I'm home now

I love Kenya. I am soooo glad that God gave me the opportunity to go on this trip.
The jet lag I could do without. It's the wee hours of the morning and I can't sleep and have been a little sick trying to adjust back to the normal way of life here.

Unfortunatly, about half of the team got minor injuries from torn rotator cuff, to skin abraisions, or beame ill on the trip and everyone had different things from sinus infections to IBS from possible food poisining. Maybe it was satan's way of attacking. I was one of them that got sick

The plane ride home was just awful. We waited to check in at the Kenya airport for over an hour. I had two pieces of luggage and my heavy back pack on my back. While waiting in line I began to feel really impatient and grouchy because of all the mixed emotions about leaving and not feeling well on top of that. My stomach was upset and I had really bad lower back pain by the time we boarded for our 10 pm flight. I watched some movies and was in and out of conscienceness and because I was at a window seat with two other people sleeping next to me, I didn't think about going to the bathroom for the 8 1/2 hour flight to Amsterdam.

When we landed, I turned to my side and got stabbing pain in my bladder because I had not gone to the bathroom. I was so ready to get out of the plane it wasn't even funny. When I got off, I ran to the bathroom, but I was still in an intense amout of pain it brought tears to my eyes. Another girl (who happend to be my secret supporter) had been vomiting the entire flight to Amsterdam. Emily made us both go to the first aid in the airport to get some medicinal relief. The nurse lady made me give her a urine sample and confirmed a bladder infection. That was probably why I had lower back pain and nausea. She gave me a perscription.

We got on the next flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, and I was hoping I would feel better, but me who has to be one of the few who actually enjoys airline food, was pretty repulsed by what they had to offer. Again I tried watching movies and sleeping. And I made sure I used the bathroom this time like every 45 minutes. So I felt pretty much a little better until we began our decent and the nausea came back full force. Of course I waited until the plane was positioned at the terminal and everyone was standing in the aisle waiting to get off the plane when I decided it was time to throw up the medicine I had taken. Thank goodness for motion sickness bags.

We had a pretty long lay over. I was really drained out at this point just sitting there not really talking or moving much. Someone was nice to bring me back a ginerale. It was really interesting and tasted like cream soda a little bit.

Our last flight from Detroit to Philly was a short one. I got to sit next to the girl who I was secret supporting, Chelsea. She's 15, and spunky and energetic and too cute. She almost looks a little bit like my freind from college Laura Fafoutis.

Anyway, I took a short nap because I was still feeling sick and after I woke up she taught me how to play a card game called garbage and I didn't stand a chance against her, it is a game of luck rather than skill. I guess I have no luck. (No comment here).

When we got off the plane it was great to see Becca and Dave waiting there for me at the arrival terminal. I was kept so busy, and always surrounded by people that I didn't realized home much I missed everyone until the last few days of the trip when I had to prepare myself for reentry.

I slept over Dave and Becca's because I was so tired and not up for doing much or driving home and didn't really want to come home to an empty apartment because Nina was at work. I woke up Sunday morning at 5 ish and checked my emial and read blogs for and hour or so, but had not enegery to reply or repost, so I went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 11:30 or so. I stumbled out of bed and went into the living room and watched an eposide of Everybody Loves Raymond on DVD before Dave and Becca came home from church.

Becca made us lunch on their fine china and then I showed them my pictures while they were falling asleep on the couches. I can't blame them, I had over 900 photos.

I went home and Nina was till working on her assignment, so I showered and did laundry and then when she was ready to take a break I tried to send my picutes through the walmart website to get developed, but I couldn't figure out how to upload all the pictures. So I gave up and she took me to Cracker Barrell for dinner. My stomach was a still a bit unsettled, so I got french toast with fruit.

I wish I had another day to rest. I'm afraid I'll be draging all day. I really hope I don't have to work at ABC tonight. I need to take it easy.

I'm not really sure what to say about the trip other than God provided and through him great things were accomplished. There is blogs on the word fm website that go into detail about the trip that you can read. if you want to know anything else just ask and I'd be happy to tell.

Greetings from Kenya

One week down, less than a week to go. I'm totally thrilled to be here in Kenya on this mission trip. God has moved in amazing and powerful ways. Our team finished the cement roof on the building even though it seemed to be an impossible job. The 43 people on our team seemed to bond very well and that is a pretty cool thing.
I got to do lots of fun touristish things like go to a giraff center and feed giraffs, and even feed them from my mouth, and shop at the markets and on Saturday we got to go to an animal orphanage and I got to pet the cheetahs!! One even licked my hand. They were as sweet as giant oversized domestic cats.
I am going to be very sad when I have to leave. I am just amazed with this.

Huge life Changes

WOW! Has God been at work in my life or what?!?!
I don't know where to begin....
So I leave tomorrow morning for the airport to go to Kenya on my long awaited mission trip. I am very excited yet calm at the same time. I don't have an ounce of fear or worry in my bones, not sure if that's good or bad , but yeah I guess it means I'm ready.

God did an amazing thing. I met a Kenyan guy named Collins at III Twenty this Sunday. He has been living in the states for the past 7 years. This is the real kicker....his family lives 5 minutes walking distance from the Methodist Guest house where we will be staying. He also lives in probably about 7 minutes away from me in Phoenixville near Paoli. It was awesome because talking to him helped rapid fire ignite the excitement for Kenya. He stopped by Atlanta Bread to drop off a book and letter for his father/family. I get to be a personal messenger for him and meet his family which is a great honor for me.

The next piece of REALLY BIG NEWS: I got a new job as a social worker at the Wayne Cener in Wayne. I will no longer need to have a second job for supplemental income because I will be getting a great pay increase and so I will get to have a better social life. I'd rather invest in friends than working the same boring job for little pay.

Nina and I are considering moving. That's another big step, it's becoming like a tradition for us. I'm not crazy about moving at all. The only perk to me is it will be closer to my new job. I really don't like to move, but that's nothing new.

Well I will miss you all. Please pray for me and the entire team of 43 while we are in Kenya.

This Time-POD

Music has the greatest way of putting incomprehensible feelings into words. It allows us to personalize the lyrics to resonate with a multitude of doubts, worries, stuggles, questions.....etc

And is this, where we need to be?
Or are we tired of looking?
Searching for more than eyes can see,
For something to believe in.
It slipped away, fell away, tried to play yourself
No turning back, all alone and there's nobody else,
Who even knows I'm missing.
And I and I will run
But This Time,
It's worth more than the chance we're taking.
And I and I will run
But This Time,
Wanting more has got me waiting
This Time for love.
And I have done this all before,
And nothing ever changes.
Waiting gets harder everytime,
I don't know how to stay still.
And nothing more left to lose, throw it all away
Maybe the last chance i get to see your face
I can't afford to leave hereAnd I and I will run
But This Time,It's worth more than the chance we're taking.
And I and I will run
But This Time,
Wanting more has got me waiting
And I and I will run
But This Time,I can't believe the chance we're taking
And I and I will run
But This Time,I need to know so I'll be waiting
This Time for love.
And I and I will run
But This Time,
It's worth more than the chance we're taking.
And I and I will run
But This Time,
Wanting more has got me waiting
And I and I will run
But This Time,I can't believe the chance we're taking
And I and I will run
And I and I will runThis Time for love.

Close call

I nearly hit someone with my car today. I was driving on a main road, but not a major one and a teenage boy riding his bike, crossed the street WITHOUT looking and I slammed on my breaks in just enough time to come to a screaching halt just 5 inches shy of making him road putty. Not only did he not look while gliding across the street, he also was not wearing a helmet.
The look on his face proved he may have learned from the stupid thing he did. He knew what he did was really dumb and apoligized profusely.
I didn't yell at him but I was really stern when I told him that he needs to pay attention to where he's going. I also repremanded him for not wearing a helmet.
I couldn't stay there in the middle of the intersection, so I drove away, thanking God for keeping him safe.
Not sure which one of us needed to learn the lesson. I wasn't speeding or anything. I don't know what it is with things always darting out in front of my car, like deer and now irresponsible people.
My life could have been very traumatic today had I not been able to stop my car in time. I would never have been able to forgive myself if I had hurt him, even though it clearly would not have been my fault. I am not the person to run out in front of. I can't afford to pay anyone's doctor bills for the rest of my life.