Revelations of a 3 Year Old

After breakfast this morning, I was setting up the chairs for our church service when my little friend, Sunda, (a zambian girl that was adopted by a missionary couple that works with us) ran up to me and hugged my legs. "Laura, you're a princess!" I was a bit confused at first why she decided today I was a princess. Then she went on to tell me that I was wearing a princess dress (I was wearing a skirt and shirt for the sunday service) and had me spin around for her. "See, Laura. You're a beautiful princess." She ran off to where her parents were practicing for worship and I was left thinking over her words. Sunda is completely right. I am a princess. We are all princes and princesses of the Most High King. We are so beautiful in the eyes of our Father and should take joy in the love that He pours out on us. So go twirl in your dresses, sing and dance before the Lord. We are princes and princesses!!!

Wants vs. Needs

There's a lot of places in the world I'd like to be right now, at this very moment. In Burbank, IL (just outside of Chicago) my little baby brother (not so little anymore and hasn't been a baby in a long time) is graduating high school. Steve and I are very close, although being gone for so long has put a bit of strain on the relationship, as one would expect. I only seen him maybe twice a year and every time I come home I feel I've missed out on a lot of stuff in his life. One year I cam home to find that he now towers over me and even had facial hair. When did the little kid that I used to put make-up on (telling him it was indian war paint) grow up? He's really one of the coolest kids I know. This year I missed out on a lot in his life, although I was home when he got his drivers license. I didn't get to see him off for prom and now I miss seeing him finish high school. Sad day!

I'd also love to be in Nyawa village right now. The pastors conference is going in full swing and I know that lives are being completely changed. I can't wait to hear the testimonies when Pastor Jeff gets back tomorrow. I was originally planning on being there but after being out in the villages for a whole week last week, I couldn't justify being away from the base for another 4 days. You see my short term teams arrive a week from monday. At the same time my team arrives, we have another team arriving to travel to Angola for ministry. There are 4 trucks that need to be prepared, supplies to be sorted and purchased, ministry to plan, and everything else in between. :::insert deep breath:::: Everything is going to get done but I need everyday to do it.

So am I where I want to be? Not exactly. Am I where I need to be? Exactly! God has us where we need to be, which isn't always where we want to be.

P.S. The testimonies from the week in the villages, as well as from the pastors conference will be in this month's newsletter. Subscribe on my website to receive it!

So It Begins...

Over this past week, we've had multitudes (or so it seems) arrive on our base. We've more then doubled our numbers of people living here on the base overnight. Our May Advanced Missions class has arrived and made themselves at home here on the Rapid 14 Base in Livingstone. I'm not teaching AMT this year but am helping out with their expedition in the villages this week (leaving tomorrow actually). I spent today with my friend Rachel, her and her husband are the directors of the AMT, running around town getting food and supplies for 6 days in the bush. I cannot express how excited I am to be doing ministry in the village again. I'd rather be in the villages then anywhere else in the world. I love getting to know the people, sharing in their lives, and sharing with them on the love of God (by example and teaching). We're going to be doing some cool things in the village this week, even helping them harvest peanuts from their crops! Please be praying for us as we go out- this is the first time for majority of the students to be in third world villages. It'll be an experience that will change their lives as much as it will change the people we minister to. I'll post an update when we get back from the bush!

A Day in the Market

Every monday our staff does the weekly grocery shopping. This includes a trip to Maramba market, a local "you can find everything here" market here in Livingstone. Picture crowds milling around, the smell of dried fish wfting through the air, stands filled with vegetables, food, clothes, etc. Flies hover over the dried fish and seem to follow you when you walk by. The local drunks propose marriage every 15 minutes and every taxi cab driver asks if you want a life to town (despite seeing you climb out of your vehicle). Ah, the joys of maramba market, where every day is a battle to get the local prices (they like to charge us muzungus a bit more sometimes). I know this market well, since I've been shopping here for the last 3 or 4 years. I've probably had more marriage proposals then any woman should. ;-)

Today was successful though. I fought maramba and I won! We went earlier then usual and found the market not as crowded and too early for the drunks to be out. One woman tried to charge me more for tomatoes then usual but I skillfully, and politely, talked her down. We found everything we needed and even had time to run to a few different stores before heading back to the base. I'm finally getting good at this africa thing!