Little Lima Bean

Tomorrow I am flying up to NC to visit with my daughter and SIL. I am so excited because we are going shopping for preggo clothes for K to wear while she is waiting for the Little Lima Bean to get here. We are going to spend lots of time in Pottery Barn Kids looking at nursery gear - it would just be wonderful if we had any idea if this was a girl or boy wouldn't it!?! While I am away I will be praying for Potato Chip who is staying behind - working and taking care of Walker, the dog. (he is named after G. WALKER Bush) I will also be praying, praying, praying for the team in Kenya. The news today is that everyone is healthy, they went into a school to talk to the students about AIDS, abstinence, and Christ. A prayer request is for stamina and energy - they are all exhausted from the trip over.
So please continue to pray, and I will update from NC!!

Why Go??

Thank you for your prayers - had a text message at 8:30am that DB had arrived in Nairobi, and the greatest answer to prayers is that all of the luggage and supplies had also arrived with them. This young lady is why DB goes back to Africa every year. Evelyn was found in the hut behind, living with her grandmother and little brother. Everyone else in her family (10 adult children, their spouses and grandchildren) had died from AIDS. When D met her, she was very ill with no idea of what was wrong, and what could be done to make her better - no doctors in the area. She was so weak that she could hardly get out of bed. There was an open wound on her ankle - source of infection that had traveled throughout her body. The team, against the advice of local missionaries, put their money together, rented a van and transported her to the closest "clinic". After meeting with the doctor, he was paid in advance for treatments and medicine. Travel arrangements were put in place so that Evelyn could get to the clinic daily. Evelyn accepted Christ in the process - her grandmother said that she had been praying for years for someone to come to her home and tell her about Jesus. Evelyn went home to Jesus - her body was too weak and malnourished to handle the strong antibiotics that she was receiving. Last year when D went back to the same village he was able to find Evelyn's grandmother and give her a framed photo that he had taken of her beautiful granddaughter. So this is why they go back year after year - why they try and save lives, spirits and souls. This is the picture that never leaves your head or your heart. This is life in Africa that we are called to make a difference in.

Prayer Request

It is 3:30AM Saturday here, and 10:30AM Saturday in Kenya. I have just watched D and 10 other friends leave on a flight to JFK. At JFK they will board an Emirates Airline flight to Dubai. This is a 13 hour flight. Sunday, they leave Dubai at 10AM and arrive in Nairobi at 2:15PM. This group is headed to the Bondo region - see earlier post. My specific prayer request today - safety in travel and prayers for the health of a team member, Peggy. Peggy was in an accident and is traveling with a cracked rib. So if you are reading this blog - please stop and pray now, and then pray each time you happen to drink water. Use this as a reminder as the people of Kenya are in great need of water to drink for their physical needs as they hear about the water that cleanses our spirits.

fRiDaY tHe 13tH

Spent Friday night, the 13th, in the ER with younger daughter who will forever be referred to as Potato Chip. In almost 5 years of suffering from chronic/daily migraine headaches - the result of a closed head injury from an auto accident - Friday night was the first time that we have gone to the ER. We called ahead to the big trauma center ER - long wait, our local ER is a total nightmare that some folks never recover from. So we drove into town (big town) to a smaller, private hospital with great service. Now, that is great service on a normal day. Remember, this IS Friday the 13th. We checked in, and were quickly taken back to the little curtained cubicle. Fast Track - great!! Then it started. Potato Chip was interviewed and we waitied. and we waited...and we waited. Finally, a doctor rushes into the curtain next door to us. I heard the frustration of the teen male next to us as he tried to explain to a doctor who didn't speak English that he couldn't "pee". He kept trying to explain his problem, and finally the doctor told him in broken English to go get a urine specimen by peeing into a cup. Now, we are in the cubicle right across from the bathroom and nurses station - PRIME LOCATION. Teen male goes into the bathroom - now, moans and groans, moans and groans. After about 10 minutes teen male comes out with a FULL CUP OF URINE!! During all of this there is a room (room #8) in view that doesn't have a curtain, but a door, walls and windows. Now it doesn't take us long to figure out that this is the room for those "going upstair" or getting Baker-Acted. Felix, very nicely dressed, very handsome (reminds me of Tony Dimera on Days of Our Lives) Cuban just cannot keep his gown on, or stay in the room. He is demanding the service that he is accustomed to, and when he doesn't get it he just keeps wandering off, getting lost, and the nurses are looking for him. Soon he is taken "upstairs". His room is quickly occupied by a young man accompanied by a policewoman. He comes in with two rolling suitcases - hmmm, and asks for dinner to be brought in, I didn't realize that we could have ordered in. We are still waiting for the non-English speaking doctor to drop by for a visit. The nurse goes in to interview the young man - who begins to tell her that he just wants to kill someone. Thinking that he is suicidal, she proceeds with the interview. - asking more questions about why he would want to hurt himself. Nooooo, he didn't want to hurt himself - he just wants to kill someone, well who? Oh, it doesn't matter - just needs to kill someone tonight. OK, so the 2 rolling suitcases are discreetly rolled over to the nurses' station. Potato Chip and Idecide if something starts going down, that we can hide under the bed. Headache is escalating. The doctor finally comes in to see us. PC is too sick to try and talk to the doctor. I start giving a little background, and tell him that she was at the Pain Clinic for an IV around noon, and that gave no relief. We were instructed by the on call doctor to go to the ER. "Ohhh, he says - pre-eclampsia?" Now, I know that is a pregnant term. "NOOOOO, she is not pregnant - migraine - MIGRAINE.. She needs something for the pain and nausea." all said while I am smacking my head for emphasis..."CATSCAN" he says. "NOOOO, just give her an injection to stop the pain." "OK, I write script, go home." Oh, great - that is just not going to work at all. I finally got the nurse who spoke and understood perfect english. She comes back with two injections - yes, thank you Lord that someone in this town speaks and understands english - especially in the ER - good grief , I was so frustrated - and then to top it off it IS Friday the 13th, remember this is a very small ER - the guy beside us - young, skinny guy wearing pants with all of the tags still on them hanging around his rear - He wants someone to bring him spaghetti and meatballs...meanwhile, back to room #8 - the young man has gotten too warm in his sweater and decides to take it off. Young man is a YOUNG GIRL!! Remember we can see and hear everything that is going on in here - so much for all of the privacy papers we had just signed!! hmmm...this girl is told the same thing - just stay calm, and we will be taking you "upstairs"......Now, everytime someone goes into this little bathroom - 5 feet in front of us - there is always moaning and groaning - I finally have to go in there - oh my gosh - no wonder everyone is moaning - it smells like someone has died in that little bathroom - died days ago....finally two injections later - we are RELEASED, leaving young man who can't pee waiting for his spaghetti and meatballs to arrive !?!, girl bartender who sliced her finger instead of the lime crying like a baby, gender questionable person who wants to kill someone before the nights over, emergency physician who doesn't communicate in english, the wonderful nurses of the night and we head home to quiet little suburb before the window of consciousness closes on Potato Chip in the back seat.

Catching Up

Alright I know that I have not blogged, checked in, etc. for the last week ... maybe even a little longer. Well, Siestas - this has just not been the best of all weeks, OK? So much has happened that I am not even sure where to start. So I am just going to give you a quick catch up if I can even remember. Surprises - last week one of my very favorite cousins called out of the blue to let me know that he and his wife were in town for a convention, and wanted to meet for dinner. Now, we moved down here to the land of Mickey 12 years ago - want to know how many family members have driven down here to visit - well let's just say not too many. This was just such a blessing. We met for dinner at Macaroni Grill for several hours. What a wonderful visit. We are definitely still the family rebels, even as adults. This was a great reunion!! The next day it was time to finally "cover the gray" again - now why has this little event moved from every six weeks to every four??? Go figure - I have a head full of sparkly silver hair that is carefully and expensively hidden, and the Steel Magnolia still has a head of brown hair.
Thursday I was back at the hospital for a quick in and out female surgery. This little trip has been planned for two months, postponed because of the liver malfunction. I was in at 5AM, totally knocked out, had surgery, went through recovery for a couple of hours, and was tucked in at home by 10:30. The "hoverers" were ever-present and kept me down and out all of Thursday and most of Friday. I am still lacking energy which is making this over-active, ADD adult CRAZY!!! I have definitely caught up on lots of sleep and movies and Beth Moore homework. I got a call today to be at the doctor tomorrow - so I am praying once again that the results from the biopsy is good news. Now the rest of last Friday deserves its very own post, so that will follow.

Where Do I Start!?!

Tonight we are packing David's bags for Kenya, the Bondo region. He is leaving around 3:30am on Saturday with a team of 9 other folks from our church for two weeks. This is the 3rd trip back to the same area and the same people. Knowing that upon his return some of those that he ministered with last year and the year before will probably have died. The team is literally out in the "bush" and in small villages setting up churches, teaching and ministering to ministers and leaders. They are going into the schools and orphanages talking to children and teaching HIV/Aids protection and abstinence. This is the only way to physically save lives - the average age in the region is 15 - half of the population is 15 years or younger. Not many adults left due to death from AIDS. So I ask for your prayers for the Kenyan Mission team from Bell Shoals Baptist Church (www.bellshoals.com) They fly from Tampa to JFK, to Dubai (13 hours), then on to Nairobi, then fly to Kisumu, then by van the rest of the way. Biggest prayer need to start with is safety while traveling and health protection. I am thanking God this evening for the safe return of our niece from Kenya. She is only 16, and has just landed safely in Chicago - not all the way home yet - from a two week trip into Kenya. Check out her blog - http://raymunn.blogspot.com/
I really do need someone to tell me how to drop these links in without writing out the link. I see lots of blogs doing that with just highlighted names, etc. So if someone can enlighten me just go right ahead!! Thanks. and just remember to pray because this is going to be two long weeks...long for those of us left behind to do the praying, quick and too short for those ministering in Kenya.

One of my new Siestas from the LPM blog, Donna Carolina Gal (of course it was the name that grabbed me - you know, Carolina Girl best in the world) has tagged me to enter 5 things I dig about Jesus!

Wow - where do I even start with this one!?!?!

1) I start with the gift of life - Eternal Life - this promise is and has been so important to me for as long as I can remember. My Dad died when I was 13, and it was this promise that I could believe and KNOW!!

2) I dig the man, Jesus, because he was an ordinary man living in an ordinary world, but at the very same time - He was extraordinary, changing the very ordinary world into the extraordinary - changing the lives of all who lived and would come after - changing my life forever and eternity.

3) I really dig the way that He taught us to love unconditionally.

4) I am completely overwhelmed, in awe of, inspired by the words, the lessons, the actions of this Man.

5) I am in a constant state of excitement and anticipation about what He is doing in my life every single day. It is one great adventure!!

Anita, Chris, Kerry, DeDe, Christina consider yourself tagged!!

Tiny Sparrows

Matthew 10:29-31

29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Way back when - when we lived in SC, I began collecting birdhouses. Several weeks ago, I cleared out some of the houses, and put two of my favorites on the top shelf of the baker's rack on our screened porch. On Friday I left the screen door propped open so that Walker (cutest little Yorkie you have ever seen, named of course after George Walker Bush) could get in and out. Friday evening when we were outside grilling David noticed that there were two little birds inside the the screen. After getting them out - they came back in - went out - came back in. We started watching what they were doing - these little birds were going in and out of one of the birdhouses making a nest!!! We have watched them all weekend, and the birdhouse is almost full of nesting. Now, we are leaving the door open for our little bird friends. This has just been amazing - how did they even find their way onto our porch, how did they find this little birdhouse, how do they know to keep on coming back? If God can take care of these little birds, find them a place to live, give them such a sense of direction that they can come back day after day to complete their task - why would we ever doubt that He can take care of our needs?? This has been God's message to us, a reminder of what He can do in even the simplest of situations.