"So Nede, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"Umm...a princess."
A brief pause as I waited to see...
"And, a doctor."
Hmm, still.
At least she remains consistent.
That was several months ago that I asked this question, wasn't it?
Interesting.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
hide-n-seek
I have fond memories of playing hide-n-seek when I was a kid. Playing in Grandma Hillstrom's basement at Christmas with all my cousins is a favorite. The time my sister hid inside Grandpa's coveralls and then had someone hang her back up on the wall! And, didn't someone fit in the dryer with the door nearly shut?? And there's the summer memories of playing outside while the fireflies lit up the night. And when Damon was moving the "safe zone (the Weber grill)" all around the yard so we didn't know where to run back to!
These feel like some of the best memories of childhood fun.
Today when Nede got home from school she was out in the yard playing baseball with Rebecca and soon Rebecca got tired of it and came in the house and hid from Nede. This soon turned into the first game of hide-n-seek for Nede. After I got done with my "adult responsibilities", ie. making dinner, I joined in. I'll admit it didn't take much twisting my arm. When I was hiding in the closet waiting for Nede to discover me I remembered why. I STILL get this invigorating rush in the anticipation of someone opening that closet door! I was nearly like a little puppy in a moment of too much excitement! NEARLY! Still, at 32 a simple game of hide-n-seek brought me back to that childish joy!
And, I don't know what the significance of this really is but it felt GOOD. It felt so nice for those few moments as I just waited and heard my daughters little voice say, "I'm gonna find Mommy first. Where is she? Mommy? Mommy?" (thinking I was going to be like her saying, 'aqui, here!'). Watching her search the room and head back out I eagerly awaited our giggles and hugs when she would find me. I couldn't wait for the celebration.
Maybe this feels important because this has been a long journey of being reminded we're called to have child-like faith. This journey, being life.This being real, and the rest of my worries being the problem.
I don't really know, but I liked it, and liked that I realized I could still find that kid inside of me.
I loved it.
These feel like some of the best memories of childhood fun.
Today when Nede got home from school she was out in the yard playing baseball with Rebecca and soon Rebecca got tired of it and came in the house and hid from Nede. This soon turned into the first game of hide-n-seek for Nede. After I got done with my "adult responsibilities", ie. making dinner, I joined in. I'll admit it didn't take much twisting my arm. When I was hiding in the closet waiting for Nede to discover me I remembered why. I STILL get this invigorating rush in the anticipation of someone opening that closet door! I was nearly like a little puppy in a moment of too much excitement! NEARLY! Still, at 32 a simple game of hide-n-seek brought me back to that childish joy!
And, I don't know what the significance of this really is but it felt GOOD. It felt so nice for those few moments as I just waited and heard my daughters little voice say, "I'm gonna find Mommy first. Where is she? Mommy? Mommy?" (thinking I was going to be like her saying, 'aqui, here!'). Watching her search the room and head back out I eagerly awaited our giggles and hugs when she would find me. I couldn't wait for the celebration.
Maybe this feels important because this has been a long journey of being reminded we're called to have child-like faith. This journey, being life.This being real, and the rest of my worries being the problem.
I don't really know, but I liked it, and liked that I realized I could still find that kid inside of me.
I loved it.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
it's the grace that covers Africa
Due to unfortunately circumstances, the last few weeks (and for the next several weeks) I've been working at a nutrition clinic nearby (run by close friends). I'm enjoying doing nursing and beyond. To me its an opportunity to give back to one of the miracles that saved Nede's life.
It's a clinic that provides formula milk to babies that for some reason can't be breast fed by their mother, or they passed the time where it's safe to continue breast feeding from their HIV+ mom; or a father or grandmother is caring for an infant who's been orphaned.
Yesterday, as expected in this rainy season, the night was wet. The rain continued into the morning. Some women came in smelling like their usual smokiness from having cooked porridge that morning. Many didn't smell of smoke today, it was too wet to get the fire lit. All smell that familiar smell of being dirty, damp, wet, urine soaked. It's a familiar smell but sometimes it makes me want to gag. On the hot days the smell of BO has the same effect. And they think WE smell badly! Ha, one of the many differences...
She sits down in my chair for her consultation.
"Bom dia."
"Bom dia."
"Como esta Mae?"
"Poco normal."
"O que e problema?"
Nothing.
"Peso por favor."
She reaches into her bra to give me the slip of paper that shows her child's weight for the week.
The child's weight is down almost a KG over the last 2 weeks.
"Wow, what happened Mae (mom)? Why did he lose so much weight in just 2 weeks?"
A typical story...had diarrhea for 2 days, went to the hospital and was given Tylenol.
Or, went to the hospital and received malaria treatment, the same med that the child had taken just 3 weeks before to treat the bug-- obviously, resistant.
I then want to dig deeper into the file and see what this child's history is. How old? 1 year 4 months. Has had a +HIV test at 6 months, a +HIV test at 12 months. The conclusive 18 month test yet to be told. I say a silent prayer, "O Lord Jesus, have mercy, spare just one more."
The mother is distant. Not even making eye contact. Like many there's shame or fear or struggle in their every expression. How do I even expect her to share the deepest struggles of her heart? How can I even begin to understand what her life is like? I can't. I wish I could connect. I'm paralyzed by language-- a dialect I feel I could never learn and a western language I haven't mastered and she knows only basics. To me it seems our worldviews couldn't possible be from the same universe. How did it get like this? I pray for there to be more happening than my nursing assessment and a hand over of milk to sustain a life for another 2 weeks. I pray for the spiritual world to be in action. For a breakthrough for this Nation.
The next baby I lay my eyes on is tiny. I mean TINY. I ask "How many days old is that one?"
"Three months."
WHAT? WHAT? 1.5kg at 3 months?! I feel nervous to even touch the precious one. She should be in a NICU somewhere.
Okay, God you are here! This one has life and this elderly grandmother is caring for this peanut, carrying her on her back wherever she goes.
Later a child comes with his left arm burned from the elbow to finger tips-- screaming as it's washed. I ask, "How are you going to dress that? Is it going to heal?"
Just a vaseline dressing and days later there is remarkable improvement. How?
Another time I ask, "Really? Is this dosage of antibiotic going to make a difference?"
The response I get from a seasoned nurse at the clinic is this, "Yes, I don't know how, it shouldn't, but, it does. It's the grace that covers Africa."
I think on this. I don't quite understand. Habitually I look around here and see all the bad, all the hopelessness, all the struggles, even my own struggles. Through a challenge of spending my days looking for blessings in the mundane I'm beginning to see it. To see the grace that covers Africa. With continued practice, maybe I can be transformed to praise the grace that covers all of us.
For today, thank you God for the grace that covers Africa.
It's a clinic that provides formula milk to babies that for some reason can't be breast fed by their mother, or they passed the time where it's safe to continue breast feeding from their HIV+ mom; or a father or grandmother is caring for an infant who's been orphaned.
Yesterday, as expected in this rainy season, the night was wet. The rain continued into the morning. Some women came in smelling like their usual smokiness from having cooked porridge that morning. Many didn't smell of smoke today, it was too wet to get the fire lit. All smell that familiar smell of being dirty, damp, wet, urine soaked. It's a familiar smell but sometimes it makes me want to gag. On the hot days the smell of BO has the same effect. And they think WE smell badly! Ha, one of the many differences...
She sits down in my chair for her consultation.
"Bom dia."
"Bom dia."
"Como esta Mae?"
"Poco normal."
"O que e problema?"
Nothing.
"Peso por favor."
She reaches into her bra to give me the slip of paper that shows her child's weight for the week.
The child's weight is down almost a KG over the last 2 weeks.
"Wow, what happened Mae (mom)? Why did he lose so much weight in just 2 weeks?"
A typical story...had diarrhea for 2 days, went to the hospital and was given Tylenol.
Or, went to the hospital and received malaria treatment, the same med that the child had taken just 3 weeks before to treat the bug-- obviously, resistant.
I then want to dig deeper into the file and see what this child's history is. How old? 1 year 4 months. Has had a +HIV test at 6 months, a +HIV test at 12 months. The conclusive 18 month test yet to be told. I say a silent prayer, "O Lord Jesus, have mercy, spare just one more."
The mother is distant. Not even making eye contact. Like many there's shame or fear or struggle in their every expression. How do I even expect her to share the deepest struggles of her heart? How can I even begin to understand what her life is like? I can't. I wish I could connect. I'm paralyzed by language-- a dialect I feel I could never learn and a western language I haven't mastered and she knows only basics. To me it seems our worldviews couldn't possible be from the same universe. How did it get like this? I pray for there to be more happening than my nursing assessment and a hand over of milk to sustain a life for another 2 weeks. I pray for the spiritual world to be in action. For a breakthrough for this Nation.
The next baby I lay my eyes on is tiny. I mean TINY. I ask "How many days old is that one?"
"Three months."
WHAT? WHAT? 1.5kg at 3 months?! I feel nervous to even touch the precious one. She should be in a NICU somewhere.
Okay, God you are here! This one has life and this elderly grandmother is caring for this peanut, carrying her on her back wherever she goes.
Later a child comes with his left arm burned from the elbow to finger tips-- screaming as it's washed. I ask, "How are you going to dress that? Is it going to heal?"
Just a vaseline dressing and days later there is remarkable improvement. How?
Another time I ask, "Really? Is this dosage of antibiotic going to make a difference?"
The response I get from a seasoned nurse at the clinic is this, "Yes, I don't know how, it shouldn't, but, it does. It's the grace that covers Africa."
I think on this. I don't quite understand. Habitually I look around here and see all the bad, all the hopelessness, all the struggles, even my own struggles. Through a challenge of spending my days looking for blessings in the mundane I'm beginning to see it. To see the grace that covers Africa. With continued practice, maybe I can be transformed to praise the grace that covers all of us.
For today, thank you God for the grace that covers Africa.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
yucky yucky yucky
The other day I went for a walk, I didn't have my camera with me, but I just googled and this is the snake (dead, Praise the Lord) that we saw on the road.
AHHH!!!! Yuck! I'm sorry Mr Gaboon Viper, your skin is beautiful but I never want to meet up with you again.
Ate nunca!
AHHH!!!! Yuck! I'm sorry Mr Gaboon Viper, your skin is beautiful but I never want to meet up with you again.
Ate nunca!
Monday, January 9, 2012
joy
Nede and I spent the last week at Tofo beach about 10 hours from where we live. This is a short clip of Nede playing in the water. This wasn't the first time she was in, this was probably hour 7 and she was still having pure joy and was totally thrilled, as you'll soon see:
I wish I could bottle this up and sell it because she's (often) a good dose of a great medicine. I don't think I'm being completely biased when I say this is one of Nede's many gifts. She brings immense amounts of joy to many people. Being in a new environment with her reminded me of this. So much so that we've had to have more talks about strangers and trusting people we don't know, she makes friends with everybody and was introducing me to people! Once when I was standing waist deep in the Indian ocean she extended her arms to a guy we had only just seen around our accommodation I then realized she may be bordering on a bit too friendly! :) Despite this, I see glimpses of what God is doing and is going to do with Nede through her life, and ours together. She is a very special girl. And I praise God that through the hard days (and not so hard days) she brings me this joy. For
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
Thank you God for many good and perfect things.
curiosity
Nede is curious.
If I eat a chocolate after she goes to bed she says, "Mom, what's that?" in the morning.
If I make popcorn after I think she's sleeping, first thing in the morning she says, "Mom, you ate WHAT last night?"
Because of this curiosity I requested Denise send me Curious George books to read to Nede. We read Curious George ALL THE TIME.
Nede also continues to LOVE birthdays. LOVES birthdays. Therefore, she loves "Curious George and the Birthday Party".
Last week we spent at the beach in a tourist destination of Mozambique. One day we were walking around the market and there was a persistent man trying to give me a flyer advertising a party at a bar that night. He finally made me take the paper and Nede (curious) asked, "What does that say?"
I said, "Well, it's just about a party tonight."
We walked in silence for a bit and then Nede said, "That man was SO curious."
Me, "What do you mean?"
"Passing those things out to people he doesn't even know so he gets a lot of presents? He's too curious!"
And she's too cute...(if you ask me)
If I eat a chocolate after she goes to bed she says, "Mom, what's that?" in the morning.
If I make popcorn after I think she's sleeping, first thing in the morning she says, "Mom, you ate WHAT last night?"
Because of this curiosity I requested Denise send me Curious George books to read to Nede. We read Curious George ALL THE TIME.
Nede also continues to LOVE birthdays. LOVES birthdays. Therefore, she loves "Curious George and the Birthday Party".
Last week we spent at the beach in a tourist destination of Mozambique. One day we were walking around the market and there was a persistent man trying to give me a flyer advertising a party at a bar that night. He finally made me take the paper and Nede (curious) asked, "What does that say?"
I said, "Well, it's just about a party tonight."
We walked in silence for a bit and then Nede said, "That man was SO curious."
Me, "What do you mean?"
"Passing those things out to people he doesn't even know so he gets a lot of presents? He's too curious!"
And she's too cute...(if you ask me)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Happy New Year
(a late post because I actually got to get away. More on that later.)
Happy New Year! The fact that I’m actually awake to bring in the new year is quite a miracle!
Yesterday after a particular difficult morning and day I went to town and came home and saw this rainbow. I’m not sure you can see it well on the pictures but I felt it was such a painting from the Lord. It ministered to me deep within. To see such a rainbow over mud huts as we start this new year I was reminded of the promises that remain for us. That the Lord doesn’t, hasn’t, and won’t change. The same
yesterday
today
tomorrow.
Hope.
Promises for the hope that comes.
And that we get to be part of making the KINGDOM come.
We wish you a BLESSED 2012—full of fulfilled promises and so much hope! Dara and Nede
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Merry Christmas one and all!
I've been waiting to send this message because I wanted to have something profound and wonderful to write. But, the truth is that it doesn't feel like Christmas. I've tried baking, I've tried listening to Christmas music for weeks now and even watching movies with snow. It's just not the same. My heart longs to be with family and friends in a cold place (I know there's no snow in MN this year). I don't want to be sweating when I try to sleep on Christmas Eve. I don't want to try to figure out how to make Christmas dinner because there's no gas to be bought in all of Mozambique.
But, this is where I am and no matter where I am it's the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The very reason I'm here. So, I hope between now and Christmas day I can claim that peace in my heart and experience that peace that surpasses all understanding and, celebrate with real joy, even in a difficult time and place.
Maybe next year we'll be home.
It does bring me much joy knowing how many people are standing with Nede and me here and how much we're loved. We love you, more than I can express from such a distance. xoxo
VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU, may the joy of the LORD be OURS!
(conserving gas while baking Christmas cookies)
Friday, December 16, 2011
christmas cards
In an attempt to show some gratitude and appreciation to many of you who have been so supportive I decided to send a little Christmas greeting this year. I made Nede sit down with me on numerous occasions to do her part in this American tradition. Thankfully I had a friend returning to the UK who was able to bring the completed cards to mail from London. Unfortunately, there were about 15 that I wasn't able to finish before my friend left.
This week I had another new experience, trying to mail something from the Mozambique postal system. Let's just say it took 2 conversations on 2 different days before I made up mind to give it a go. After I had paid my money (too much) I then found out that they only had 4 international stamps. But, I was reassuring that, "of course when the 'Cheif' (boss) comes he'll bring more stamps and the other 10 letters (that they're securely placing in this folder) will most definitely" be sent on to make the big journey across the pond.
I'm not so sure.
So...here it is. If you've been one of our faithful supporters I did write a personal message and try to have a variation of this card sent to you:
You never know, you may be in for a treat and get a Christmas card around Easter or 4th of July or, just in time for next Christmas. Or, never.
Either way, know that our thoughts, thanks and love are being sent your way.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
the seasons
It is litchi season--
We love litchis and have bought approximately 20kg of the sweet, juicy goodness--
Nede thinks this dress was made only for litchi season. 8 litchis fit conveniently in the front pocket--
With the rainy season also brings flying ant season--
Mozambican's like to eat fried flying ants--
Nede came exuberantly in the house saying, "They're sweet ones!!!" I wrinkled my nose and took a look. I accidently dropped a few on the floor and put them back in her container and she responded with, "Mom, I can't eat those, they were on the floor. Gross!"
I like that it's Christmas season best.
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