Liberia Video Blog

Now that we're home from Liberia I've had a chance to upload all the little videos I've taken over the past couple weeks. Several of them are completely pointless as you'll find out, but at least they're short so you'll only have to sit through the pointless ones for a few seconds to get to the other ones that have a little bit more purpose behind them. Either way, I hope you enjoy them. I'll put them in chronological order here:

Here is Amy Lyford, who has contributed to this blog quite a bit this go around.  Here is her reaction 17 seconds into the trip.




Here we are just taking a drive through town on our way to go do some planning for our upcoming seminars.  



On our first day of Leadership Training Dave Bearchell taught on the "Diamond Life" Personal Leadership Idea, and had Jonathan help him teach segments of it.  Here we see Jonathan's bundle of nerves on display, or his he kidding?



The evil smirk on my face is because I realize that Rodney never voluntarily jumps in front of the camera. We have to make him, just to prove that he came with us.  Rodney is the President of Service to Servants which is the organization that has brought to life every Liberia project that we've thought to do this far.  Otherwise this short video is one of the most pointless in the bunch.



Here we are Erica, Zac, and I on Friday afternoon looking for a place to get some gifts for people back home in downtown Monrovia. Just ignore the hot mess that is my hair.



Here we are: Miatta, Erica, Amy and I in the backseat coming back from Diana Davies Orphanage where we spent some of our free time.  A few years ago we went their to install a generator, and we at least wanted to touch base with them while we were in town.



The Friday that we were flying out to go back to Atlanta, Dave, Jonathan, Erica, and I stopped by THINK to visit the kids that I had met a few years ago.  Here's a short little hello from them to you.



Dave is so good with these kids it's ridiculous.  These kids at this organization are all rescued from abusive situations, many of them have been traumatized, but Dave bring a light to these kids that's unexplainable.  Here he is discussing their kickball game.



Crazy to think I taught these kids this song 2 1/2 years ago, and they still remember it.  We took a group picture, and then they started to sing.  I couldn't help but video it.



Here is the last video I got in Liberia. It's a goodbye song from the kids at THINK.

Guatemala and the Mariposa Funeral

I can hardly believe I’m about to do my last trip of the summer.  This summer has felt like a dream.  My plan was to blog all along, but the speed of life didn’t allow for it.  Sometimes hindsight is better anyways.  At the end of May I went to Guatemala with Water’s Edge (College Ministry).

I had never been to a Spanish speaking country at all before.  During the first part of the trip, I kept on asking God, “God, why did you bring me here?”  I knew that I was there for different leadership reasons, but I couldn’t help but feel like there were more reasons.  One first glance at Lake Atitlan and I understood the second reason why I was there.  God was lavishing me.  He was giving me extravagance.  Because I deserve it? No.  Because he loves me, and would take me to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world (CNN & National Geographic) just because he knew I’d love it.

One of the first days there, we went to a school to play with the kids and speak to them about God’s purpose for their lives.  A dozen little girls latched on to my arms, and my high school Spanish gained wings. (granted--- baby wings)  It was play time and they chattered happily at me, and I had no idea what they were saying.  I only caught, “mariposa” (butterfly), and they were together dragging me down an ally way and behind one of the classroom buildings.  One of the little one’s reached into a hole in the ground and pulled out a little dead moth in a little box.  I was in the process of witnessing a mariposa funeral.  It was comical to me, when I had heard “mariposa” I expect any of the numerous big colorful Guatemala butterflies, not a little brown moth.  I made the mistake myself when I was a little girl.  Gathering and nurturing caterpillar through the cocoon stage with great expectation only to find that a little brown moth emerged.

In the middle of the trip the 40 of us met out in the front courtyard of the hotel to worship and pray.  Nearly everyone was crying.  I’m always amazed at how God can use such simple things to do such profound changes in people.

-- People weeping openly about the overwhelming love of God.  People realizing their purpose in life.  People understanding that they are called to holiness.  Only God can do these things.

Children's Ministry.  We are all pretending to be animals in a skit.

Mariposa Girls

View from the Hotel

Spaghetti and Coke 

Bus Rides Everywhere

Carlie and Carolina

Woman

The creation: woman, is displaying a kind of power and beauty that moves people into the heart of God.

Have you ever had a moment when you’ve just been struck with beauty? (Just smacked in the middle of your soul with it?)

Once, in the flattest land in America (the plains of South Dakota), I stood out in a field before going into bed, and a thunderstorm sprawled out against the dark horizon. One by one, lightening cracked in the distance, and the sound rolled towards us. It was a panoramic view, and although I didn’t care to count, there must have been thirty various lightning bolts sparkling across the entire horizon. I think it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

When Jesus spoke the world into being, he made it to reflect his own beauty. In the book of Revelation, in the throne room, God reveals himself as astoundingly beautiful. “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.” (Rev 4:3)

However, if you were to type the one word “beauty” into Google Images, you wouldn’t see lightning or God. You would see women, hundreds of them. It’s common knowledge that part of a women’s purpose is to be beautiful. It’s like we can’t even help thinking about it. (For now, I’ll avoid all the negative aspects of this. I’ll admit, our obsession over beauty doesn’t always go well.)

I personally love being a woman. It’s like we have special access to the beauty of God when we seek him. When our hearts belong to Jesus, he replaces our hearts of stone for something unearthly. When spiritual beauty captures your eyes, there is nothing like it. It’s mysterious and deeper then what I’m able to testify…but I do know that God has set it inside of us.

It is the force that shuts down cynicism and quiets people’s souls into peace. Beauty invites people into God’s presence without even trying hard.

My favorite quotes this month: “God is telling a love story and the setting is war.” –John Eldridge

As you read the next few sentences receive them as a prayer over you:

Jesus, I pray over the women of Waters Edge, that you would replace the hard and numb places of their heart for a heart of flesh. I pray that your Spirit would come and meet them where they are, and quiet their souls into peace. You are taking care of them Lord. I pray that you would create in their own spirit a deep spiritual beauty that compels other people towards you- Jesus. I pray that you would allow us to be a group of women that embody the spiritual beauty and power of lightning storms, and the splendor of precious gems. All to glorify your name, and to become who you created us to be.

Jesus, I pray over the hearts of men in our ministry. I pray that you would use us to minister to them. I pray that as we women become fully spiritually beautiful in the way that you created us to be, that it would cause them to be full of joy in front of you Jesus—full of worship to you whenever they see it. Smack them in the middle of their soul with it. I pray that you would teach them about your mystery and who you are.

College

5 am. The stupid “Get Happy” ringtone that comes on my cell phone goes off, and I rush across my room tripping over some clothes that I haven’t put away yet just to turn off my phone alarm before it gets to the part where it shows off its “upper register”. I don’t know why I torture myself… I really need to get a new ringtone.

I stepped out the door at 5:45am, the black clouds covered my chance of seeing the stars before getting in my car.

On Tuesday I had walked into the Waters Edge lobby about 5 minutes late because I had to discuss something with my teacher after class. (I go to UGA, and the class gets out at 6:15) Apparently… I had messed up… again. As bright as I am sometimes, school just seems to always be stretching my capacities. He explained to me, the syllabus, and I walked out of the classroom feeling like a failure. (Not quite an actual failure yet…but too close)

Now for some people, school is really easy. I hear you talk. You take 20 credit hours, and hang out with people every night. I don’t understand you, but I appreciate you. The rest of us people in Waters Edge in college need help from God to succeed.

From the beginning of my schooling experience at UGA, God gave me a very clear conviction that I’m suppose to major in International Affairs, but some days it honestly feels beyond me. I pulled in the Water’s Edge parking lot (still feeling heavy), and repeated a familiar prayer to God, “Will you give me someone that I can minister to tonight?”; and I could feel him tell my spirit, “No, tonight, I’m going to minister to you.”

And he did.

Even on this Sunday morning, I stood in the back of the sanctuary during worship, and just tried to give all my thoughts and anxieties to God. I was trying to worship, but I was struggling because my heart felt cold towards him. I stood there quiet and subdued trying to focus on Him, and Jesus sent an usher like messenger and he whispered words straight from Jesus, “You have a beautiful spirit.” He walked away, and I melted. Tears filled my eyes, as I could feel my heart fill with life again. Jesus is always so faithful, and always near. Again I’m reminded that, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

He will meet you.

(PS: My favorite word of the month is TRIUMPH)