Remember my blog back in July about Angie, falling asleep on my chest during church. If you don’t you should go back and read my July 7 post, it was one of those moments that you just sit and thank God for. Well it happened again and it was just as sweet as when it happened to me the first time.
We have a group of after school kids that I have blogged about before, who I just adore. In this group is a little 4 year old named Mohamed. He is normally energized and FULL of joy, not today. When he came to see me today his cousin informed me that he had been sick with Malaria. This energized little kid was just not acting himself.
Anyway I get done with work early and I walk down to the waiting room to see how many patients we had left, and there in the waiting room sat all the after school kids and a few wondering adults. They were watching the movie about the Bible story of the Israelites and parting of the Red Sea. So I thought to myself well maybe I will sit and watch this movie for a bit and see how they react to the story. So I sat down in a chair in the coroner and next thing I know Mohamed is walking up to me reaching his arms out for me to pick him up. So of course I did, a cuddling, sick 4 year old wanting me to hold him. How could I turn that opportunity down. I picked him up and cradled him in my arms and within 5 minutes he was asleep on my chest. And again just like before with Angie I thought to myself……. God thank you for this moment. Thank you for all the ones at home who have so graciously given so I could be here with this precious boy asleep on my chest. God thank you for picking me to send. It’s amazing how a sleeping child on your chest can give your soul such joy! Oh the moments and time God has ordained….how precious they are. Thank you to all of you who made it possible for me to be in that moment.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
A picture is worth a thousand words!
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Pictures from the last few weeks. More to come, Internet is a little on the slow side this past week and I am having difficulty posting...grr. 
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Helping Liberia Smile 1 Toothbrush at a time!!!
We have a group of about...well originally it was 5-6 kids now it has grown to about 15 kids that come see us at the dental clinic daily. After school Redemption Hospital Dental Clinic is the first place they stop. I am just in love with all of them. They are always so excited to see us. It could be because we feed them but we all like to think it is because they love us just as much as we love them. Regardless of the reason why they come, it is such a blessing to get to love on these kids for a few minutes each day.
I had the opportunity to visit my favorite and only girl of the group Princess's house a few weeks ago. I finished work early and her brother informed me that she would not be able to come to the clinic today to visit me. I asked him why and he said she was sick, then he said she would really like it if you went to see her. I said ok I will go. We walked to her house which was about 5 minutes from the clinic. As I was approaching she spotted me across the way and made a mad dash towards me, she jumped into my arms almost knocking me over. I LOVED IT!
Last Thursday on my lunch break I headed out with my big toothbrush and my big mouth and went and taught the kids how to brush correctly then I gave them all a toothbrush. I explained to them that these were not just any old toothbrushes. These toothbrushes were sent here by my Grandma all the way from America and she wanted them to have them. They were so happy, they all said "oh thank you grandmother". Then they said take our picture with the toothbrushes and carry it to your grandma. So Grandma here are the pictures the kids took JUST FOR YOU!!!!!!
THANK YOU for helping Liberia Smile 1 toothbrush at a time.
Love you!
I had the opportunity to visit my favorite and only girl of the group Princess's house a few weeks ago. I finished work early and her brother informed me that she would not be able to come to the clinic today to visit me. I asked him why and he said she was sick, then he said she would really like it if you went to see her. I said ok I will go. We walked to her house which was about 5 minutes from the clinic. As I was approaching she spotted me across the way and made a mad dash towards me, she jumped into my arms almost knocking me over. I LOVED IT!
Last Thursday on my lunch break I headed out with my big toothbrush and my big mouth and went and taught the kids how to brush correctly then I gave them all a toothbrush. I explained to them that these were not just any old toothbrushes. These toothbrushes were sent here by my Grandma all the way from America and she wanted them to have them. They were so happy, they all said "oh thank you grandmother". Then they said take our picture with the toothbrushes and carry it to your grandma. So Grandma here are the pictures the kids took JUST FOR YOU!!!!!!
THANK YOU for helping Liberia Smile 1 toothbrush at a time.
Love you!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
HaPpY bIrThDaY mOm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday to the BEST Mom in the WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tribute to my mommy, who I miss and love dearly!!!!!!
My MOM is the best mom because:
She Paid for me to go to college........ almost 5 glorious years of college!!!!!!!!
She has a great sense of style: even when she goes to bed she matches the sheets!!!!!!!!!
She has NICE hair!!!!!!!!!!!
She birthed the best kids in the world who wear WE LOVE you MOM shirts to church on Mothers day... NOTE Several years ago.
She Loves GOd and takes me on Missions Trips....where we build things
She takes me to concerts!!!!!!!!!!!!! and lets me wear ridiculous hats
She does without so I don't have to!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She let me go to AFRICA..... and be so far away from her.
She goes rock climbing and hiking with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She lets my brother move away to Colorado even though she thinks he is to young to be that far from home.
Because she looks REALLY good in that head band!!!!!!
Because she takes me on Ski Trips to Colorado!!!! Jan 5-10 can't wait!!!!!
Because she is really good at space saving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ocne Again because she has nice HAIR!!!!!
Because she is CRAZY and FUNNY
#1 Reason why she is the best mom in the WORLD: because she loves me !!!!
MISS YOU MOM HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Flash Back!!!!!!!!
So I just spent the last hr reading over all my previous posts. I started in February at my very first post EVER.... and I read all the way up to the post I just posted a few days ago. What a journey it has been. Reading all my past posts made me think one thing.... I DONT WANT THIS TO END!!!!!! I never knew being the hands and feet of Jesus could be so much fun.
Anyway reading the first few posts made me have flash backs to all the feelings and emotions I had in preparing to come to Mercy Ships..... and now look at me. I am getting in car wrecks and living to tell about it. :) I just remember all the preparation and excitement I had in getting ready to pack up and head to Liberia, and now that I am here I don't want to go. I do however MISS my FAMILY and FRIENDS, and can't wait to see them in December.
Speaking of family and friends...tomorrow is my LOVELY Mom's Birthday. Check back tomorrow for a special tribute to Therese Campbell for her bday.
I have a few Praises and a few Prayer requests.
Let start with Praises:
1.The driver of our car was charged for being at fault in the accident. He could be in jail for 2 years but he isn't PRAISE GOD, instead we have to buy the other guy a new car out of our very own pockets. Well today we found out that we had 2 unknown donations made.... 1 for 2,000$ and another for 1,800$. Guess how much the car is that we purchased today 3,800$. HMMMM
2. Today are driver received papers that were singed, stamped, and dated. He is FREE and no longer a criminal. YAY!!!!!
We are moving full speed ahead through this disaster.
Prayer:
1. Prayer for me dear friend Kacy.She leaves for the missions field in less than 2 weeks. After reading all my previous blogs today it made my heart go out to her. I know how the next few weeks are going to be for her and I pray strength and joy to her. I pray she is always aware of her call, and I pray she can enjoy these last few days with family and friends!
Love you Kacy.. thinking of you and praying for you!
2. Pray for me. I am starting to look into future options for my future. hahaha future future future. Pray that God can be clear in where and what He wants me to do. Pray that I can go and do whatever it is that he asks me to do where ever that be at home or overseas.
3. Tomorrow our driver of the car heads back up to Totota to finalize things with the authorities. Pray things go as planned. He and we are ready to be DONE with this.
Thanks for all the support, Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the tribute to my MOTHER!
Anyway reading the first few posts made me have flash backs to all the feelings and emotions I had in preparing to come to Mercy Ships..... and now look at me. I am getting in car wrecks and living to tell about it. :) I just remember all the preparation and excitement I had in getting ready to pack up and head to Liberia, and now that I am here I don't want to go. I do however MISS my FAMILY and FRIENDS, and can't wait to see them in December.
Speaking of family and friends...tomorrow is my LOVELY Mom's Birthday. Check back tomorrow for a special tribute to Therese Campbell for her bday.
I have a few Praises and a few Prayer requests.
Let start with Praises:
1.The driver of our car was charged for being at fault in the accident. He could be in jail for 2 years but he isn't PRAISE GOD, instead we have to buy the other guy a new car out of our very own pockets. Well today we found out that we had 2 unknown donations made.... 1 for 2,000$ and another for 1,800$. Guess how much the car is that we purchased today 3,800$. HMMMM
2. Today are driver received papers that were singed, stamped, and dated. He is FREE and no longer a criminal. YAY!!!!!
We are moving full speed ahead through this disaster.
Prayer:
1. Prayer for me dear friend Kacy.She leaves for the missions field in less than 2 weeks. After reading all my previous blogs today it made my heart go out to her. I know how the next few weeks are going to be for her and I pray strength and joy to her. I pray she is always aware of her call, and I pray she can enjoy these last few days with family and friends!
Love you Kacy.. thinking of you and praying for you!
2. Pray for me. I am starting to look into future options for my future. hahaha future future future. Pray that God can be clear in where and what He wants me to do. Pray that I can go and do whatever it is that he asks me to do where ever that be at home or overseas.
3. Tomorrow our driver of the car heads back up to Totota to finalize things with the authorities. Pray things go as planned. He and we are ready to be DONE with this.
Thanks for all the support, Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the tribute to my MOTHER!
Monday, October 6, 2008
God’s Provision
So as most of my readers who receive my updates/newsletters via email already know that I was in a car accident Friday along with 5 other people. We were on the way to spend our long weekend camping and hiking at Nimba Mountain, 9 hours up country. If you did not know this and do not receive my email updates email me @ jeska297@hotmail.com and I will add you to the list.
This post is not to spend hours writing every last detail of the day to you all. It is a post to TRY and relay to you a small glimpse of the presence of God that I experienced that day. His provision was so clear that it was amazing. Like I said before I will try and interpret this for you however know that my words will never do Gods works justice, and in my heart and the hearts of the others will be the only place where Gods amazing handwork is truly understood. To you this may just be a nice story but to us it was so much more, and even though all of us where at the same place in the same accident at the same time, God managed to reveal himself to each of us in different ways. My story of Gods Awesomeness is not even the same as the others. :) God was busy that day.
Ok here we go. Buckle your seat belts and enjoy the ride.
Setting the scene:
7:30 am Friday October 3 2008, 10 bodies and 2 Land Rovers leave the Dock in Monrovia excited and eager to get the weekend started. My car, car A we will call it, was loaded with 6 bodies, one book bag full of snack food, an axes, a shovel, and two tents. Car B was loaded with 4 bodies, luggage for 10, food and water for 3 days, another tent, and a FIRST AID KIT.
1 ½ hours into the trip Car A and Car B get separated. Car A pulls over to the side of the road to wait on Car B. While we were waiting for Car B to catch up we decided to shop for an extra tire just in case we blew one and needed a spare. I was in the back and I looked out the back window I spotted Car B zooming by at lighting speeds. So Car B thinks all along that they are trying to catch up with Car A. When in reality my car was trying to catch up with Car B. Side note Car B did not find out we were in an accident until they reached about 6 hours into the trip.
3 hours into the trip 10:30am. Crash!!!!!!! Which brings me to Blessing #1 We need a first aid kit….ours nicely equipped first aid kit is in Car B which is who knows where. We gather together and pray. We pray for Gods wisdom, we pray for courage and strength, we pray that the other car realizes something is not right and turns around so we can get a first aid kit, we THANK GOD we are alive, and we pray for a way for us to get in contact with the police in the next town which is 10 miles away. Maybe five minutes after we pray a car of Nigerian UN soldiers pull up and make sure we are ok and call the police. Blessing #2 maybe 5 minutes after that Doctors without Borders Land Rover pulls up and they say hey we don’t have a doctor but we have a first aid kit. We say thank God for the blessing no worries that they don’t have a doctor with them we have an ICU nurse with us.
Noon rolls around, the police inform us that we would need to go to the police station. Four of us myself included 1 male and 3 female pile into the back of a rice truck and hitch a ride 10 miles to town to the police station. The driver had to stay at the scene and since we thought it would not be a good idea to send 3 girls to the police station without a guy and that it would also not be a good idea for us to leave our driver alone at the scene the ICU nurse-Ali decided she would stay with the driver-Lourens.
The entire time we are in the rice truck I am praying God please don’t let them do anything to harm us. You hear all the time of incidences were foreigners are mistreated by the so called authorities. I was scared out of my mind where they going to rob us, beat us, toss us in prison, or even worse. I prayed for safety and courage. Once we arrived in town the rice truck dropped us of at his work and told us to walk the rest of the way. There stood 4 white people with bags and tents and an ax and shovel. Me being the person I am thought hmmmm might not be the best idea for us to walk to the police station. Considering it might be miles away tucked behind other shops that we might never find. So I became friendly Jess and started to talk to this man who looked like he was in charge or “the boss man” of the rice shop. I explained our situation and he said oh no you don’t walk we will give you ride. Wait small and when they are done unloading the rice we will give you ride there. Blessing #3 Come to find out the station was about 5 miles away tucked behind other shops….hmmm we would have never found it. Also I am not sure if you understand but there are not many white people in this part of the world. And those of us who are here are either NGOS or UN not locals.
So there we sit at the Charge of Quarters in Totota Town Police Station. Mind you we have no phone, no one from the ship knows where we are, we have little food and water, and no idea how long we are going to be sitting. This is Africa and they do run on Africa Time- still praying for God’s provision.
Blessing #4 Once again I decided to start chatting with one of the police officers, just trying to get a feel of his niceness. Turns out he is super nice- Augustus was his name. He quickly asks us where we are all from. I, Emily, and Ben answer US and Hanna answers Sweden. Augustus answers oh Maria we have a Sweden UN police officer who is here working with us. Hanna says WHAT, can I talk to her. There are not many Sweden UN soldiers in Liberia. He says yes and there is also an American UN solider working here with us as well. We say what we can talk to him. YES answer Augustus. Maria the Sweden UN came to the station to make sure we were ok and then went to the accident scene to check on the other two. Blessing #5 Augustus allowed us to use the phone to call the ship and check in. Maria came back and said they are safe, they are going to be awhile and there is no need for you to sit here. Terrie-the US UN solider has set things up for you all at a local hotel. He said that you will be safe there and there is lots of food and drinks for you waiting. We are thinking WHAT!!!! So after a time period of 3 hours of waiting at the Totota police station we lug all our stuff into the back of a UN vehicle and get taken to the hotel. Blessing #6 – we are so luck y we had little stuff with us, because we had to pack it around all day. You can’t leave anything unattended and or UN locked up here it will disappear in a matter of minutes.
Blessing #7- Kamal, the hotel owner. Great Christian man who feeds us and let us use the bathrooms, gave us water, assured us that we would be safe until a driver from the ship arrived to take us home.
7:00 PM a ships driver arrives to take us home, we thought. He informed us that the police wanted us to stay the night. Blessing #8 they allowed us to go home.
Blessing #9 As I was sitting in the back of the Land Rover feeling every bump and pot hole in the road on m y bum I was getting ready to lose it and suddenly I looked up out the window and the reflection from the head lights and the car had made a cross that was visible on the hills along the side of the road. I looked at it and started crying. I told Hanna and Emily to look and they said oh my gosh, what more could we ask for in a day. At that moment it hit me that God not only provided for us and protected us all day he was there by our sides through it all. I wonder if he was as tired as we were.
Blessing #10 We arrived back to the ship safe at 12am. WHAT A DAY!!!!!!
I am sure I might have forgotten a thing or two but the point is GOD was there. He was with us all day and He did such wonderful things in the hearts of all of us that were present. I have this new fire burring for Him now. This was just the day that I needed. Talk about needed to be re energized and re charged for the last 2 ½ months of outreach….dang are we all re charged, and not from a weekend on Nimba mountain but from the source of LIGHT Himself!!!!
Psalm 91:9-12
If you make the Most High your dwelling-
Even the LORD, who is my refuge-
Then no harm will befall you,
For he will command his Angels
concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot
against a stone.
Before We left!!! haha so EXCITED!
Ben, Hanna, Emily, and I hanging out in the police station
Coo Coo Nest Hotel....safe, food, and water
Before we got ready to head home!
Ali taking care of Ben's head
Never miss the photo!
Us with the Totota Police Officers
the other car
our car
This post is not to spend hours writing every last detail of the day to you all. It is a post to TRY and relay to you a small glimpse of the presence of God that I experienced that day. His provision was so clear that it was amazing. Like I said before I will try and interpret this for you however know that my words will never do Gods works justice, and in my heart and the hearts of the others will be the only place where Gods amazing handwork is truly understood. To you this may just be a nice story but to us it was so much more, and even though all of us where at the same place in the same accident at the same time, God managed to reveal himself to each of us in different ways. My story of Gods Awesomeness is not even the same as the others. :) God was busy that day.
Ok here we go. Buckle your seat belts and enjoy the ride.
Setting the scene:
7:30 am Friday October 3 2008, 10 bodies and 2 Land Rovers leave the Dock in Monrovia excited and eager to get the weekend started. My car, car A we will call it, was loaded with 6 bodies, one book bag full of snack food, an axes, a shovel, and two tents. Car B was loaded with 4 bodies, luggage for 10, food and water for 3 days, another tent, and a FIRST AID KIT.
1 ½ hours into the trip Car A and Car B get separated. Car A pulls over to the side of the road to wait on Car B. While we were waiting for Car B to catch up we decided to shop for an extra tire just in case we blew one and needed a spare. I was in the back and I looked out the back window I spotted Car B zooming by at lighting speeds. So Car B thinks all along that they are trying to catch up with Car A. When in reality my car was trying to catch up with Car B. Side note Car B did not find out we were in an accident until they reached about 6 hours into the trip.
3 hours into the trip 10:30am. Crash!!!!!!! Which brings me to Blessing #1 We need a first aid kit….ours nicely equipped first aid kit is in Car B which is who knows where. We gather together and pray. We pray for Gods wisdom, we pray for courage and strength, we pray that the other car realizes something is not right and turns around so we can get a first aid kit, we THANK GOD we are alive, and we pray for a way for us to get in contact with the police in the next town which is 10 miles away. Maybe five minutes after we pray a car of Nigerian UN soldiers pull up and make sure we are ok and call the police. Blessing #2 maybe 5 minutes after that Doctors without Borders Land Rover pulls up and they say hey we don’t have a doctor but we have a first aid kit. We say thank God for the blessing no worries that they don’t have a doctor with them we have an ICU nurse with us.
Noon rolls around, the police inform us that we would need to go to the police station. Four of us myself included 1 male and 3 female pile into the back of a rice truck and hitch a ride 10 miles to town to the police station. The driver had to stay at the scene and since we thought it would not be a good idea to send 3 girls to the police station without a guy and that it would also not be a good idea for us to leave our driver alone at the scene the ICU nurse-Ali decided she would stay with the driver-Lourens.
The entire time we are in the rice truck I am praying God please don’t let them do anything to harm us. You hear all the time of incidences were foreigners are mistreated by the so called authorities. I was scared out of my mind where they going to rob us, beat us, toss us in prison, or even worse. I prayed for safety and courage. Once we arrived in town the rice truck dropped us of at his work and told us to walk the rest of the way. There stood 4 white people with bags and tents and an ax and shovel. Me being the person I am thought hmmmm might not be the best idea for us to walk to the police station. Considering it might be miles away tucked behind other shops that we might never find. So I became friendly Jess and started to talk to this man who looked like he was in charge or “the boss man” of the rice shop. I explained our situation and he said oh no you don’t walk we will give you ride. Wait small and when they are done unloading the rice we will give you ride there. Blessing #3 Come to find out the station was about 5 miles away tucked behind other shops….hmmm we would have never found it. Also I am not sure if you understand but there are not many white people in this part of the world. And those of us who are here are either NGOS or UN not locals.
So there we sit at the Charge of Quarters in Totota Town Police Station. Mind you we have no phone, no one from the ship knows where we are, we have little food and water, and no idea how long we are going to be sitting. This is Africa and they do run on Africa Time- still praying for God’s provision.
Blessing #4 Once again I decided to start chatting with one of the police officers, just trying to get a feel of his niceness. Turns out he is super nice- Augustus was his name. He quickly asks us where we are all from. I, Emily, and Ben answer US and Hanna answers Sweden. Augustus answers oh Maria we have a Sweden UN police officer who is here working with us. Hanna says WHAT, can I talk to her. There are not many Sweden UN soldiers in Liberia. He says yes and there is also an American UN solider working here with us as well. We say what we can talk to him. YES answer Augustus. Maria the Sweden UN came to the station to make sure we were ok and then went to the accident scene to check on the other two. Blessing #5 Augustus allowed us to use the phone to call the ship and check in. Maria came back and said they are safe, they are going to be awhile and there is no need for you to sit here. Terrie-the US UN solider has set things up for you all at a local hotel. He said that you will be safe there and there is lots of food and drinks for you waiting. We are thinking WHAT!!!! So after a time period of 3 hours of waiting at the Totota police station we lug all our stuff into the back of a UN vehicle and get taken to the hotel. Blessing #6 – we are so luck y we had little stuff with us, because we had to pack it around all day. You can’t leave anything unattended and or UN locked up here it will disappear in a matter of minutes.
Blessing #7- Kamal, the hotel owner. Great Christian man who feeds us and let us use the bathrooms, gave us water, assured us that we would be safe until a driver from the ship arrived to take us home.
7:00 PM a ships driver arrives to take us home, we thought. He informed us that the police wanted us to stay the night. Blessing #8 they allowed us to go home.
Blessing #9 As I was sitting in the back of the Land Rover feeling every bump and pot hole in the road on m y bum I was getting ready to lose it and suddenly I looked up out the window and the reflection from the head lights and the car had made a cross that was visible on the hills along the side of the road. I looked at it and started crying. I told Hanna and Emily to look and they said oh my gosh, what more could we ask for in a day. At that moment it hit me that God not only provided for us and protected us all day he was there by our sides through it all. I wonder if he was as tired as we were.
Blessing #10 We arrived back to the ship safe at 12am. WHAT A DAY!!!!!!
I am sure I might have forgotten a thing or two but the point is GOD was there. He was with us all day and He did such wonderful things in the hearts of all of us that were present. I have this new fire burring for Him now. This was just the day that I needed. Talk about needed to be re energized and re charged for the last 2 ½ months of outreach….dang are we all re charged, and not from a weekend on Nimba mountain but from the source of LIGHT Himself!!!!
Psalm 91:9-12
If you make the Most High your dwelling-
Even the LORD, who is my refuge-
Then no harm will befall you,
For he will command his Angels
concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot
against a stone.
Before We left!!! haha so EXCITED!
Ben, Hanna, Emily, and I hanging out in the police station
Coo Coo Nest Hotel....safe, food, and water
Before we got ready to head home!
Ali taking care of Ben's head
Never miss the photo!
Us with the Totota Police Officers
the other car
our car
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Funnel Cake Goodness!
Emily and I proudly whipped up an all time American treat for our fellow crew members this Tuesday evening. We got in touch with Rachel Ray and she shared her secret funnel cake recipe with us. We could not believe that these people had been living without this glorious treat. We had LOTS of fun making them and more fun sharing them with other crew members. Thank you Rachel Ray!
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