Last weekend I went to see Blood Diamond, a film I've been looking forward to seeing since I first heard about it because it's about my beloved Sierra Leone, where I fell in love with Africa. It's the story of Sierra Leone's brutal rebel war and in particular a Mende man who is captured by the rebels and forced to work in a diamond mine. He finds a massive pink diamond and hides it and later gets connected with a South African diamond smuggler who says he can help him get his family back and an American journalist who wants to reveal the secrets of conflict diamond smuggling to the world. The film graphically shows the terror and horrors that the Sierra Leonean people experienced and also highlights the plight of child soldiers. For me, it hit very close to home as it gave me a small idea of what my young friends in Sierra Leone had experienced when they lost their families.
I highly recommend it. It's hard to watch and I had to close my eyes lots because it's so real and terrifying but I think films like this are an important wake-up call to the realities of the world we live in. If you've seen it, tell me what you think...
28 January 2007
05 January 2007
A Taste of South Sudan
If you'd like to read a really good taster of the complexities and intricacies of life as missionary in South Sudan, check out the website of SIM missionaries Chris and Beverly Crowder here: Crowders in Africa. Read the Jan. 2nd entry entitled "Southern Blue Nile Academy". This is one project of SIM's program Rebuilding Southern Sudan: Church and Nation.
I love what Chris has to say about "Godspace" in a project that is doomed to failure if not for the power of God. Isaiah 58:12 seems so appropriate--reading it in the context of South Sudan gave me chills. The verse before it is very fitting as well:
"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."
I love what Chris has to say about "Godspace" in a project that is doomed to failure if not for the power of God. Isaiah 58:12 seems so appropriate--reading it in the context of South Sudan gave me chills. The verse before it is very fitting as well:
"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."
01 January 2007
Ukiuq Nutaaq Tikinnivuq...
This is the first line of "Old Lang Syne" in Inuktittut, the Inuit language I grew up with. It literally means "the new year has arrived". And so it has! This song will forever be etched in my mind for New Year's, after years of singing it in the school gym at midnight to bring in the New Year with virtually the whole community present. The throng of several hundred people would then form 2 lines in order to shake hands with everyone in the community and wish them a "Happy Nu Ya!". One was an outside line around the gym walls that stayed put and the other was an inside line that rotated to shake hands with the hundreds of people in the line that stayed put. Can you picture it?
The arrival of a new year sends me on a tour of the highlights of 2006, a year of huge transition for me. Last January and February saw me finishing up a busy time at work with bronchiolitis and D+V (otherwise known as diarrhea and vomitting) season in full swing in Children's Accident and Emergency, while finishing up exams for my Diploma in Tropical Nursing course. Then in early March I left my job and had a few weeks to pack up and spend time with friends before leaving my home and life in England to return to Canada.
During April, May, and June, I travelled between Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Southern Ontario spending time with friends and family that I hadn't seen in a long time. Some highlights were getting to experience my one niece and two nephews' birthday parties for the first time and spending lots of quality time with my "Big Grandma" Winger in her nursing home in Ontario. She passed away a few weeks later and I again travelled to Ontario with my parents for her funeral. I treasure the memories of our time together in June, chatting about life and playing Scrabble. Grandma was still a pro at age 91!
From May onwards my life became a time of transition and waiting, as I applied for membership with SIM, to join the team in Sudan in setting up a clinic and community health worker training school. The process took a few months, and then on November 1st I became an SIM member and could begin inviting people to join my prayer and financial support team.
With the arrival of 2007 comes great excitement as I anticipate travelling to Sudan in the next few months to begin my life and ministry there. This is also "crunch time" as I have tons of stuff to do before February 6th. Just before Christmas, I finished the missions course I've been working on since July, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (hooray!), and now I need to get busy with the people group project that goes along with that. I also need to begin sorting and packing the things I want to take, as well as purchasing some supplies. Then there's the odd doctor and dental appointments I still need to have and an SIM dinner in southern SK that I'm to share at. I've also planned a little trip out to Alberta again to say goodbye to my friends out there before I leave. Yep, all this needs to happen before Feb. 6th as that is when I fly to Winnipeg, and then on to Toronto on the 10th for 2 weeks of Mission Prep training. At the end of Feb./beginning of March, if the timing seems right and God has provided all of my financial support, I can leave for Sudan! Please pray for extra strength and energy for me as I get ready to go during this hectic time.
Thank you to each and every one of you who have already joined my team through your prayers and financial support! I feel so blessed to have you with me as I head to Sudan. Happy New Year!
The arrival of a new year sends me on a tour of the highlights of 2006, a year of huge transition for me. Last January and February saw me finishing up a busy time at work with bronchiolitis and D+V (otherwise known as diarrhea and vomitting) season in full swing in Children's Accident and Emergency, while finishing up exams for my Diploma in Tropical Nursing course. Then in early March I left my job and had a few weeks to pack up and spend time with friends before leaving my home and life in England to return to Canada.
During April, May, and June, I travelled between Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Southern Ontario spending time with friends and family that I hadn't seen in a long time. Some highlights were getting to experience my one niece and two nephews' birthday parties for the first time and spending lots of quality time with my "Big Grandma" Winger in her nursing home in Ontario. She passed away a few weeks later and I again travelled to Ontario with my parents for her funeral. I treasure the memories of our time together in June, chatting about life and playing Scrabble. Grandma was still a pro at age 91!
From May onwards my life became a time of transition and waiting, as I applied for membership with SIM, to join the team in Sudan in setting up a clinic and community health worker training school. The process took a few months, and then on November 1st I became an SIM member and could begin inviting people to join my prayer and financial support team.
With the arrival of 2007 comes great excitement as I anticipate travelling to Sudan in the next few months to begin my life and ministry there. This is also "crunch time" as I have tons of stuff to do before February 6th. Just before Christmas, I finished the missions course I've been working on since July, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (hooray!), and now I need to get busy with the people group project that goes along with that. I also need to begin sorting and packing the things I want to take, as well as purchasing some supplies. Then there's the odd doctor and dental appointments I still need to have and an SIM dinner in southern SK that I'm to share at. I've also planned a little trip out to Alberta again to say goodbye to my friends out there before I leave. Yep, all this needs to happen before Feb. 6th as that is when I fly to Winnipeg, and then on to Toronto on the 10th for 2 weeks of Mission Prep training. At the end of Feb./beginning of March, if the timing seems right and God has provided all of my financial support, I can leave for Sudan! Please pray for extra strength and energy for me as I get ready to go during this hectic time.
Thank you to each and every one of you who have already joined my team through your prayers and financial support! I feel so blessed to have you with me as I head to Sudan. Happy New Year!
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