Tuesday, May 30, 2006

It Finally Set In

Tonight, I said a final goodbye to some friends at Jacob's Well (college age Bible study). It finally set in tonight that I'm actually leaving. I really won't see my friends and family for a month and a half.

As I drove home, I cried but I couldn't figure out why. I was filled with mixed emotions. I thought about how I will miss so many people and got sad, but the next second thought about what I was going to do and laughed.

I hope that all of you who said you would pray for me really will. I need all of it!

Pray for:
-Safe flights
-All of my baggage to go through to Conakry, Guinea
-Me to have a teachable and moldable heart
-The health of me and my team
-Protections from dangers both physical and spiritual

If I don't see you before I leave, I love you all and I will miss you so much!

Saturday, May 27, 2006

The Crazy Schedule!

I'm going to Guinea for six weeks and I'm super excited! The trip is through Global Ventures which is an organization with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. I'll be going with two other girls (Sarah and Stacey) that I don't know yet, but I'm sure we'll get to know each other well by the end! I have lots to do before I leave and lots to do while I'm there.

Here's a layout of what I'll be doing in Guinea (This is straight from the missionaries in Timbi!)...

June 2- Leave Las Vegas at 8:30am. Arrive in New York City and then fly to Dakar, Senegal.

June 3- arrive in Dakar, Senegal 6am We are working on getting someone to come to the airport to meet you all and take you to a guest home for a time to sleep and then give you a little tour of the area before taking you back to the airport around 5pm. It is still up in the air yet as that is the big Jr.Sr. banquet day at the boarding school and so many will be busy with that. Then you will fly on to Conakry and J.D. & Emily Dueck will be there to meet you and get you settled into the guest house for the night.

June 4- Breakfast with Dueck's at GH then on to an African church service Lunch with one of our Conakry missionaries, rest and then to the evening international church service in English(you will meet many of the missionaries working in Conakry there),out to eat at a Lebanese restaurant

June 5- Up and on the road by 7:30 to Mamou up in the Fouta Jalon for lunch with Albright's and our field leader couple the Ibsens, after lunch time of orientation about the Guinea field and then on the road again by 3pm for Timbi Madina. Arrive Timbi and have supper around 7pm, after supper short orientation about language program for the next two weeks.

June 6- Begin Language study!! Noon walk to town and have lunch and language practice begins! Late afternoon reflection time and relaxation then help with food prep and clean-up.
June 7-10- Daily language study

June 11- Worship with local believers and then visit & shop in the big local market, perhaps late afternoon picnic at local waterfall

June 12-15 Daily language study

June 16-18 Walk to nearby local village to spend two nights and three days there(Dee & Emily will accompany) Help with a literacy clinic Dee will conduct and participate in daily village activities-drawing water, cooking over open fires, sleeping in huts.

June 18 pm- Return to Timbi and pack for travel to MK camp on Monday. Time of reflection together about language study, village experience

June 19- Leave for Tinka about 8am Arrive mid morning and get ready for camp.

June 19-23- Work at MK camp (will try and find out your actual responsibilities in a few days)

June 23pm- Back to Timbi

June 24- R&R day (Day trip to falls or some other natural view)

June 25- Worship in Timbi and visit to market again if desired.

June 26-30- Help in English day camp with Dee

July 1- Prayer walk and recharge your batteries

July 2- To Pita for am worship service and visit with local missionaries there

July 3-6- Help in another English day camp

July 4- 4th of July Picnic with English students

July 7- To Labe to visit Pioneer Bible Translators and see translation process, visit Labe market

July 8- Visit to Lelouma natural wonders site, back to Labe for supper at local restaurant

July 9- To church in Labe and then back to Timbi to pack & prepare to travel to Conakry

July 10- Leave about 10am for Conakry, lunch in Mamou, supper by the pool in Conakry

July 11- With Colette B to shop in Conakry and visit radio facilities, supper with Cathy U.

July 12- Lunch with Lizette L. talk about national church and then supper and games with the Clasons (administration couple)

July 13- Visit to eye clinic? Meet with Susu missionaries(Stombaugh's) for lunch, pm debriefing with Blackwell's (by the pool)

July 14- Lunch with Nuss's then Sarah D. & Sarah R. prepare to departure

July 15- I'm home!

While I'm gone, I don't know how much Internet access we'll get but I would love to get some comments from all of you. It will be a little piece of home for me! And I will try to write as often as I can while I'm there.