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hopiejo
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Name: Hope
Gender: Female
Interests: missionary to africa. ex-elementary music teacher. displaced texan. devoted christian. avid runner. i love traveling.
Expertise: i'm still in my twenties. i'm not an expert at anything yet. give me another decade or two.
Occupation: Education/training
Industry: Education/Research
Message: message me
Member Since:
10/23/2004
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| one week to goSam and I leave for America one week from tomorrow night. I can't believe it. After 9 months of being gone from my home land, I can't begin to imagine what it will feel like to return. Tomorrow the first of our visitors arrive. Our friend Rodrigo Rivas will be staying with us until Dave leaves for America in March. He used to be a missionary here, but he and his wife went home to El Salvador to try and have a baby (and it worked). They're going to come back to Niger with their daughter who will be one month younger than our daughter.
For those of you who haven't been checking our other blog, we're having a girl. Her name is Greta Helen.
Sam is on a walk with Amina right now. He loves to go with her to look for goats, sheep, donkeys, and camels. If they see a camel, it's been a really good walk. He's really going to miss his walks with Amina. The lake near my mom's house just won't be as fun. Of course it has ducks, geese, and other water birds, but no camels. I think we're going to have to take him to the DC zoo at some point.
So, that's my life right now. On Sunday 17 people from CA and VA arrive. It will be a lot of fun to see some friends and make some new ones. Sam and I will stay home from some of the activities, but we will eat all our meals with the team. I've been trying to pack and get ready as much as possible, but I don't want to put the toys and clothes away quite yet.
I've spent some time today trying to catch up on all of your lives. Stories of cuddling up in warm houses, camping in 25 degree weather and skiing. WOW. I really hope I get to see some snow before it starts to be warm.
I was going to try and post a picture of Sam, but our computer is not cooperating. So, I promise to post when I make it back to America where the internet is so speedy quick and downloading isn't as much of a hassle. Until then, keep us in your prayers. Sam and I will travel with the team, but it's still 5 hours to France, four hours in the airport there, then 7.5 hours to DC, customs, a 2 hour drive to the church, and then 45 minutes to my moms. I've requested Benadryl to knock Sam out if needed. Hopefully I won't be tempted to take any myself. Not too good for the bowling ball on my belly. That's what I've been calling her at night when I'm trying to sleep.
Love you guys! See you on the other side (of the world).
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| Some children see him lily white, the baby Jesus born this night. Some children see him lily white with tresses soft and fair. Some children see him bronzed and brown, the Lord of heaven to Earth come down. Some children see him bronzed and brown with dark and heavy hair. Some children see him almond-eyed, the savior whom we kneel beside. Some children see him almond-eyed with skin of golden hue. Some children see him dark as they, sweet Mary's son to whom we pray. Some children see him dark as they, and oh they love him too. The children in each different place will see the baby Jesus' face like theirs, but bright with heavy grace and filled with holy light. Oh lay aside each Earthly thing and with thy heart as offering come worship now the infant king. Tis love that's born tonight. | | |
| Betty Crocker meets Ma IngallsI expected to learn a lot as a Missionary. I thought I would learn a lot about ways to evangalize and how to relate to a different culture. I am for sure learning those things, but I am by far learning way more about being a wife and a mother. Many days I feel like a pioneer woman.
Dave is thrilled at my new skills in the kitchen. Guided by the friends I am making at the weekly preschool play group that Sam and I go to, I have learned how to make home made tortillas. I have even emailed an old friend from VA to get her recipe for salsa and fried my tortillas up into chips. In the last week I have baked at least 4 dozen Christmas cookies. Last night, I did something so amazing. I can't stop congratulating myself.
My midwife has been encouraging me to eat more yogurt. The problem is the European stuff that 's imported here is very expensive, and the Nigerien kind can't really be trusted to not make you sick. Yesterday at play group the ladies gave me the low down on how to make my own yogurt.
I mixed a cup of dry milk powder, a cup of cold water, a cup of almost boiling water, and one thing of store bought natural yogurt. I left it in a cooler stuffed with bath towels over night and this morning, voila. I am the yogurt queen. On it's own it tastes, well, like plain yogurt (yuck!), but with a little vanilla and some sugar.... WOW! I also tried it mixed with raspberry jelly. It gave Dannon a run for it's money. I think I would continue to make my own yogurt in the states. It's easy, it's cheap, and it's going to help me to stay healthy on the inside! It really is all about the simple things in life.
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| santa strikes out Dear Friends and Family,
I would like an explanation as to why Americans are so in love with
Santa. I met him last Saturday at the American Recreation Center, and
he didn’t make a huge impression. He was supposed to ride in on a
camel, but rumor has it he fell off. I’m wondering how he makes it down
all those chimneys with such poor athletic ability. I thought the camel
was way more interesting than the man in the red suit. I would have
preferred to sit on the camel’s lap. Santa just seemed to me like a man
who couldn’t be trusted. Here are some pictures with the evidence to
prove my theory. Love, Samuel
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| happy triptophan coma after the turkey dayhere are some pictures of our feast.
Hope you are all having an excellent holiday weekend!
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