Tim and I were able to share our birthdays and it was just like my childhood. My brother Brian's birthday is June 26th and we used to share parties as kids. Now I get to share them with my team leader - Tim, as his is the 26th. So on Friday night we had a party at his house.
We were so exited about our huge candles.
Avalien and Lydia were of course delighted to wear party hats!
Moses and Avalien made me a very special poster.
I have a feeling I laughed that night. (O, I just learned that one of my neighbours recently found out that I have a loud laugh - they couldn't figure out where the hyenas were at night and they were a little scared. :) )
And then on Saturday morning I was blessed with breakfast in bed... an old family tradition.
Sarah, Josiah and Amos
and Stephanie joined me for crepes and sausages.
Then at 7:30 am, on my birthday, Lawrence, Tim, and I headed back to the village to collect more bodies. We just shook our heads at how long it has taken for child soldiers, innocent victims, LRA rebels, and others to receive a proper burial.
Tim has been documenting all of the work being done in the village. On this day I actually took a corpse out of the ground with my bare hands as one farming family watched. They were too superstitious to touch the body, but they really felt that it was disturbing their garden. It was an LRA soldier in full uniform and I had the honour of placing him in white cloth.
Here is Lawrence carrying a body back to the van. We were singing together the song "You did not wait for me, to draw near to You, but You clothed Yourself in frail humanity..." and it made me think about how precious life is, how no one knows the time they will die, and yet, Christ gave His life so that I can KNOW for certain I will spend eternity with HIM!!
And then here is Lawrence at the end of the day, joining our whole mission team for a picnic on a rock. Yep, at 4pm 11 of us cramped into the Sliedrecht mobile and went hiking up a rock before going back to my house for a campfire in the pouring rain. We ended up eating hotdogs indoors by candlelight because the power went out.
Here are Sarah and Rachel coming down the rock. And at the end of the day I just thanked the Lord for His goodness. His beauty surrounds me here in Africa and today I really felt loved.
We were so exited about our huge candles.
Avalien and Lydia were of course delighted to wear party hats!
Moses and Avalien made me a very special poster.
I have a feeling I laughed that night. (O, I just learned that one of my neighbours recently found out that I have a loud laugh - they couldn't figure out where the hyenas were at night and they were a little scared. :) )
And then on Saturday morning I was blessed with breakfast in bed... an old family tradition.
Sarah, Josiah and Amos
and Stephanie joined me for crepes and sausages.
Then at 7:30 am, on my birthday, Lawrence, Tim, and I headed back to the village to collect more bodies. We just shook our heads at how long it has taken for child soldiers, innocent victims, LRA rebels, and others to receive a proper burial.
Tim has been documenting all of the work being done in the village. On this day I actually took a corpse out of the ground with my bare hands as one farming family watched. They were too superstitious to touch the body, but they really felt that it was disturbing their garden. It was an LRA soldier in full uniform and I had the honour of placing him in white cloth.
Here is Lawrence carrying a body back to the van. We were singing together the song "You did not wait for me, to draw near to You, but You clothed Yourself in frail humanity..." and it made me think about how precious life is, how no one knows the time they will die, and yet, Christ gave His life so that I can KNOW for certain I will spend eternity with HIM!!
And then here is Lawrence at the end of the day, joining our whole mission team for a picnic on a rock. Yep, at 4pm 11 of us cramped into the Sliedrecht mobile and went hiking up a rock before going back to my house for a campfire in the pouring rain. We ended up eating hotdogs indoors by candlelight because the power went out.
Here are Sarah and Rachel coming down the rock. And at the end of the day I just thanked the Lord for His goodness. His beauty surrounds me here in Africa and today I really felt loved. 
somehow it is not surprising that your neighbours thought there were hyenas around. hopefully they weren't huddled in their beds all this time, afraid of them. at least now they know it is just karen!!
ReplyDeletealida
I didn't realize how beautiful it is around the area where you are working! What amazing scenery! I'm wondering what it must feel like for you to so quickly shift from experiencing such joyful moments- seeing the beautiful scenery of Africa around you and celebrating your birthday (Happy Birthday, Ate Karen!)-to experiencing such sombering moments (burying more bodies). We'll be in prayer for you as you go through all these life-changing experiences, Ate Karen. The Admiraals send a great big hug...
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