Here’s a quick video of one of our favorite songs to do with kids of all ages (brought to us by the amazing Brittany!). This video was taken during our first mini-camp at the youth center. Enjoy! Radical God Lyrics: Chorus: Ooga-chaka, ooga-chaka (clap, clap) Woo! (Repeat) Don’t you know He’s a radical God (clap, clap) Woo! (Repeat) His name is Peace His name is Love And He left His heaven above [spoken]: Raise the roof! In case you haven’t heard the word (HUH!) He’s a radical God Call and Response: Let me tell, let me tell, let me tell you why (repeat) He’s a radical God, He’s a radical guy (repeat) He made the earth and the seas and the stars and the sky (repeat) He came to be a man and He came to die (repeat) But He didn’t stay dead (repeat) Because He couldn’t stay dead (repeat) He rose from the grave (repeat) And He came to save (repeat) And that’s why, that’s why (repeat) He’s a radical God (repeat) That’s why, that’s why (repeat) He’s a radical God (repeat) Repeat Chorus
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Women's Night
This is really old. Really. But better late than never, right?
Women’s Night (4/18/09)
On Saturday, we had our “Women’s Night,” which we had been planning for a few weeks. It was for the high school girls in our Rehoboth High School (RHS) Bible study group, as well as for the girls on the worship team at the church. I have included some pictures of the girls playing ice-breakers, specifically human tic-tac-toe. In fact, their enthusiasm was so incredible that I decided only video could accurately depict the atmosphere, so enjoy their excitement!
While 15-17 year old girls would rarely be this excited (after the 20th turn) about such a simple game, our girls are different. RHS girls live in a hostel at the school (basically boarding school), because they grew up on rural farms and come to Rehoboth for a better education. They don’t get a chance to do much in the way of entertainment, and they were SO EXCITED to come to women’s night. The fact that we watched High School Musical 3 and had brownies and ice cream and popcorn was icing on the cake.
Sidenotes:
*I had never seen anything in the HSM series. It is from the Disney channel, and therefore is cute, clean, and sugary-sweet. Apparently they want you to watch them in order, because watching the 3rd without the first two left many holes. Go figure…
*Brownies are not a common dessert here. Come to think of it, it doesn’t seem dessert is all that common in general (it‘s something I am oh-so-excited to share). And ice cream? Well, it’s… different. I know, I know; it’s a foreign country, so what did I expect? But it’s just different in a way I am not sure how to communicate. I have considered making homemade ice cream, like in a zip-loc or coffee can…if you have a good recipe, please pass it on. *Josh and Lantz (our host brother) helped me make and bag the popcorn for 45 people. Then, Stephen came over and they had a “boys night”- they ate junk food like bacon-flavored crackers (gag!) and watched guy movies. Luckily, Josh and I sleep on 2 twin beds shoved together (that can be separated), or Josh was worried he’d end up cuddling Stephen : )
*Incidentally, we were recently reminded that popcorn is a whole grain. A whole grain! In a world of meat, white pasta, and white rice, this is exciting news. It will now compose a large part of our diet.
Back to Women’s Night…
The purpose of our night was not snacks or games or even High School Musical; it was about discussing purity and relationships and godly femininity. Britt gave a brief but wonderful message on purity, and then we had a question and answer session in which Britt, Kristin, Mackenzie, and I were panelists. The girls put anonymous questions in a bucket, and we ended up with far more than we could answer. Thankfully, most of the girls are from RHS Bible study, so I kept the unanswered questions and will be addressing them at future meetings. You’re prayers would be greatly appreciated in this, as it can be difficult to maintain appropriate cultural sensitivity, while still speaking truth.
Women’s Night (4/18/09)
On Saturday, we had our “Women’s Night,” which we had been planning for a few weeks. It was for the high school girls in our Rehoboth High School (RHS) Bible study group, as well as for the girls on the worship team at the church. I have included some pictures of the girls playing ice-breakers, specifically human tic-tac-toe. In fact, their enthusiasm was so incredible that I decided only video could accurately depict the atmosphere, so enjoy their excitement!
While 15-17 year old girls would rarely be this excited (after the 20th turn) about such a simple game, our girls are different. RHS girls live in a hostel at the school (basically boarding school), because they grew up on rural farms and come to Rehoboth for a better education. They don’t get a chance to do much in the way of entertainment, and they were SO EXCITED to come to women’s night. The fact that we watched High School Musical 3 and had brownies and ice cream and popcorn was icing on the cake.
Sidenotes:
*I had never seen anything in the HSM series. It is from the Disney channel, and therefore is cute, clean, and sugary-sweet. Apparently they want you to watch them in order, because watching the 3rd without the first two left many holes. Go figure…
*Brownies are not a common dessert here. Come to think of it, it doesn’t seem dessert is all that common in general (it‘s something I am oh-so-excited to share). And ice cream? Well, it’s… different. I know, I know; it’s a foreign country, so what did I expect? But it’s just different in a way I am not sure how to communicate. I have considered making homemade ice cream, like in a zip-loc or coffee can…if you have a good recipe, please pass it on. *Josh and Lantz (our host brother) helped me make and bag the popcorn for 45 people. Then, Stephen came over and they had a “boys night”- they ate junk food like bacon-flavored crackers (gag!) and watched guy movies. Luckily, Josh and I sleep on 2 twin beds shoved together (that can be separated), or Josh was worried he’d end up cuddling Stephen : )
*Incidentally, we were recently reminded that popcorn is a whole grain. A whole grain! In a world of meat, white pasta, and white rice, this is exciting news. It will now compose a large part of our diet.
Back to Women’s Night…
The purpose of our night was not snacks or games or even High School Musical; it was about discussing purity and relationships and godly femininity. Britt gave a brief but wonderful message on purity, and then we had a question and answer session in which Britt, Kristin, Mackenzie, and I were panelists. The girls put anonymous questions in a bucket, and we ended up with far more than we could answer. Thankfully, most of the girls are from RHS Bible study, so I kept the unanswered questions and will be addressing them at future meetings. You’re prayers would be greatly appreciated in this, as it can be difficult to maintain appropriate cultural sensitivity, while still speaking truth.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Battle Cry
Spiritual battle is intense and relentless here. You have to constantly fight against lies and tricks from the enemy, and it can be incredibly draining. Don’t get me wrong; I know we have a spiritual battle at home, but it is an entirely different kind. Sometimes it seems satan is trying to block our communication with God; during those times, we rely on God’s word more than anything. We read about the armor of God, and rely on it often.
The other day, I saw Josh was doing something with craft sticks, so I asked him what it was. He explained that he was making a cross to display in order to remind satan he isn’t welcome here. We went back to our respective activities, and after a few seconds, he said, “If the devil doesn’t like it, he can sit on a tack.”
Just like that, I was back in Sunday school
The other day, I saw Josh was doing something with craft sticks, so I asked him what it was. He explained that he was making a cross to display in order to remind satan he isn’t welcome here. We went back to our respective activities, and after a few seconds, he said, “If the devil doesn’t like it, he can sit on a tack.”
Just like that, I was back in Sunday school
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Love Like Crazy
We were asked to do a video for one of our supporting churches, and in order to get the most mileage out of the effort, we thought we could share it right here.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Neighbors of the Animal Kingdom
One day we were getting a ride home when we passed what someone called a “baby alligator.”
What? I don’t think they even have alligators in Africa. Don’t they just have crocodiles? Mean, vicious, hungry crocs…
We walked the 100 or so yards from our house to the mystery monster, and here is what we saw:
Words fail me…
Just for scale purposes, here is Josh in its vicinity:
[By the way, he’s carrying my Bible Study bag, but next time you talk to him, you might mention his “green man purse” J ]
FYI, it was about a meter or so long (we use the metric system here).
Not that bad, you say? Check this out:
Yeah, you have fun with those. Try a little handshake or something.
This thing had been hit by a car, but I will spare you the pictures of the other, bloodier side. You’re welcome.
At least I’m pretty sure it was dead- I wasn’t about to go check.
Here is the crazy part: if this is lying dead in the middle of the road, it was once alive enough to walk there. Eww. And it probably has relatives that are still alive. Perish the thought…
As we were walking back, we were greeted by this sight:
The ledge he’s balancing on is just below my shoulder.
When we were preparing to come to Africa, I thought we’d need to watch out for snakes, scorpions, and animals like the reptile above. Instead, I should have feared the behemoth dogs.
What? I don’t think they even have alligators in Africa. Don’t they just have crocodiles? Mean, vicious, hungry crocs…
We walked the 100 or so yards from our house to the mystery monster, and here is what we saw:
Words fail me…
Just for scale purposes, here is Josh in its vicinity:
[By the way, he’s carrying my Bible Study bag, but next time you talk to him, you might mention his “green man purse” J ]
FYI, it was about a meter or so long (we use the metric system here).
Not that bad, you say? Check this out:
Yeah, you have fun with those. Try a little handshake or something.
This thing had been hit by a car, but I will spare you the pictures of the other, bloodier side. You’re welcome.
At least I’m pretty sure it was dead- I wasn’t about to go check.
Here is the crazy part: if this is lying dead in the middle of the road, it was once alive enough to walk there. Eww. And it probably has relatives that are still alive. Perish the thought…
As we were walking back, we were greeted by this sight:
The ledge he’s balancing on is just below my shoulder.
When we were preparing to come to Africa, I thought we’d need to watch out for snakes, scorpions, and animals like the reptile above. Instead, I should have feared the behemoth dogs.
Friday, October 23, 2009
My Constant Companion
I am a worrier. There, I’ve said it.
After Kelly’s post a while ago, I wrote the following in my journal:
[On anxiety]
God has given me the opportunity for great growth in this area as of late: moving 4 times in 6 months, the uncertainty of not having visas, being cut off from the life we are used to and the comforts of home. And yet, I still struggle- I want to trust and have peace.
When I think of the time and energy I have sacrificed in worry, it’s…embarrassing. I believe in the One Who Controls All,, who created the entire universe with the flick of His little finger, and I have wasted so much of my life caught up in the “what-ifs.” Years of my life.
The craziest realization? Anxiety and chasing down all the possible outcomes of a situation is usually so much more draining than what actually happens (usually). I see that it is foolish, and I should just stop worrying.
Problem solved!
Or not, because letting go is so much easier said than done. True anxiety becomes a lifestyle, one that is always tinged with skepticism, doubt, fear, and the need for control. Anxiety is the noose with which satan has tried to strangle my spirit.
Until this point, I have accepted it as a part of who I am, but that’s a lie. Anxiety is a condition forced upon us by the enemy, and one we don’t have to accept. Kelly’s post reminded me of that. We are not captive to our circumstances or inclinations; we have freedom in Christ. He has already won the struggle for us.
After Kelly’s post a while ago, I wrote the following in my journal:
[On anxiety]
God has given me the opportunity for great growth in this area as of late: moving 4 times in 6 months, the uncertainty of not having visas, being cut off from the life we are used to and the comforts of home. And yet, I still struggle- I want to trust and have peace.
When I think of the time and energy I have sacrificed in worry, it’s…embarrassing. I believe in the One Who Controls All,, who created the entire universe with the flick of His little finger, and I have wasted so much of my life caught up in the “what-ifs.” Years of my life.
The craziest realization? Anxiety and chasing down all the possible outcomes of a situation is usually so much more draining than what actually happens (usually). I see that it is foolish, and I should just stop worrying.
Problem solved!
Or not, because letting go is so much easier said than done. True anxiety becomes a lifestyle, one that is always tinged with skepticism, doubt, fear, and the need for control. Anxiety is the noose with which satan has tried to strangle my spirit.
Until this point, I have accepted it as a part of who I am, but that’s a lie. Anxiety is a condition forced upon us by the enemy, and one we don’t have to accept. Kelly’s post reminded me of that. We are not captive to our circumstances or inclinations; we have freedom in Christ. He has already won the struggle for us.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Week 31
It's been forever awhile since I last did a weekly update, and somehow it's already week 31! Time flies (or crawls, depending on the day and attitude).
Monday was fine, without much to report, until that night. I. Couldn't. Sleep. A. Wink. Not at all. This had never happened to me before, and I laid in the dark, and read, and wrote, and stared. Eight hours is a really long time to be by oneself. Anyway, we figured out the next day that I was severely dehydrated, and that was the cause. It made Tuesday interesting.
We went to the preschool on Tuesday morning, and I can't really remember that much about it (I wonder why?) I know that they practiced Christmas songs for the Christmas program they are having in November (before summer break), and it is easy to figure out who learns phonetically :)
Wednesday's highlight was the youth program, where we read the stories of the lost sheep and the prodigal son. The kids decorated hearts that said "God always loves me." Forgiveness and grace may not always be emphasized, and we want to make sure that the kids know they cannot earn their way to eternal life, but that they must receive it as a gift of grace.
Thursday we had the mommies meeting, and it was a great time. They are learning so much, and are grateful for the chance to learn, which makes leading a pleasure.
Friday brought about the highlight of the week: a sleepover with 2 of our youth group girls. These girls are so precious and full of potential, not to mention fun! We watched movies after youth group, and then spent the next morning making and distributing PB&J sandwiches to kids in Block E. It was simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking; heartbreaking to see them exposed to so much poverty, but beautiful to see them showing Christ's love.
On Sunday we had another special event: a missionary family came down from Windhoek to accompany some students from the Namibian Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS). One of their students, who is from Rehoboth, preached at a local church we had never been to, and we went to support him. Unfortunately his message was in Afrikaans, but we got the gist of it, and he did very well (it was about racism versus unity in the body of believers). Afterwards we had the chance to have lunch with his family and spend time with the Windhoek group.
Monday was fine, without much to report, until that night. I. Couldn't. Sleep. A. Wink. Not at all. This had never happened to me before, and I laid in the dark, and read, and wrote, and stared. Eight hours is a really long time to be by oneself. Anyway, we figured out the next day that I was severely dehydrated, and that was the cause. It made Tuesday interesting.
We went to the preschool on Tuesday morning, and I can't really remember that much about it (I wonder why?) I know that they practiced Christmas songs for the Christmas program they are having in November (before summer break), and it is easy to figure out who learns phonetically :)
Wednesday's highlight was the youth program, where we read the stories of the lost sheep and the prodigal son. The kids decorated hearts that said "God always loves me." Forgiveness and grace may not always be emphasized, and we want to make sure that the kids know they cannot earn their way to eternal life, but that they must receive it as a gift of grace.
Thursday we had the mommies meeting, and it was a great time. They are learning so much, and are grateful for the chance to learn, which makes leading a pleasure.
Friday brought about the highlight of the week: a sleepover with 2 of our youth group girls. These girls are so precious and full of potential, not to mention fun! We watched movies after youth group, and then spent the next morning making and distributing PB&J sandwiches to kids in Block E. It was simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking; heartbreaking to see them exposed to so much poverty, but beautiful to see them showing Christ's love.
On Sunday we had another special event: a missionary family came down from Windhoek to accompany some students from the Namibian Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS). One of their students, who is from Rehoboth, preached at a local church we had never been to, and we went to support him. Unfortunately his message was in Afrikaans, but we got the gist of it, and he did very well (it was about racism versus unity in the body of believers). Afterwards we had the chance to have lunch with his family and spend time with the Windhoek group.
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