Life in Suriname...
Well Sunday was one big day of traveling for us. I sadly said goodbye to Brody and headed to the airport to leave for Panama. I did not sleep too much the night before, so I was exhausted but spent the first plane to panama just worshipping Him, asking Him to prepare me for the day, and just pryd over my family. I began to get really homesick as I said goodbye to those I could talk to on the phone...and that continued the entire day. I land in {anama, check out the airport, and then wait for the plane. Three other families and Christy meet me in the waiting room and the fun begins. We land in Curaçao, get our stuff,and by the grace of Dad check in early as we begin our 9 hour layover. Two of the families, Christy and I decide to take a tour on an open air bus. It was amazing. I honestly couldn't believe that HE would allow me to see this beautiful island, with amazing weather, eat at Wendy's, and have use of Internet for free. It was a great time and I praise Him for giving us an affordable way to spend 4 of the 9 hours. We finally leave for Suriname, I sleep the entire way there because I am exhausted. We land at 12:30AM, get through customs, and get on a bus for an hour to arrive at our hotel. It is late, and it felt so good to go to bed.
We wake up late the next morning with just enough time to go to the grocery store. We get to the store and I go into culture shock. I have not seen so much American stuff in forever! One leader tells us that they have so much stuff because they have to import everything. I am hoping we can go back so I can stock up before going home. After groceries, we exchange money and pack up the bus again. We go eat roke, which is an amazing Suraneese dish of chicken, green beans, and tortillas. We hear that the airport we were supposed to use was closed and we are heading to another. We get to the airport, weigh in (us and our bags), and then wait for the plane. Christy and I leave first on a 4 seater plane. It was a cool trip...bumpy but cool. We were able to see so much of the country. We land, the pilots take out the luggage, and tell us goodbye. Yep, new country, new language, and the two of us. We waited for about 40 minutes before the local m came up to greet us. They had not told them that we had left, so he did not know we were there. We carried the luggage to the boats, he took us to buy us a coke while we waited for 2 hours for the next group. It was so great to talk to him, listen to his story, and just meet a few of the people.
The next group arrives, we unload, and carry the rest of the luggage through the village to get to the boats. We load up the boats with our luggage and people and head to our new home in the jungle for the next month. It was a 45-minute ride down the river to where we lived. It was so beautiful. I couldn't stop giving thanks to Him for allowing me to see another one of the beautiful places and meet more people that He created. We arrive and I am completely blown away. The camp is amazing. I seriously was surprised at what they had done here. Each family had their own cabin and Christy and I are sharing. Ours is tucked away in the corner with a nice front porch with river right in front of us. We dropped our bags and went to eat an Akn dinner. The funny thing is that Akn dinners are a lot like Colombian dinners...we ate chicken and rice. We had a brief meeting, learned how to tie our hammocks, Mosquitos nets, and where to get water. We went back to our rooms and we set up our house for the next month.
I didn't sleep too much that first night and woke up in time to spend time with Him, get some breakfast and head out on the boat to make my first store run. The island store was full of more things than I thought and even the local m was surprised by a couple of things that they had. On our way back, we were able to see our island a little better. Our island has a run way for the airplanes (but when we came in it was closed because of rain), a small school, houses for the teachers, a clinic, and us. It is a safe island surrounded by Jungle and right on the river. After our store run, we began our orientation and meeting time. It was neat to meet each of the new ms and their families. I have been trying to be intentional with each family to hear their stories and try to figure out how I can best serve them and love them. That afternoon, we were taken and shown how they wash clothes in the river. After finishing washing our clothes, I headed back to the house and spent the afternoon with Him. Just sitting and listening to what He had to say to me. It was an amazing time in His Word and I praise Him for meeting me there. I was still feeling quite homesick, missing lots and lots of people...and wishing that they were here with me, or at least I had one friend here. Every day I realize more and more just how introverted I am and that sweet time with Him is always exactly what I need to be ready to be used by Him.
Wednesday, I woke up on and off all night long for various reasons but mostly for pain...in the knee, in the stomach, in the head...lots of pain. So I made sure to spend lots of quality time in His word while I ate some oatmeal and drank some yummy Colombian coffee. I am reading in I John and He revealed to me the importance of being the light here on this campus. We had a good morning of training where the leadership talked about the importance of personal holiness, different cultural dos and don’ts, and we practiced learning the Aknn language with the local ms here. Every lunch we eat in community and it is typically an Akn lunch. And He blessed me with the opportunity to sit and talk to BS, the local m here. It was so refreshing to hear her story, heart for her people, and passion for Him most importantly. I definitely needed this time and praise Him for giving me the opportunity to hear all about her. That afternoon we learned basic construction skills, tools, dos and don’ts. It was a neat class lead by a volunteer who is the sweetest man and a joy to be around. After "camp time", I spent some more time resting in Him and seeking His face. I was disrupted several times by my roomie, kids, and life...so I decided to join the disruptions in their fishing endeavors. I baited a hook, threw it out, and we waited to catch a wolf fish. Through the night we would check on the line, but we didn't seem to be too lucky and just went to bed. I spent the night praising Him for such an amazing day, time in His word, and with His children.
Thursday, I woke up with less pain and so I immediately hit my knees in praise to a Dad who loves and heals. I did my new morning routine...make the coffee, make the breakfast, get ready, and spend time with Him. After that we all meet together for worship and a devotional time as adults. The children spend the entire morning with some volunteers and other ms having school and learning how to live in the jungle. After devotional time we begin our 3 different morning sessions together learning or reviewing things that will help us be better and more effective ms on the field. Then someone rings the bell for lunch, and we all eat lunch together. After lunch we have camp time, where we learn more practical things to prepare for life in the jungle...like basic electrical work, solar panels, generators, fire starting, etc. After that, we generally have free time to wash clothes, ourselves, clean, spend time with Him, or do clean up around camp. We can always go for a swim in the river. Two days a week they will take us across the river to the store to purchase things for the week and three days a week a plane will come in and generally have some veggies or breads for sale. At night, we are on our own for dinner and some people have meetings or group time or free time.
So that is my schedule each day, more or less. Today's teachings were informative about building our strategy plan, health issues, and basic rules for the camp. At lunch, I have tried to take advantage of getting to know the many people that are with us. But this lunch, I just helped out one of the families with her kids. During our camp time, we learned the basics of electrical things, which was very interesting. That afternoon, I spent time in the Word and just resting in Him. I wish you could see my front porch where I spend my time with Him...it is breathtaking. We were able to go to the store this afternoon and it had some unusual things. The hardest part is not having a place to keep thing cool if we don't use all of the food. We hurried back to the island where we had time to have a meeting as women and then head out with B to another island where she leads some women in study of His word. It was a neat experience but really made me miss my people. It is frustrating to have so much you want to say but not have the ability to say hardly anything. I spent my time prying for B and the women we were meeting with that day. We came back to the island, cooked some dinner, and got ready for the next day.
Friday started with the same routine. We learned about orality and storying, which was a review for me and I believe most of the people. At lunch, I had the privilege to hear the stories of a married couple serving in Chile. It was neat to hear how He called them to Him, and called them to the ministry. I do not get tired of listening to people's redemption stories. As I listen, He reveals new ways that I can pry for each person here. I am still trying to figure out my purpose for being here and why He has brought me here. But everyday, I search for His will and where He is moving and just go there. That evening, Christy and I ate dinner with one couple. It was a definite ministry opportunity as we heard their hearts and what is important to them. It was a good opportunity for me to know how to pry for them and how they need to be encouraged. I pry that He will use me to encourage them just at the right times. And that evening, He used me to listen to my roomie and encourage her and what she has been doing and what she is thinking about for her future. It was a long night but I know He will multiply my sleep.
Saturday, I had an amazing time in His word. Being in 1 John has been challenging as He calls us to abide in Him and to love. The concepts and teachings are not complicated...I am. How simple it is to abide in Him and allow His truth to abide in you and His light to reflect through you. Oh how I pry that I can bring Him glory today through abiding in His words. After our morning devotional, we all pack up the boats and head over to another island. We as a team were going to build a swing set and play with some kids. It was so weird to not be able to communicate but just like with anything when you are thrown in, you either sink or swim. All the basic words and sayings I knew in Akn were used with every kid. We played some games with them, I helped the men a little bit with the swing set but you know men they like to do it themselves, and so I just loved on some people. When we had finally finished, it was so cool to see their faces as they were swinging for the first time. I took so many pictures of their faces because it was priceless. It was a huge blessing to be used by Him, even if I could not communicate His truths. I spent lots of time pryng over the swing set, the sweet faces we met, and the island. The people there were so friendly but it is spiritual dead and dark. I pry that CSS will be reflections of His Light and He will continue to soften hearts to Him. When we came back, we basically spent the evening with another family cooking, laughing, sharing, and just relaxing. It was a great day of Him using us in different ways.
Sunday, we finally get to sleep in a little bit and I spent some much needed time with Him this morning. Then we all leave for different clubs...it was so neat to ride a boat across the river, walk through the jungle, and eventually end up at a club. And to top it off, it was the first service in a long time that I did not just sweat in because He has blessed us with amazing weather. It was such a blessing to hear testimonies, sing with the aukaners, and listen to a man who recently accepted after a tragic accident with his son just last year. He is an Aukaner not afraid of his faith and sharing at anytime and with anyone. I praise Him for allowing me to experience this service. The afternoon was spent making lunch, listening to more friends, and time in the Word. We had a community American meal of hamburgers, fries, and desert! It was incredible to smell real grilled meat and eat a hamburger that had an actual flavor. We sat around and reflected on the week and prepared ourselves for the next week. I am excited to hear how He will continue to use me this next week and teach me more about Him.
Well Sunday was one big day of traveling for us. I sadly said goodbye to Brody and headed to the airport to leave for Panama. I did not sleep too much the night before, so I was exhausted but spent the first plane to panama just worshipping Him, asking Him to prepare me for the day, and just pryd over my family. I began to get really homesick as I said goodbye to those I could talk to on the phone...and that continued the entire day. I land in {anama, check out the airport, and then wait for the plane. Three other families and Christy meet me in the waiting room and the fun begins. We land in Curaçao, get our stuff,and by the grace of Dad check in early as we begin our 9 hour layover. Two of the families, Christy and I decide to take a tour on an open air bus. It was amazing. I honestly couldn't believe that HE would allow me to see this beautiful island, with amazing weather, eat at Wendy's, and have use of Internet for free. It was a great time and I praise Him for giving us an affordable way to spend 4 of the 9 hours. We finally leave for Suriname, I sleep the entire way there because I am exhausted. We land at 12:30AM, get through customs, and get on a bus for an hour to arrive at our hotel. It is late, and it felt so good to go to bed.
We wake up late the next morning with just enough time to go to the grocery store. We get to the store and I go into culture shock. I have not seen so much American stuff in forever! One leader tells us that they have so much stuff because they have to import everything. I am hoping we can go back so I can stock up before going home. After groceries, we exchange money and pack up the bus again. We go eat roke, which is an amazing Suraneese dish of chicken, green beans, and tortillas. We hear that the airport we were supposed to use was closed and we are heading to another. We get to the airport, weigh in (us and our bags), and then wait for the plane. Christy and I leave first on a 4 seater plane. It was a cool trip...bumpy but cool. We were able to see so much of the country. We land, the pilots take out the luggage, and tell us goodbye. Yep, new country, new language, and the two of us. We waited for about 40 minutes before the local m came up to greet us. They had not told them that we had left, so he did not know we were there. We carried the luggage to the boats, he took us to buy us a coke while we waited for 2 hours for the next group. It was so great to talk to him, listen to his story, and just meet a few of the people.
The next group arrives, we unload, and carry the rest of the luggage through the village to get to the boats. We load up the boats with our luggage and people and head to our new home in the jungle for the next month. It was a 45-minute ride down the river to where we lived. It was so beautiful. I couldn't stop giving thanks to Him for allowing me to see another one of the beautiful places and meet more people that He created. We arrive and I am completely blown away. The camp is amazing. I seriously was surprised at what they had done here. Each family had their own cabin and Christy and I are sharing. Ours is tucked away in the corner with a nice front porch with river right in front of us. We dropped our bags and went to eat an Akn dinner. The funny thing is that Akn dinners are a lot like Colombian dinners...we ate chicken and rice. We had a brief meeting, learned how to tie our hammocks, Mosquitos nets, and where to get water. We went back to our rooms and we set up our house for the next month.
I didn't sleep too much that first night and woke up in time to spend time with Him, get some breakfast and head out on the boat to make my first store run. The island store was full of more things than I thought and even the local m was surprised by a couple of things that they had. On our way back, we were able to see our island a little better. Our island has a run way for the airplanes (but when we came in it was closed because of rain), a small school, houses for the teachers, a clinic, and us. It is a safe island surrounded by Jungle and right on the river. After our store run, we began our orientation and meeting time. It was neat to meet each of the new ms and their families. I have been trying to be intentional with each family to hear their stories and try to figure out how I can best serve them and love them. That afternoon, we were taken and shown how they wash clothes in the river. After finishing washing our clothes, I headed back to the house and spent the afternoon with Him. Just sitting and listening to what He had to say to me. It was an amazing time in His Word and I praise Him for meeting me there. I was still feeling quite homesick, missing lots and lots of people...and wishing that they were here with me, or at least I had one friend here. Every day I realize more and more just how introverted I am and that sweet time with Him is always exactly what I need to be ready to be used by Him.
Wednesday, I woke up on and off all night long for various reasons but mostly for pain...in the knee, in the stomach, in the head...lots of pain. So I made sure to spend lots of quality time in His word while I ate some oatmeal and drank some yummy Colombian coffee. I am reading in I John and He revealed to me the importance of being the light here on this campus. We had a good morning of training where the leadership talked about the importance of personal holiness, different cultural dos and don’ts, and we practiced learning the Aknn language with the local ms here. Every lunch we eat in community and it is typically an Akn lunch. And He blessed me with the opportunity to sit and talk to BS, the local m here. It was so refreshing to hear her story, heart for her people, and passion for Him most importantly. I definitely needed this time and praise Him for giving me the opportunity to hear all about her. That afternoon we learned basic construction skills, tools, dos and don’ts. It was a neat class lead by a volunteer who is the sweetest man and a joy to be around. After "camp time", I spent some more time resting in Him and seeking His face. I was disrupted several times by my roomie, kids, and life...so I decided to join the disruptions in their fishing endeavors. I baited a hook, threw it out, and we waited to catch a wolf fish. Through the night we would check on the line, but we didn't seem to be too lucky and just went to bed. I spent the night praising Him for such an amazing day, time in His word, and with His children.
Thursday, I woke up with less pain and so I immediately hit my knees in praise to a Dad who loves and heals. I did my new morning routine...make the coffee, make the breakfast, get ready, and spend time with Him. After that we all meet together for worship and a devotional time as adults. The children spend the entire morning with some volunteers and other ms having school and learning how to live in the jungle. After devotional time we begin our 3 different morning sessions together learning or reviewing things that will help us be better and more effective ms on the field. Then someone rings the bell for lunch, and we all eat lunch together. After lunch we have camp time, where we learn more practical things to prepare for life in the jungle...like basic electrical work, solar panels, generators, fire starting, etc. After that, we generally have free time to wash clothes, ourselves, clean, spend time with Him, or do clean up around camp. We can always go for a swim in the river. Two days a week they will take us across the river to the store to purchase things for the week and three days a week a plane will come in and generally have some veggies or breads for sale. At night, we are on our own for dinner and some people have meetings or group time or free time.
So that is my schedule each day, more or less. Today's teachings were informative about building our strategy plan, health issues, and basic rules for the camp. At lunch, I have tried to take advantage of getting to know the many people that are with us. But this lunch, I just helped out one of the families with her kids. During our camp time, we learned the basics of electrical things, which was very interesting. That afternoon, I spent time in the Word and just resting in Him. I wish you could see my front porch where I spend my time with Him...it is breathtaking. We were able to go to the store this afternoon and it had some unusual things. The hardest part is not having a place to keep thing cool if we don't use all of the food. We hurried back to the island where we had time to have a meeting as women and then head out with B to another island where she leads some women in study of His word. It was a neat experience but really made me miss my people. It is frustrating to have so much you want to say but not have the ability to say hardly anything. I spent my time prying for B and the women we were meeting with that day. We came back to the island, cooked some dinner, and got ready for the next day.
Friday started with the same routine. We learned about orality and storying, which was a review for me and I believe most of the people. At lunch, I had the privilege to hear the stories of a married couple serving in Chile. It was neat to hear how He called them to Him, and called them to the ministry. I do not get tired of listening to people's redemption stories. As I listen, He reveals new ways that I can pry for each person here. I am still trying to figure out my purpose for being here and why He has brought me here. But everyday, I search for His will and where He is moving and just go there. That evening, Christy and I ate dinner with one couple. It was a definite ministry opportunity as we heard their hearts and what is important to them. It was a good opportunity for me to know how to pry for them and how they need to be encouraged. I pry that He will use me to encourage them just at the right times. And that evening, He used me to listen to my roomie and encourage her and what she has been doing and what she is thinking about for her future. It was a long night but I know He will multiply my sleep.
Saturday, I had an amazing time in His word. Being in 1 John has been challenging as He calls us to abide in Him and to love. The concepts and teachings are not complicated...I am. How simple it is to abide in Him and allow His truth to abide in you and His light to reflect through you. Oh how I pry that I can bring Him glory today through abiding in His words. After our morning devotional, we all pack up the boats and head over to another island. We as a team were going to build a swing set and play with some kids. It was so weird to not be able to communicate but just like with anything when you are thrown in, you either sink or swim. All the basic words and sayings I knew in Akn were used with every kid. We played some games with them, I helped the men a little bit with the swing set but you know men they like to do it themselves, and so I just loved on some people. When we had finally finished, it was so cool to see their faces as they were swinging for the first time. I took so many pictures of their faces because it was priceless. It was a huge blessing to be used by Him, even if I could not communicate His truths. I spent lots of time pryng over the swing set, the sweet faces we met, and the island. The people there were so friendly but it is spiritual dead and dark. I pry that CSS will be reflections of His Light and He will continue to soften hearts to Him. When we came back, we basically spent the evening with another family cooking, laughing, sharing, and just relaxing. It was a great day of Him using us in different ways.
Sunday, we finally get to sleep in a little bit and I spent some much needed time with Him this morning. Then we all leave for different clubs...it was so neat to ride a boat across the river, walk through the jungle, and eventually end up at a club. And to top it off, it was the first service in a long time that I did not just sweat in because He has blessed us with amazing weather. It was such a blessing to hear testimonies, sing with the aukaners, and listen to a man who recently accepted after a tragic accident with his son just last year. He is an Aukaner not afraid of his faith and sharing at anytime and with anyone. I praise Him for allowing me to experience this service. The afternoon was spent making lunch, listening to more friends, and time in the Word. We had a community American meal of hamburgers, fries, and desert! It was incredible to smell real grilled meat and eat a hamburger that had an actual flavor. We sat around and reflected on the week and prepared ourselves for the next week. I am excited to hear how He will continue to use me this next week and teach me more about Him.
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