Ready? Set? .... Wait

Dear Lord,
Help us to do our very best this day
and be content with today's troubles
so that we shall not borrow the troubles of tomorrow.
Save us from the sin of worrying,
lest stomach ulcers be the badge of our lack of faith.
Amen.
[Peter Marshall]

There is nothing like having a long (relatively) time to get ready for something big and then having to sit back and wait for it to happen. Maybe it's like a wedding except without all the last minute details? So not really like a wedding at all.

I got a phone call last week asking me to step into the role of Interim CEO of Malamulo Hospital (where I will be living) while the current CEO is going through some medical treatments. He has been away since May. I immediately balked at the idea. However I realized they were serious and I determined to be willing to help where needed. I asked how long this might be and they were unsure. [I just heard tonight it might only be through the end of August.] With this request the financial part of my responsibilty will be put on the "back burner".

I haven't written about it here yet because I've been trying to process what all of this means in my mind. The way it is turning out when I arrive in Malawi, Cristy - the Chief Medical Officer - will be gone to the states, Dr Hart - president of AHI & LLU - will have left the day before I arrive, there will be a group of 5 engineers from Engineers Without Borders there analyzing the water situation, and a new surgeon arriving from India that same week. There are other leaders on campus who will be there but no other administrators. So if you are wondering - I feel overwhelmed. Of course all of this is short term and it won't take me too long to get settled, but it does seem like I will be quite alone.

In some ways I'm ready to go or feel like I should get busy but there is nothing I can do until I arrive... that brings me back to the prayer at the top - I need to remember not to borrow the worries from tomorrow. I know that there are plenty of people supporting me in my endeavor and they (AHI) wouldn't have asked me to take this role if they weren't willing and able to help. As Don told me "we are all in this together". I still have a funny feeling in my stomach...

That brings me to today (because that is all I can worry about, right?). I have dubbed myself "super auntie" as I am watching all three of my nephews (6, 4, & 1) for two nights while my brother & SIL get away to the beach. Tonight is the last night and the boys are all tucked away in their beds. We have made it so far with only a scraped finger, a stubborn nap time, a near choking on a fish cracker, lots of stories and lots of food. (It's hard to believe my 6 & 4 yo nephews already eat more than I do!!) Being a parent is hard work and I gladly hand you all gold medals to those of you who have that responsibility - especially if you are single! I don't know how you manage!!

Thank you to those of you who helped with the LCD projector(s). I actually was able to get two to take with me - one for Malamulo and one for the hospital in Lilongwe. I also recieved my new laptop (DELL Latitude D830) last week which is a blessing as well. Tomorrow is my last Hepititas B series shot and some other final errands that need done. I guess it is officially 3 weeks from tomorrow that I leave...

If nothing else I ask for your prayers... patience, courage, strength, wisdom, and more patience...

Butte Creek Falls

Today we took an adventure to Butte Creek Falls nearby. (Yes this is Oregon - and it's a short drive from where I'm living! Don't you wish you were here?) Here are a few photos....









Nicole & I trying to avoid getting hit by rocks being thrown into the water by the boys.










My brother Randy & I with all three boys!!



"Big Daddy"




Happy Family!!!!











Ryan - the Sour Grass muncher








We even got high enough to find snow at Rhody Lake (8 ft in some places)!! I wasn't dressed for it. :)

One Month and Counting

It's official - I have a departure date - July 21, 2008. I can't say I have the tickets "in hand" because they are electronic, but I have my itinerary. I'll be flying from Portland, OR to Washington DC on United. From there I switch to South African Airlines and fly from DC to Johannesburg which is a 17.5 hour flight!!! Fortunately we stop in Dakar, Senegal for fueling but I'm not sure if we get off (it's the same flight #). I have an 18 hour lay over in Johannesburg before flying the 2.5 hours to Blantyre, Malawi. So I'll arrive on July 23 - finally!! So probably about 24 hours of actual flying plus the layovers -- I'm tired just thinking about it!

I've also made other progress towards being ready - as I mentioned in my latest email we needed an LCD projector (or two) for the hospitals to use for lectures and training presentations. Well by God's grace he has provided two for me to take with me. One was almost new Optima donated by Youth Outreach Unlimited (a foundation run by Bucky Weeks and Tom & Sue Murrell) along with the funds to buy a new bulb. The other is a new one from Dell (2400 lumens) with the money donated to buy it by Don Pursely, chairman of the AHI-Malawi board. Praise God!! and a big THANK YOU for your generosity. I was also able to order my laptop and accessories which should be arriving next week as well! It's been exciting to get these technical things done and be a little bit more ready to go.

On Father's Day I went up to my parents place to stay for a couple of days. My mom and I took advantage of the time and went shopping on Monday and hit up "thrift store row" in Longview. I've been on the hunt for long skirts to wear in Malawi (since they don't approve of pants or shorts) so that was the purpose. I was successful in finding 2 that would work. We also did some shopping for supplies like toothbrushes, deoderant, snacks, books, insect repellant, & other miscellaneous stuff. I think I'm ALMOST ready. We also made a trek to Wal-Mart and found some black plastic trunks that will work really well for packing my stuff. I am taking 4 pieces of luggage plus two carryons so I got three trunks and will take a suitcase or duffel as well.

It was nice to hang out at home especially since I caught some sort of cold. It's always better to be with Mom when you don't feel good. :) We helped my dad with a shed he is building and painted the boards that go on the front and back of the building. It was nice - although we got green paint everywhere!

Wednesday morning all the boys, Randy, Nicole, & Nicole's sister Naomi and I all loaded up and went stawberry picking!! Within an hour we thought we had plenty (Nicole just wanted a few for freezing and some to eat fresh). Well we got back to weigh them and ended up with 73 pounds!!! That turned out to be A LOT!!!! So we spent the day making 3 strawberry pies, 9 pints of freezer jam, 24 quarts of frozen berries, and this morning Nicole made a batch of canned jam (7 pints)!!! Whew! They sure are good though! Of course we had stawberry shortcake too!!

What a blessing to just BE here with my family!! I don't even have the time or room to tell you all of the little special things that we have done together. Each day is some new adventure and with a 1, 4, & 6 yo almost everything is exciting. Also I value the time to spend with my brother and sister-in-law and my parents. This gift of TIME is so important to me and I'm so thankful for their support and encouragement. AND most of all that they are willing to put up with me for so long! :) I'm looking forward to seeing my cousins and aunts and uncles around the 4th of July when they come over for a bbq.

Well - speaking of nephews - the older two are outside playing so I probably should check on them and get something ready for them to eat (Daddy & Mommy are running some errands in town - a much deserved break).

I'll try and post some pictures soon... Oh and for those of you who have asked about calling to chat - my cell # is still the same as Chicago and now I'm in the Pacific Time Zone.

The Rest of the Story

Some people I haven't been able to talk with personally or even much via email so I wanted to let you all know the "rest of the story". I have written a blog already explaining a little bit of how all of this moving to Malawi got started so I'm going to cheat and just copy it into this blog... the original post is here (and there you can also read other things I wrote this spring) but you can read it below ---

MY FLAME (written 4/20/08)

I’ve been trying to figure out the most clever way to write a blog about my “flame” and what has happened in my life since Ignition. At this point I’ve decided to give up being creative and just let you all know how God is leading. This blog has been such an encouragement to me over the past couple of months so I first want you all to know that…

I’ve hinted in previous posts about things happening in the Chicago-land area with prayer houses and a more defined calling to prayer at my church here (Hinsdale, IL). All of this still needs much prayer and is moving at various speeds. At Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital we will be holding a week of 24/7 prayer starting April 28 in the hospital chapel which I am very nervous about but excited too. (Please pray and I’ll post more about that as it goes.)

The biggest change for me though, is that I have accepted a call to go to Malawi, Africa and work with Adventist Health International as the Director of Finance and Systems for AHI-Malawi. Wow!! I can’t even type that out without being amazed!! Not at myself but at God who has orchestrated everything. For those who know me you may not be surprised, for those who don’t I’ll explain that doing full time mission work has been a dream of mine for probably 3 or 4 years. I’ve always been interested and after college (8 yrs ago) I spent a year in Zambia, Africa as a student missionary. This (along with short term trips) whetted my appetite and in 2005 while on a trip to Peru I realized that missions and service is my PASSION!!! Thus began my praying and seeking and waiting for God’s timing - and now it is 3 years later!

I will be living at Malamulo hospital near Blatnyre, Malawi (google Malawi to see where) but will be working with all three SDA hospitals in Malawi as well as the 18 rural clinics spread throughout the country. I will be living with my dear friend Cristy Shank who is an MD at the hospital and moved there in November of last year.

Sooo what does all of this mean?? I’m wrapping up things here and as I do that it is starting to settle in that I will not be part of Oasis here in Chicago or GODencounters now all over the country. However, these as well as Deeper and other experiences I’ve had have served to teach me so many things and give me invaluable relationships and encouragement that will be an enormous resource as I venture out. I’m already trying to think if there is a way I could do a 24/7 prayer event in Africa?? hmmm - not sure

In the meantime I feel like I’m in the midst of a hurricane where things are flying through the air and I’m supposed to keep up with them. I’m praying for continued peace and God’s leading as I move forward in a surrendered position.

I am continually praising God and hope that you can join me in thanking God for his faithfulness and compassion. There is so much more I could say — my heart overflows.

I AM BECAUSE WE ARE

For those of you with a soft spot for Africa, AIDS victims, or just reaching out to hurting people in general you have to see the trailer for the new documentary called "I Am Because We Are". It was produced by Madonna and actually features Malawi where she has adopted children. Visit this website: http://iambecauseweare.com/trailer.html

(I'm sorry, I'm delinquent in the realm of blogging so don't know how to insert the trailer in my post which is really what I want to do.)

Some Photos

Hey - these guys look like triplets!! Nice shirts and I like the bald heads. :)





This is my cake from the going away party... My friends are amazing - who would have thought you could put this on the top of a cake! Fun Times!! :)

Family Dayz

My Dad and I arrived in Oregon in a big yellow moving truck last Thursday at my brother's house. So for the last week I've been here in the mountains of Oregon enjoying my three nephews, planting flowers with my sister in law, cooking, doing dishes, weeding, hiking to waterfalls, and just basically living. Oh I've also started sorting through my stuff yet AGAIN... I thought I didn't have very much until I look at it all in a pile. :)

Yesterday I went to Portland to learn about SunPlus which is the new accounting software that AHI wants me to implement in Malawi. It is a software produced by the General Conference and being implemented all over the world. It is pretty complicated and I'm not sure yet how it will all work out. In talking with Don P (chairman of the board) the first order of business when I get there is to look into the whole revenue cycle as there are some issues. We are also looking into getting satellite internet which will be a huge project.

I am still working on getting my ticket. Other things I'm working on is getting an LCD projector to take for presentations. I also have to arrange my immunizations, finalize the stuff I need to take, order a laptop computer, a digital camera, and probably other stuff.

It's an interesting life to not be "working"... I guess I still kind of feel like I'm on vacation except I have all of my stuff with me. I'm not sure any of this has really sunk in... more on that later I'm sure.

This is a Test

How does this look? Do I like this font? What about this font? or this one?