Researching Africa

I've been trying to prepare myself for Africa by reading anything I see on news sites, magazines, books and the like. I can't help but feel honored to be able to go on this trip. I just watched this report on CNN Video about how girls in Kenya, Africa are "booked" for marriage sometimes at their birth. Around 80% of Maasai (that's the culture there) girls never complete elementary school. Almost all girls are married by the age of 13 and about 93% are female "circumcised."

I started to watch a video about the female circumcision and I couldn't get through the first five seconds. I don't recommend watching that clip. It was very graphic.

It's overwhelming to me, that when I go to the different areas in Malawi and Mozambique, I will be an educated female. I'm almost certain that in very rare in remote villages. From what I understand, schooling is very limited to females, unless, like the video I watched, the girls are "booked" for school and complete that way.

I'm trying to wrap my head around the culture that I will be stepping into in August. I don't think there is anything more American than not understanding another culture. I want to be able to understand why things are the way they are. I think this will also help me with the culture shock and my super soft heart that always brings me to tears.

Speaking of researching, the National Geographic cover story for this month is Malaria. I think I'm going to read it, even though it will freak me out. My doctor told me yesterday that he had been to Rwanda. That's some heavy stuff! He said he would research the best type of Malaria medicine for me to take and recommended me getting the typhoid and yellow fever shots and the shot for spinal meningitis. I hadn't thought about that one.

I just had to write about all this to get it off my chest. Back to work.

Off to Africa

After you read this passage, you will understand why God played this song for me.

"Be not afraid. I go before you always. Come, follow me."

I'm going to Africa!

Oh my goodness. I can't believe that I am going to be in Africa in August. It's something so grand, it's beyond my comprehension at the moment.

I thought it was a closed subject, I wasn't going, and I was ok with that. If you read my last entry, I had given it up, and I was alright with doing whatever God wanted. I figured it wasn't in the plans.

But then, I get to work this morning, all had changed, and Michael and were talking about getting me on the plane to Africa with him and Seth.

My cup runneth over.

I sent out an e-mail to my brothers and sisters, I'm sure they all think I am crazy. But I know that this experience is sent straight from Heaven.

I e-mailed Fr. Sebi right away to tell him that I was coming. This is part of the e-mail he sent me. (I told him that my mom was a little afraid of me going.)

Subject: KHANIMAMBO= OBRIGADO=THANK U. HOYO-HOYO=BEM VINDO= WELCOME. WAHANHA=COMO ESTA = HOW ARE YOU?

Indeed, Abby, I smiled. peace begins. Is it not great?

You are coming!!! Wonderful.

Thank God for your wonderful mother. My love to your darling mother.

You are only 22. (I am 63; and yet I am cold as a snail!!) Goodness gracious!! And you are doing so much. No doubt you have admirable "fire" in you.

The good Lord has empowered you. Fantastic.

Come my lady, dont be frightened. Our life is God's gift. He gives. We live for Him. He decides. We only have to be prudent. He leads.

We go to celebrate Mass through herds of elephants. we see crocodiles, we see hipopotamus. (You will have wild meat and lake fish, lobsters from the indian ocean and prawns from the maputo-bay).

I am prompted to say nothing will happen to you. I'm sure the good Lord wants you to serve Him for many years to come.

Life is so good, and to quote Fr. Sebi, "The ways of the Lord are wonderful."

I will be working a lot while we are in Africa. Video, pictures, notes, journaling, interviewing, volunteering, traveling to three countries in 10 days!

Not in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined, that I, Miss Small Town Texas, who never traveled much in her life, would be going to Africa for mission work. Wow.

So much to prepare for. Shots, writing, marketing, working and everything else that comes my way!

Thank you Lord for your magnificence and your glory. Without you, I am nothing.

{peace}

Let go, and let God.

"The ways of the Lord are wonderful."

Fr. Sebi (short for Sebastian) an Indian (the country) missionary priest in Mozambique, Africa told me that in a letter today after he had written about the severe poverty and needs of the people he serves. What kind of faith that must be, to trust and rejoice in the Lord even when you are in horrible conditions.

It's moments like this that I want to run off to Africa. I want to experience all that Fr. Sebi sees everyday. I want to know what makes him so hopeful in the face of such grave suffering.
I want to be able to tell the world about the suffering that children and adults endure each day as we sit and drink our Starbucks and in our air-conditioned offices.

All of mine and Fr. Sebi's conversations have shown the hope he has for the future of the people he serves. It's inspiring. I can actually pinpoint the moment I thought to myself, "I have to visit him." But the thing is, Seth and Michael don't know how safe Mozambique and Malawi would be for this fair-skinned, blondie.

I can't blame them for worrying. But I really feel called to go. It's in my heart. God's planted that desire in me. I have resided to let it go and let God. If I am suppose to be in Africa, I will be there, in the Big Man's time, not mine.

*Sigh* I can still tell the world about Africa from here in my air-conditioned office or by the power of my running car, it just won't be as life changing of an experience that I can remember for the rest of my life.

{peace}