Student Missionaries Connected - Project Updates

African Adventures #6

databases@fiforms.org (Daniel McFeeters) — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Greetings once again from Africa. I want to thank you all for your continued support and prayers for me and for the mission team here in Namibia. Here's a little update from the dusty little town of Opuwo...
Dust. I tell you, here in Opuwo, that word takes on a whole new meaning. For five months there has been no rain. The passing cars churn the dirt roads into clouds of choking dust. For us foreigners who aren't used to the dust, it can become a real trial. For months, I have had a cough whenever I talk for a long time or even take a deep breath. Anything that sits collects dust--not in a matter of weeks but in a matter of days or even hours! The other day I was at the home of Charlie Eklund, one of the career missionaries here. Suddenly I heard a friend calling: "Come quickly! Quickly! Look over there!"
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African Adventures #5

databases@fiforms.org (Daniel McFeeters) — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Cleaning. Cooking. Doing dishes. Commuting to work. Checking e-mail. Running errands. Entertaining guests. Fixing things around the house. Do these tasks sound familiar to anyone? What does this have to do with being a missionary? Aren't missionaries those people who take a Bible and picture roll out to the jungle villages and preach to the natives? Aren't missionaries supposed to have clinics and schools and hold meetings and baptize lots of people? Yes--missionaries do do these things. But they also do other things. Like sweeping the floor, and cooking, and shopping, and just spending time making friends. In fact--most of the day-to-day life of a missionary isn't spent baptizing people or preaching, but in doing the day-to-day tasks that anyone else does, whether in America or in any other part of the world.
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The Power of God!

missionary7@bluemountaindesign.com (Jeremy Gable) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 22:37:00 -0400

When I wrote last week, I actually had more to say about the people here, but while I was writing, I received a call over the radio that I was needed at the clinic as soon as possible because much prayer was needed. Thinking that there was a deathly sick patient there, I hurriedly finished the thought I was typing at the time, shut down the computer, and then hiked the quarter mile back to the clinic as fast as I could in my malarial weakened state. When I got there, I saw a large group of people crowded around the corner of my porch (which is attached to the clinic). I walked up to our clinic nurse, Wendy, and asked her what was going on. She looked tense and said they weren't sure, but it seemed like some kind of satanic harrassment, and tha everyone was gathered around her to pray for her.
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People of Palawan

missionary7@bluemountaindesign.com (Jeremy Gable) — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 00:12:00 -0400

The people and culture here are very different from what we know in America. For the most part, everything opperates at a very slow pace compared to what we're used to. In general, the locals aren't in a big rush to get things done. For that matter, they don't have alot of things that need to be done. Most of their days consist of working in their fieldscleared from the jungle on the side of a mountain slope so steep that if you slip and fall, there's a very good chance that you'll keep rolling until you roll right off the end of the field (or in some cases, right off the mountain)or gathering food. Aside from that, some people make various types of crafts which they sell along with any excess food they might have.
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Songkran

ma_jc4ever@hotmail.com (Mishala Abrams) — Fri, 26 May 2006 16:43:09 -0400

I was so excited! I mean i was jazzed! I was jumping-up-and-down excited!
why? because it was april 12, and the next day would be the first offical
day of Songkran! what? don't tell me you don't know what Songkran is! You
poor deprived people! Songkran is the annual three day thai waterfight!
For three days in the middle of april, everything in thailand closes down,
and people spend all day throwing water at eachother! I'm not making this
up!
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African Adventures #4

databases@fiforms.org (Daniel McFeeters) — Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 -0400

When was the last time you spent a week in a village on a tiny island in
the middle of endless water, grasses, and water lilies? Paddled a dugout
canoe to church? Gave a sermon in a church with dung walls and a dirt floor?
Slept in a thatched-roof home? Or took a bath in a river infested with
crocodiles? When was the last time you stood on the edge of a 300 foot cliff,
and watched one of the major rivers of the world pour into the canyon at your
feet? When was the last time you saw a rainbow so close you could actually
touch it? Or climbed a sand dune? Or walked on the moon? How many of you have ever thought of becoming a missionary? I tell
you--you can't beat the job description. Well--on most counts that is. I miss
all you folks terribly, but I tell you--life here is great! The past few
weeks, as usual, have been filled with adventure. Actually--I've had more
adventure recently than I think I've had in most of my life. I really feel
guilty keeping all this fun to myself so I figured it was time to write you
all an e-mail and share some of the adventures.

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You will not surely die...

missionary7@bluemountaindesign.com (Jeremy Gable) — Sat, 06 May 2006 23:17:00 -0400

Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die."

This was the first lie every told on earth, and yet it still holds countless people deceived. On Friday, May 5th, Danny, Napthali, and I went to a village called Lep-lep [Lupp-lupp] about 1 hour hike from here. There's a man who lives there who fell from the top of a coconut tree years ago and was severely wounded.
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Unsuspecting Victims

ma_jc4ever@hotmail.com (Mishala Abrams) — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0400

It was that time again... time to make my monthly trip to Mae Sai to renew my visa. *sigh* I wasn't looking forward to it. All day on a bus... no fun at all, especially by myself. Movies shown it thai, annoying thai music, and no one to talk to.
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Retreat!

ma_jc4ever@hotmail.com (Mishala Abrams) — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0400

"RETREAT!" was the comand given to all the Asia AFM missionaries last week. As any good soldier of the cross, they all needed some time to pull back from the battle front and recoup, regroup, refocus, and reorganize for their next crushing blow to the enemy. Ya lost? Ok, let me explain in a little more detail.
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African Adventures #3

databases@fiforms.org (Daniel McFeeters) — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 10:31:00 -0500

So what is it like, being a student missionary in a strange country, half-way around the world from home? Well, to tell the truth, not that much different from being at home. We have times of laughter and times of sadness, joys and trials just as anyone anywhere in the world. But sometimes, these come with just a little twist...
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10 day trip

ma_jc4ever@hotmail.com (Mishala Abrams) — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Dirt, heat, chickens, dirt, rice, heat, bugs, and did I mention dirt and heat? But the ten days I spent in the village of Hoi Fai were not all dirt and heat. It was also fun, bonding, and a great time! ok, let me back up and tell you the whole story.
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Spring is in the air?

yooper_chick@hotmail.com (Kiana Binford) — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 22:31:00 -0500

From Kiana

Now that the rainy season is over it feels somewhat like spring around here. 
  There is the sound of lawns being mowed (Pastor has a lawnmower that makes 
its rounds), kids laughing as they do various chores, and those cute little 
pinwheel things that are put up on the hills to catch the wind (they make a 
humming noise kinda).

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African Adventures #2

databases@fiforms.org (Daniel McFeeters) — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:08:00 -0500

Dear Friends,

What an adventure that past weeks have been! The fun of cooking ovizema
(cornmeal porrage) over an open fire, and eating it hot with omavara (goat's
milk) in the shade of a spreading tree, while watching the butterflies float
in the warm breeze and listening to the songs of tropical birds and the
chatter of happy children. The hard life of missionaries, for sure...
Actually there's no better way to find out how the Himba people speak and
live than just living with them, so that's what I've been doing for the past
few weeks. As I mentioned in my previous e-mail, I spent two weeks studying
language and culture at the mobile school at Okuhozu about 30 kilometers
north of Opuwo. I even ended up substitute teaching in one of the classrooms
for three days!
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When Tragedy Strikes

missionary7@bluemountaindesign.com (Jeremy Gable) — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0500

From Jeremy

It was Sabbath morning, finally! The week had been long and discouraging for me, but it was finally over and Sabbath was here! I got washed up and put on my besta pair of knee-length shorts and a clean t-shirtand headed for church Saturday morning. After prayer meeting and songservice, Rinal told the children's storythough I couldn't understand enough of it to know what it was aboutwhile one of the local boys sat in my lap. Next, Seblitu gave the sermon. This time I was able to determine that it was about Samson, but not much more. Finally, Pastor (Kent George) got up to speak. I was able to understand most of what he said, and furiously wrote down the words I lacked. After the sermons were over, we sang the closing song and had closing prayer. The church members then split up for Sabbath schoolsthe women going to theirs, the men to theirs, and the children to theirs. This week the study was on Revelation, so after every few verses were read, Pastor would get up to speak concerning the content thereof. About half-way through, Danny's (another SM) radio came on, "Lima Golf, Lima Golf, do you copy Whiskey Golf, Lima Golf." It was our nurse, Wendy, calling for Mrs. George.

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News from Thailand

ma_jc4ever@hotmail.com (Mishala Abrams) — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 17:29:00 -0500

Hey everyone! I know I haven't written in ages. Sorry... (I always start off that way don't I?? hmmmm....) Anyway, I just wanted to give you all an update on what's been going on here in Thailand.
Last month, my Uncle Bob flew out from Oregon to come visit me for a while. After a week or so of hanging around Chiang Mai, we headed south to Bangkok, and Khao Yai National Park for a much needed break (for me at least!) We spent a week camping in the park and enjoying seeing lots of animals in the wild. We saw lots of sambar deer, barking deer, and pig tailed maquacs (monkeys). Also saw wild elephants, civits, guar, porcipine, jackel, and other animals I'm sure I forgot to list.
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