tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59296547056760519602024-03-12T22:10:32.128-04:00The JalowiecsJanicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.comBlogger415125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-84725078934313722402023-03-08T16:09:00.002-05:002023-03-10T16:33:35.521-05:00Ladies Conference January 2023 by Jan Jalowiec<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrX_DIbaNB1kRJkJGZ9ZMdfLG9XH7WAW_SZnEBZh8jtFGEuGnTFpVTH-kDppSgVkoRgeGIdgAJnaQcc9QgJCI78Pwvoz1MLR7rveb2wQnc_JMlHT8yblWawbk1zS2vIpL-WyzD79AOC37mV6W8AcgFvn3JwdQrFkW8z8a63_dUjIzEP6beSlZ2YgPM3g/s600/2023%20Ladies%20Retreat%20Welcome.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrX_DIbaNB1kRJkJGZ9ZMdfLG9XH7WAW_SZnEBZh8jtFGEuGnTFpVTH-kDppSgVkoRgeGIdgAJnaQcc9QgJCI78Pwvoz1MLR7rveb2wQnc_JMlHT8yblWawbk1zS2vIpL-WyzD79AOC37mV6W8AcgFvn3JwdQrFkW8z8a63_dUjIzEP6beSlZ2YgPM3g/s320/2023%20Ladies%20Retreat%20Welcome.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The following are links to the audio files of a conference from January 2023. There are three audio files, and below them are the links to the videos that were played during the conference, as well as the informational sheet that was gone over in session 3. <p></p><p>Im sorry that this first audio file doesn't start until 1:26 but don't know why! Just fast forward to that point I guess! </p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14cDMSONdHpUSQQIZlVek_-i3XEDa9Y7P/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Session 1 "Lift Up your Eyes"</a> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p><a href="https://youtu.be/JJ3hpEmbgh8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Video for Session 1</a></p></blockquote><p> </p><p></p><p>Im also sorry that the audio recording had a malfunction and this session missed the first half of the recording. Oh Technology how we love you. </p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x195qb0DOBdmTh17lXuEObhKGY2eFbgx/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Session 2 "Look on the Field" </a></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p><a href="https://youtu.be/gOG9U7AAPmA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Video for session 2</a></p></blockquote><p> </p><p></p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SL2GERWn3cpvSgfC7BPvjkx-dnC2ac8a/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Session 3 Resources and Q&A</a><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p><a href="https://youtu.be/PKKliKULJAY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Video for session 3</a></p></blockquote><p></p><p>"Manifesto Doc" </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Informational Sheet for Reference</b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">* Proverbs 31 Therapy and Theology Series on YouTube</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">* “Control Girl” book by Shannon Popkin </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">* “The Empowered Wife” book by Laura Doyle Book and Podcast (Episode 161) </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">* Leslie Vernic: YouTube and Books. Marriage help, and clarity on Biblical Relationships. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GOD TRIBE - my personal manifesto! </b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>G</b>- <b>Generous</b>: Believe people are doing the best they can! </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> *GRATEFUL</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>O</b>- <b>On The Hook</b>: I don’t make myself the exception</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> *On My Own Paper</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D</b>- <b>Discreet/Dignified</b>: careful in actions and speech to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> *DUCT TAPE</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>T</b>- <b>Tenderhearted</b>: Being Kind and Gentle. Looking for the best in others. Not suspicious! </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> *Take Care of Me/self care </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>R</b>- <b>Reliable</b>: Stable, Steady and sincere! </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> *Receive Well</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b> I</b>- <b>Integrity: </b>Living whole, undivided, honest and with strong moral principles. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> *”I Hear You” Listening Well=Respect. Doesn’t mean I Agree! </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>B</b>- <b>Bordered</b>: Healthy Relational Boundaries </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> *Be Squeaky Clean with Accountability. What was My Part in the Problem? only if 1% me? Be Vulnerable</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>E</b>- <b>Expectant</b>: Full of Belief knowing God is Working and Moving in your life! </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> *Express needs Not Complaints! </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>LEARN WHEN TRIGGERED! </b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Ask Myself ::</p><ol><li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What am I afraid of?</li><li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Is my fear realistic?</li><li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Can I actually control the situation?</li><li style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Is it worth losing the intimacy trying to control? </li></ol><div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CORE: </b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>It needs to be strengthened! </b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>C</b>ommitted to truth </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>O</b>pen to the Holy Spirit </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>R</b>esponsible and respectful</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>E</b>mpathetic and compassionate </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>JADE: things NOT to do </b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>J</b>ustify</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A</b>rgue</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D</b>efend </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>E</b>xplain </p></div><div><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Six Relationship Skills</b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">°Self Care :: Show Up Whole </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">°Restore Respect :: It’s like Oxygen </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">°Relinquish control :: Of Others </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">°Receive Graciously :: Be Please-able! </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">°Be Vulnerable :: Road of Intimacy</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">°Express Gratitude :: The Power of Words </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Eliminate :: Replace!!</b> Look for the positive you can reinforce or BE instead of the negative Complaining :: Cheerful </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Criticizing :: Compliment </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Comparing :: Content</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Correcting :: Charitable </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Condemning :: Compassionate </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is the outline content that was supplied at the conference. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: large; font-weight: 700;">Heartland Outline for Ladies conference</span></p><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section" style="background-color: white;"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt;">Key Passage: John 4:1-38<br />Key Verse: 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you,<br /></span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: 700;">Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: 700;">Session 1: Lift up your eyes,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: 700;">The Great Commandment: </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt;">Introspection<br />Mat 22:37-38 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt;">We must first realize we need our sight corrected, uncolored and clear Corrected: SALVATION<br />Uncolored: Thoughts<br />Clear: seeing In Light</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: 700;">Session 2 and look on the fields;</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: 700;">The Great Commission</span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt;">: Circumspection<br />Mat 22:39And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt;">1 Cor 13:13<br />Faith Hope (introspection- Inward) greatest is charity (Outward)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt;">Charity bears believes hopes endures... all things</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: 700;">Examples from being in the field</span></p><p><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: 700;">Session 3: <br />Some tools to emotionally mature and OBEY the Lord</span></p></div></div></div></div>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-31430147746869927672020-12-11T21:46:00.001-05:002020-12-11T21:46:53.807-05:00Delightful Christmas With Littles! We have been blessed with four Grands, three of which are BOYS within 5 months of each other! They're celebrating their two year old birthdays, and I wanted to give them their own little Christmas Trees! <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQw1ZkZaqsqm-OPbrUl3pxCvnCvWZapsGxGNM_MvGmtkhaPTReUMvWPKiMxuZrhlfIHQqBDdQEUPvefo9Sd5UFFEqIQ7HAIjpm3WXrh-ei4CbtpGfsZ7pCkt_weVHKWrC-QkkQ0Fl7cCk0/s1088/IMG_5488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQw1ZkZaqsqm-OPbrUl3pxCvnCvWZapsGxGNM_MvGmtkhaPTReUMvWPKiMxuZrhlfIHQqBDdQEUPvefo9Sd5UFFEqIQ7HAIjpm3WXrh-ei4CbtpGfsZ7pCkt_weVHKWrC-QkkQ0Fl7cCk0/s320/IMG_5488.jpg" /></a></div>Forgive the blurry picture... trying to get 2 year olds to stay still is nearly impossible! </div><div><br />I looked and looked, and while I found so many trees I LOVED, all of the directions were in a foreign language and none had a "good" pattern. I was able to use one of these, and make it work. <div><br /></div><div>The best way is to PRINT the quarter piece on a full sheet of paper FOUR TIMES! Tape them together to look similar to the one on the right, and then use it as your pattern. <div><br /></div><div>Cut two of Each line. <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqV08ha51IrmeRf9YMzYoa7j5WtB2K7LB4A9Uo_cxdjq58HMn5J9vCA7d7be3wFHQ-EeNER60bKPeXSl1Xg3A3VOTK3xXuS-W-9yxBZpHPrz9UmTXDq-5rMmJSErkj-DseIVLDRKMeEd_H/s2048/Print+x4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqV08ha51IrmeRf9YMzYoa7j5WtB2K7LB4A9Uo_cxdjq58HMn5J9vCA7d7be3wFHQ-EeNER60bKPeXSl1Xg3A3VOTK3xXuS-W-9yxBZpHPrz9UmTXDq-5rMmJSErkj-DseIVLDRKMeEd_H/w309-h400/Print+x4.jpg" width="309" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqmsFFdoa530ZEWMvZurzk752hZ4dXNoY-CsT-ACvwW4MujwgF3ohxV6zhyLlP8d_DoyicGYPeXlgi-hroDy-t1-FvAlTA9da-ZSUinFQsQy5qmib-oePt5JIhRQ05TOW-VEy-inHWGZ4/s1005/IMG_5300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="826" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqmsFFdoa530ZEWMvZurzk752hZ4dXNoY-CsT-ACvwW4MujwgF3ohxV6zhyLlP8d_DoyicGYPeXlgi-hroDy-t1-FvAlTA9da-ZSUinFQsQy5qmib-oePt5JIhRQ05TOW-VEy-inHWGZ4/s320/IMG_5300.jpg" /> </a></div><div>Sorry but I don't have a pattern for the top little piece... I just cut four triangles, and a square for the bottom, and just made a little pyramid pillow or the top. </div><div><br /></div><div>I chose felt for the material, and used the same fabric for the bottom of each pillow, and a contrasting fabric for the top. I cut the edges with a pinking sheer, and just sewed the right sides out and left the "rough looking" seem to resemble a tree. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIBxUVZwaTxJboxWOXhRQ2BZ9CJd6tMr-a54z0TKY9_BRJLgI4A9STSvkw3jPbATsmfzYNpnKyIx8dU4-XqgdNtisqq6h7lN6e-8iGStATo_KC59v-9EP1ldl3CAVJKYvV2c8PrJTNPw3/s2048/IMG_5612+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1795" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIBxUVZwaTxJboxWOXhRQ2BZ9CJd6tMr-a54z0TKY9_BRJLgI4A9STSvkw3jPbATsmfzYNpnKyIx8dU4-XqgdNtisqq6h7lN6e-8iGStATo_KC59v-9EP1ldl3CAVJKYvV2c8PrJTNPw3/s320/IMG_5612+2.JPG" /></a></div>I hot glued cute little pompons on the points of each pillow, perfect for young kids now, and could be used to hang ornaments on later as they get older. </div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8tEhwuDK0xQEOQYXftUwNjWRF7lMS46FhD3tIych6zzsoYfmvjfJlZwIb_UHkOW11M-QUwg1VdsUsVYVRubOlo25sMFf6Oa28w9tUUNGmrN0MwDMebAwo5EV_SfEZuDn53kG-KSXJiSU/s2048/IMG_5610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8tEhwuDK0xQEOQYXftUwNjWRF7lMS46FhD3tIych6zzsoYfmvjfJlZwIb_UHkOW11M-QUwg1VdsUsVYVRubOlo25sMFf6Oa28w9tUUNGmrN0MwDMebAwo5EV_SfEZuDn53kG-KSXJiSU/w400-h300/IMG_5610.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Here is the Finished Tree! </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFBK4z8_QNUMssVqP1RdC75F5cxS_3Rcc0XkK6k_tpQRYmr_Vkn7YrXsgtIV5NdR1CYHpd9i5OMzLy15X5wcRegmcLzMAUP9yNxMgot5z_avFP3yoVlVN3J3m4NM9CfHXuSQG_0zgGDv-/s2048/IMG_5611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFBK4z8_QNUMssVqP1RdC75F5cxS_3Rcc0XkK6k_tpQRYmr_Vkn7YrXsgtIV5NdR1CYHpd9i5OMzLy15X5wcRegmcLzMAUP9yNxMgot5z_avFP3yoVlVN3J3m4NM9CfHXuSQG_0zgGDv-/w300-h400/IMG_5611.JPG" width="300" /></a></div></div>To assemble the tree, I used nylon twine and an upholstery needle. Starting with the top piece, I sewed from the bottom if it down through each pillow, and through a button at the bottom. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YSgJ22fNmjv61M8cDAMUduici-sq3rxl6J_Usr6Aq88YJ4MQ23gGrLcd-js2tuOMuImxJ-xYPcV1Lk-F40ioO8Bb7HjR_UkjSpNamDppms44-m4PMogGPeww_isSQ_8mUCXkdpGLogCn/s2048/IMG_5612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YSgJ22fNmjv61M8cDAMUduici-sq3rxl6J_Usr6Aq88YJ4MQ23gGrLcd-js2tuOMuImxJ-xYPcV1Lk-F40ioO8Bb7HjR_UkjSpNamDppms44-m4PMogGPeww_isSQ_8mUCXkdpGLogCn/w300-h400/IMG_5612.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">You can see here the string through one of the rows- down one side and back up again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUylJTyApTXv2FhcsdrumhorTCllJumRKoR8RGSlNtbEhmELdqU9lsWsCWTbku611e3xzI8vhsNAM0BpaCGEHo55MqxzVErg5hyEy4_yUzcI72Qrl-59yzJ4Es6_6Msx42LvYknlGr4k-B/s2048/IMG_5613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUylJTyApTXv2FhcsdrumhorTCllJumRKoR8RGSlNtbEhmELdqU9lsWsCWTbku611e3xzI8vhsNAM0BpaCGEHo55MqxzVErg5hyEy4_yUzcI72Qrl-59yzJ4Es6_6Msx42LvYknlGr4k-B/w400-h300/IMG_5613.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div>This is the bottom - you can see the button. This was just to give the fabric some support and not tear through. You can also see the fabric looks a "Little Lumpy". That's because I added some rocks in the bottom pillow to give it some base support! </div><div><br /></div><div>When I finished the cord at the top, I made a little loop which has proven to be a brilliant decision! Little boys love to carry things around, and this hauls the tree safely using the support of the string! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFBK4z8_QNUMssVqP1RdC75F5cxS_3Rcc0XkK6k_tpQRYmr_Vkn7YrXsgtIV5NdR1CYHpd9i5OMzLy15X5wcRegmcLzMAUP9yNxMgot5z_avFP3yoVlVN3J3m4NM9CfHXuSQG_0zgGDv-/s2048/IMG_5611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFBK4z8_QNUMssVqP1RdC75F5cxS_3Rcc0XkK6k_tpQRYmr_Vkn7YrXsgtIV5NdR1CYHpd9i5OMzLy15X5wcRegmcLzMAUP9yNxMgot5z_avFP3yoVlVN3J3m4NM9CfHXuSQG_0zgGDv-/w300-h400/IMG_5611.JPG" width="300" /></a><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Such a cute little tree! </div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div></div></div></div>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-39495496927145160742019-08-25T00:06:00.000-04:002019-08-25T00:06:41.230-04:00When Sleep Elludes4:15 am. CAT.<br />
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Thats "Central Africa Time" which is about 6-7 hours ahead of those far ones that inhabit my heart.<br />
<br />
That seems to be the time I see these days. I wish it was because I am a morning person, but sadly that's just not the case!<br />
<br />
Thoughts. Things out of my control. Dreams. Like seriously... really weird dreams.<br />
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I am admittedly the worst over-distance communicator. While I can communicate well, it seems that it is a location thing. I knew this about myself before the distance thing happened. I have struggled with correcting it, but I have really not figured out how to do it.<br />
<br />
So boiled down... my communication looks a lot like this.<br />
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Close = Good.<br />
Far = Bad.<br />
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I have no idea why. It isn't like my mind and heart shut the "far" ones out. Its quite the opposite in fact.<br />
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I think the biggest part of it is, it hurts. Like literally, physically hurts. There is a yearning and a desire to be with the far, and when it is Absolutely. Impossible. I seem to have no guard against the overwhelming missing and longing of them. It is almost like to survive, a part of me closes off. Like a slide covers my heart over the spaces the far inhabit. It is a protection to be sure, but it feels like a wall. A callous.<br />
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And even more troubling, to the far, it looks like disinterest. Un-love.<br />
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This makes a void, and that is always a problematic thing. Minds and hearts cannot easily manage voids. Voids are like sucking spaces that grab onto things, whether true or not, just to be filled. The void <i>can</i> fill with thoughts and feelings that are untrue. Thoughts that are completely understandable. Feelings that are real, painful. Both are justifiable.<br />
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The problem with voids filled with untruth is they don't go away. Like little swollen glands they remain painful when touched and grow with time. Time. Time.<br />
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And when the time passes and the far become the close, its just painful. Awkward. Funk.<br />
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Oh Lord! please help me to navigate this. I am overwhelmed with the weight of it. Troubled with the lack of solutions my feeble little brain can come up with. Frustrated with my weak self. Wanting things to feel full and free, whole and complete. These are the things that Only the Omniscient One can know, and the Omnipotent one can solve.<br />
<br />
You have very little to work with, and this clay is really not the best for any potters wheel. I can feel the grit and rocks that will fight you. I can feel my off-centeredness fight against your hands. I am dry.<br />
<br />
I fall on you to be broken. To be made pliable. Smooth. Useable.<br />
<br />
Throw me upon the batt of your wheel and make a vessel that is useable. Loving. Able to pour out onto those near <i>and</i> far.<br />
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Thou art the Potter.<br />
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I am the clay.<br />
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Mold me and make me.<br />
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After thy will.<br />
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While I am waiting.<br />
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Yielded and still.Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-11177296784892573642018-03-12T01:11:00.001-04:002018-03-12T01:11:41.903-04:007 Sleeps...<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yesterday was our last Sunday Service in the bush. Not forever, Lord Willing, but for a long while. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4KlzRJGz1ucI-8AIz7oi_nbi3zUm-twmhsiJthMkWCtm9eetwHMRtWcBW7uVBIorEHDhvrBCWFIFe2GNfsvUJeQE0Wa8B6kOPJrQdz0ZCFV-WNzmcMyLLQg7Ft1KzOzjlAw-cyZkZ5CP/s1600/IMG_8981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1600" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4KlzRJGz1ucI-8AIz7oi_nbi3zUm-twmhsiJthMkWCtm9eetwHMRtWcBW7uVBIorEHDhvrBCWFIFe2GNfsvUJeQE0Wa8B6kOPJrQdz0ZCFV-WNzmcMyLLQg7Ft1KzOzjlAw-cyZkZ5CP/s400/IMG_8981.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The people were so sweet, and at the end of service called us to the front and each group sent a representative to express their hearts, and honor us. Big Tree, Chikoka, the Youth, Mapungu Village - where they had to walk over 6 HOURS to attend, Muliliwa Village - they walked over 2 hours! Plus several men from other churches who have been attending Dan’s Men’s Bible Study on Tuesday’s for more than the last year. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClgMWzHdBALcOsWQn0_uN1x4URhXL3v_xqIGe6GMzlBS8fmyvg9AkzASvM4p65d9fbjS-cXBxbhyphenhyphene6YdsTFxGExvaY89pbdN7uJe_irvpAXtZaX6WPs4TfeiP2h_11lUOoKkgx9DidEbj/s1600/IMG_0766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClgMWzHdBALcOsWQn0_uN1x4URhXL3v_xqIGe6GMzlBS8fmyvg9AkzASvM4p65d9fbjS-cXBxbhyphenhyphene6YdsTFxGExvaY89pbdN7uJe_irvpAXtZaX6WPs4TfeiP2h_11lUOoKkgx9DidEbj/s320/IMG_0766.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were admonished to tell all of our stateside friends and family that we are Zambian now, and Must Please Come Back! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were told of their heartfelt gratitude as through the teachings their ears, which were once closed, are now open and their hearts have received the Gospel. Such sweet and hopeful testimonies from people who in this life, by my American standard, have so very little. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmqJQjkqkFCBv3Fjbihgy4MawcN1HN9L-8Guk-PawNH9JZec2VGVhapR_vRmpr7fRnPXNnctlG83tvcvUOGJIL8ivwVaF1-Jih1cbaZESJlT9OZMS3GFda5tcZtkmEJLzlvpPepJug7xY/s1600/IMG_1482.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmqJQjkqkFCBv3Fjbihgy4MawcN1HN9L-8Guk-PawNH9JZec2VGVhapR_vRmpr7fRnPXNnctlG83tvcvUOGJIL8ivwVaF1-Jih1cbaZESJlT9OZMS3GFda5tcZtkmEJLzlvpPepJug7xY/s320/IMG_1482.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They gave us gifts. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoHxDWY-8baA7Lb25WFT1BwuoI8fCRa9XDqRcBF2LRBpZ83XKtvpXEli2u67ZYbHd5QMlk4ugj-sJie95iF7cTWdGXioOFLYCeVg_uWKnm4VSXKSoNm88gs1KtrmO3R0fhgwA8p4uNClO/s1600/IMG_1485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoHxDWY-8baA7Lb25WFT1BwuoI8fCRa9XDqRcBF2LRBpZ83XKtvpXEli2u67ZYbHd5QMlk4ugj-sJie95iF7cTWdGXioOFLYCeVg_uWKnm4VSXKSoNm88gs1KtrmO3R0fhgwA8p4uNClO/s320/IMG_1485.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hand carved and decorated Cooking spoons, a hand carved mortar and pestle, bowls, 15 lbs of cracked corn and a huge bag of peanuts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A Goat. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMBjTEDmYpTmEUKL0MSZLHxPF0Hg1XyyoIfwauQezFJUvLF1pK5XvQ736RaLsvQH8gmBbEA2FBmlIWF1r61TvDVH4c9q81__GTrX3UTk7b65pMR4k5OwqiyhBE8YVnamZDUudnbQugAfY/s1600/IMG_7958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMBjTEDmYpTmEUKL0MSZLHxPF0Hg1XyyoIfwauQezFJUvLF1pK5XvQ736RaLsvQH8gmBbEA2FBmlIWF1r61TvDVH4c9q81__GTrX3UTk7b65pMR4k5OwqiyhBE8YVnamZDUudnbQugAfY/s320/IMG_7958.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Savannah named him. He is safe forever now! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 Chickens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 pigeons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Money. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sounds like a new song: the “12 days Of Zambia”! We were so humbled. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And it was a little crazy too! We cannot possible eat all they gave us in one week! We certainly cannot bring most of it home with us. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTUfadbjDCVx4SlG5Slk7SUr4EqV_gZzWWQjJTgq4pnUAU5p-8J34pohpmVS49YDuPC3kmzO_82IS-YKsF_0dndJERdNDCKhFARgIaSI2fk0NZGlhg8i_6iq7gJSr2JUE0PiteoUCPwwU/s1600/IMG_1484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTUfadbjDCVx4SlG5Slk7SUr4EqV_gZzWWQjJTgq4pnUAU5p-8J34pohpmVS49YDuPC3kmzO_82IS-YKsF_0dndJERdNDCKhFARgIaSI2fk0NZGlhg8i_6iq7gJSr2JUE0PiteoUCPwwU/s320/IMG_1484.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The money, shown in the picture is worth $1.15. For them, that would pay to grind over 80 pounds of corn at the hammer mill, enough to feed their family for a few weeks! What a sacrifice! Especially knowing most don’t have any income coming in for a few months- Wow! what generosity! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And as I woke this morning, the Lord spoke to my heart as only He does. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUl2jXmOfx-H1r3Rtffg2WJ_OFR9pCuF_aSeNG1QW9q4nheGAuE34zTcOpsuvfSHLFGHxd8sMMEaQTuu4vLZEeTpwvW-uufBOGJfyB47HVmJrDJwT3ptFoogiwf2eEu0-Imkv0ZvdK_SBg/s1600/IMG_1504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUl2jXmOfx-H1r3Rtffg2WJ_OFR9pCuF_aSeNG1QW9q4nheGAuE34zTcOpsuvfSHLFGHxd8sMMEaQTuu4vLZEeTpwvW-uufBOGJfyB47HVmJrDJwT3ptFoogiwf2eEu0-Imkv0ZvdK_SBg/s320/IMG_1504.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While I was tempted to think, “they shouldn’t give us these things, we have enough! If they only knew....!” I kept thinking They Need this all so much more!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But... Jesus says “give and it shall be given”. They gave... as we taught them to give! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcU_N9O3lFxP7jX_AGpcJ0Q4aRur8F4EJ4CSNmJDLU2ssHU_G3ZCLfUbZ5sGTCA3BcKEL11fMeEiVSlxa1YjLgg_nUwhMt9jPHW8FhLPIDlNCdFtMtk8rg882WM-JYYwSfkopRxmyP9tw/s1600/IMG_8332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcU_N9O3lFxP7jX_AGpcJ0Q4aRur8F4EJ4CSNmJDLU2ssHU_G3ZCLfUbZ5sGTCA3BcKEL11fMeEiVSlxa1YjLgg_nUwhMt9jPHW8FhLPIDlNCdFtMtk8rg882WM-JYYwSfkopRxmyP9tw/s320/IMG_8332.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don’t want to sound callous or ungrateful- simply make the point. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don’t need cooking spoons! Or $1.15. I certainly don’t need a goat! These sweet, generous people truly sacrificed of what so very little they have, to honor us and show us their love for us. While it has little physical value, the spiritual and emotional and eternal value is huge! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They GET IT! What more could we hope than to see a physical demonstration of doing what they’ve been taught to do!!? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And how does God see my giving? Is it like this at all? My little life and the things I think are so valuable, and he says “Give” knowing it is a sacrifice to me. Knowing He doesn’t need it! Knowing I Need to Give! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He sees my heart. Is it pure in my sacrifice? Is it even a sacrifice!?? I'm tempted to look at all the things I've given UP, but truly, what have I given? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0WJUQbB8SP6Vwc3bev7v7rVhdJ9NjyVD0fe5omWrPtFuF8J7c4bNqYPDSfFd4d4VY0hw8sb5ADQaC4zGvtKRqgYv4iNg9a_AnWWGoG-6UfZnVQKEBhD6TyyGyAitDdvb1q8u29FcfAQK/s1600/IMG_1764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0WJUQbB8SP6Vwc3bev7v7rVhdJ9NjyVD0fe5omWrPtFuF8J7c4bNqYPDSfFd4d4VY0hw8sb5ADQaC4zGvtKRqgYv4iNg9a_AnWWGoG-6UfZnVQKEBhD6TyyGyAitDdvb1q8u29FcfAQK/s320/IMG_1764.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Im praying we finish this term well. I'm looking forward to being home and seeing my children. Enjoying some American treats and comforts. </div>
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But there will be a difference in my mind. Im wondering if my heart will never fully be At Home while home. I've read so many Cross Culture blogs and books. Ex-Pats telling of their stories how they don't feel like they truly belong to their passport country, and I've thought, "That will never be me!" While I don't know for sure yet, but I'm feeling like I need to mentally and emotional prepare myself that maybe this time... it will be me.</div>
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<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="https://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a></div>
Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-29011944928362226032018-03-06T07:01:00.000-05:002018-03-06T07:01:19.946-05:00Every Other Year Blogger...Hesitation to even write this today washed over me as I looked at the page, and didn't like what looked back.<br />
<br />
I want to change the back ground.<br />
<br />
That signature still?? What?!<br />
<br />
But blogging is like exercise. Forget that you haven't done it in weeks... Months.<br />
<br />
OK! YEARS!<br />
<br />
But TODAY is a new day. START (again!) TODAY!<br />
<br />
And today of all days is a crazy place to start because seriously. I am transitioning back to the states in 13 days. It wouldn't be absurd to have the countdown in hours at this point, its THAT CLOSE!<br />
<br />
But today is the day to start. Again.<br />
<br />
This is the FIRST MOVE in our entire married life that didn't involve packing up everything we own, and deciding what comes with us directly to whatever temporary place we will live, what goes into storage somewhere; a barn, a rental space, my moms garage. And what just gets pitched.<br />
<br />
THE. FIRST. MOVE!<br />
<br />
We were married in October, 1989.<br />
<br />
Our first home was in the city of Rochester, and Dan moved in the month of our wedding, and I moved in after. Good Christian girl.<br />
<br />
We sold that house in October, 1999. Exactly 10 years later. We lost our shirts on that sale. Housing in the City of Rochester consistently plummeted after we bought in 1989, and reached bottom in... yes... 1999.<br />
<br />
So with over $14,000 debt, we moved into my parents basement.<br />
<br />
One bedroom, not-even-a-kitchen, basement apartment.<br />
<br />
Four Children. Ages 7, 5, 3, and 1. INSANE.<br />
<br />
And a lot of our stuff went to a barn in Hilton. and a lot went to the garage. And even more went to the trash.<br />
<br />
After 16 months, which was supposed to be 6 months, and felt like 12 years, we moved into (what we would think) was our "Forever Fixer-Upper Dream Home".<br />
<br />
Dream Street!<br />
Dream Layout!<br />
Dream Town!<br />
Dream Potential!<br />
<br />
And IT WAS!!<br />
<br />
Until it wasn't.<br />
<br />
Enter a one time missions trip. Enter God. Enter Original Dreams emptied out into boxes and dumpsters and storage units, and New Dreams being planted as tiny seeds in *slightly unready* soil.<br />
<br />
The bulk of this blog til this point has been the "fill in the gap" until 2013. But to the original point of this post, if there was a point...<br />
<br />
We sold the Dream House. With now 5 children. Ages 14, 12, 10, 8 and 3. <br />
<br />
From June 2006 until June 2007 we moved FIVE TIMES.<br />
<br />
1. Farmhouse in Hilton to live with dear friends.<br />
2. Basement apartment to live under dear friends.<br />
3. City house renting from a former boss, that we nearly burned down. Another story for another day.<br />
4. Back to the farmhouse, but setup in our pop-up camper.<br />
5. Into a rental back in our Dream Town. Just a few miles away from Dream House.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, all our "stuff" was never with us during this time! Our kids box of "MUST HAVE'S" was whittled from a large toter, to a medium packing box, to a shoe box. And not one of those Big-<br />
Man's Workboot Boxes". A Child's Shoe box.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnLRytSL1ZYa0HE6c59QZ6zwhGP1h8jdNTU_mbBVe2GBIpv7R8YxLPbOhyCnlU4Gs4Vd8f5z6m1l1GQG9Mb1B0-TZaPHCfadxeSGrue5054BhdOCUH4ubYgF5oUw9prESgjstfjgJu-IX/s1600/0506111751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnLRytSL1ZYa0HE6c59QZ6zwhGP1h8jdNTU_mbBVe2GBIpv7R8YxLPbOhyCnlU4Gs4Vd8f5z6m1l1GQG9Mb1B0-TZaPHCfadxeSGrue5054BhdOCUH4ubYgF5oUw9prESgjstfjgJu-IX/s320/0506111751.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many Traveling Pictures! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">After Christmas, 2010, we came to the conclusion that renting a house for nearly $1,000/month that</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">we were barely living in because of deputation, really made no sense. So... January 2011, in one of the Coldest Times I Can Remember, we once again divvied up everything into "Keep-Store-Pitch" and moved out of that house.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2cN9mZcx2oR3P9FEnwuFvC0ZBXwAUEHaNei0Qnb72QVmAnbFiAFKeEOIucouoEhduMdfzimWa4IFKnWBaracKErXZT7JETVwpucwPKLUx6-tu-JnHREvyVmLhAezTK1fPNeh5qkPqeJd/s1600/0521111100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2cN9mZcx2oR3P9FEnwuFvC0ZBXwAUEHaNei0Qnb72QVmAnbFiAFKeEOIucouoEhduMdfzimWa4IFKnWBaracKErXZT7JETVwpucwPKLUx6-tu-JnHREvyVmLhAezTK1fPNeh5qkPqeJd/s320/0521111100.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Offices in Unusual Places</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We traveled quite extensively for deputation and lived in a camper part time, and when we weren't traveling, we went back to my parents basement apartment.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZcHkn5hI8Edav2XmMoZ8ZbYWGj7eFukw17zApb-63zVFAVbHovRev71uXK92Tpwt1CPmXWl5AG4MK1hbMfxOvlip3EQsP2tnvw1zKo6hugqPxgSOyw7xSNfCALC2YVCm5xdNQ_CSiXOl/s1600/0911122022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZcHkn5hI8Edav2XmMoZ8ZbYWGj7eFukw17zApb-63zVFAVbHovRev71uXK92Tpwt1CPmXWl5AG4MK1hbMfxOvlip3EQsP2tnvw1zKo6hugqPxgSOyw7xSNfCALC2YVCm5xdNQ_CSiXOl/s320/0911122022.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boys Part of the Living room</td></tr>
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<br />
Again with four kids. Ages 15, 13, 11, and 6.<br />
<br />
Our oldest lived on campus in College. She hasn't lived with us since she was 17. Even typing that brings tears to my eyes, because THAT certainly wasn't on my list of dreams.<br />
<br />
From there, we transitioned back and forth from camper to the apartment, camper to the apartment. Until Finally, in March, 2013, we moved to Zambia!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnKcCuN7wZAM5VEMXOOdkxfqufFOUzMjQ4H_bCaAQD8jvtepVMMaesRAJlcqIdozaH7gnfYxI-9G0oU3wQ7LpzsOIv58B483_9vxG4vkUMYbL7E7pZOrQ54ub2ykFHpzOKR_q80QjlapD/s1600/0911112003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="1376" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnKcCuN7wZAM5VEMXOOdkxfqufFOUzMjQ4H_bCaAQD8jvtepVMMaesRAJlcqIdozaH7gnfYxI-9G0oU3wQ7LpzsOIv58B483_9vxG4vkUMYbL7E7pZOrQ54ub2ykFHpzOKR_q80QjlapD/s640/0911112003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYC 10 Year Anniversary of 9/11<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrdcrbT1YMLzMx1nYzKlGvLU9ULXDwK99CrnLHumma02LUhOWUxUNM6rfPQs0wexWx2__DwQe9TXPaEeZT9tpqHhjkOKsUcMBZx8wCN4fmxEuwSD3rqXjV0xjJTlgVf-lQ0BND_OOV2HV/s1600/0911122023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrdcrbT1YMLzMx1nYzKlGvLU9ULXDwK99CrnLHumma02LUhOWUxUNM6rfPQs0wexWx2__DwQe9TXPaEeZT9tpqHhjkOKsUcMBZx8wCN4fmxEuwSD3rqXjV0xjJTlgVf-lQ0BND_OOV2HV/s320/0911122023.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Apartment during the Pitch/Pack/Purge </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">When we first arrived in Zambia, we lived in a two bedroom cottage on the property of our missionary partners. We lived there for 2 months, with three children. Ages 17, 15 and 10. So much stuff in trunks with us, and most everything else in a shipping container traveling over the Ocean Blue. </span></div>
</td></tr>
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We then got our own place to rent in Zambia, and lived there for 19 months. We then came stateside for our daughters wedding, and packed up that entire house, knowing we DIDNT want to continue renting from that Landlord. Again... another post. Someday. Maybe!<br />
<br />
All our goods were once again divvied. Take to US-Storage Unit-Pitch/Giveaway.<br />
<br />
While in the states for the wedding, we first lived with our three oldest children who THANKFULLY had a wonderful house that was loaned to them by an Extremely Generous Family. We were there from January until July, 2015.<br />
<br />
We had originally planned to return to Zambia in July, because the wedding was in April. But our next two children made plans for their weddings as well!!<br />
<br />
So... Back to the hunt for a place to Live, and a precious girl LITERALLY moved out of her house and went back to live with her parents, and let us live in her home until October, 2015. What A GIFT!!<br />
<br />
We returned to Zambia in October, 2015, and lived in another missionaries home until mid-December, 2015.<br />
<br />
In December, the house that our missionary partners were leaving, (remember the cottage we lived in before? YEs, THAT place!) and we moved into that place... but the MAIN house this time!<br />
<br />
So!<br />
<br />
Here I am... 13 days from Leaving on a Jetplane to go stateside, and I am marveling that this is the FIRST TIME I will travel, and have all my "Stuff" still in one place, with plans to return to it! I have a strange sense of surreal about it all. Not having to pitch, parcel, pack, and plan every little detail is leaving me a tad bit perplexed.<br />
<br />
Did anyone count all those moves? I lost track somewhere around the 5-times-in-one-year part.<br />
<br />
Alas, we are sort of in the precipice of another.<br />
<br />
After typing all of this, there are s many emotions tied to each of these memories. Some of them are still kind of raw and a bit tender. Truly Following God is an adventure, and I would highly Recommend EVERYONE do it! But that doesn't mean it is easy. And it certainly isn't without challenges, pain and some really difficult times. But It is all Worth it!<br />
<br />
And Maybe I can blog the next stage of this journey of my life!<br />
<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="https://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-56034668407516024432016-09-06T17:10:00.002-04:002023-03-10T16:48:25.971-05:00"Rosey Day Fund" <div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
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Go ahead. Google it. Bing away. DuckDuckGo. Whatever way you choose to search the internet, you will find articles.<br />
<br />
“Articles? On What?”<br />
<br />
Well, Thank you for asking!!<br />
<br />
I am talking about the delicate subject of that monthly occurrence every girl experiences, and how difficult it is for those living in abject poverty deal with it. It is gritty, and an absolute shame the measures these young girls resort to because of lack of money, lack of education, and plenty of bad advice from similarly desperate girls.<br />
<br />
They daily live with the worry of, “Will I start today?” Because nutrition is so bad, oftentimes their period is anything but regular. Alas, it does come and all too often she isn’t prepared for it. Not because she is negligent, or isn’t thinking of it! It’s because when there is a choice to buy food or pads, often the former wins out.<br />
<br />
So, what is a girl to do?<br />
<br />
She can stay homebound for those days.<br />
<br />
She can just quit school. Many know girls who have done just that. Or... are that girl.<br />
<br />
Girls in these poverty and below-poverty level countries still manage their monthly flow the way it was done in Biblical days. Folded up pieces of cloth. Crude. Unreliable. Un-secure. Insufficient. Embarrassing.<br />
<br />
The other solution? Have something to be prepared for “that time”.<br />
<br />
But that costs money. <br />
<br />
Money she doesn’t have.<br />
<br />
She needs money.<br />
<br />
Some will do what girls have done for centuries. That age old profession that, sadly, is still one of the most guaranteed ways to generate income. The horrible truth is, especially in these cultures, the meager benefit of trading their bodies for money often comes with huge consequences.<br />
<br />
Shame.<br />
<br />
Reputation.<br />
<br />
If only it stopped there.<br />
<br />
They are at risk of HIV/Aids and any other sexually transmitted disease. Over 50% of this current generation has HIV/Aids, and the numbers aren’t shrinking. Their entire lives are now compromised because of desperation to properly manage those 5 days per month.<br />
<br />
The least of the “sad” consequences is a pregnancy, but that brings with it a whole other host of difficulties to deal with! She can barely take care of herself, how will she manage a baby now? Girls as young as 14 become mothers. Most of them will never attend school again.<br />
<br />
Hiv/Aids is on the rise again with this younger generation.<br />
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Pregnancy in young, barely teenage girls is commonplace.<br />
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The practice of witch doctors and other traditional beliefs are continuing to thrive.<br />
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How can this be the 21st century and things like this are still common problems with elusive solutions for MILLIONS OF GIRLS??<br />
<br />
Well… here is one solution, and YOU CAN HELP!!!<br />
<br />
When I was a girl, me and my friends had a code phrase for “that time".<br />
<br />
"Want to go swimming?<br />
"We’re going to the beach, want to come?”<br />
"Hey! Lets go shopping for new clothes!”<br />
Or the DREADED Swimming Class for PhysEd. ugh!!<br />
<br />
We would say, “Aunt Rosey is visiting,” and a chorus of sympathetic “oohs!!” and nodding heads would be the response. All further questions would not be necessary! That is what prompted me to name this project “The Rosey Day Fund”.<br />
<br />
The “Rosey Day Fund” raises money to purchase silicone menstruation cups and reusable cloth pads.<br />
<br />
Each $30.00 kit will include:<br />
1: silicone menstrual cup with carry bag<br />
5: washable, reuseable, cotton pads<br />
1: privacy drying bag<br />
1: waterproof carry bag.<br />
<br />
Each kit will potentially last for 2-3 years.<br />
<br />
Not weeks, not months…. YEARS!!!<br />
<br />
Thirty dollars could help keep a girl in school.<br />
<br />
Thirty dollars could help keep a girl from contracting a sexually transmitting disease.<br />
<br />
Thirty dollars could help her keep her dignity.<br />
<br />
Her self respect.<br />
<br />
Her life.<br />
<br />
The cups are sourced from the states from Anderson Global Trading LLC, a small company run by Christians from their home.<br />
<br />
The cloth pads are made locally by Zambian women via http://www.projectluangwa.org . They are 100% cotton with a waterproof protection layer.<br />
<br />
Both are completely washable and reusable and can last up to three years!<br />
<br />
I am committed to personally ordering the products, and overseeing the distribution of each one. Each kit will be accompanied with a gospel presentation and literature in English and ChiChewa. For what shall it profit a man (or girl!) if he shall gain the whole world (health!) and lose their own soul?<br />
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Each kit costs $30, but any amount will help!! 100% goes towards supplies and distributing them in Zambia.<br />
<br />
PayPal.Me/jcjalowiec<br />
<br />
Some Helpful Links:<br />
<br />
Amazon link to view the silicone cups<br />
https://www.amazon.com/Dioxin-Free-Silicone-Menstrual-Pre-Birth/dp/B00NUVBR3U/ref=lp_10419336011_1_2_a_it?srs=10419336011&ie=UTF8&qid=1473077309&sr=8-2 )<br />
<br />
Website and FB page for Project Luangwa<br />
http://www.projectluangwa.org<br />
https://www.facebook.com/Project-Luangwa-101212036590238/about/?entry_point=page_nav_about_item&tab=page_info<br />
<br />
If you had to choose a toilet like this… would you even be able to go???<br />
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/19/my-toilet-world-toilet-day_n_6186164.html<br />
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Articles about girls and the days “Aunt Rosey” visits…<br />
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/14/menstruation-myths_n_7495568.html<br />
<br />
http://allafrica.com/stories/201601051305.html (Badly written statistics- they should clarify they are talking of the entire primary school years, not per year)<br />
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Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-6371835443450288952014-06-17T11:07:00.001-04:002014-06-17T11:10:41.603-04:00Colors of ZambiaChitenge: 2 meters of fabric. Used for anything you can imagine!<br />
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I think it is one of the things that makes this land so unique. All of the color in the clothing is certainly a visual treat! It is such a contrast to all the red dirt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CKT6AyUFuj9sjI_wM1a3UtKevN8AaLU8wbtInrC-QYDgqeDXe120bWN-nS-x5VX34CPVTnIfwJawtTpLWhEO5u-LerpvQ6z-i7LicJc4jdjGQpaihuWsiyLFCDwbSe1COnBZhI52F_JO/s1600/IMG_4015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CKT6AyUFuj9sjI_wM1a3UtKevN8AaLU8wbtInrC-QYDgqeDXe120bWN-nS-x5VX34CPVTnIfwJawtTpLWhEO5u-LerpvQ6z-i7LicJc4jdjGQpaihuWsiyLFCDwbSe1COnBZhI52F_JO/s1600/IMG_4015.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Women use this for everything! From a baby carrier to clothing. BabyBjorn is not needed here! They will be used to wrap bundles of food or other purchases and then hauled to wherever they need to go. They are wrapped up as round pads and put on their heads as a balancing aid for hauling 20 liter jugs of water on their heads. They are used as blankets, head coverings, and also as ground coverings when they need to sit on the dirt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcfnfKKcq2ZBeRdU7OxLJebzW8NjKkIGLhjJNYcPxU4WqZfJqxeiv44zvZyfEVmNMxdwJullMG-qg4VHJGKmFiu-V3SZ1Tqnp409JGDPeX9yZtkuT0tFf1XvZVy9kOXq8Pow7nQ-kCGnN/s1600/IMG_4016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcfnfKKcq2ZBeRdU7OxLJebzW8NjKkIGLhjJNYcPxU4WqZfJqxeiv44zvZyfEVmNMxdwJullMG-qg4VHJGKmFiu-V3SZ1Tqnp409JGDPeX9yZtkuT0tFf1XvZVy9kOXq8Pow7nQ-kCGnN/s1600/IMG_4016.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Regardless of age the Chitenge is a staple necessity. Usually it is worn over a traditional skirt for the purpose of keeping it clean. Most people wash everything by hand, and they try to preserve the cleanliness of clothing as much as possible! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeupsi9NsBmgAycGZNSuKKuH2eiQ69kYDhYVuWIPqwtuCYzFAfGuHuD-BsXt6uRMjNmm9VofVTAZulHNRkRe4Wx_fkh10rkJ7DAWhdzeu7j_8vuc6MQ4vw5o7l_lGXD_NZbLSFvD10M98/s1600/IMG_4023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeupsi9NsBmgAycGZNSuKKuH2eiQ69kYDhYVuWIPqwtuCYzFAfGuHuD-BsXt6uRMjNmm9VofVTAZulHNRkRe4Wx_fkh10rkJ7DAWhdzeu7j_8vuc6MQ4vw5o7l_lGXD_NZbLSFvD10M98/s1600/IMG_4023.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Everyone wears them! They are often used to unify the look of a group. It is a relatively easy way to have everyone look coordinated.<br />
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This picture is of the graduates from the Literacy Class of Big Tree Baptist. We made the men shirts of the matching fabric, and the women just wrap and tuck the ends into a makeshift waistband. Somehow it manages to stay! </div>
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Matching the chitenge with with other items of clothing is completely unnecessary. I often think they try to be as clashing as possible!<br />
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Some, however, are gifted in the skill of fabricating them into amazing dresses! This one takes several meters of fabric, and this girl made this herself! She attends the Chipata deaf church and my friend showed me this... I love it! They use the fabric to make bags and other totes as well.<br />
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Over trousers, jeans, other skirts. Layers... Layers... Layers! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIWhCcIAdIM1Mx-Bg3Gih3VUGsEuHwRS7vS-zA9ziZ_aV-Rs1k59z-NwU-wGGDMYwb3hUsYLDinxTzp9Yj3lh-nuFlvwAUO7fuymgd7n174Oy7rn_awEoygYJQaqZjPTit6uxBz0c6JC3/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIWhCcIAdIM1Mx-Bg3Gih3VUGsEuHwRS7vS-zA9ziZ_aV-Rs1k59z-NwU-wGGDMYwb3hUsYLDinxTzp9Yj3lh-nuFlvwAUO7fuymgd7n174Oy7rn_awEoygYJQaqZjPTit6uxBz0c6JC3/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
Colors! Colors! Colors!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5QKLUq6GzzgJHW5-7hRixXqfo-9t2v3uXLpw6pH-92bbq76rFqLkM21pBIumsJDXUckoznvmVU5_qBMQM3PXt2LAowGFEEdHizr0P1AptkIEBHTVyYjq6lpGjpOBjeHOMfOkXM0jHbYS/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5QKLUq6GzzgJHW5-7hRixXqfo-9t2v3uXLpw6pH-92bbq76rFqLkM21pBIumsJDXUckoznvmVU5_qBMQM3PXt2LAowGFEEdHizr0P1AptkIEBHTVyYjq6lpGjpOBjeHOMfOkXM0jHbYS/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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This little guy is just too cute not to put his face here! Little Dikson! </div>
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You can literally buy them anywhere. They are sold on the street, in shops, and people walking all over town with them slung over their arms. From 7 kwacha to as high as 70 kwacha and more! The difference is in the material itseld. Waxed, cotton, polyester, rayon. You name it, it is made into a chitenge!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkAT3CNTRN5L4DjpGAM5vhsKYtWnh8RUMz8tW7XUl4tw1jKmHo_9SMdXtTIA9kwzsd2zOzPxFIRumxgbYPtleiPjF3nAKvQqrx8cOpL8GgOOIswMwZ44lwK_19TqdfjoMSS-gyIkWXgLd/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkAT3CNTRN5L4DjpGAM5vhsKYtWnh8RUMz8tW7XUl4tw1jKmHo_9SMdXtTIA9kwzsd2zOzPxFIRumxgbYPtleiPjF3nAKvQqrx8cOpL8GgOOIswMwZ44lwK_19TqdfjoMSS-gyIkWXgLd/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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These are a few of the shirts we gave to our visitors for Father's Day. The whole group will be all decked out tomorrow in Zambian chitenge attire and hopefully I will get a group shot of them all! </div>
<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-38753052007576714972014-05-27T16:35:00.000-04:002019-08-25T00:16:24.057-04:00To Market, To Market to buy a Fat.... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
CARROT! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzgsU_Pv6p8Difr3vo2jW1sP58LOCQhvhYIGrjNOxMXLl8_EiYaSsVTLQUk8uKuu7_YTRVeczID27Ddv4xSZawL73z_6RJ5O7xoQvQ2q6J3IEtw85nip0JL75_KNz1HTIXnxun3apGAWb/s1600/IMG_3958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzgsU_Pv6p8Difr3vo2jW1sP58LOCQhvhYIGrjNOxMXLl8_EiYaSsVTLQUk8uKuu7_YTRVeczID27Ddv4xSZawL73z_6RJ5O7xoQvQ2q6J3IEtw85nip0JL75_KNz1HTIXnxun3apGAWb/s1600/IMG_3958.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
One of the most beautiful sights here is the open market. They call it Saturday market, but it is open every day except Sunday. Carrots are In Season!! These are HuGe!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL03Wi6gg_YQhL6vcIqq62RYGLCa7ZGPUQQZpCHCOzg3OPEallzkAEaQ3hwIfPPjotBFLcIMuWCkoB7GQEWE_x4rW5wmZVTky7VzDtqgkD-7qtdiDTDH6JehWgVtD_pYUvPs5dzWiV7qYo/s1600/IMG_3958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL03Wi6gg_YQhL6vcIqq62RYGLCa7ZGPUQQZpCHCOzg3OPEallzkAEaQ3hwIfPPjotBFLcIMuWCkoB7GQEWE_x4rW5wmZVTky7VzDtqgkD-7qtdiDTDH6JehWgVtD_pYUvPs5dzWiV7qYo/s1600/IMG_3958.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Naomi is one of my Saturday Bible Study girls... you can see her by the umbrella. She sells potatoes and onions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb57iAW8Sh4zn0oE7QJ85SVsNoPj30ZSZAH8cyuwQ3xdNbjI_DRieHtXnu1ZZPHC6k3tKK0yjwQxkbL_xVWzCTwqhusOxfK4a4YMOX7kGCbscoKV6mFUoumUkxry0lQJqt1VqGrxNlPch6/s1600/IMG_3959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb57iAW8Sh4zn0oE7QJ85SVsNoPj30ZSZAH8cyuwQ3xdNbjI_DRieHtXnu1ZZPHC6k3tKK0yjwQxkbL_xVWzCTwqhusOxfK4a4YMOX7kGCbscoKV6mFUoumUkxry0lQJqt1VqGrxNlPch6/s1600/IMG_3959.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
There are always mommas and their babies. This momma is Violet. Baby is Mavis. I know.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpt0OQFpFtDBVf7UqRjizacatKuMbaUsfXCCDPenXfejWO1OOO2-YOYpAXoQ4twb4D5YLcVi3sQbBQbHSSz67bqfPJb1h_He_cchhifEH9QgLQYwAguTH8E1DeW5uwRmQmcKnH3sdXdkt/s1600/IMG_3959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpt0OQFpFtDBVf7UqRjizacatKuMbaUsfXCCDPenXfejWO1OOO2-YOYpAXoQ4twb4D5YLcVi3sQbBQbHSSz67bqfPJb1h_He_cchhifEH9QgLQYwAguTH8E1DeW5uwRmQmcKnH3sdXdkt/s1600/IMG_3959.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Mavis is a chunk! She is 7 months old and I am sure already getting some n'shima in her daily diet! Notice the cooking pot on her right. It is lunch cooked right nearby. N'shima is ground maize (hard, white corn) made into a thick, hot-as-lava meal. They eat it every day. Every. Day.<br />
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And here is James with Esther. I get my cucumbers from her. "2 kwacha one" for the big ones, "1 kwacha one" for the small. That means they are 15c or 30c each. You can see behind her it is a full service market. Shoes are also available!<br />
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Here are the Three Musketeers under "their tree". They each have their "staked out" space to sell their things, and it is quite the community of people. They help watch each other's table, cook lunch together, and I am sure know everything about each other. Or nothing at all!! I often marvel when I meet someone new and ask someone I know what the other's name is, and they have no clue!<br />
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Those bundles of grass are brooms. They use these to sweep everything from the inside of their houses to the dirt around their yards. It really does make it look nice! There is a swish-swoosh pattern made that is quite pretty. When all you have is red dirt, anything that you can do to make it look better is worth doing! Backbreaking though. These are about 1.5 feet long. No handles. Just stooping.<br />
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This is Agness. She is someone I have come to rely on! She knows English very well, and has helped me so much. Someday I would love to have Bible studies with these ladies, and I would need a translator. Maybe Agness? Praying! I showed her this picture on my phone, and she said I was too close because she looks fat. I told her she looks American! She had a good laugh with that one.<br />
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Every Day. </div>
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This is her view. She looks out onto the street watching people come and go, and sells onions and potatoes. Right next to dozens of others selling onions and potatoes. Somehow she makes a living. I love market days. I have grown to really love these ladies. </div>
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Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-36262057290933540862014-05-27T15:33:00.001-04:002014-05-27T15:39:44.691-04:00The Burning has begun... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Living 15 degrees south of the equator basically means we have two seasons. Hot and wet, and hot and dry. Zambia is technically in the tropics zone, but the only thing I have experienced that would attest to that are the massive and insanely ugly bugs.<br />
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We had rain until the end of March, and since then we have had only one rainy-ish day, on Mother's day. Being a to-the-core Rochestarian, it felt like home and I thanked God for my gift from him!<br />
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But no real rain for the last two months makes things around here dry. Really dry. If you live in the southern United States this is nothing new to you. But for this Yankee I may never get used to this sight.<br />
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Driving here at night is one of the most nerve wracking experiences I have ever had the pleasure to endure. And I have taught five children to tie their shoes. And read. And drive. This easily tops them all. </div>
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People are walking everywhere. There aren't street lights. Most vehicles have lights, and some actually turn them on. There aren't shoulders on the road. There are 8 to ten inch drop-offs on the edge of the road where the asphalt meets the dirt. </div>
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Which is about 5 inches from the tall elephant grasses that cover every acre of undeveloped land here. Those grasses are dry. Really, Really dry. And the sun is hot. And snakes like tall grass and hot sun. And a lot of other things like tall grass and hot sun, but most of them aren't things people like to hang out with. </div>
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So... They burn the fields. Usually the only evidence I experience of this happening is the regular smell of smoke in the air. I feel like I live in a state park where everyone is cooking over an open flame. All the time. Every day. And they use plastic Wegmans bags to light the fire. </div>
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But every once in a while I get to see it happening. There is a sudden panic that comes over me when driving at night and I see flames climbing into the dark sky. </div>
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Shortly after we moved here I remember looking up at the huge mountain behind our house and seeing the whole side of the mountain in flames. It looked like rivers of fire flowing down the sides. It was beautiful. And a little scary! </div>
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This picture is a little girl about 10 years old just walking along the edge of the burning field. </div>
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I get that they "know what they are doing". It tends to be like a big party with people walking right along the edge of the flames. Sometimes they even have a small shovel. I suppose that will be a help should the flames get out of control? I've been to bonfires and believe me, this is way hotter than any bonfire! </div>
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She was kind of doing a little dance and watching the flames eat the grass. Seeing the orange blaze into the black sky. </div>
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She would stop and watch the grasses disappear, I am sure quite intensely feeling the heat of the inferno. Standing way too close in this mothers opinion! </div>
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But this is life. This happens every year about this time. And it will continue until sometime in November when the rains begin again and nourish the parched land and the dead and burned grasses are resurrected. </div>
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But until then.... </div>
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No rains... fires will blaze. </div>
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And they know what they're doing right?? Until an electrical pole gets in the path of the fire and whoosh! Up the pole it climbs! </div>
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To say they do things a little differently around here is an understatement. </div>
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Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-43486277098186199522014-05-23T07:42:00.001-04:002014-05-23T07:42:26.606-04:00The Harvest! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
About three months ago at Shoprite we discovered seed packets for American Sweet corn and thought, "Why not?" </div>
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They have corn here... well Maize. </div>
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A hard, white corn that is really only good for grinding into a mealie-meal that must be cooked into a porridge or other thick meal called n'shima. That doesn't prevent the Zambians from roasting it with the husks on and eating it like we would... but it tastes something like wax. </div>
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No insult intended. Just true. </div>
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We (I say <i>we</i> loosely. Although I <i>did</i> buy the seed packet!) began small not knowing exactly what it would taste like. The package looked like what we know as sweet corn, but we have NEVER seen it growing here, and have only seen it intermittently sold at the grocery store in the frozen section at 4 kwacha for one ear. That is like .60c each. And they are tiny. About half the size of what we Upstate NY'ers are used to.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-WoWz0Z40Ga1ke2tfoA0lFDLHaleMP7D5aPfqr4esGnTRmrX52tF9Izy7b9yxVGtoWTKfnnqLATInIlJb3z3BIs8nT5SNj18RcKXvW6_TKqWnN0HMacVz9wz2U4F3C_CdG2BOL7rGZWQ/s1600/IMG_3930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-WoWz0Z40Ga1ke2tfoA0lFDLHaleMP7D5aPfqr4esGnTRmrX52tF9Izy7b9yxVGtoWTKfnnqLATInIlJb3z3BIs8nT5SNj18RcKXvW6_TKqWnN0HMacVz9wz2U4F3C_CdG2BOL7rGZWQ/s1600/IMG_3930.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corn, and Bananas past that, and Sugar Cane in the distance. </td></tr>
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So Farmer Micah and Benson, our yard man, tilled up a 4x8 foot area and planted a few rows.<br />
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And waited.<br />
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And weeded.<br />
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And watered.<br />
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And waited some more...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTdS6BhGO7ujkCVDDEEOmQh2mIyI_oIp7B8CcrHHgi9yf1ndisOsffWbuceNLoysBwkynQud3PJtvGBmdHsum2FLA5q1UVkmdo4rhHMTA2-6iyzVEg_Qu3WpeXfjUKMJChTxEL6ahRyZ6/s1600/IMG_3932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTdS6BhGO7ujkCVDDEEOmQh2mIyI_oIp7B8CcrHHgi9yf1ndisOsffWbuceNLoysBwkynQud3PJtvGBmdHsum2FLA5q1UVkmdo4rhHMTA2-6iyzVEg_Qu3WpeXfjUKMJChTxEL6ahRyZ6/s1600/IMG_3932.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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Until TODAY!! Micah took two tester ears off the stalk and we boiled them up. They sure looked like American style sweet corn! But how would they taste??</div>
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Well, 4 minutes later.......<br />
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YUM!!!! AMAZING! Better than ever! Well, maybe 19 months without any fresh sweet corn may have have jaded our opinion, but it was amazing!!<br />
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Victoria was skeptical. Only 4 minutes to cook?? Could that be right? The corn here has to be roasted for 30 minutes or boiled for ever before it is edible. <strike>Wax</strike> Maize tends to take much longer to cook.<br />
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All it took was one taste! She is a believer! A little butter and salt and "Hello Deliciousness!! Where have you been all my life?" We may be wrecking the Zambian staple diet, one national at a time! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUV4zIK80zaAN9tH-o0JGXhyphenhyphen5Rg18cVrPvXw3ZA1pv2mf8zd1pLbfWSZVSzySGZwxHJLZXC4DekYAMZbMguF9dINPe8Y2-9V5x2s-YCtRX0Dxox5I5zo6NGSDvRzat-YaaGtvl_11X72l/s1600/IMG_3934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUV4zIK80zaAN9tH-o0JGXhyphenhyphen5Rg18cVrPvXw3ZA1pv2mf8zd1pLbfWSZVSzySGZwxHJLZXC4DekYAMZbMguF9dINPe8Y2-9V5x2s-YCtRX0Dxox5I5zo6NGSDvRzat-YaaGtvl_11X72l/s1600/IMG_3934.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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Needless to say we are planting some more! Maybe our whole plot will be seeded before too long! We harvested 24 beautiful ears of corn. We also harvested 7 itty bitty ears that we shucked boiled and ate within 5 minutes!</div>
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There are some times I find myself a teeny bit thankful I have only two children living with me. Not that I wouldn't love to be sharing these with all of my kids, but hey, they aren't here so I will take 6 instead of three! </div>
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Love this African Sun for growing! </div>
<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-74751210454421138602014-05-21T10:25:00.005-04:002020-12-12T09:14:13.107-05:00Introductions...So much of what makes this whole "adventure" possible is I truly feel I have a purpose here.<br />
<br />
If all of this was to fulfill some romantic and glamorized image of what "missionary" life was like, I think I would have re-boarded a plane about three weeks after landing.<br />
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Purpose in life looks different on every person. God calls each of us to a place in His grand and glorious scheme and we can choose to do it or not.<br />
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I advise the former, by the way.<br />
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Living in Chipata, we are exposed to literally the highest of affluence and the lowest of poverty, and often within only minutes of time in between.<br />
<br />
The other day I was in our Great East Mall Shopping Center (I try to make it sound grandiose!) and as a man passed me my son said, "That man is likely the richest man in the Eastern Province. He is this area's Paramount Chief." We watch him drive away in some fancy Mercedes, nearly running over the local homeless man that faithfully traipses the streets of Chipata. Seriously it was visual extremes.<br />
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While on deputation my husband made a statement on our DVD presentation that most live on $2/day. It was an unfathomable statistic, but I am telling you it is the truth.<br />
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Knowing this extreme poverty exists here in rampant numbers, I truly have prayed for wisdom and God's leading. I am not a bleeding heart, but when $20 means the difference between a child getting an education FOR A YEAR or not, I tend to want to do without a few 20's!<br />
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Seriously, I could walk outside my front gate and find dozens of children with no shoes, not attending school, needing food, you name it. How can I say yes or no without some divine intervention? To say yes to everyone is ridiculous, but to say no to anyone is heartless. </div>
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So, Dan and I have prayed that IF the Lord wants us to get involved in something, that He PLEASE be abundantly clear. Some days I have prayed that whatever the Lord brings to our home, that is what I will accept as His leading.<br />
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Well, these children's story came to my kitchen table.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-w8FpAK3E-4FsaqUaFV_TpD_Ikz9t_rlGohiLdoH1DVvCvExot3WEUuBzlvSUKaNLdyToXNqnUbE4rz-LQ-6IYuXmgkFeqFXPuU4YHMzLN7Biy1h1XmWuivEF3S1swOyQSK5Ivxf2_ro/s1600/Family+discussions.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-w8FpAK3E-4FsaqUaFV_TpD_Ikz9t_rlGohiLdoH1DVvCvExot3WEUuBzlvSUKaNLdyToXNqnUbE4rz-LQ-6IYuXmgkFeqFXPuU4YHMzLN7Biy1h1XmWuivEF3S1swOyQSK5Ivxf2_ro/s1600/Family+discussions.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family Discussions. What will the future hold. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There were five kids. Their mom died several years ago, and Dad remarried and had a sixth child. Three weeks ago, on a Sunday, Dad passed away. Being double orphaned is so very common that it is a staggering statistic. Grandparents raising grandchildren from often two and three of their deceased kids. And yes, most of these parents are dying from complications from Hiv/AIDS. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In this culture, the step mother is in no way obligated to care for the husband's children. Truthfully there is no way she physically could. Their blood relatives would be the new caregivers, and she is free to return to her village and remarry. Trouble is in so, so many situations, as in this one, there are no other capable relatives to care for them. These kids were all attending school and doing very well, which is a huge feat for most peasant farmers. </span></div>
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Mateo, age 20, grade 10.<br />
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Besnart, age 17, grade 10.<br />
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Aliness, age 16, grade 9.<br />
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Rachel, age 13, grade 7.<br />
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Myliss, age 11, grade 5. (Not Pictured)<br />
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Innocent, age 2, child of new wife.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbjqT1tu-HsxtSfxKtXUODv0y56b3Yi4ZAoUtV0tlzz9jMG6T4458Czq3q_d8_zbCdhV0jROLHSlgJiSzmN1-nvpgEqEb8oy4BCwBTgp_9KDkxa61b4mEKnzP2v-VLwYvy1faaiARdr0X/s1600/Mateo+Aliness+Rachel+and+Innocent.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbjqT1tu-HsxtSfxKtXUODv0y56b3Yi4ZAoUtV0tlzz9jMG6T4458Czq3q_d8_zbCdhV0jROLHSlgJiSzmN1-nvpgEqEb8oy4BCwBTgp_9KDkxa61b4mEKnzP2v-VLwYvy1faaiARdr0X/s1600/Mateo+Aliness+Rachel+and+Innocent.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mateo, feeling the responsibility for his sisters, clearly shows in his eyes. </td></tr>
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I began to imagine what it would be like to foster five children. Where would they sleep? What would Savannah and Micah think? How would we travel back to the states? Seriously, I was open to whatever degree God would have said to go. I say I was open, but I was also terrified! Dan and I began to pray and discuss, and toss around ideas, possibilities, needs they would have.<br />
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The friday after their Dad's passing, Dan and I went to their village with the Zulus. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zpkWEeh__31GVo-mwqON1aII-UFaHCMPzYVpnSdo6S0qeQOQKg5gQIGJBwzrruzMdYKTKPP7rzi_fQFY0h3d49SpE0LhDP9PbQPaKSBmYs7XBuxj1MwNIuz73RnnUDLcwPKypJyHcXbG/s1600/IMG_7956.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zpkWEeh__31GVo-mwqON1aII-UFaHCMPzYVpnSdo6S0qeQOQKg5gQIGJBwzrruzMdYKTKPP7rzi_fQFY0h3d49SpE0LhDP9PbQPaKSBmYs7XBuxj1MwNIuz73RnnUDLcwPKypJyHcXbG/s1600/IMG_7956.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert and Doreen Zulu</td></tr>
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These children are distant relatives of theirs. Their great-great paternal grandfather was Mr. Zulu's Grandfather's brother. Distant for sure.<br />
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We arrived at the farm as the extended family and other villagers were in the hut discussing what could be done. Tradition states nothing happens for 30 days, but with 5 school-aged children who would need to begin school again on Monday, that wasn't an option. We came there with a plan but had to talk with the children. We also had to present the idea to them in their cultural way. Everyone has a say. Everyone repeats what they understood the previous person said, and then adds their thoughts to it. Then the next person restates what the previous people said and adds to it their own statements. It is like an interminable verbal game of Simon!<br />
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They still had loans out for the current school term, and no means of paying them back now that their father was gone, and no one was able to run the farm. They also owed 30 bags of Maize as a repayment for other loans. Mateo imagined he had to quit school and Besnart would likely have to stay and help as well. If they couldn't afford the school fees, they would gradually stop paying, and eventually stop attending school altogether. This is the viscious cycle that happens here over and over and over again. Hopeless.<br />
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So here was our plan. We presented it carefully to the children first. The Zulus were willing to take the girls into their home. All of them! Together!! This is a huge adjustment for them all to be sure! These are children from the bush who live in a mud hut, no power or running water. They farm ground nuts, maize, sunflowers, chickens and ducks. Bringing them into town, even our little town of Chipata, will be a major adjustment for them!<br />
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Mateo, being 20, is old enough and wanting to stay at his current school where he rents a one room house near the campus. It will also keep him in close proximity to the farm, which is theirs by rights of property.<br />
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The other piece of the plan is they would have their school fees covered this year, as well as their loans paid. For this year, it was a gift to them. That God has brought their story to our lives was, to us, an opportunity to serve Him by helping these kids.<br />
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The following years would be treated as earned scholarship. If they want to continue their education, they must earn it by achieving above passing grades in the previous term. The Zulus are completely in agreement that the children know all the details of their education expenses and how they would be handled. The kids listened quietly as Mr and Mrs Zulu explained our proposal to them.<br />
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This is a very stoic culture. They don't smile much. They don't get bubbly, and giddy. To say they were elated is an understatement. Their faces barely registered a change, but their eyes surely did! They went from no hope... to a future! Each one of them said they wanted to continue their education, and they were almost in disbelief that it could truly be possible!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKNCXm8UKm8ODthfIh2wwmDvtMXgnW7s-VourEyE6SP1n7sW-IHm0-v-pzUKiiRdJ8HFtZulGMgOchfaQQV4uqWjs9-gkMC2Ts_gUgv0gbyiMh-w_YISGB4ckWjF0hhMIykAcq9zoQXjM/s1600/Rachel+Innocent+and+Besnart.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKNCXm8UKm8ODthfIh2wwmDvtMXgnW7s-VourEyE6SP1n7sW-IHm0-v-pzUKiiRdJ8HFtZulGMgOchfaQQV4uqWjs9-gkMC2Ts_gUgv0gbyiMh-w_YISGB4ckWjF0hhMIykAcq9zoQXjM/s1600/Rachel+Innocent+and+Besnart.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Besnart breaking up sugarcane while Rachel holds little Innocent, her half brother. </td></tr>
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Our role is to help the Zulus afford this. School fees, books, uniforms, housing needs. The Zulus have 7 grown children of their own, three of which are in college. They struggle on a regular basis as it is to afford the current demands on their family's budget. Yet they, with open hearts and a decisive attitude were wanting these kids to above all else stay together. It is a huge sacrifice on their part to be sure! We realize this is a several year commitment on our part. It is an investment! These children have a hope, and a future, and a destiny! We pray each one comes to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and that their lives will be an outpouring of Love for HIM!<br />
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I told Doreen, "You were almost home free! Your last child is beginning college, and you are now going to begin parenting an 11 year old again!" She just smiled and said, "God gave me these children to love!"<br />
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WOW!!<br />
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So to say I feel a little like an Auntie to five new nieces and a nephew about summarizes it up well. When we went to settle Mateo into school and give him supplies etc. he shook my hand and said he needed our photograph. He is very tall and broad shouldered, and aside from dark skin is exactly like my own boys. Sweet, sincere, hopeful! I included our family picture in the Chewa Bible we gave him. In a backpack. He never had a backpack before! He never had a Bible before either!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESEfvbZdMdIZJdU_4uZmOg2lTD7sZleJFBsrAEKr_rmAnidcbQRGaAo7KDKczCX7eXTdfzEOPfi3xwwCsVwYtaE3BT7iqoyF8fLTR_rSxO-Sy_FOkGAqtpvrzD-49iKnYZL2dp6NVTF1B/s1600/Jan+and+Amayi+Groundnuts.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESEfvbZdMdIZJdU_4uZmOg2lTD7sZleJFBsrAEKr_rmAnidcbQRGaAo7KDKczCX7eXTdfzEOPfi3xwwCsVwYtaE3BT7iqoyF8fLTR_rSxO-Sy_FOkGAqtpvrzD-49iKnYZL2dp6NVTF1B/s1600/Jan+and+Amayi+Groundnuts.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Groundnut harvesting! Best peanuts we ever had! </td></tr>
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Pray for these kids with me! They have a long road ahead, but there are many who are coming along side them and seek to help them in any way they can!<br />
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I feel like the man at the ocean's edge with starfish littering the sands, knowing they all will surely perish on the dry land. As he picks up one and returns it to the water, he knows he has help that one... and reaches down for yet another.<br />
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Lord keep me faithful to be your hands and feet to the ONE you put before me TODAY!<br />
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Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-6809488908112589442014-05-20T15:44:00.002-04:002023-03-10T17:00:46.600-05:00FB hijacked my Blog...To say the past year+ has been one of the most radical years I have ever lived would be an understatement. To put it mildly.<br />
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I have moved to Zambia, Africa.<br />
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I have gone from "actively" mothering (as in living in my home and financially responsible for...!) five children down to three, then two. And soon enough it will be 1. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6pEcl-EVIon2bsWjCqrWOTTIcSWzejfyKmJnKyEGZ-soS8ZALuSJb1SJf573oPARS-ATsD7jSz4x-XXO8KTfG7rX0LQMEQGJHxYiA_W2_ajOnC9h4wTQdda6oAU9Qsi0BUvXy910IzNT/s1600/IMG_7488.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6pEcl-EVIon2bsWjCqrWOTTIcSWzejfyKmJnKyEGZ-soS8ZALuSJb1SJf573oPARS-ATsD7jSz4x-XXO8KTfG7rX0LQMEQGJHxYiA_W2_ajOnC9h4wTQdda6oAU9Qsi0BUvXy910IzNT/s1600/IMG_7488.JPG" width="320" /></a>I have three dogs. Three. Dogs. Seriously.<br />
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I am living in a third world country and learning all that entails.<br />
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Food.<br />
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Language.<br />
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Culture.<br />
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Customs.<br />
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Over this past year, on a regular basis I thought of what I could condense down into a few words and put on the blog. <div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNE92D-AOmBMOe0pR52dtCh4V2ZH8HvMsLzuB9_LJQFPwp0YVr_qF9R3pDI-0OdcfROR0S8w8V-yJ-Rsm94VjKzY0OgKqUQeRZe_mIci-NaGaoMCMmITpCdoifpBCmOYJp-Q1XjjVtxZi/s1600/IMG_3129.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNE92D-AOmBMOe0pR52dtCh4V2ZH8HvMsLzuB9_LJQFPwp0YVr_qF9R3pDI-0OdcfROR0S8w8V-yJ-Rsm94VjKzY0OgKqUQeRZe_mIci-NaGaoMCMmITpCdoifpBCmOYJp-Q1XjjVtxZi/w320-h239/IMG_3129.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia visiting us in Zambia </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>And seriously, I was consistently overwhelmed.<br /><br /></div><div>I feel a little like I live in a terrarium and while it seemed like my life was on display, in truth I live in relative anonymity and people who only know what I tell them. I mean seriously! I <b>know</b> like 8 people here, and the rest of my "friends" may realize I have dropped out of life after a few weeks, but in reality, not so much.<br />
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To say that I have experienced some highs and lows is another understatement.<br />
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Higher highs than I ever thought possible.<br />
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<br />Hearing testimonies from a Zambian national of how she have achieved spiritual victory over unforgiveness that was held on to for over 10 years. <br />
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Seeing people follow the Lord in scriptural baptism, and hearing their testimony of how my husband played a vital role in their salvation.<br />
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Learning of a situation of five children being double orphaned after the death of their father, and being able to help them regain hope of staying in school and living with a family that will love and care for them.<br />
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Being able to host twenty young adults traveling the globe for 11 months, and pouring a little bit of home into their time here in Zambia. Having my house full with young people laughing, eating, and having my front foyer loaded with flip flops and Tevas... Awesome!<br />
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On the other side, lows that really challenged my faith and heart.<br />
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Being 8,000 miles away while two children graduated from college, and one celebrated high school graduation.<br />
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Being 8,000 miles away while my precious mother-in-law struggled with flooding in her home. </div><div><br /></div><div>Twice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Within 8 days. </div><div><br /></div><div>2Having to call and see how she is doing while she is admitted and released, only to be readmitted into the hospital several times.<br />
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Being 8,000 miles away while my children in the states navigate job hunting, car accidents, personal friendships. Seeing them make their own holiday traditions with out us. Looking on at a distance as they choose life-long partners.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcp0jFT0FNS2FoGio8WK9B2pYh0ldUbVsO_odQhcfk1cyCoKPoKvzIJfaHUHXhAyzEe5JgnwP_y8u1fkIdPqZxmsfepzxJIzEtyN1CVrvSDz3f6SeNiNJuHfyjGx3JpnVOEUXxNB3x8WI/s1600/Liv+A.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcp0jFT0FNS2FoGio8WK9B2pYh0ldUbVsO_odQhcfk1cyCoKPoKvzIJfaHUHXhAyzEe5JgnwP_y8u1fkIdPqZxmsfepzxJIzEtyN1CVrvSDz3f6SeNiNJuHfyjGx3JpnVOEUXxNB3x8WI/w400-h265/Liv+A.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia and Anthony </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Most recently being so very far away while my firstborn got engaged. Engaged, as in Marriage. As in a commitment for her entire life.<br />
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Big extremes. <br />
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So, I resorted to the safe, simple, short, and sweet. My recording of last year has been reduced to a few posts in 180 characters or less, and a few pictures that have been enhanced on instagram. It was easy to paint a pretty face and keep it simple.<br />
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But I have missed this little blog. I realize more than ever that it is my journal of sorts. It is more for me and my life's record. I always wanted to have a journal from a great grandmother way in my past that wrote long scroll-y words in an old leather bound book that was lost in an attic trunk for generations only to be read by me to my kids, and learn of our heritage. Very cinematic in my mind!<br />
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While this won't ever be in a leather bound journal, it is recorded. Truth be told, if I wrote in my own hand it may be a bit more sentimental but it would be completely illegible!<br />
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So once again, I am going to try to distill my thoughts, emotions, experiences, devotional "AhHa!" moments. I am not going to worry too much about it being perfect.<br />
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Or Neat.<br />
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My life is neither.<br />
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</div>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-63401615660801771032013-09-06T04:26:00.001-04:002023-03-10T17:06:45.973-05:00When Knowing the Right Answer just isn't CuTTiNG IT...The Jalowiec household had a few hiccups the other day.<br />
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Ok, to be honest not the whole house. Only me.<br />
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I was hit with something very hard and still can't quite put my finger on what it was, but the effect of it was quite obvious.<br />
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I know the reasons behind the emotions and the tears but I also knew the right response I was supposed to have. Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalms 119:165. Trust. Have Faith. I know. I KNOW!!<br />
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My knowing wasn't cutting it. There was a gut wrenching emotion that clouded my head and truly rendered me a bit useless for a few days. <div><br /></div><div>There are some things I have justified in my mind that would incapacitate one for a season. </div><div><br /></div><div>Death, illness, divorce, infidelity. </div><div><br /></div><div>None of these have happened to me, so what was my problem??!<br />
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First term missions. Unrealized dreams. Letting go of Normal. Realizing time continues. Falling short on personal goals. Every emotion in List A has an appropriate reason on List B to which I can draw the line and connect them.<br />
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My prayer was for Peace. God's Peace. I had notions of what I NEEDED in order for that Peace to become a reality. Every notion was met with a physical impossibility for that to happen. Truly God's peace was an impossibility in my mind. He would have to move mountains. Actually bodies of water and connect continents.<br />
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I was hit with a sense of powerlessness and inability to control anything. Even involuntary actions seemed difficult. </div><div><br /></div><div>Like Breathing.<br />
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Like a brand new baby, I felt powerless and vulnerable. All the while knowing Rock Solid Truths that should have pulled me up by my bootstraps and buoyed me on the wings of Knowledge and Faith.<br />
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Call it Emotions. Hormones. Peri menopause. Call it whatever you want, but scripture tells me I can at ALL TIMES trust Him. That God will NEver Leave me nor forsake me.<br />
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And in my mind that meant I should NeVeR feel down. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ever. </div><div><br /></div><div>I should take every hit and rock of the dinghy my frail life floats on in stride and ride the waves of eternal peace and faith in the ONE that has me in the palm of his hand.<br />
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But that was my spin on God's truth. Sorrow, Anguish, Pain, Gut-Wrenching. None of those were forever excluded from the list of human experiences once my faith was placed in the One that destroyed Death.<br />
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When one is fighting a river, the best way to reach shore is to stop fighting the current. To let it take you, but to position your body in such a way that the current will bring you to the safety of shore.<br />
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When one is drowning in a rip current, the way to free yourself is to remain calm to conserve energy. To Tread The Water. And the worst thing that could happen is another weaker or equally matched swimmer try and help. Often that results in two fatalities.<br />
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I felt like I was drowning for a while there. In real emotions. In real struggles. In real life things that I had and have no control over.<br />
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That I find myself in situations, of my own choosing, that have caused repercussions that effect our entire family seems good reason to blame myself for many things.<br />
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Our children are facing struggles and obstacles directly because of the choices we parents have made. They have things different than I imagined, which in my mind makes me believe their life is more difficult for them.<br />
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<i>I imagine a non-existent alter-reality of what Life would be if I made different choices, more humanly logical choices, that would mean we all live in a land of Sunshine and Rainbows and Eternal Bliss. </i><br />
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Until I snap out of it and listen to the Voice of Truth. WHY were these decisions made?<br />
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Life is Messy. Life is Hard. Life, apart from God, is impossible!<br />
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But God.<br />
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Why would I sacrifice the Open Hand of Blessing from God in exchange for human logic? Do I truly think a life I can imagine is better than the one an Eternal, All Knowing, Wise and Loving Father God has planned for me and FOR MY CHILDREN?! Have I forgotten that it is God that has asked us to walk this road? That in His plan, he KNEW what this would mean for my children, and that HE HAS A PLAN For them as well??<br />
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Truly, I know the right ANSWERS for the emotions and struggles I face. The <b>answer</b> isn't what will get me through. It is GOD.<br />
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One can memorize answers to pass a test and still have no understanding of the matters of the exam.<br />
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I have learned a bit more of God whom I serve. He is gentle and loving. And he isn't worried about my human questions. He Glories in them because HE KNOWS that I am seeking HIM and HE KNOWS He will never fail me! In knowing God I can bare fruit of His Good Pleasure.<br />
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He also made me in this human form. He created the spirit that is who I am, and he made my emotions to bear physical signs of anguish and he collects them in a bottle. He KNOWS me. In His ever loving and gently ways, he gives me intimate knowledge of HIM and lets the storms rage on. He loves my vulnerability, for in that He knows I must rely on Him. That gives me peace. And certainly NOT in the way the World gives it!<br />
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In the same way these struggles and hard things draw me to Jesus, hardships and struggles will draw my children. And that gives me peace. God's Peace.<br />
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I have choices. I know they have choices.<br />
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I have fallen. I know they will fall.<br />
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But I choose God. And while I cannot choose for them, I can pray.<br />
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And maybe that is the real reason for it all in the first place.<br /><br /></div>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-4440963196808390492013-07-16T09:05:00.001-04:002013-07-16T09:05:31.424-04:00Discipleship takes many forms... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have only a few weeks left with my son here in Zambia. He is ALWaYs one to be busy doing something! He has taken a liking to doing projects of any kind and wood is one medium he especially likes! </div>
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He made me a lounge chair, and took great pleasure in training Benson right along side of him. A good teacher shows the job first... </div>
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and then lets the student get some hands on experience. Supervised. We had no idea if he had any experience at all with hand tools. He is a gardener, and while he works a mean rake, that would take a bit to chop off your fingers!<br />
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He quickly got the hang of it and they discovered a common passion for wood working!<br />
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We got the plans from www.ana-white.com and if you have a desire to make anything wood, I recommend it! The plans are all in pdf, and he printed them off and they were so simple to follow! Here in Zambia they have no idea what a washer is. Seriously a confusing thing to us! Levi and Benson took sheet metal and drilled it, and cut their own washers for the project.<br />
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Assembly was well supervised by our canine trio! Tusser (puppy on left) is our newest addition. She should grow to be well over 50 lbs and promises to be a great guard dog! Malasha (center) is actually the Pestke's dog, but we needed a full grown dog for our home, and they have been more than gracious to let us borrow her. We may never give her back! She is so sweet! And Pepper Corn (right) is Savannah's puppy. She will nip the ankles off of any would-be offender. They are quite the group, and we are well alerted to anything unusual around here!<br />
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And Voila!! The finished project!! We need to wait for the wood to fully dry before any staining or varnish can be applied. I LOVE IT!! We need to get wood for about 6 more of them!! What I loved most was the plans said the project should cost about $25 USD to build, and additional for the fabric. We got the wood here for less than $12, and the fabric is a chitenge that was $4! Not a bad deal! And come October when the temps climb well over 100, I think this will get much use! This with a sprinkler aimed right at me!<br />
<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-31477835731630227842013-06-17T12:09:00.001-04:002023-03-10T17:17:46.101-05:00Loving Living in Chipata <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>What I love about living in Zambia</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">While there are other places in this world that certainly may seem more “appealing”... like being called to Hawaii, I love that we are ministering in Zambia. It definitely has its setbacks. Round trip tickets would be much easier to purchase regularly if we were called to Peru. Or Dominican. Also, I don’t particularly like sharing my home with no less than 9 species of ants. Just a personal preference. That there are three of the most deadly snakes in this region, and perhaps the greatest global killer buzzes my room on a nightly basis while I sleep, also plays a role in putting this place in the “less than romantic” category of the “Best Places to Live”.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Still, I love living in Zambia.<span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Micah and Savannah Walking the Great EastWest Road.... eating Sugar Cane. </td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Yes, we are missionaries. Yes, God has placed a special love in my heart for these people. With that being said, I imagine there has been a great more mysterious work in my heart and head by the Lord than I can even fathom. Glory will certainly reveal it all. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">All that being said and aside, I love living here. I pray this is not a result of my obvious “honeymoon” phase. Three months is hardly a long time. I think, though, that to rehearse the good things about any situation goes a long way to gaining contentment. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">No matter where you are. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Some may call it optimism. Others may say it is being spiritual. There may be a personality slant that causes me to want to “look on the bright side”. Whatever it is, I am glad that I can! Also, I am glad that I don’t have to look very hard to find thing to appreciate here! </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I love the Saturday Market. </b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I <i>would</i> start with something in the food category! Why it is called Saturday market I have no idea, because it goes on six days a week! Regardless, it is great. Whatever is in season can be found. Tomatoes, onions, peppers, dry beans, potatoes, cabbage, and green beans are always in season somewhere and are a staple to the diets here. Dried fish of many varieties is also readily available. Gross, but available! Each day the price of things varies, and it is always fun. Green beans will go from K3 to K10 in price for a “cup”. Basically the cup is a small plastic mug that is heaped up and another little handful tossed in for basera, “a gift”. As a reference, K5 is about $1. I will often spend K20 ($4.00) and get enough veggies for a week! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I love that they have a European style work day. </b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Basically that means they usually open around 8 am close about 12 ish until 2 ish, then open again until 4:30 or so. Notice all of the vague language! It can be nerve wracking at times for us very time-driven Americans. Many times we have gone to the shops, and waited by a locked gate for someone to open the shop. Forget fines to the establishment for not holding to the posted store hours! (You can tell I have previous shopping mall-based experience!) For some reason, though, I like the laissez faire of it all. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I love the Multiculturalism. </b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Whether white, brown or black skinned, when talking to someone for the first time, one never knows what accent will come out! Muslim looking people that speak with an Indian/African accent, Blacks that speak like Brits, and whites that have a German flair. Or American, which more often than not, throws me off now! The way people dress, commute, shop. It is all so different! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I love that you can buy bread on the corner.</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">There are two grocery stores in Chipata: Spar and Shoprite. There is another store called Highway bakery. Pretty much if you want bread, one of those is the choice. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Bread goes for K4, and only highway sells sliced. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It costs K6. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Yeah, I know! In any event... opinions on who has the best bread is up for grabs. Mostly because depending on the day, bread from any place tastes different! There are people that go to the grocery stores in the morning and buy dozens of loaves, and then take them to their staked out corner. </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Most of the stores open around 8 and close around 6 or 7, but because of the bread hawkers, there is usually no bread! </span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 12.0px Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The Bread People sell you the bread on the corner for K5.5 and pocket the difference. This is literally their job! Entrepreneurialism at its best! They are there on the corner morning, noon and night. If I am ever driving home after 7 or 8 pm, I will often get a loaf just to be on the safe side, and pull over and several will come running to the car door to be the one to score the sale. “Madame, Shoprite or Spar!” “White or Brown!” Invariably, they will not have change! I am sure it is their ploy. Two loaves, K11. All I have is K12 (10 and a 2). “Keep the change!” Music to their ears! So I pay the extra for them selling on the corner, and give them "Basera" (a gift) for the convenience! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I love that it is unpredictable. </b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The power is sketchy. The internet is speedy for a minute, and then painfully slow for hours. Because I am on a bore hole (a well), I am blessed to have water. It needs to be purified to drink and I don’t cook with it either, but it runs regularly. A far cry from our missionary partners up the hill a ways! We are blessed to supply them once in a while! A bit of inconvenience on their part, but I enjoy the unexpected visits and usually the tea and conversation that accompany them! Everything is unpredictable except the weather, which totally throws me off because that is the exact opposite of the previous 45 years of my life! There will be sun nearly every day. If it is the wet season, there will be rain too. But sun before and after the rain! And I love that the Whole Town gets in a flurry because new street lights get installed at the only intersection (of many!) that has a light! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The New Robot (light) <br /><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I love that I have (almost!) become a morning person. </b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It seems that by 6 am, most days, I am awake. That is not the way I was in the states! I think my nocturnal chemistry thrives in this environment. One theory I have is perhaps my body is still on EST and waking up at 6 am in my current time zone is midnight in my native timezone! Regardless, I like being up early. Usually by 9pm I am pretty tired. This place literally shuts down by 6pm. The sun is completely down regardless of the season, and seriously there is little to do after that. There is no mall, no little restaurant to get a quick bite, no coffee shop to catch up with friends. Driving after dark is akin to suicide or insanity at best, so friends here are of the same opinion. At 6, we all shut’r down. We currently have no TV. (Well we have one, it just doesn’t work! We need a little convertor. Waiting for a box!) Usually after a few rounds of Boggle, Scrabble, or Farkle, the night is ready to be put to bed. Or a movie on the projector and it is everyone to their own corner. We love our kindle apps, and solitaire or FourPics are great games, but seriously. After two to three hours of any of it we all need a little alone time! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>I love that I have bananas growing in my yard. </b></span></div>
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And not only Bananas! Mango, lemon, orange, papaya, coconut, custard apple (I know, I had to google it too!), grenadilla, and a bunch of herbs. Seriously a fruit salad. Except they arent all ready at the same time, but still! I hope to start an avocado tree. Won’t bear fruit for years to come, but I can be patient! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bananas, Lemons and Poinsettia Tree, all in my yard! <div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><b>I love that Life Survives in even the Harshest of Conditions. </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">That goes for people as well as plants and animals! The leaf in the picture above is growing through a brick wall. There are little plants growing all over in cement drive ways and concrete walkways. Dogs roam the streets everywhere! You wouldn't believe the canine serenade that begins every night after dark. Tens of dozens of dogs all howling, barking and scrapping their way through the night. But the people, as well seem to thrive on almost nothing. No real money, no real education to speak of, very little hope and even less opportunity. That is perhaps one of the blessings though. These people are tenacious. They are strong of heart. That "life" has dealt them a less than optimal situation, they survive. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">That was not our Saviors plan, though, was it? Survival? In this life only? Ah, no. Not that at all! His plan is LIFE, and that More Abundantly!! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">I love that the Lord has allowed us to be part of HIS work here in Chipata. That he has given me all these extras as well... that is just part of how Good He Is!! </span></div>
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<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-76478481580476634472013-03-08T07:56:00.000-05:002013-03-08T08:00:51.903-05:00The Pre-Boarding Drama!! The last few days in the states were a whirlwind of emotions and packing! We ended up packing 4 extra bags over our allotted 10 bags, fully expecting to get gouged at the airline for overages and fees. We weren't... but that is a whole story in itself!!<br />
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We arrived at ROC at 4:30 am plenty of time to check in for an internationally connecting flight. This was not without many obstacles already in the morning!! We were borrowing a friends 15 passenger van, and loaded it late the evening before in order to be able to wake and go in the wee hours of Monday morning. The vehicle has damage on the rear door panels and they need to be closed just so and hard in order to latch. Well, at 3:45 we began looking for the keys to start the vehicle... it was about 17 degrees and a little warmed up would be nice! Well at 4:05 the keys are located. Then on the way onto the main road the back doors decide to fly open... and Dan stops to try to close them... and the hinges aren't holding them in place very well. I am riding in a vehicle behind, so we drive up behind him to give some light and he finally gets the doors closed well and latched. WOW!! This is so stressful already! The GOAL is to get to the airport so we can board the plane... then it is all up to the Pilot and GOD!<br />
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We finally get to the airport and have the multitude of friends help us unload all 15 check bags, 5 carry on roll bags and 5 personal bags into the airport. Dan and I go to the gate and begin the check in process, and they REFUSE to check us in because we don't have a visa for our final destination, nor a return ticket. It is now 4:55am.<br />
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<b>Well we don't NEED either!</b> We are MoViNG to Chipata for years, and Zambia doesn't require a visa prior to entering, we can get it at the border. We try to tell the agents at the Jet Blue counter, and they are having nothing of it. They are starting to say something about FAA regulations... and then backpedal to state no, it is <i>THEIR</i> regulations. We begin praying. And PRAYING!! Literally it is at their mercy at this point. If they refuse to let us go, we don't go!<br />
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We email our partner in Zambia who calls us immediately! He offers to have anyone in Zambia call them to clarify this glitch, but the people behind the counter say it is the decision of the supervisor.... who isnt even there yet. It is now 5:10am. No one is saying good bye, because frankly we don't know if we will be leaving!!<br />
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They decide to begin checking our bags... because they were so in the way of EVERYONE trying to check in there, I would imagine! They weigh all the bags and put the tags on them, but they are all stacking up behind their counter, and not going onto the conveyor belt to go to the plane. It is now 5:18 am. We ask some of the friends waiting with us to go hold a place for us in the security lines. We are hopeful against hope! While weighing our luggage, somehow they come up with a fee of $370 for the 5 bags... when we knew from the website that three of them would be $200 each, and the other 2 would be $150 each. You do the math, but someone seriously added wrong.<br />
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The supervisor FINALLY comes and takes our paper work for our work permits in Zambia and goes to the back and calls, writes letters, plays darts... whatever she is doing.... but is TAKING FOREVER!!!! WE still have yet to go through security! Our plane is scheduled to leave at 6:03 am!<br />
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The supervisor comes out and says she needs to make another call, and can she have our passports... it is 5:27 am.<br />
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FINALLY... she comes out and says we are clear to go... it is 5:40am. All of our friends that have been waiting with us... about 30 or so people... begin to grab what is left of our bags and we run to security, hugging the few people we could while wallking. My boys didn't even really get to hug their sister. I never got a proper good- bye with some of my dearest friends in this world. I don't understand the why's behind it, but I do understand at that moment we ALL knew deep in our hearts everyones desire was for us to go! We were all praying for it and the Lord answered! Perhaps good-bye wasn't what was needed... but a sincere collective desire for everyone to want the Lord's will be done!<br />
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We got onto the plane, and were in shock. Literal shock. It was like we couldn't believe we were actually leaving after literally 50 minutes of thinking this wasn't going to happen today.<br />
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Let it suffice to say, I have no airport pictures. We didn't say goodbye while waiting, because we seriously didn't know if it was going to happen. We felt odd saying good-bye when we were thinking how to get the bags all back in the van. We were wondering if we should try to get another flight on another airline? Should we ask for a waiver of responsibility for them should we be turned away at JFK? For in truth that was their worry. Well... no pictures to document the departure, but we are in Chipata now... so I guess that is proof that it did happen!<br />
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Next... the FLIGHT!<br />
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<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-19221837504316640842013-03-06T08:04:00.000-05:002013-03-08T08:09:20.232-05:00Before we Left... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had in impromptu lunch at my Favorite Place... and put it on FB for anyone to join... Here we are! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFBAJCeBcDN3abiEyPbcwbRlObaNY9_rydXWhLRfW-gb1gWiXaIGgNH29s41sO9TLFbXwM9X4PoPxP6lC3UY78oXWP5egAko_vZXO6OwuM_6qnt1HdKx5Bqwr_CJWNCskhO91_DHVEQpn/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFBAJCeBcDN3abiEyPbcwbRlObaNY9_rydXWhLRfW-gb1gWiXaIGgNH29s41sO9TLFbXwM9X4PoPxP6lC3UY78oXWP5egAko_vZXO6OwuM_6qnt1HdKx5Bqwr_CJWNCskhO91_DHVEQpn/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Forever friends even though life just keeps getting in the way... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC-bmwzIZLwDkYhDDP0Qt-Pqzxrca9dGEEBXzt146xR4_zLLRAu9odwefnkXUUYv3gZXBMt3PG_xPNtWG96XkYUpboWSX_YqgODJoZO82XCWDVzZpbbYgBB-_ZoOM22Hte4hFJ12OgZwd/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC-bmwzIZLwDkYhDDP0Qt-Pqzxrca9dGEEBXzt146xR4_zLLRAu9odwefnkXUUYv3gZXBMt3PG_xPNtWG96XkYUpboWSX_YqgODJoZO82XCWDVzZpbbYgBB-_ZoOM22Hte4hFJ12OgZwd/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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New friends too... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EfsvCO_XYtFwLyWDuovL9vONjoNv_KrUR9wWwsBaSPE5YeI21F1wpPTU1C-0qoqV3MvTAy7oUqa-IIjqOhfgM9ynxLaMZKpM7nVd5FjEQwpZS0lLWWBdB0QzqhSjmVVCv0wOz-bmvEyt/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EfsvCO_XYtFwLyWDuovL9vONjoNv_KrUR9wWwsBaSPE5YeI21F1wpPTU1C-0qoqV3MvTAy7oUqa-IIjqOhfgM9ynxLaMZKpM7nVd5FjEQwpZS0lLWWBdB0QzqhSjmVVCv0wOz-bmvEyt/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We took the place over! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUe8JoD0AY2JfWiBYHgp8d_3bMYZ6xUbcpy99XR128MJgwzRHF0J0EZ2zGyomf7nmjaY708Y6OnFqHzkwXi2w6jsK07TvJD_lHP9UVgxvquu9HlC4h606JgTCb8AHK83-7C8AAWDWXF9rq/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUe8JoD0AY2JfWiBYHgp8d_3bMYZ6xUbcpy99XR128MJgwzRHF0J0EZ2zGyomf7nmjaY708Y6OnFqHzkwXi2w6jsK07TvJD_lHP9UVgxvquu9HlC4h606JgTCb8AHK83-7C8AAWDWXF9rq/s320/photo+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some of the greatest people on the planet! </div>
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Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-25500517001003116202013-02-23T23:48:00.003-05:002013-02-23T23:48:51.168-05:00A look into my baby girl's perspective...<br />
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We have one week and one day before we make our global shift. There is still plenty to be done, but I got this letter today that my youngest sent as a group email to her friends. So great that imam one of them!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSbE6tTKzIta30CDLMMvQzVI2BTAw_G9VGZr3Fcp8K10aBQieVe-jDyUd6WbVeXi97FLGGplH5b-sNkQvixi9tZ-_uyosU77-VusP1bH792YP5fHLy_gOI5hJnIaH80MmDeQimS4ksdiI/s1600/IMG_0538-788943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSbE6tTKzIta30CDLMMvQzVI2BTAw_G9VGZr3Fcp8K10aBQieVe-jDyUd6WbVeXi97FLGGplH5b-sNkQvixi9tZ-_uyosU77-VusP1bH792YP5fHLy_gOI5hJnIaH80MmDeQimS4ksdiI/s320/IMG_0538-788943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In any event here is the letter, complete and unedited.<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ITS ABOUT ONE WEEK TILL I MOVE TO ZAMBIA AFRICA ITS A COOL EXPERIENCE BUT IM JUST SCARED I DONT REALLY KNOW OF WHAT, BUT IM ALSO HAPPY BECAUSE IM MOVING TO AFRICA, AND LIKE ALOT OF KIDS WANNA GO TO AFRICA TO. SOME OF YOU MITE MISS ME AND WHOS GOING, AND FOR SOME OF YOU LIKE THE TSOUKALASES AND THE PETSKES THEY WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE US I HOPE. AND ILL MISS YOU GUYS HERE AND I WANNA GO AND I KINDA HAVE TO BUT I ALSO WANNA STAY HERE WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BUT IM JUST FALLOWING MY MOM AND DAD BECAUSE THATS THERE JOB AND MY JOB FOR NOW IS JUST TO LISTEN IF I LIKE IT OR NOT BUT I LIKE IT:)</span><div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">FROM PEANUT:)</span></div>
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Kind of precious, insightful, and optimistic. Real. And a little vulnerable. I just love this little one. The Lord surely has blessed me with some amazing children! <br />
Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-69373287060425616992013-02-13T10:24:00.001-05:002013-02-13T10:24:17.025-05:00The missing PeaceSo I will not forget this is the outline condensed version of the ReNew conference from FBBC last weekend. Some great teaching and reminders of the truths that can steady us I. Our walk with the Lord!!
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<br>Session 1
<br>The reality: Sin and separation from God!
<br>My response : Sinner's faith! Romans 5:1
<br>Red Herring: Good Works! Ephesians 2:8-9
<br>Revelation: The Saviors Blood! Colossians 1:2a Peace now, heaven later, Holy Spirit now an direct access to God!
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<br>Session 2
<br>Reality: life is a circus!
<br>Response: Phil 4:6 in Everything by PRAYER!
<br>Red Herring: Anxiety!
<br>Revelation : God's perspective! Philippians 4:7
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<br>Session 3
<br>Reality: there is a Cost
<br>Response: Believe! John 14:1
<br>Red Herring: Fear!
<br>Revelation: the Comforter and vision through God's lens! John 14:27
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<br>Session 4
<br>Reality: the Mystery of the Magnolia blossom - fruit comes from (what seems like!!) destruction!
<br>Response: We Act! I Thessalonians 5:23
<br>Red Herring: We Forget!
<br>Revelation: God Does the Work! I Thessalonians 5:24 He has promised and He is Faithful!!Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-7187061700602235622013-02-12T12:15:00.000-05:002013-02-12T12:15:15.547-05:0020 Sleeps! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And the countdown begins! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I didn't count the sleep that should occur on Monday the 4th, because I don't tend to sleep well in cars, planes, or anything that moves for that matter! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We are trying to stay calm and organized; low key and collected. The comment from Zorro comes to mind... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHZWLRJ1SeGoAUy_8UqKB1nuVt-U9J3pBM7ATKO7t8qzjmQ7vNb-dZ0w0Pw-X_r9U_rMbkyi_Qg_Fqxs5hQQXyN3aIFwPC8WT_S4PI_srDEJzT0Py5kHDMNEtGARCuwPwcjyBZVNBE-hY/s1600/z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHZWLRJ1SeGoAUy_8UqKB1nuVt-U9J3pBM7ATKO7t8qzjmQ7vNb-dZ0w0Pw-X_r9U_rMbkyi_Qg_Fqxs5hQQXyN3aIFwPC8WT_S4PI_srDEJzT0Py5kHDMNEtGARCuwPwcjyBZVNBE-hY/s320/z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">"<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0504762/" style="color: #136cb2;">Captain Harrison Love</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">: The lady and I were trying to dance.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000104/" style="color: #136cb2;">Alejandro Murrieta</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">: You were trying. She was succeeding."</span></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Only I am not the lady succeeding! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have a few "<i>very important"</i> things on the "To do" lists. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Like taxes. And getting all of our paperwork in order for the Work permit in Zambia. And vaccinations. Packing 10 pieces of luggage. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have a few <i>"mid important"</i> things on the "To do" lists.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Like incrementally larger clothes for my children. Medications for the next few years. Tossing what could not be packed into 10 pieces of luggage. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And I have a few <i>"it would be nice if they got done" </i>things on the "To do" lists. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These are the things I have no problem getting accomplished! </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Agh! My </span><a href="http://jalowiecpartyof7.blogspot.com/2010/07/quadrant-thinking.html">quadrant thinking</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> skills would be a good thing to employ right now! I will be forcing my life into </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Quadrant 1</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> if I am not careful!!! </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">OK.... off to complete something... <i>ANYTHING</i>! on the "very important" list!! </span></span></span><br />
<img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" />Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-25693715269474104472013-02-08T09:11:00.001-05:002013-02-08T10:45:19.665-05:00It took me long enough... One of the things I learned on deputation was that my boys somehow managed life in a camper and all that entailed because they saw the benefits it provided. One of which was I did their laundry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rqIyWWIhV4vQ3-I1ttzv0FEaiXS49hmrmegAng-MQHSmypZTmsc0EMYWYBsGqYGjFpcxdTWUDI8LeEGE1yZMEf54MRQypIJ46R1fvUGtzwrxXQ_7FAW_-fOmwUdRJI9W3Gbi9OVyObiB/s1600/cherish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rqIyWWIhV4vQ3-I1ttzv0FEaiXS49hmrmegAng-MQHSmypZTmsc0EMYWYBsGqYGjFpcxdTWUDI8LeEGE1yZMEf54MRQypIJ46R1fvUGtzwrxXQ_7FAW_-fOmwUdRJI9W3Gbi9OVyObiB/s400/cherish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I was stunned one day when my boys were chatting by themselves and one said, "Well we don't do our own laundry now." And another said, "Yeah, that is a great thing!"<br />
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What??<br />
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Now before thoughts run amuck and you think they have been doing their own laundry since early childhood or worse yet that their laundry never got done, hear this!<br />
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Once they were old enough to help fold, they did that. Once they were old enough to understand how to load (and not OVeR load!) the washer they began doing that. I would once in a great while grab their baskets and do it. I would OFTEN tell them it wasn't acceptable for their CLEAN <i>uNFoLDeD</i> laundry to stay in the basket! But... they did their own.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JVpz2scCTzC0utgh_0NYm9DOP8Ga7egGNvvjPYgwVBKzCnYtLidEifS5u-QWyR90Q4unYpJ47BUW4SSsCAzDQu8oZjMMoupgGuBXEwC0ApzyCHPZCMDFSr5cytDOGnWxk7HkA9RBfhQf/s1600/685px-Laundromat_ontario.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JVpz2scCTzC0utgh_0NYm9DOP8Ga7egGNvvjPYgwVBKzCnYtLidEifS5u-QWyR90Q4unYpJ47BUW4SSsCAzDQu8oZjMMoupgGuBXEwC0ApzyCHPZCMDFSr5cytDOGnWxk7HkA9RBfhQf/s320/685px-Laundromat_ontario.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
While traveling in a camper, the laundry was more than not done at a laundromat, and Dan would drop me off for a couple of hours at a time, or I would go myself. I enjoyed the time away to be by myself and read a book while surrounded by massive washers and the hum of dryers. It was a challenge to decipher whose was whose when all three boys wore pretty much the same size <i>everything</i>! They became similar to houses with many sisters. Many things became communal except the few <i>precious</i> items.<br />
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There have been several occasions since then that I have done all the laundry for the whole family. They boys would be quick to say, "Mom, you don't have to do that!" to which I say, "I know. I want to!"<br />
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Why do I want to? Because I remember their conversation in the camper those many months ago.<br />
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It is such a small thing! I know it hardly even seems worthy of documentation, but to me it has become much bigger.<br />
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As my children grow up, have their own cars, their own jobs, their own <i>life, </i>I have less and less of a place in their day to day things. I am and always will be their mom, but they are just so independent now!! When my oldest son came home from college the other day for a whirlwind 44 hour weekend, he brought his laundry, for reasons frugal, I am sure!<br />
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But I seriously enjoyed doing his laundry. I loved the memories that flooded my mind and heart with each item that I could remember him wearing.<br />
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The t-shirt he wore when all my boys went to the baseball game in KC, MO.<br />
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The sweats from when he went to the barn to replace his transmission. Twice! An oil spot still hasn't quite come out.<br />
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Jeans with a paint spot from when he air brushed a gift for a friend.<br />
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I thoroughly loved doing his laundry! I was blessed to have the gift of my son and to still wiggle my way into his life in this small, behind the scene way. He probably gave it no more thought than "Yes! Don't have to do <i>that</i>!" But I enjoyed that time more than I ever thought I would.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8A9POoUwYl5__LEVsAtDprlYAdeWUWM-nXa-pVPkD1d73X2UYts0Oe9hurIalipVm6D0fNWyEthyphenhyphendwst8rejv9ladx_mbJ7KNCA1xnwHQdH4SjttrqFQS9sZ9ibiHHBpb4fT5js6_OwQ/s1600/IMG_1026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8A9POoUwYl5__LEVsAtDprlYAdeWUWM-nXa-pVPkD1d73X2UYts0Oe9hurIalipVm6D0fNWyEthyphenhyphendwst8rejv9ladx_mbJ7KNCA1xnwHQdH4SjttrqFQS9sZ9ibiHHBpb4fT5js6_OwQ/s320/IMG_1026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Oh! that I would have learned to appreciate these moments long ago! I am sure it is the fact that he is staying in the States, and we are moving to Africa. I am sure me nearing my 46th birthday and the "<i>M.</i>" years are quickly approaching. I recall the stories from friends sobbing for an hour about a blown out light bulb or laundry detergent commercial and realize my time is surely coming.<br />
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But in truth, I think it is more than that. <b><i>Time</i></b> with them is short. <b><i>Time</i></b> with them has <b>always</b> been fleeting, I just believe it with every fiber of my being now!<br />
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From now on, I pray I will appreciate it all.<br />
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I am more thankful for the times I need to do something <i>for</i> my children, or because<b><i> I have </i></b>children! I couldn't even imagine how uneventful my days would be without them. Or how clean my house would be. Or how truly different my life would be.<br />
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<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-55326148550795008742013-02-07T09:22:00.003-05:002013-02-07T09:22:50.417-05:00Ladies ConferenceHere is the audio from the conference in Kansas City. It is a testament of the last seven years of my life and what the Lord has taught me and brought our family through in practical teaching, with the theme of WATER.<br />
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The arrow can be right clicked and the lesson downloaded, or you can follow <a href="http://www.last.fm/e/link?abgroup=&lang=en&placement=&resid=&restype=&source=IngestionCompleteMessage&subscriber=&time=1360211712&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.last.fm%2Fmusic%2FJan%2BJalowiec%2FJan%2BJalowiec%2BLadies%2BConference&urlhash=b4b6625eff331802090bf431359a3494&userid=">this link</a> and have all of the sessions in a download host sight.<br />
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When trying to pray about what to teach, I remembered what Elizabeth George said in a recent study I did. She decided she shouldn't try to prepare and to teach them something that will change their lives... But teach them what has already changed her life. Truly this is the same for me! The second lesson is from her study "Loving God with your whole Mind!" and there are 5 other lessons in that study. I encourage you to search that out as all 6 are amazing!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Session one: Learning Of Mikveh </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><audio controls=""><source src="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/637049009/Learning%2Bof%2BMikveh.mp3"></source>If you cannot see the audio controls, <a href="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/637049009/Learning%2Bof%2BMikveh.mp3">listen/download the audio file here</a></audio>
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Ephesians 5:26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Session Two: Loving God with Our Whole Mind</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><audio controls=""><source src="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/637049057/Loving%2BGod%2Bwith%2Bour%2BWhole%2BMind.mp3"></source>If you cannot see the audio controls, <a href="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/637049057/Loving%2BGod%2Bwith%2Bour%2BWhole%2BMind.mp3">listen/download the audio file here</a></audio>
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Philippians 4:8 “Finally brethren whatsoever things are TRUE...”<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Session Three: Loosing the Ties that Bind</span><br />
<audio controls=""><source src="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/637049102/Loosing%2Bthe%2BTies%2Bthat%2BBond.mp3"></source>If you cannot see the audio controls, <a href="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/637049102/Loosing%2Bthe%2BTies%2Bthat%2BBond.mp3">listen/download the audio file here</a></audio><br />
Psalm 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Session 4: Living Like Achsah</span><br />
<audio controls=""><source src="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/637049156/Living%2BLike%2BAchsah.mp3"></source>If you cannot see the audio controls, <a href="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/637049156/Living%2BLike%2BAchsah.mp3">listen/download the audio file here</a></audio><br />
Joshua 15:19<span style="font: 12.0px 'LiSong Pro Light';">“</span>Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.”</div>
Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-82809221290422738052013-01-14T09:41:00.001-05:002013-01-14T09:41:14.244-05:00Coffee Cup Campaign!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sREWjvmwtK6b2zArCyV-L0G-Kmd3oJ4-f1L804o6pmfgG-dEcY7qhWI_4Yn_kE05wqbzS2DPyYJd-FP_WwtLFwDvjDVgj2_zN68R-f2gqeIV_F6_kn7FpQfhu244jWincEqwWHDYopyh/s1600/IMG_2169-774244.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sREWjvmwtK6b2zArCyV-L0G-Kmd3oJ4-f1L804o6pmfgG-dEcY7qhWI_4Yn_kE05wqbzS2DPyYJd-FP_WwtLFwDvjDVgj2_zN68R-f2gqeIV_F6_kn7FpQfhu244jWincEqwWHDYopyh/s400/IMG_2169-774244.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5833314952006751954" /></a></p>We are in New England visiting a couple churches that are now more like family than anything, and we were presented with a (literally!) Big Check that was the proceeds from a "Coffee Cup Campaign" they began on our behalf. The church was impressed and moved into action after they read of the "start up costs" involved in relocating our family to Zambia. The seniors class labeled these cups and for several weeks placed them around the church to collect whatever people were able and wanting to give. They set a goal and by God's grace.... met the goal!! Praise The Lord for you all Cornerstone Baptist! Truly we feel like part of your family and are honored to go Reach Zambia on your behalf and for the Lord's Glory!Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-24325922464775182892012-12-22T14:12:00.002-05:002012-12-22T14:12:37.955-05:00Just a Stumbled On... I am sick today. The Watery Eye, Stuffy Head, Coughing, Sneezing, Low Grade Fever kind of sick. It is not the Flu. Simply because I said so.<br />
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To keep myself from sleeping all day, I am wandering around some blogs and such while letting sappy hallmark Christmas movies play endlessly in the background. I am vacillating between clicking links and sipping herbal tea. Oh I hope this is over before Monday!<br />
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Something I found, though, was this <a href="http://www.xrite.com/custom_page.aspx?PageID=77">Test</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjVKs6zm-eOcbONsagP8_0hTlo0g-DPcNnqimFe2xUYfuf-uTdfVPJOQOgHl0xXWTHn_QXzaaXH34aU4FktJIhQ_7aTggsf4N99TpbcQc647w5gnVJ3OOWI-r06Yv81hIrXBkfQV4vS8e/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-12-22+at+2.00.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjVKs6zm-eOcbONsagP8_0hTlo0g-DPcNnqimFe2xUYfuf-uTdfVPJOQOgHl0xXWTHn_QXzaaXH34aU4FktJIhQ_7aTggsf4N99TpbcQc647w5gnVJ3OOWI-r06Yv81hIrXBkfQV4vS8e/s320/Screen+shot+2012-12-22+at+2.00.23+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I know, it is a color test and my eyes are so blurry I am shocked I can read the instructions. Perhaps it helps that the little blocks are slightly less clear?<br />
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I have no idea, but I scored a 25. Lower is better, I guess. Kind of like golf.<br />
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So, if you're bored, have a go at it! It is a little fun, but I have absolutely no idea what this knowledge is good for. Nor do I know what it means if your score is good. Maybe work for Walmart in the paint chips section?<br />
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I have found myself straightening out those little piles of swatches before...<br />
<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5929654705676051960.post-27301618804886973552012-12-08T17:24:00.000-05:002012-12-08T17:24:16.092-05:00Some things...We are moving out of the country. Out. Of. The. Country. In a few Months. That could almost be said as well "in a few WEEKS".<br />
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Seriously. Seriously? Seriously!!<br />
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We have been preparing for this for over 7 years. It seems unbelievable that it could take seven years. But then I stop and remember who the Lord is working with, and marvel that it has only been that long!<br />
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The point of this post is to record a few of the obscure things I think are essentials to have packed into suitcases when moving a family across the globe to a third world country.<br />
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True, we are going with the primary goal of serving The Lord Jesus Christ. Proclaiming his goodness and the Good News is priority one. Bringing others to saving knowledge available through Jesus in order that they will praise the eternal King... point One.<br />
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But I will be living there, and there are some things that this to-the-core westerner seems to believe- at this juncture- are essential. I want to document it while it is fresh. Partly to have it on record, and partly to be able to refer back to it once I really learn what is essential! I am sure I will look back and laugh at a few of these things!!<br />
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1. Mosquito nets.<br />
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For fairly obvious reasons, I should think. Some tell me only those who are tourists use them, and to use them while living there gets "old" and overkill. I get it. Also they are pretty warm as the air doesn't flow well through them. Maybe a little over kill is better than mosquito kill! We shall see!<br />
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2. Manual food processor.<br />
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Electricity will be spotty at best, so the more non-electric things the better. I have no idea if it even works well, but I know it doesn't need electricity!<br />
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3. Solar lights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OF_SpnRLuDvnlGEJeH_AL2eQhdP5ytthkfbJ0PsAi1kBPxYB9DzysBdeFhCbTH1-gPfpZDNk6yLO7y4tHzsUb4W3jEwB5JU8EbN74JSPNyUy9F-kNPj8Aql6TpAFlJWw2SXZo3FjWofl/s1600/solar-path-lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OF_SpnRLuDvnlGEJeH_AL2eQhdP5ytthkfbJ0PsAi1kBPxYB9DzysBdeFhCbTH1-gPfpZDNk6yLO7y4tHzsUb4W3jEwB5JU8EbN74JSPNyUy9F-kNPj8Aql6TpAFlJWw2SXZo3FjWofl/s320/solar-path-lights.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Electricity not so reliable.... Sunshine Very! Zambia is one of the African countries between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. That being the case... sun is very strong for several of the 12 sunshine hours every day.<br />
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Every. Day.<br />
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Being a native Rochestarian I suffer from vitamin D deficiency due to the lack of sunshine in our town. My home town makes a pretty good showing on the list of the top cloudiest cities in the country.<br />
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I believe my transition to a third world culture will be helped because I will at last have the positive medicinal effects of sunshine!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRBlSl9ZaBG-8bucKT2MwM0NwQA1Oo2V2gFOYPjyJu4v_JOvSlVXJmtT_X4_duAkZ0nuHq6bIkicRLSH51IXIQQKqPj-dP36CqvJO_Jz7PYCIMC-jtxFBPMf1JM-VxRaTHcmRnt5mc1tC/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-12-08+at+4.21.53+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRBlSl9ZaBG-8bucKT2MwM0NwQA1Oo2V2gFOYPjyJu4v_JOvSlVXJmtT_X4_duAkZ0nuHq6bIkicRLSH51IXIQQKqPj-dP36CqvJO_Jz7PYCIMC-jtxFBPMf1JM-VxRaTHcmRnt5mc1tC/s320/Screen+shot+2012-12-08+at+4.21.53+PM.png" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
All that being said, solar powered anything is ideal!!<br />
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So solar lights for indoors and out, as well as a solar charger for the cell phone. Would be nice to have had the ability to make a solar panel for the house. One can dream!<br />
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4. Dual Voltage hair straightener.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JEEIIFXPPRJQXzHkGPSK-qDFj2yip7n-00mfemVCpnhHKaZKmgiaUlpIbG_cCFfaEMUc5R69G6h-ifJyC5WclyO8IOD5i1RKO9zo71m6m9LWstIiBTMBwiz1tKv-KtiLc94jeaMefo-z/s1600/abl-rvst2028cpk1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JEEIIFXPPRJQXzHkGPSK-qDFj2yip7n-00mfemVCpnhHKaZKmgiaUlpIbG_cCFfaEMUc5R69G6h-ifJyC5WclyO8IOD5i1RKO9zo71m6m9LWstIiBTMBwiz1tKv-KtiLc94jeaMefo-z/s1600/abl-rvst2028cpk1.jpg" /></a></div>
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I wont even elaborate. Although I will say I have the same hair straightener my friend had when she traveled to Zambia last year. Lets just say she had the advantage of returning to the states after a few weeks to take advantage of the four year guarantee on the device. </div>
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And her hair grew back nicely after being fried off. After all it was only a small patch of hair. Not too noticeable. While I will have it, I may not use it too much!! </div>
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5. A 5 Gallon bucket... No photo. No Explanation. Enough said. </div>
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6. A Solar Cooker.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLmIcKSgaEFsrlW4QD4WeOaZ-TM5S0wgc7jEF7DqsHhmBStB5-e1tIK47kW1KhkfasQysInMlhK-GjJQXh6iZ-vzjsogW8_SStgUSyrsVyQ7NHlEJDXLlwPtMzavhCgHYAUZgm6HnW62A/s1600/Boxsolarcooker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLmIcKSgaEFsrlW4QD4WeOaZ-TM5S0wgc7jEF7DqsHhmBStB5-e1tIK47kW1KhkfasQysInMlhK-GjJQXh6iZ-vzjsogW8_SStgUSyrsVyQ7NHlEJDXLlwPtMzavhCgHYAUZgm6HnW62A/s320/Boxsolarcooker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Just imagine that is me in the picture!! This is a relatively new discovery for my intellectual files. I had prior to yesterday never heard of them! Either I have lived under a rock my whole life, or in relative civilization. Although many campers and other "green" people have been using them forever. They are like a crock pot type oven. Pretty amazing! And they can be made very simply, portable or stationary. Pretty excited to bring some of the materials needed to make one, and then to try it out! There are entire recipe books dedicated to this type of cooking!! Who knew!<br />
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I will add that the need for these things were not aided in any way by a certain website that begins with a letter P. Seriously!<br />
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So there is the list for now. If I end up with more then I will add them. This is "for the record" after all.<br />
<a href="http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/?action=view&current=sig2.png" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="sig 2" border="0" src="http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/janandco/sig2.png" /></a>Janicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16671421468005228693noreply@blogger.com0