Lundi (Monday)

Hi all.

So I decided that I get enough questions like, "so...what do you do throught the week?" that I'm going to show you exactly what I do in a week. So I'm taking lots of pictures this week and then I'll update you on each day about what I do. My normal schedule is a little different this week. But it will be different for a while, because the Thelander's are all leaving for a few weeks (so sad). Now without further ado, here's my monday.


I got up a little late and was moving kinda slow this morning (I haven't been feeling so well lately) So I didn't do paacs stuff this morning as is my usual. Nor did I take a picture this morning of anything.

I went to the thelander's for lunch. Joanna called because they had made lentil stew, and I am associated with lentils. Works for me. I like Lentils. So we had stew they made because they learned about Jacob and Esau and how he sold his birthright for stew and bread. We also had salmon patties though. And I told them how I add raisins to my lentil stew, so we added some to ours and that turned out to be a hit. I didn't get a picture of this because I forgot I was documenting my day.

Then the kids and I went up to the school. We brought up some games and a snack and hunkered down in the office (it's air conditioned...yay! Although, today was a chilly day really. Very cloudy.)

We played letter bingo. I taught them how to play with two boards so now they're all ready for the nursing homes in another 60-70 years. They'll be pros.

Then we played this game called "Peanut butter and Jelly" The goal is to make sandwiches with your cards. The game instructions actually don't clarify exactly how certain situations are supposed to go. But was had a good time. I have a really neat video of playing, but I'm not sure I can get it to load on here. I'll try though. So, it loaded, hopefully it won't take forever to play. It's not that exciting, just our discussion while we play. I think it's cute though. You can see for yourself how excited they get about their cards :-p


The kids were really excited about taking pictures. So I let them take a few. Or a lot, really. They like the camera. I taught them to always put the little strap on their wrist first so that my camera hopefully won't ever go crashing to the floor.

We took some goofy pictures. If they're all slanty, that's because Luke and Sarah think it's cooler to take photos at an angle. Oh well. At least I can tell which ones are theirs!

We had a snack outside. And figured out that it's hard to get everyone in the picture when I'm taking it. We got some, but this one was better, even though 2/3 of my head isn't in it.


After snack we went to the library. Luke took a picture of the exciting act of unlocking the library door.


Then we entered and had more fun taking pictures of looking at books than actually chosing some to read. Which is rare. Normally we leave with about 500 books. But we had some good ones. We read a Frog and Toad story. Those are some of my favorites.




Then it was back to finishing our sandwich game.

A funny moment during this game was when Sarah said she couldn't say the word "ant." This is a game of hers "I can't say that word!" me: "what word?" "that word you said." And I try and get her to accidentally say the word that she said she can't say. So I asked her my name.
Sarah:"Aunt Jessica"
me: "Ha! You can say Ant/aunt!"
They seemed to have never noticed that the two words sound the exact same, and they were amazed. It was really funny.


After the game and reading we made a spider man puzzle Luke brought up. It was a little complicated for them, but they did a good job with only a little help. It looked pretty cool. Luke wanted to make sure his mom saw it, so we took a picture. Here it is in all it's web-slinging glory:



We walked home after cleaning up and I got an extra french lesson from Joanna while we sat around admiring their new coffee table (from the Thompsons). I learned how to say a car doesn't work: La voiture est en panne. And "step by step": pas a pas. It was good. I'm learning lots I think.

Since then, I came back, ate dinner, worked on paacs (I'm gathering data for a 6 month report that needs finished by January 15. And then I worked on this post. Now it's off for a little reading and bedtime!

--Jessica

A Very Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Life has been fantastic here. For Christmas morning I got up a little late...I was up too late finishing presents for Luke and Sarah the night before, and I set my alarm and forgot to turn it on. Oh well. I was still up in plenty of time to go over to the Thelander's for breakfast (I brought cinnamon rolls and they made eggs and BACON!). Then we all opened presents (they had opened some before I came. Everyone was super generous and gave me presents too. I got some food that I'm really excited about and note cards and a nifty bamboo vase and a planner (I must look unorganized. ) It was fun to get to open presents on Christmas, I didn't expect that.

Nor did I expect to get a birthday present from my fabulous family, who sent me a cute little computer for my brithday. It even has an adorable pink case. And now I have a place to keep my pictures and things again. Also, my old computer is back among the living. Well, sorta. It just needs a new cord (which, if anyone has an old powerbook cord --kind with the plug, not the magnet--that's 65 watts, and you don't need it anymore, let me know.) So, that was pretty amazing. The only thing that could have made Christmas any better would have been to have my family out here too.
After presents we headed up to the Thompsons. Everyone got together there for a carry-in lunch and games and then dinner. It was a blast. First, Becki's house looked like a winter wonderland, and it was great how it felt like Christmas despite the hot weather!
After lunch and a few games of mexican golf and then mexican train (I don't know why we only play games with mexican in the name, I think we need settlers of Mexico instead of catan, since it's really out of the loop) everyone started taking pictures of everyone. For the above photo Joanna started jumping arond shaking bells and making crazy noises. It got the kids lauging (and Rebecca looking) for some good pictures. That turned into a Christmas sing-a-long. which turned into a dance-around-the-table-singing-and hamming-it-it-up-a-long. It was pretty fabulous. And just when I thought I had been transported back to college, we all started linedancing. It wasn't quite highschool musical. Since no one here is in highschool...and we didn't sing while dancing, and the dancing was a little chaotic. But, Meladee was a line dance teacher and so we learned to line dance to such christmas classics as "Grandma was run over by a reindeer"

By the end of the time I was exhausted, and everyone was sweaty (except for the few who decided to pretend that this christmas chaos was not happening and just play cards).

Then I came back and skyped my family. My new computer has a little webcam, and I saw my family for the first time since August. It was amazing. I was so happy. :-)


So, I'm happy to report that even though Christmas away from family is hard, if you just adopt new families, it can still be fabulous. I'm so thankful for how God has given me everything and more that I need, and really could even want since coming here. I have great friends, I get to help out with important work, and I'm having a great time.

Also--I had a tarantula the other night. I really have to post a picture of him. Now, I know I'm a little off the deep-end when I find myself armed with a shoe and a camera to dispatch the intruder. So I snapped some pictures and then killed him. It sorta bothered me though. So I dreamed about him all night. And got up at 4:30 to stop the dreams. Bleh. I really, really, seriously dislike spiders with an intensity that cannot be described. But I'm getting more used to them, the dislike is still there, but the fear is ever less and less. Which is good. Because, They're all over.



Now to cleanse your retina, here's a pretty picture. It's a butterfly. After going to the river today I came back and found a butterfly on the bush by my door. And he posed for some pictures.
Cute isn't he? (or she, as Sarah would point out).



Alrighty, well that's it from chez moi today. Feel free to email or message anytime!

Jessica

Update!

Bonjour!

Although here it night, but, oh well.

I haven't posted in a while, it feels like a year, but basically, it's been busy. I know, lame excuse, but it's been busy and nothing that has hit my blogging fancy occurred during the business.

But, because I want you to know I'm still alive and still doing stuff, I'm going to just catch you up on some of the happenings here.

Kellys

First--Tim and Amanda Kelly came to visit. They are going to be the STMO (Short Term Mission Office) people for Bongolo. Which means the work groups and teams that come in will be taken care of by the Kellys. It seems like it will help out here a lot, since right now these teams get all their help from people that already have other jobs (like Surgeon, nurse, mom, doctor, etc.).They came for a whirlwind visit to see their future home and meet the people and have an idea of what they're about to jump into. They have 3 kids between 7-13, but they weren't on this visit. It was really neat to meet them. They are coming in March, so please be praying for them! The kids will have some adjusting to do (the switch from US to Jungle is kinda big, but they are excited, so that's good). They also need their house to sell. So Just be praying for God's peace and wisdom for them as they are trying to move forward, raise money and say good-bye to family, friends, and the familiar to come serve God by helping out here in Gabon!


Itinerary

Tim and Meredith Brokopp drove the Kellys down to Bongolo and helped them out with planning and such while down here since they are the STMO people in Libreville. This meant I got a chance to chat with them about how things are going down here (great) and what I'll be doing the rest of my time. I came down here for a month or two with plans to rediscuss. I think this was incase it didn't work so well then I could go back to Libreville. But I really love my jobs down here and I'm enjoying it a lot. So we decided I should stay down here, so it looks like I'll be down here most of the rest of my time in Gabon. I'm excited about this, because I really love (almost) everything about being here (and the things I don't love I can definitely deal with. And what would the jungle be without various nasty, creepy, crawling things?) Oh! And, Lisa Nicky (She's the nurse whose house I'm living in) is going to let me continue living here with her when she gets back in January. So that's really very exciting! (It is always good to not be homeless--of course, I don't think that was really going to be the case)


Computer

My Computer died. Or a part of it, I think (and hope and pray) that the memory and all that is fine, but it can't charge. So, maybe pray that it starts working again or Keir can fix it or maybe that my old one gets pregnant and has a new one. Something. Till then, I really can't complain because I have a borrowed laptop. It's not quite as fantastic as my old mac, and I am re-learning windows, but it does what I need it too(most of the time).


Davises

Paul and Meladee Davis just moved here from Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Paul will be the new matinance guy, and from what I've heard, we need him. So, since there are a lot of stuff that need fixed, please pray that Paul has wisdom and insight into the problems and that he can fix them. Also please pray for the transition. They just left their family and friends back in the US right before Christmas! I think they could probably use some prayers for extra joy, new good friends, and lots of endurance to help them through this move. But I know everyone here is so glad that they have decided to follow God's call out here to serve in this very important job of keeping the hospital and station working!


Blessings all around

So, it's not quite Christmas yet, but I'll get sappy for you all now anyway. Christmas time is when God gave us Christ and a key part of his gift of salvation, so now we celebrate Christmas with gifts to remember all that God has given us. I have been amazed by how many early-Christmas presents God has been giving me this season already. He's been giving me patience and hope and faith that I never thought I'd have. The easiset example for me to throw out is with the computer. It's broken, and when it broke, I didn't melt down or freak out or cry like the other two times this has happened. Instead I was able to take it in stride, and then almost right away I had another computer to use. I am so happy to be able to look back at the beginning of my trip here and remember who I was, and to see now all that I have learned. It's incredible. Still, it's going to be hard to be here the next few weeks and not home like I'm used to. I've never been away from my family for my birthday or Christmas, so I'd appreciate your prayers. But, even though I imagine that will be rough, God has really blessed me with great friends here, so even though I won't be with my blood family at home I will be celebrating with my family in Christ here in Bongolo. It's enough for me. My life right now constantly makes me remember God's statement to Paul "My Grace is sufficient for you." And wow is it ever! He really watches out for us, and I keep finding myself noticing something that I maybe don't like and then realising How it really isn't so bad because of what God has provided (even if it's not quite how I would fix the problem) and say to myself: I really can't complain. Because he's already given me everything I need and more.



(Also, I finally won Setlers of Catan tonight, and that was pretty nifty, although I still like losing more. But Joanna thought I should put this on here :-D)