Do you ever have those days where years ago seems like yesterday and last week seems like forever ago? You remember random things about that day like what you were wearing or something one person said. Today is one of those days, and it will always be. Today is the 8th anniversary of the celebration of the freedom of my Little Papa from Parkinson's, and a sad day for all who knew him. It is odd to use the word celebration, but that is truly what it was in a way. He got to see the God and Creator he talked about all the time. He got to see the reason he lived and breathed and served. I will always remember the man of God that he was and the love that he showed to his family.
One thing I remember vividly is the last conversation I was able to have with him. He had not spoken a word in hours, and as I was leaving he said "I Love You." I only slightly knew how precious those words were then, but now I truly know how precious those three words are. Little papa was the family man who took me on picnics, washed his car as I washed my tricycle, would take me on a day trip to UGA every once in awhile, and who could forget picking up sticks on saturday afternoons? I mean what kid did not want to ride in the super old red truck to take the sticks to the dump, even as a girl. Oh I was grandpa's little girl.
As my sister is almost half way through college at UGA and I have just graduated from nursing school. I cannot even imagine how proud of us he would have been. Not to mention my little cousin Sean who never met him. Oh how much he would love him. Sometimes when I am hanging out with the most awesome four year old in the world he reminds me so much of the pictures of my grandpa as a kid. It is kinda ridiculous. I cannot wait until the day I get to celebrate with you, Little Papa, and the creator of the universe forever. But until then I Love You.
This time last year I feel as though I was a different person. Sorta lost and not really sure where I was headed. Then I went to Passion and was really challenged with getting involved in my local church. I mean really involved, not just going on that Sunday I really felt guilty about falling away from the church. I had become a statistic. Little did I know that this would change my life in such a drastic manner! (I had a feeling it would, I just ignored it).
When I went to passion last year I was really convicted about some things in my life that just weren't quite right. I was also super focused on the future and what would happen in the next year or so of my life. I felt God calling me from a dark place in my own life to go serve Him in a different context. I was confused and wondered why He had not called me when I was closer to Him, but He called me when I was further away. I began to search for different ways to serve Him elsewhere after graduation. Who would have thought that I would end up in Liberia just a few months later? I didn't, but that is exactly where I ended up. I was so focused on doing something after graduation and the job and the plans that I almost missed the now. The ironic thing is that my plans for the "FUTURE" has actually become the "NOW" and I am out of my own plans. I don't have a job yet, and as unsettling as that is in my mind He is making me incredibly strong in my heart. I am not sure if that makes any sense to anyone else, but it does to me. The planner in me is screaming out with fear, exhaustion, and confusion. Yet in the night when I am just at a loss of what to think or do I still hear that voice somewhere within me saying "fear not, I have plans for you. HELLO I have had plans for you from the beginning of time, just wait." So here I am.... waiting patiently (occasionally unpatiently aka still human).
Back to getting involved in church. I decided to join the Church at Brook Hills and finally find a small group to live life with. After awhile of uncomfortable gatherings and a couple groups later I found my small group. I absolutely love this group of girls. We surround each other and support each other like family and I could not ask for more. We go to each other's events, pray for each other daily, call and text each other on the good days and the bad days, and we gather to study the word weekly in each other's houses. We serve others together and we pray for the nations together. We keep each other accountable, and I cannot be any more thankful for God putting these girls in my life. I have truly learned what it means to live life together as a body of Christ. I cannot believe I ever walked away from the body of Christ, but I did and I am a story of God's redeeming love. My life has truly turned 180, at least on the inside. I mean I still have plenty of things to work on and I sometimes have to remind myself of what He has done when I start to doubt His plans for me, but I quickly find myself humbled and reminded of everything that has changed. I'm ridiculously thankful for my faith family, for my small group, anyone involved in my life over the last year, and every single person reading this, and I just wanted to let you know.
I am so sorry for not updating this very often. I have been back in the states for 2 weeks and I have returned to Birmingham and am working again. I have been super busy since I have gotten back with a last minute road trip with my sister to Knoxville to see my cousin's new house and moving my sister into her first apartment in Athens. I have to say it was an adjustment coming back. Part of me really really wanted to stay longer and another part of me was ready to be home. I really learned a lot on my trip about myself and about others. There were times of frustration and sadness and there were times of joy and laughter. By the end of my trip I could understand most of what was said, but there were still some mix ups. The last day that I was in Liberia I went to an orphanage that I normally did not visit on Tuesdays. One of the girls was telling me about how she hurt her knee. I thought she said it had been burned. So I sent my driver to go get burn supplies from the house. About 5 minutes later I noticed some commotion outside and everyone was heading toward the kitchen. There was a huge oil fire in the kitchen that was getting out of control. I started gathering kids away from the fire when all of a sudden there was an explosion. My first thought was oh my goodness there are probably a lot of people who got hurt because there were still people in the kitchen. Only one kid ended up getting his eye burned pretty badly, but he was able to still see and they took him to the eye hospital. By this time the driver was back with burn supplies which was originally for what I had heard was a burn but turned out to be a scrape. And then the burn supplies were needed. It is crazy how God works sometimes.
That same day I went to check on Emmie the girl previously mentioned. Her head was healing nicely from the chemical burns and she seemed really happy with the people she had bonded with in her new home. She is still in need of prayers of healing.
I have had a lot of going back and forth with God about what to do after I graduate while I was in Africa and when I got home. I have officially come to the conclusion that it is not up to me and all I can do is come to God with my desire and pray that He will lead the way. I know I want to work with babies and eventually I might go somewhere across the world long term but past that I have no idea what is going to happen after graduation.
I also learned that fear and anxiety are not of God. There were really not any moments when I did not feel safe in Liberia. There were some time of doubt after the man who worked next door was shot by armed robbers one night and ended up dying. That night I was anxious, but I think a lot of it was the adrenaline rush from all of the commotion. I learned that prayer is essential and praises are crucial. Time with God is as important as staying hydrated and serving others is a blessing. Hearing rough news from back in the states about a friend brought me to my knees and that is when I realized that I really could not do anything and God was the only one with power and control. Worry was useless and prayers were all the help I could offer.
Thank you so much for all of the prayers and the support. I could not have done this without it. I am ready for my last semester to start and eager about all the new things to come.
Yesterday I took some kiddos to the hospital/clinic. I have been doing screenings at the orphanages here and a few of the kids were definitely running a fever. So yesterday I took four of them to the clinic. I got there and had absolutely no idea what to do. Somehow every single other person knew what was going on. And I was the one confused white woman in the group with 4 really sick kids. All i know is there was a man yelling, no signs showing what to do, I needed four yellow registration cards, and there were three different lines to sit in. So the craziness began. I got all of them registered and then we sat, and we sat, and we sat. It felt like the whole world was moving around us and I didn't understand what was going on. Like the little kid standing in front of the counter that nobody can see. Then I received a call saying a 5th kid was coming and so was some much welcomed Liberian help. So they arrived and to my relief we started moving along.
The first step in the process was weights and temperatures. Every kid had a temp over 101. So tylenol was given and of course they all drank out of the same cup. O Liberia. Then I was sent to the cashier to pay for the doctor. The cashier just happened to be on the other side of the campus. I returned with a receipt and the kids saw the doctor. Then the doctor sent for labs on all the kids. So the next step involved taking all the kids to the cashier and paying for the labs and then taking them to the lab on the other side of the hospital, getting labs drawn, and then taking the results back to the doctor. A couple hours later we find that some kids have malaria, and some don't. So everyone gets malaria treatment anyways! Next stop the pharmacy. BUT WAIT you guessed it we have to go to the cashier again. Then they send me to see if all the meds are available and then I go back and pay. Then I wait in what I guess they call a line to pick up 3 or 4 different medicines for each kid. Are you feeling the confusion yet? After all is said and done the kids are on their way to recovery and I had an experience that I will not forget.
Today I went to visit a little girl named Emmie who is new at one of the orphanages. We got word that she had been dropped off this week by a family member because her stepmom had been abusing her and put caustic chemicals on her head which burned her scalp really badly. When we got there she was quite frightened of us. I am not sure if it was because of the bag of medical supplies we had with us or simply because we were white and just different. She began to cry and the little girls around her tried to console her. We began to see that the burn was pretty much covering her whole scalp. I held her as Deb cleaned and applied cream and gauze to her head. Unfortunately we had to cut all of her hair to treat it. I could feel her tensing up with every movement. I gave her some stickers to look at and try to distract her. After we were done she was still a bit scared. We covered her head with one of my bandanas and by the time we were leaving I saw a little smile shining from her sweet little face.
Please be in prayer for Emmie as she is healing physically and emotionally. Pray for these kids as rainy season is underway and malaria is pretty prevalent. Please pray for my last few days here. I have been getting sick to my stomach in the evenings. It has been frustrating, but I am really looking forward to what God has in store for these last few days. Also for safe travel as I leave to head back to the States on Wednesday.
Happy Liberian Independence Day! It has been a busy couple weeks. Last week I did some health screenings at two of the orphanages. I also taught hand washing to the kiddos. So things have been really busy. I am sorry I have not given an update.
Last Thursday I headed to Cottontree which is where one of the orphanages that ORR works with is located. I was able to get the height and weight on all the kids as well as ask them if they had any other problems going on. After that we headed outside to go over hand washing. I used green paint as the "germ" and one kid passed the germ to the other as they shook hands. Then we sang Jesus Loves the Little Children as each one of them washed their hands. It was pretty fun.
The kids had moved into their new home a year ago so we had a party that included singing, dancing, and food. The true Liberian way to celebrate!
This weekend I was not feeling well so I just rested around the house. Thank goodness I felt better Sunday night. On monday I headed to Robertsport with a group of missionaries from a hospital nearby. Robertsport is about 2 hours north of Monrovia and a lot of the drive is on a really bumpy dirt road. But it was all worth it because the beach was gorgeous. I got to swim a little. The currents here are incredibly strong so you have to be extremely careful. I enjoyed watching some Liberian kids surf on some of the boards that we brought. After a day at the beach we headed back down the dirt road and back to town.
Today is Liberian Independence Day and all the Liberians are celebrating and spending time with family. So we are spending some time away from all of the noise and chaos at a nearby resort area. I do admit it is strange to go from living within the community to feeling like a real tourist as I sat out at the beach with a bunch of other white people and after that walked into an air conditioned room. It is nice for a break and to get away from the noise and enjoy a hot shower, but I can't help but to think about how different the world is right outside these walls. But I am quickly reminded that I am still in Liberia as I move my pillow and find a giant spider.
I head back next week and cannot believe my time left here is so short. Please pray this week as I continue to finish the screenings and other various odds and ends. Thanks for your prayers!
A lot of this past week has not been blogable (is that a word?). A lot has happened over the past week from safety scares to just Liberia being Liberia. I got to hang out with the kids more last week, specifically the older girls at Francis Gaskin's. The girls sewed on Monday and baked on Friday. They baked cassava bread and coconut cake. They were both really good. I am still struggling with understanding Liberian English and the Liberians don't understand me very well either so this makes for some very interesting games of charades and most of the time ends in neither of us understanding and just laughing it off.
God has really been teaching me a lot over the past two weeks. He really has been teaching me about totally trusting in Him through all situations. This is what I read in my Jesus Lives devotion by Sarah Young.... "I want to make your life a glorious adventure, but you must stop striving for a lifestyle that feels safe. I know how ambivalent your heart is in all of this: You long for the adventure that a life abandoned to Me can be, and at the same time, you cling to old ways because change frightens you. Though you feel safest when your life is predictable and things seem to be under control, I want you to break free and discover the adventures I have planned for you. The greatest adventure of all is knowing Me abundantly: discovering how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you. The power of My vast Love can feel overwhelming. That is why many people choose to limit their knowledge of Me, keeping Me at a distance. How this grieves Me! People settle for mediocrity because it feels more comfortable. Meanwhile, they continue to battle fear. Only My Love is strong enough to break the hold that fear has on you. A predictable lifestyle may feel safer, but it can shield you from what you need most of all--Me! When unexpected events shake up your routine, rejoice! This is exactly what you need, to wake up and point toward Me. Recognize that you are on the threshold of a new adventure, and that I will be with you each step of the way. As we venture out together, cling tightly to My hand. The more you abandon you can experience My Love."
And that devotion has pretty much summed up the last week of my life. Please pray for the kids and the people I am working with this week as I am beginning health screenings and the sort this Wednesday. I am also taking some of the kids to the clinic later this week. Pray for the ORR team as things are wrapping up here during this really wet rainy season. Also for guidance and wisdom in the next few weeks.
I am adjusting to Liberia pretty well. Jetlag has been alright and I have been able to sleep a decent amount. I think the main thing to adjust to is the heat. It's a lot cooler than at home, but it is a lot more humid and I am in it 24/7. I have not spent a ton of time with the kiddos, but the time that I have spent with them has been precious. On Friday night we went to Fatu's Orphanage for football/games and a movie. It was the first time meeting the kids. The welcome was pretty incredible. They ran towards the truck as we were pulling up. I think the excitement was a mix of seeing popcorn in the back seat, knowing that we were going to watch a movie, and them thinking I was someone else. It was rather amusing, but they eventually accepted the fact that I was new. At first it was pretty difficult to understand what they were saying, but after awhile it became a little bit easier. The kids were playing kickball and enjoying themselves then it started to rain. So we all headed inside where a screen was set up to watch a movie. The movie was about basketball and all the kids followed along with every shot. Even the little two year old sitting in my lap cheered with everyone throughout the movie. It was really fun. This weekend I have been able to get some rest. I went to church this morning, and it was pretty incredible how just a couple hundred people can be so much louder than a couple thousand back at home. I really enjoyed worshipping alongside all the Liberians. The sermon was on discipleship and was from Matthew 4 and the fishers of men. On the way to church the Liberian President drove by and on the way home she went by again. Apparently it was just a normal thing, and besides pulling off the road nothing really special happened. I was just thinking about how different things are here. It has been interesting living without running water or electricity. We have a generator that runs for a few hours every night so we can charge things and have internet for a bit. We carry buckets in to flush the toilet, and we shower outside under a barrel that is filled with water when the generator comes on. The thing is here that is a lot to have. Many people don't have even these things. As far as prayer is concerned please pray that God will reveal His plans that He has for me while I am here, and also pray that I will remain healthy. The main concern is malaria. It is rainy season here and it seems like it is really rainy all the time and if it is not rainy then it is still really humid and this attracts the mosquitos. The bites are not nearly as bad as the ones back home, but the fear of malaria is great. But all of that is in God's hands. I am posting pictures to facebook. It is really hard to upload them here because it takes so much time. Thanks you so much for your prayers and support!
Aftera 15 hour flight I have made it to Liberia! Besides a little motion sickness on the second flight everything went smoothly. When I got here Ashley and Deb picked me up from the airport. Apparently it is an amazing thing, but the sun came out for me on our way to the house. Not too soon after being on the road we came across some weeds in the middle of the road. Odd to me but apparently a completely normal thing here in Liberia. They are used to mark accidents in the middle of the road like overturned trucks and things. It was really awesome getting to see everything alongside the road as well as the countryside.We got to the house and if anyone says understanding Liberian English is easy, they were wrong. I can’t tell you how many times I have had a blank stare on my face because I have no idea what they are saying to me. It will take time , but I will understand soon. Dinner was traditional Liberian. I stuck with just rice and pineapple due to the motion sickness lingering from the plane. I do have to say the pineapple here is amazing! Best ever! The next adventure included a giant spider and an awesome cold shower under the stars. I think at that moment I realized I was really in Africa. Besides jetlag things are going great. Well I’m wishing the mosquitoes away. Time to climb under the net. Please pray for rest. It's super loud here.
Ok so it has been awhile since I have updated. Life has been pretty busy. I finished another semester of nursing school and only have one more left! After school I stayed in Birmingham for a few weeks and worked to save some money for this summer. I am currently at home catching up on rest and getting prepared for my trip in less than 2 weeks! I thank God so much for the rain tonight. We really really needed it here in Fayetteville... Only downside is my dog hates storms. The poor terrified pup is sitting here at the end of my bed scared of every little noise he hears, but God definitely blessed us with rain tonight.
Liberia is approaching very fast and I can't wait to be there! I started my malaria med tonight. This should be interesting. Maybe that is why I am not asleep... the fear of what is to come in my crazy dreams tonight. Oh well should be interesting to see if the meds actually cause crazy dreams. God is really beginning to tie all the odds and ends together for my trip and that has been pretty awesome to watch.
On another note another part of the Anders fam departs for Africa in just 5 days! My dad and my sister are headed to Zimbabwe to share the Jesus video God willing, build a hut, do some medical missions, and also some sports stuff. They fly out next Tuesday the 21st and return on July 2nd. They are like little kids, so excited about everything! It's a wonderful thing. I normally measure time in June by my birthday and this year I am measuring by how long until each of us leaves for Africa to share God's story and love on some people.
Just a little note for today.... God has been doing a lot in my life lately and this scripture and song came to mind today...
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there isfreedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17
WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING by Sanctus Real It's time for healing time to move on It's time to fix what's been broken too long Time make right what has been wrong It's time to find my way to where I belong There's a wave that's crashing over me All I can do is surrender (Chorus) Whatever you're doing inside of me It feels like chaos somehow there's peace It's hard to surrender to what I can't see but I'm giving in to something heavenly Time for a milestone Time to begin again Revaluate who I really am Am I doing everything to follow your will or just climbing aimlessly over these hills So show me what it is you want from me I give everything I surrender... To... (Chorus) Time to face up Clean this old house Time to breathe in and let everything out That I've wanted to say for so many years Time to to release all my held back tears Whatever you're doing inside of me It feels like chaos but I believe You're up to something bigger than me Larger than life something heavenly Whatever you're doing inside of me It feels like chaos but now I can see This something bigger than me Larger than life something heavenly Something heavenly It's time to face up Clean this old house Time breathe in and let everything out
This post is going to be short and sweet. I just wanted to take a moment to remember my Little Papa. I miss him every day, but two times a year are a little more special than others. May 6, his birthday, and December 30th, the anniversary of his death. I celebrate both in the fact that December 30th was the day that he was freed from his earthly body and released into the hands of our awesome God and on May 6th he was brought into this world. I know he is dancing up in heaven and is so proud of me and my sister as I graduate in December of this year and as my sister is finishing her first year at his favorite college, University of Georgia. He has inspired me so much, especially as I have been working towards a degree in the medical field. I love you Little Papa.
This week has been interesting to say the least. It has been a heartbreaking one here in Alabama. It all started with a tornado warning on Wednesday morning. I know that many of us here in Alabama don't always take the sirens seriously because they go off ALL THE TIME. I was getting ready for clinical when reports of 100mph winds came on the news. I was prepared to get in the closet, but then it quickly passed. There was not any damage here in Highland Park, but there was damage not too far from here. Clinical was cancelled and I headed back to bed. Later in the afternoon I turned on the news and the weather was beginning to get bad again. First I watched a tornado form over Cullman on TV and then less than an hour later I watch the huge tornado form over Tuscaloosa in complete fear. It was just ripping apart downtown Tuscaloosa and there was nothing that anyone could do to stop it. Nature is crazy. I then watched as the storm headed toward Birmingham. I grabbed a few things and the weather radio and headed toward the back wall of my basement apartment. All I heard on the new was "Take cover Samford University and Red Mountain." I did not know what to expect, but I knew it was going to be bad. All of a sudden the storm headed more north and the only evidence of the storm here was insulation and debris falling from the sky. As I watched the St.Vincent's sky cam I cringed in fear for the neighborhoods it was ripping apart, but was thankful that it had not come my direction. Over the last couple days horrendous pictures and huge numbers of fatalities began to come out. Hearts became more heavy, and people began to come together.
Today I headed down to Tuscaloosa with some of my fellow Samford Nursing Students. We went to the Belk Activity Center. There were people EVERYWHERE. They told us that they were just going to have to send the supplies out and that they had more than enough volunteers at the moment, so they asked us to go to the Leland Shopping center. We headed over there, driving through streets that were totally destroyed and passing through national guard check points. People were walking the streets, passing out food and water, cleaning up trees, gathering personal belongings, and some just sitting there in complete shock. We made it to the first aid area at Leland and began to organize things and triage the people that were there. Then we realized that many of the people were still at there homes, not at the center. So we headed out on foot. Many people just wanted cold water or sunscreen. Others needed their blood pressure meds or insulin. And others were simply happy to see people offering aid. As I walked up and down the streets with nurses from all over I saw things I had never dreamed of seeing. I mean you can watch TV all you want and see all the pictures, but nothing even begins to show what it is like to see it in real life. Cars upside down and in houses, trees everywhere, houses demolished, powerlines everywhere, places where the house is missing and only front steps remain. There were some houses where only the closet where the people hid remained, and other houses I am not even sure how the people survived. The national guard was surveying the area and watching for any looters that may be present. Everyone seemed to greatly appreciate the help and they were saying "God Bless Ya'll." Some even had a smile on their face. I can't even imagine. I just wanted to help everyone. Later in the afternoon a few of us hopped on the back of a truck and headed out with supplies. We took baby food, diapers, water, food, and medical supplies out into the community of Alberta City. It was surreal. It felt like a dream and I really wanted to just wake up, but it was real life. Street after street, I reached a point of disorientation and didn't really know where I had started or where I was going as we passed out the supplies. Everything began to look the same... demolished. Thanks to all of the people who volunteer and thanks to all of the national guard and fire and rescue and police who are giving their all to helping with this disaster. After what I saw today I feel greatly blessed, and realize that this disaster will take months to recover from. I keep reminding myself that there is a plan for everything. God is in control and he is a sovereign God. Please continue to pray for the southeast and all of the victims of this storm. I don't think I will ever forget what I saw today. I have posted some pictures on the previous post. Here is a video as well. Sorry for the noise. We were on the back of a truck.
"How He Loves Us"
He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree, Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy. When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me. And oh, how He loves us oh Oh how He loves us, How He loves us all He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree, Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy. When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me. And oh, how He loves us oh, Oh how He loves us, How He loves us all He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves. And we are His portion and He is our prize, Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes, If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking. And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss, And my heart turns violently inside of my chest, I don't have time to maintain these regrets, When I think about, the way… That He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves. Yeah, He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves. Yeah, He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves us, Oh how He loves.
