it has started to take on a special meaning for me as well. In addition to Bible teaching, we also plan to do a health lesson. Witchcraft is still common in these villages—as in many places throughout Africa—and illnesses or abnormalities are often viewed as curses. Our teams have dispelled those myths on things such as infertility by providing medical information and personal testimonies. Do you see where this is going? This May, I will have the opportunity to share our family’s journey with Down syndrome as part of a health lesson in birth defects and abnormalities. It’s hard for me to believe that God has had this timing planned since before I was even born. Here we are, less than a year into Roo’s life, and I have been given the opportunity to literally share him with the world.
I would love for you to be part of this adventure with me. How can you do that? First, you can pray. Please pray for our team, as we prepare lessons, as we travel (May 24 – June 4), and as we teach and worship with the people of these villages. Please pray for my family and those who will be helping here while we are gone. And of course, please pray for the villages themselves and the people in them. If you would like to receive e-mail updates and prayer requests, you can include your e-mail address on the form or just reply to this message.
Second, we would greatly appreciate any financial help that you feel led to provide. The total cost for the team is around $21,000. The Chapel is planning to provide around $8,000 of that, but we would love to raise enough that we wouldn’t need it. Checks should be made out to The Chapel and mailed to me, along with the form I have included here. Please do not put my name on the memo field of the check. This prevents you from being able to get the tax deduction from your donation. Simply mail it with the form, and we will make sure your donation goes to the correct account and that you get a receipt. You can also donate online at http://diaryofazookeeper.blogspot.com/ by clicking on the “Chip In” box on the right-hand side of the page, but online donations are not tax deductible.
Thank you in advance for your help. I can’t wait to tell you more!
Love,
Katy & family
Below is the support letter I am sending for my upcoming short-term mission to Mozambique. I would love for you to be part of my support team. If you wish to contribute but would prefer to send a check rather than use the Chip In, please e-mail me through my profile and I will get you the information that you need.
Thank you in advance!
Katy
*****
Dear Friends & Family,
Have you ever been afraid that getting water might cost you your life? Have you ever worried whether the water you drink might cause you to fall sick? Have you ever worried that your husband, who was leaving for months to provide for your family, might not come home again? For countless women in Africa, this is part of daily life. They walk to crocodile-infested rivers to draw their water—water which is often contaminated with cholera or other bacteria. They work all day in the fields, leaving children as young as 3 or 4 to take care of their infant siblings, because their husbands have traveled hundreds of miles away to find work in mines.
The Chapel has adopted two villages in Mozambique in an effort to combat these sad circumstances. Our mission, called Fresh Passion, began by providing fresh water to these villages. Now we are providing them with Living Water—that is, the good news of Jesus Christ. Twice a year, teams from the Chapel travel to Mozambique, where we partner with an organization called World Relief to provide spiritual teaching to the church leaders, women, and children in the villages of Chiamite and Koca Misava. We are also working with them to find new ways of improving the local economy so that the men won’t have to travel so far to find work.
Why am I telling you all of this? I am excited to tell you that I will be joining the next team going to Mozambique! On May 24, 2011, a team primarily made up of people from our ABF (much like a Sunday School class) will be traveling to these two villages for almost two weeks to provide biblical teaching and aid in the current financial project we have developed with them—hand-knit bags.
This mission is a little bit scary, but a lot exciting. And it has started to take on a special meaning for me as well. In addition to Bible teaching, we also plan to do a health lesson. Witchcraft is still common in these villages—as in many places throughout Africa—and illnesses or abnormalities are often viewed as curses. Our teams have dispelled those myths on things such as infertility by providing medical information and personal testimonies. Do you see where this is going? This May, I will have the opportunity to share our family’s journey with Down syndrome as part of a health lesson in birth defects and abnormalities. It’s hard for me to believe that God has had this timing planned since before I was even born. Here we are, less than a year into Roo’s life, and I have been given the opportunity to literally share him with the world.
I would love for you to be part of this adventure with me. How can you do that? First, you can pray. Please pray for our team, as we prepare lessons, as we travel (May 24 – June 4), and as we teach and worship with the people of these villages. Please pray for my family and those who will be helping here while we are gone. And of course, please pray for the villages themselves and the people in them. If you would like to receive e-mail updates and prayer requests, you can include your e-mail address on the form or just reply to this message.
Second, we would greatly appreciate any financial help that you feel led to provide. The total cost for the team is around $21,000. The Chapel is planning to provide around $8,000 of that, but we would love to raise enough that we wouldn’t need it. Checks should be made out to The Chapel and mailed to me, along with the form I have included here. Please do not put my name on the memo field of the check. This prevents you from being able to get the tax deduction from your donation. Simply mail it with the form, and we will make sure your donation goes to the correct account and that you get a receipt. You can also donate online at http://diaryofazookeeper.blogspot.com/ by clicking on the “Chip In” box on the right-hand side of the page, but online donations are not tax deductible.
Thank you in advance for your help. I can’t wait to tell you more!
Love,
Katy & family
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