Thanksgiving

Lord, thank You for Your love of art, for the colors of light and tint of the moon,
Fluffing the clouds and placing them so, and the layers of silk painted clearly at night;

For the orchestra of a golden field, bowing in rhythm at Thy perfect cue,
Swaying with joy, as the eager gazelle bounds across the stage;

For the way Your hand set into motion the sea, rising then crashing,
now resting,
Teaming with life both bold and demure, each serving its divine purpose;

For variety of lives strategically placed, using differences and alikes to bond and to frame,
Interacting by design, bringing glory to Your Most Holy name.

Lord, thank You for designing Your world with intricate detail,
Too sweet for understanding, too big for comprehension;

For inviting us into something larger than ourselves, yet holding us near,
Devoting Your life to a purpose greater than we'll fully grasp, yet significant enough there is no need.

You are amazing!
Thank You.



Show and Tell _ Sudan

It's the Small Things

A couple of weeks ago we got to swap photos with our team...what a fun time of reunion and such great photos capturing the oddities and candid moments!

Here are just a few random hightlights from the trip.

Harmony Joann - not liking her bath

Taxi ride to the hotel in Uganda ... luggage truck didn't show up so we just held it ourselves!

Nap time - wherever you think is comfortable 

Border Crossing - Independent South Sudan

Shower Snizard - We thought this little guy who lived in the shower was a snake, but by the end of the week had proof he was really a lizard (can you see his brown knees?).



Tickle Time!



Thankfulness - Veterans Day

. . .is what I long for.

Many of you may have seen the statement that floated around the social networking sites the last few months. It goes something like, "What if you woke up tomorrow with only those things you were thankful for today?" Akkk...convicting!!! Don't we take for granted all we have been given?

Often I think I'm very thankful, because I am truly grateful to have the people, job, physical and spiritual blessings that the Lord has given. But knowing you are blessed with something is not the same as being thankful. And it is a discipline of sorts, to actually express thanks for things, big and small.

Currently I'm LOVING all the thankfulness statuses on Facebook. I struggle with all the negativity that populates the networking avenues so often, and as much as I love quotes from famous people (and I do love them), it has been so refreshing to see the personal things my friends are thankful for. Very encouraging.
Thank you if you are one of them!

I missed the first couple of weeks to do it myself, and I'm kind of bummed. But I will tell you, I appreciate the reminders to be thankful in my own life. It's important to verbalize it, don't you think? And not just at Thanksgiving TIME, but always. In our families, in our workplaces and in our churches. It's easy to complain, compare, and critique, but so much more edifying to express thankfulness.

My personal challenge this week beginning today is going to be to try to express thanksgiving verbally to someone around me each day. It's always a good reminder to me to lift my praises to our Lord. As encouraging as they are to me, it must just make Him smile to know we realize our need of Him in our daily activities.

Today, I am thankful for girlfriends to hang out with, giggle with, and make holiday plans with :).

I'm also very thankful for veterans like my Grandpa Kihle and PawPaw and Grandpa Beeman, and brother Joe who gave so much of themselves to serve and protect our USA. THANK YOU, and happy Veterans Day to you and ALL the others too numerous to name here who served or are serving. I am thankful for you, your service, and am proud of you!!

Music to My Ears - Sudan

Worship: Every Nation, Tribe and Tongue

I've got a few of these sound recordings...should loop them and listen all morning.

Definitely one of the sweetest parts of the trip.

To Off Road, is to be On the Road - Sudan

Every Day is an Adventure
(Best Viewed in original Blog www.karijo-co.blogspot.com)
If you love back roads and country driving, you would enjoy the Sudan road trip.

Our village was 1 hour and 30 minutes from camp, and the land rover made good time of the dirt roads, 

mini lake pot holes,

"bridges,"  

and the occasional off-roading to bypass craters. The main portion of this road has not been maintained in 50 years and is not for those prone to the motion-sickness.


The strange thing is, once back in the states, it's hard not to miss the off-roading adventure that is an every day occurance in southern Sudan.


Justin told our team that in the states, off- roading is not allowed...you have to stay on the road! They thought itwas pretty funny.


Our first day out, the team member sitting in the front seat next to the driver reached for her seat belt and asked local ministry head D. Kaya if it worked.


He told her, "I don't recommend that thing." Bascially, the bumpy roads are more painful with the seatbelt than without...so that's how we rolled.

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Interestingly, after I planned this blog or today I came across this article revealing a plan to build roads in South Sudan. It shows how they plan to connect all 10 states of the country, how badly they are needed and why.  http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-minister-reveals,40642

Love - Language Without Words - Sudan

Soooo, we are back from Sudan!

We've gone and come, and been back in our little American world again for two full weeks. Amazing. I still think on our time in Africa every day, which I love. It's fresh and vulnerable. Still convicts and encourages, while at the same time, reminds me to pray for the people we met and the love of Christ that continues to grow and show itself powerful a midst the people of a very young country and church of Southern Sudan.

Sharing is difficult, as always. So much to say, yet it's hard to say it detailed enough to communicate the emotion and significance while keeping it concise enough for most people to listen. Makes trying to share, difficult, and the interest of those who want to know the nitty gritty very special and treasured.

I think the best way for now, that I can show and tell is with brief pictures, videos, and snippets of stories. As the Lord brings to mind the precious people and encounters of our last trip to Sudan, I'll try to post and share with you.

Today I am thinking about and missing terribly the little people. Three kids living at the compound where we stayed: Wani, Mercy, and Mike.

 

All about the same height and very close in age, these three could be considered the musketeers of camp. Likely they understand more English than they speak (which isn't much), their language is love, and they understand it no matter who speaks it. We played hard, tickled much, and communicated with each other with words: me in English, them in Bari-glish (Bari with a few English words mixed in :). I miss very much coming "home" every day and chasing them around the dirt yard, tickling Wani until I tired of it (I don't think he EVER would), and chasing Mercy around the yard as she taunted, "This one Wani" while pointing at herself. Mercy even taught me a hand clapping game, for which I was only able to learn some of the Bari words. Would love to play it with her right now.

Feels like Nephews and  Niece . . . that live very. Far. Away.