One month...

One month from yesterday and I will be on my way!!! Unbelievable! The blessings keep flowing through my life which keeps me grounded in knowing that yes, indeed, this is all being orchestrated by the Lord. I am continuously assured that, in obedience,I am doing just exactly what I am supposed to. Moment by moment I go through emotions of thinking "WHAT exactly am I doing and for HOW long???" and the next instance I will be grinning as I dream of holding that sick orphan or rubbing the back of the abandoned widow. Please pray for me as this is always a very difficult time for me. The time when I am fully in the Western world preparing to go to the third world is scary, uncertain and at times...crazy. Saying goodbye to people feels like it breaks my heart a bit more each time I do it but I need to change my thinking to a realization that my heart will soon be mended. With each sacrifice I give here there is going to be greater blessing there!

Here is my schedule thus far:
Feb 19 730pm fly from Phoenix direct to London
Feb 20-22 Spend time with Adriel in London/Brighton :)
Feb 22 Meet up with Laura at London Heathrow and fly to Johannesburg, S. Africa
Feb 23 Arrive in Johannesburg, SA and fly on to Kruger, Mpumalanga- a short 40 min flight
Feb 25 Start Hands at Work training at the Africa School of Missions

The support that I have here through my friends, family, work and church friends is incredible. I truely believe that without each of your encouragement I would never be able to do this. Because I value the part you play and KNOW the value in your prayers I ask that you join in being a Prayer Warrior over the next year. I believe praying is a way of releasing God's blessing and work- something I want to continue to grow in. So, for today to you Prayer Warriors-
*Peace in my preparation- packing, storing, selling my things
*Wrapping up at work- telling my patients I am leaving
*Strength to look ahead rather than dwell on what I am leaving behind

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

The Blog is back!!!!

Yes, I am headed back out to the mission fields of Africa! In about a month and a half I will be on my way!!!! Lots and lots to do before then. I am attempting to prioritize my time, not get stressed and still be "present" in my life and responsibilities here.

Here's my heart and what is next (this is my support letter I have sent to most of you)...

December 31, 2007

As I reflect on the last 12 months of my life I am in awe. Just a year ago I was writing you asking for your prayers and support as I was preparing to take off on a dream come true on Mercy Ships in West Africa. Well, that blessed time came and went all too quickly. In addition to the incredible time on the ship (where I saw lives transformed and physical deformities reversed), I also had the opportunity to spend a month in a rural village being a teacher. Both experiences were far more incredible than I ever imagined they would be. As I returned to the States I continued to see how deeply my experiences had touched my life…and changed me. I have been very restless after returning back to “normalcy” here. I have waited, prayed, and waited some more. I have been longing to feel settled back down her in my life in Scottsdale. Well, through a number of events I finally realized that I was no longer living on the mountain top of an incredible experience but I was being stirred deeply by something greater than myself. God has been calling me back to Africa. So, I write this to share with you that I will be returning to Africa. This time I will be working through an organization called Hands at Work. It is a South African based ministry that has a year long internship program called Footprints. I will be arriving in Johannesburg, South Africa on February 23. I will then spend 10 weeks in South Africa going through Hands at Work training. Through this time I will develop a deeper understanding of the needs of the people of Africa in order to be better prepared to serve them. From there I will go on to do 9 months of Outreach in one of the countries where Hands at Work has active projects in need of nurses (Mozambique, Zambia or the Democratic Republic of the Congo). During the Outreach portion I will be doing a number of nursing things with the primary focused being to care for the poorest of the poor through home-based care. After the 9 months of Outreach I will then return back to South Africa for a week or so of debriefing before returning to the States.
I am humbled by the fact that the Lord thinks I am cut out for this. My greatest needs right now are your prayers! Please be praying for this opportunity. Specifically pray for me to be wise in the planning process- to mange and obtain the needed finances, make flight arrangements, and sell/store and get rid of my things in my apartment here. Also pray I will have a heart eager to serve and for strength in leaving behind the comforts of life, family and friends here. Also pray that I will catch on to the local language in Africa. That would be a great help in building relationships and functioning as a nurse in assessing and caring for patients. 
Among one of the many blessings in all of this is that I will be going with a friend, Laura. We worked together on Mercy Ships. We went our separate ways after the time on the ship but a couple months ago I heard from a mutual friend that Laura was also looking into Hands at Work. So, as you pray, please pray for Laura and me as we go serve together. It is amazing how God has things planned for us long before we have the understanding.
I anticipate being able to use and update my blog as often as possible before and during my time. Please keep up on my experience as you desire- www.thereforego.blogspot.com . Also, to learn more about Hands at Work please visit www.handsatwork.org . I also want to continue to be involved in your life here, so please email me- darajean15@hotmail.com
Thank you for being part of this journey. Thank you for praying, thank you for encouraging me and loving me. We are all in this together…

May God richly bless you,

Dara

Memories

I think I have been avoiding this final post because of the reality it brings that this adventure has come to an end. I can't believe that I have already been back to the states for a month. I had a wonderful 2 weeks back in Minnesota visiting many friends and family. I have now been settling back down here in Phoenix. I had my first full week of work last week. The transition back to my life here has been much more challenging than I imagined. I knew that Africa had touched my heart but I am not sure there is any way of know really just how grand the effects will be. I often find myself longing to be back on the Africa Mercy or in the village in Ghana. I have to remind myself that I am just where God wants me right now.
So, as this journey is ending I am praying for the next. One of the greatest blessings I have experienced over the course of the last year has been the support, encouragement and enthusiasm so many of you have shared with me. Thank you for making this dream of mine come true. Thank you for being part of my experiences through this crazy thing of a blog! Praise be to God that all was so impactful and blessed. What an honor it was to serve Him where the need is so great! So, as this wraps up this experience please do one thing- PRAY! Pray for Africa, pray for those living with deformities and who are outcast from their societies. Pray for those who are hungery and don't have a home. Pray for the unsettled governments. Pray for the widows and orphans. Pray for spiritual leaders to be raised up to make the change that is needed in Africa. Pray for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Pray, pray, pray. And finally pray for what we are to be doing to serve the poor like the scriptures command us. Pray for what I can do. Pray for what you can be doing. Pray that workers while be raised up to go to the harvest! It IS plentiful!
God Bless you and thank you for who you are to me!

England

I have been having a very resting, relaxing time here in England since I arrived on Tuesday morning. I will be here until Monday morning when I will get on my plane back to the States. Last weekend I had a wonderful time back in Liberia with some friends on the new ship. It felt really good to go back to Liberia. I NEVER thought I would be comfortable in Monrovia but as I was landing there and driving to the ship I felt so happy to be back. It was great to be able to spend a little more time there before leaving.
This is a picture of me as I was leaving Mercy Ships. Many sad goodbyes- especially to Niki (a nurse from Canada) and Moira (xray/CT tech from Scotland). What a dream come true all of this has been. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. Soon I will be chatting with many of you and catching up...I look forward to it! God bless you and again, thanks for being a part of all of this...

Bye Africa!

I have made it back safely and without delay to Liberia. I have had a marvelous weekend with friends here on the ship and tomorrow evening I will be on my way back to London! I can't believe that these 3 months that I have dreamt about are already over. They have been SO blessed! I feels surreal what I have experienced. It has far surpassed my expectations! I praise God for what He is doing here, what He has allowed me to be a part of and what He will continue to do both here and in my heart as I return home. I thank the Lord, and all of you, for your support and for entrusting me to come and do the Lord's will both here in Liberia and Ghana! It has been a privilege! Be praying for workers to come here- "the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few."
I will be in London from Tuesday morning until Monday the 25th when I return back to the states! See you soon!

Goodbyes

I am now in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, ready to get on my plane tomorrow back to Liberia. We stopped by the airport today to confirm my flight because we hadn't been able to on the phone or the internet. Well, as expected here in West Africa, the system is down and they are unable to confirm seats (and the flight is full to Monrovia). So their only suggestion is that I arrive early! So, pray for me as I show up to the airport tomorrow to get on my flight back to Liberia. I have peace. God has surely protected, guiding and had His hand over every minute of this time, I don't expect that to change now! I am excited to get back to the Liberia- see my friends and the NEW ship! It will be a fun weekend!
This first picture is of some of the students in the school. The room they are sitting in used to have walls and the post used to be standing a bit more straight! It works for now- except when it rains and the hatch roof has holes in it. The next picture is of me with one of my students at his house. His mother is working on dinner. The last picture is of me with all of the Primary 2-5 graders. They seem to be proudly holding the exams that we gave. Not that they did all that well but they seemed happy!
I am so grateful for this time I have had in Ghana! It wasn't anything I had ever thought I would experience as I stepped out on this adventure. God has been good and called me to places I had never dreamt I would see. He is so exciting and it has been so blessed! The worst part of all this is leaving...it was difficult to say goodbye to the students and it will be hard to say goodbye to Kirk, Christine and Praise tomorrow- they have been out of this world good to me!
So, it's off to Liberia again tomorrow. My slow journey home is beginning. I can't believe that it is all coming to an end! What a gift it has all been!

Goodbye Ghana

I can hardly believe that I will be leaving here this week! The time has gone so quickly. It has been quite an adventure! There have been many challenges and some wonderful experiences!
This is a picture of some of the students carrying our school things back at the end of the day. The students here are wonderful! It has been so much fun being with them and getting to know each of them. We gave their "final" exams last week. That was interesting! First of all, neither Christine nor I knew what kind of tests they could even handle. The first test we gave was quite concerning. I had told them to raise their hands if they had any questions and they should start the exam. Well, by the time I turned around EVERY ONE of them had their hand in the air. They couldn't read the first word on the test- IDENTIFY! Oh, gosh!!! BUT, we got through it and Christine and I had a good time correcting the tests. One question I will share with you:
Who are God's chosen people?
A. Muslims B. Israelites C. Americans
AHH...some children put AMERICANS!!! Oh, my heart was saddened by that one.
I wish I had more time to write but I don't right now. I will try to write a bit more before I start my journeys home. Please pray that I stay healthy as I have a of traveling to do starting Friday this week. Also pray as I say goodbye to the students this week. It is difficult for them as people are always coming and going. Thank you for your continued interest in what I am doing here. I marvel at what I have been able to experience. I sometimes can't believe this is my life- God has been SO gracious to me! I can't wait to share more with you...

Things I have learned in West Africa

1. Those pokey things that stick to your pants from tall grass- well, they don’t come out when you hand wash your clothes…you get to pick them out one by one.
2. Starbucks isn’t everywhere! Neither is Visa or electricity for that matter!
3. To pray for mud houses to be standing after it rains.
4. Pineapple doesn’t grow in trees.
5. To be flexible.
6. You can buy just about anything from a man with a wheelbarrow.
7. Regular marriage proposals aren’t uncommon.
8. How to eat without utensils
9. How to kill snakes.
10. I really can’t dance.
11. Much of the world doesn’t have a closet of clothes.
12. Regular fevers aren’t so uncommon.
13. God may ask you to do something you don’t know how to do.
14. If He does, he’ll walk you through it!
15. Small taxis are meant to hold 7 people, sometimes more.
16. Make sure you know if the water is safe to drink.
17. No need to fillet a fish- just throw it in the pot.
18. Tylenol is an adequate pain reliever post operatively.
19. The faith of a child- now that is something to admire.
20. You can pretend you are a princess under a mosquito net.

The Great Snake Hunt!

Yesterday I started my day off like none other. I slept in waking to my alarm at 800am. I was just laying in bed reflecting on my life and all that God has been showing me. I woke in quite amazement actually. I then was listening to some music on my IPOD when I thought I heard Christine calling my name. I then turned off my music to confirm that I heard Christine yelling, “Dara, Dara turn off your music! I need you!” So, of course, I hop out of bed and go running to find Christine standing under a tree with the fruit picker in the air. She had a very serious look on her face when I got there.
She looked at me with seriousness in her eyes and said, “There are 2 snakes in this tree. Do you see them? I need you to keep an eye on them so I can go get something so we can kill them!!” So I grab the fruit picker from her to stop the yellowish snake from getting into the next tree as he is attempting to do. I stand there intently shifting my attention between this yellow snake and a black one that is a few branches above. In the meantime, Christine is running from building to building gathering weapons to kill these snakes once we knock them out of the tree. When she has gathered the necessary tools she joins me and says, “We need to kill these snakes. They can’t be running around if we are going to be in the yard and Praise (3 yr old little boy) is going to be playing in the yard today.” She then looks at me intently, “Can you do it? Can you help me kill the snakes?”
I quickly respond with, “I am afraid but I will try.”
Christine responds, “I am afraid too!”
I then say, “I may be screaming!!”
She says, “I will be screaming too!!”
So with that we reconfirm our plan and we start the great snake hunt! Christine takes back the fruit picker with the intention of hooking the snake and bringing it to the ground for me to pin with the mop and then for someone to kill. I should mention that prior to my arising from my bed, Praise (the 3 yr old) had been sent off to get the neighbors to come help us. The Ghanaian people are really afraid of snakes so Christine was not too confident that when they showed up they would be of much assistance. They were not coming any too quickly either so we had to proceed with the process….
So, Christine tries to knock the yellow snake out of the tree. As she did he slithered away and moved to a different part of the tree. The next swipe to knock him out the tree the fruit picker gets stuck in the tree so she just starts shaking the branches (as she stands under the tree) to knock him out of the tree. Finally, he comes to the ground and she has him pinned with the end of the fruit picker. I then grab the mop to hold him but we both quickly realize that we are both holding him down and know one is there to kill the thing. SO…I grab the shovel while Christine is yelling, “Kill him, get his head. Kill him Dara.” So, I did… I took a shot at him with the shovel, screamed, did a little dance, took another shot, screamed, danced and repeated this a few times before we were for sure he was good and dead! I couldn't believe it! I went from laying in bed to killing a snake in a matter of minutes. By the way, there are still no Ghanaians here to help us!!! So, after a few minutes of celebrating our defeat we remember we are only half done! But, of course after all this the other snake has moved. Now finally the neighbor, Cosomos, Praise and a friend, have showed up and we are all kinking our necks to look up into the tree for the black snake. Finally we find it but it has moved from the mango tree to a much taller tree. The men then started throwing rocks which soon lead to sling shots to try to hit the snake and make him come down. This went on for about 45 minutes. They were hitting the poor thing but he was clever and kept moving higher up in the tree. He was a very smart snake. After a few hits he was now strategically positioned so that when he fell he should be able to get on another branch and be home free into the bush. But, after another good catapult from the sling shot and the snake came falling to the ground. Christine again came with her fruit picker and pinned him so he couldn't’t go anywhere. I then realized that the 3 or 4 Ghanaian men that had now gathered weren’t doing anything but standing back out of the way. So, here I come again with the shovel ready to chop the head off this thing! Christine is again yelling, “Get it Dara, chop his head. Kill him!” And, I did! I killed the cobra!!! Finally when the thing was good and dead one of the men came and decapitated the thing with his machete! All the while I am thinking, “why is it that the American girl is the one killing these things!” Anyway, it makes for a great story. I am sure the whole village heard the “Obrunis” (what they call all white people) killing these 6 feet long snakes! One was an egg eating snake that is relatively harmless and the other was a cobra- strange that they were both in the tree at the same time.
It is true, the Africans are very fearful of snakes! So am I, but I apparently was able to deal with them. The Africans were frozen in fear. Even after they were dead they weren’t able to get near them and they put LOGS on top of them so they wouldn’t get away. It was quite an adventure. Things like this just don’t happen at home!!!

I ate rat!!

30 May 2007

Yesterday I had a wonderful cultural experience. We have been at the village all week and yesterday in the evening I had to stop by one of my student’s house to tell her something. I stopped by and they happened to be eating. I told Ophelia what I needed to and then her sweet mother offered that I stay and eat with them. Immediately my mind raced as to what the culturally appropriate thing would be. I couldn’t quickly come up with the right thing to do. All I was thinking is that there are all these children and this woman sitting around, on the floor, and they probably are thankful they have food to eat tonight. There is no way I want to eat their food, knowing they would give me the last bowl if they had to. But I also didn’t want to be offensive if I said no. So I tried to gently tell them that Auntie (Christine) had prepared dinner and I needed to get back and eat with her but that I would be delighted to join them another evening. Well, this made them very happy and Ophelia’s mom, who doesn’t speak but a few words of English was smiling so big and saying, “Fine, Fine, Fine!!!” She was so excited for the day I will join them for a meal. So I went back to “our” house and told Christine my experience. She kindly said, “You should have joined them. They would have LOVED it!” So we discussed if it would be appropriate for me to go back. When I did the children were screaming, Ophelia’s mom was pulling up a stool for me to sit on, Ophelia was gathering water for me to wash my hands. I was praying, “Lord, help me to know how to eat and to be able to stomach it.” So, they slide over “the bowl,” not my own, and I join in eating with my fingers from their dish. I had had fufu (a substance similar to a dumpling, but slimier, it is made of cassava root and plantain) and stew a few times previously so at least it was familiar. Honestly I don’t particularly like fufu. Especially because of the texture- you aren’t suppose to chew it, you are just suppose to swallow it and let it slide down your throat, this is taking me a while to catch on to. So, as I start eating with them the kids are still delighted that I have joined them. Ophelia then says something to be about the meat in the stew. I then made my mistake! “What kind of meat is it?” I ask. She simply tells me it is rat and goat! Oh, gosh, I am about to eat a rat! So I strategically decide that I will just talk to them, distract them and they won’t notice that I am not eating the meat! Wrong!!! A few minutes later Ophelia translates to me what her mother has said about me not eating any meat. So, I went for it. I grabbed a piece and, like the fufu, I didn’t chew. I just prayed and swallowed! I did it, no gagging and I pray I had no inappropriate facial expressions! This too, they thought was wonderful. So I sat with them a bit more before finding away to go eat my other dinner with Christine. When I returned to Christine we had a good time laughing about my experience. But, I will say, this was probably one of the best things I have done since I left. I became a real part of these people. Their culture teaches them that any white person is far superior to themselves. If eating at their table lets them know that I love them and they know that I don’t consider myself better than they, then I will eat rat any day!!