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Even though Uganda is 10,000 miles away, there are many ways to keep in touch!
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Fun fact: On August 27, 2014, I was in Uganda visiting my PAG Kabale family. During my last night, a census count was reported and I was included in the count… meaning that I am 1 in the 34.6+ million people who live in Uganda. It was God’s plan all along that I return someday…
In a few short months I will be returning to a place dear to my heart to live life with my Uganda family! People are often confused when I say I have family in Uganda, so let me explain. In 2010, my church, Bethany CRC in Bellflower, started a partnership with a Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) church in southern Uganda. World Renew (formerly known as CRWRC), is the “glue” in this partnership and help us bridge the gap and cross barriers destined by distance, communication and culture. Often Americans, or us Western thinkers, have the mindset that we must build something in order to make an impact. We like tangible objects to show that we made a difference in someone’s life, but that is not always the case. When asked why I am going back to Uganda for the third time, I respond by saying I want to be with my family and be a part of what God is doing in Kabale. I want to further God’s kingdom here on earth and believe I can learn so much from people who are on fire for the Lord. Ever since my first mission trip to the Dominican Republic in 2012, it has been a calling to become a missionary nurse. I believe we are all called to be missionaries and wherever we are in life is our mission field because that is where God wants us. However, a missionary nurse is also one who is sent to places in need of help and care. I think nursing is such an awesome and unique field because I am trained to care for people in a holistic manner, meeting not only their physical needs, but also spiritual and emotional needs (which is just as important). My school offered a minor in transcultural nursing where I was taught how to give culturally sensitive care that focuses on patient centered care. I am looking forward to working at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital where I can further my nursing skills and hopefully be a blessing to patients. Would you consider joining me in this partnership? Financial support is just one way to be involved (link found at bottom of page). I also need a team of prayer warriors who will storm heaven’s gates with requests and praises. Would you join my prayer team? It is my goal to blog every week and CRC will also send out a newsletter monthly, so if you’d like to receive the newsletter, please let me know! There are other ways to get involved as well, such as writing letters to the Kabale congregation, sending videos, or skyping with people from the church. Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions or want to learn more about this trip! Thank you, ~Lianna You can have all of me This is a beautiful song that summarizes God's purpose in my life~ a relentless pursuit after the love of my life. I am currently pursing Jesus in Costa Rica and am so thankful for this opportunity to travel more in this world and to experience life in another country. For those who don't know, I am taking two medical Spanish classes in CR for the next two months! Our team of 17 left LAX last Friday night and had a red eye (why is it called that? because we get off with red, sleepless eyes?) to Panama. We then spent the day touring the Panama Canal and downtown Panama and arrived in Costa Rica Saturday night. Our host families picked us up from the airport, and off we went! Below are some pics of our 10 hours in Panama. Panama Costa Rica, Week 1 It will be a week tomorrow since I left LA... I can't believe how fast it has already gone! I am living with a host family in Santo Domingo, Heredia (near San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica). I have the sweetest mom (second to my mom of course) and I now have another sister (15 years old) and a brother (11 years old). I also have another grandma (4th one!) who is an angel. My roommate, Raquel, and I seriously have the best host family and are so blessed to live with them for a couple months. We are getting to know their large extended family and feel so welcomed into their home. This is the view outside of my window. Every morning I wake up to the birds chirping (and sometimes dogs barking) and just stare out the window (Co~ you'd LOVE this window). I've probably taken 10 pictures of this same view just because I can't get enough of it and it seems surreal. I love watching the rain and lightening from this spot as well. That's it for now! Just a little glimpse on this past week... I'll try to blog again soon. I love emails/fb messages/imessage texts and would love to hear from you, my sweet family y friends. Praises/Prayer Requests -I praise God that our team is bonding well and slowly adjusting to a different culture.
-I thank Dios for keeping us safe thus far (crazy crazy drivers here in CR) and for going before and behind us. -Please pray for my host mom as her arm is healing from an accident -Pray that I'll be a light unto those I meet and that I'll continue to have strength and energy to learn Spanish. Con amor, Lianna CNA: A certified nursing assistant. Also known as a professional butt-wiper, bed-maker, hand-holder, gait belt user and call light answerer. -Last story, I promise. I have one patient who always calls me "nurse." It puts a smile on my face and warms my heart every time. My dream of becoming a nurse is coming true and I know that God is calling me into this field. He fills my cup so full, I can't help but overflow that love onto others. And loving Gods children, whether they are old and gray or getting ready for their new life in heaven, is simply the best. Love, Li Thanks for reading! For Christmas, my parents bought me a beautiful suitcase for my upcoming travels. It’s magenta and has spinney wheels and I was so excited to break it in. However, that’s not the best part. What I love about that suitcase is the quote that my dad wrote on the inside, which says, “The earth is the LORD’s… travel it.” My parents are so supportive of everything I do, including my desire to live abroad and explore the world. They know that I am in good hands (in my Father’s Heavenly hands) and encourage me to chase my dreams. They push me to live outside of my comfort zone and then welcome me back with warm, open arms to fill my cup again. Oh, how I love them and am so thankful for them! On that note, it’s been about 2 weeks since I’ve been back with my family in our lovely abode in California. What an adventure it has been! I stepped outside of the airport and saw my wonderful brother and sister standing in front of me with a sign (upside down) that said “pick up for the girl who looks like me.” I choked down the tears and was greeted by my now very tall and handsome brother and beautiful sister (I almost forgot what she looked like. Just kidding). It felt so good to be back. A lot happened in a short matter of time and decisions needed to be made fast. Overall, I needed to get back to the states ASAP and left the Philippines in a hurry trying to make it back for a funeral. All said and done, God had this all planned out from the beginning and I’m learning that my plans are not always what He has in store, so I just have to trust Him (easier said than done of course). So now I’m back and am grateful for warm showers, electricity, yogurtland, English signs and smooth roads. (It was weird driving again after so many months gone! Don’t worry… you don’t have to get off the streets ;)) But crazy enough, I don’t mind the cold bucket showers, brown outs, rice for breakfast lunch and dinner, the closest yogurtland thousands of miles away, the bumpy roads, nor signs that all look the same to me. I enjoyed doing laundry by hand in both countries and loved taking different forms of transportation (like triceys and bullet trains and ferries). I don’t mind having to boil water every time I want something to drink and I actually got used to bargaining for everything (although I’m still not good at it and walk away feeling guilty every time). A wise friend once explained to me what it was like growing up as a “third culture kid” (TCK). She explained it in a way that made complete sense and I could relate to her. Although I did not grow up as a missionary kid or even a TCK, I’ve traveled a bit and have experienced many different cultures throughout the years. Bear with me here… Imagine if every country had a color. Let’s say the U.S. is yellow (my favorite color). If you grow up in a yellow country, that’s all you know. However, say you travel to another country, completely different than your own, like China. China is blue. So you go to China and live there for a few months, then come back to your yellow country. But, you bring back the color blue with you, because you’ve grown and learned so much and have adapted to that culture. Now you no longer can fit into this yellow country and you make green (by mixing yellow and blue). This is just an example… Every time you travel to a place different than your own, you pick up their “colors” and take it wherever you go. I have picked up so many colors throughout the years, from El Salvador and the Dominican Republic to Mexico and Uganda and Rwanda and Kenya and now parts of Asia. What color am I??? I feel like I’m a mix of so many! This can be disheartening and draining, but it is also so beautiful at the same time. A lot of times it feels like I don’t belong here on earth (which is true… this place is not our home). I’m no longer just one color and it’s hard to fit into our yellow society. But I’m learning that that’s okay! Why? Well, we are supposed to feel like aliens and strangers on this earth. 13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16) I can’t wait for this “city” that God has prepared for us! Traveling His world gives me greater glimpses of our God who reigns in Heaven and on earth. Everyone is made in His image, and I am so grateful for the glimpses of Himself that He has revealed to me throughout the past few months. So now I am back “home” in Lakewood, California and it has been so good. The transition can be rough at times, but I try to take one day at a time and keep on reflecting all that has happened since the end of February. It doesn’t feel real at times, which is why I love to look back through pictures and think, “did this all really happen? Did I really live in China and explore Beijing and HongKong and even Tabuk, Philippines?” It went SO fast, which I guess is a good sign, right? Here is just a recap of pictures from the past few months. Hope you enjoy! What an AMAZING, INCREDIBLE, UNBELIEVABLE, SPONTANEOUS, and FUN adventure it has been! And I can't believe that season is over... but boy was it a season full of many gifts and wonders. I thank God for EVERYTHING that He has done in my life and how He continues to shape me and mold me into more like Him. And that's my prayer... to know God and make Him known wherever He leads me. Where He goes, I'll go. Where He stays, I'll stay. When He moves, I'll move... and I will follow. Thank you for following my blog and for journeying with me. From the bottom of my heart (down to the very left ventricle), I thank you for your prayers and support. The trip would not have been the same without all of your prayers and encouragement, so XIE XIE! SALAMAT PO! THANK YOU! I now have 1.5 years left of undergrad nursing school until I graduate! Going to China completed my international health minor and my dream of starting a clinic overseas is becoming less of a dream and more of a reality. It is possible if it's God's will. It's definitely been on my heart for years and it continues to grow... so we'll see what happens and where He leads me! Yes, I give you permission to laugh at my all white scrubs, hideous nursing shoes, messy hair, and old-fashion hat. I sure did :) I can't wait to be a nurse and am loving my career choice more and more each year. It's not just going to be my occupation, but my vocation. I know without a doubt that the Lord is calling me into this field and I am so grateful for His guidance. I get to serve and love His children in a holistic manner and I'm excited to see where He takes me in the future. So stay tuned... this simple sheep is going to follow her shepherd for the rest of her life. I pray you do the same because He will use you and equip you and lead you. I've had this "mountain high" "best time of my life" "so many conversations with God" experience and I'm not sure I'm ready to come back to the world. It's amazing how easy it is to plug into God when you're unplugged from the world. Angelina and I went to Abundant's sister clinic in rural Bugnay, which is a village apart of the boot boot tribe. It's about 4 hours in a direction I'm not confident in… let's just say north? Mountains are always north. Anyway, it's been a wonderful week. We left on Tuesday and got back today, Sunday, in the afternoon. Here are some pics!
I’ve been here before. And to think that I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for the Dominican Republic trip in 2010. To take it back even further, I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for Mr. Westrup’s “missions” class that I took my sophomore year of High School. I’m so glad that class wasn’t about the church missions, but instead it was on discipleship and what it looks like to be a servant. Jesus’ hand is so evident in my life and I am so thankful for His guidance. That’s where this blog title comes from. He is my Shepherd and I am just a simple sheep. I can do absolutely nothing on my own and am so weak without Him. I will follow Him wherever He leads me, even if I don’t know why He’s leading me there at the time being. We are all called to tune into Him and to go out into this world. Go across the street to visit your neighbor, go help out at coffee break and homeless dinners, go to kids club on Fridays, go to Ecuador… just GO. Life is so short… it is “but a breath” (Job). K… as my grandpa would say, I’ll “get off my soapbox now.” Enough about the Dominican Republic. Sorry about the blast to the past. I just can't help but reflect on where my dream and career all started. God is good!
Now… Here are some interesting facts about Filipino culture:
These are just a handful of some of the Filipino customs that we are learning while staying here. I’m sure we’ll pick up on many more with the month in a half to come. Thanks for reading! I’ve been in a blogging mood today, so there are a couple more blogs posted below. Love you guys. Sending hugs and kisses from Tabuk.
6) See the bubbles? Great job. Now, it's time to add your dirty clothes
*Hint: You want to do laundry a few times a week so the pile doesn't add up. If you have loads and loads of laundry, it'll take you all day to clean. 7) Let them soak in the bucket for an hour. Go delivery a baby, then come back. 8) Repeat step 3 and 4 with bucket #2 now 9) Instead of adding detergent, it's time to add the softener. Transfer your dirty clothes that have been soaking in detergent to the other bucket of water mixed with softener 10) Let them soak for another 30-60 minutes and go check the baby and mommy :) 11) You're halfway there at this point. Yay! Take bucket #1 and pump water until it's full to the rim. It's time to rinse your clothes 12) Slowly, but surely (don't call me Shirley), wring out each article of clothing and place in the rinse bucket. You're hands will feel nice and soft at this point. Cherish it, because once your done your hands will be so terribly dry and sticky. 13) You may have to repeat step 12 a few times until all of the soap and softener are out of your clothes. You'll know that you're done if the water turns out clear. *Warning: Your hands will hurt from wringing out your clothes. This is normal, so you just have to deal with it:) 14) If you have a spinner, that's wonderful! Stick your clothes in it so it'll spin out all of the excess water you couldn't wring out. 15) No spinner? No problem. Proceed to hang up your clothes and grab your hangers 16) Thanks to the 100+ degree weather, humidity, and wind... your clothes should be dry in no time. 17) Fold, place back in your suitcase, and let your hands rest in order to repeat the process in a couple days :) God knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, oh precious one. I can’t help but say those words to the minute old babies that I have the privilege of holding. I have seen 6 births since arriving in Tabuk, and each time I am allowed to help out more and more. It started with just charting, but now I am injecting Pitocin (oxytocin), Vitamin K, monitoring the fetal heart tones through contractions, checking the fundus, giving the baby eye meds, cutting the cord, etc. It’s very exciting and thrilling every time. I don’t think catching babies will ever get boring. A couple nights ago (I think), a woman was in labor all day, but she was getting closer to delivering at night. She was at 7 CM at around 11 PM, so I went to bed knowing that I would be woken up to help with the birth. It’s hard to tell your mind to shut off and sleep when you know a baby is on its way. However, eventually I fell asleep and sure enough at 0430 in the morning someone woke me. I quickly head downstairs, but realize another woman is about to push, not the initial mom. Wow, two women rooms apart about to deliver at the same time. This labor was quick and she only pushed for 7 minutes until the head came out. Immediately when the baby comes out, the midwives place the baby on its mother’s stomach. This helps stimulate the placenta to be pushed out and also releases prolactin hormones that help with milk production. It’s really amazing! When the mom went to take a shower and clean up, that is when I had a chance to hold this baby. It was just the two of us in the room for a good 10 minutes and I was in heaven!! On Wednesday, Angelina and I took a car to Tugegarao. I needed to extend my Visa and we went to a super market while we were in town. It was an adventure trying to find the immigration office, but we eventually found it. We were told to ask the tricey drivers to take us to the “People’s gym.” When that didn’t work, we asked them to take us to the Police station, because the office is apparently right next door. That seemed to get us there, and we were very thankful we found it! We looked down the street and saw a sign for “People’s gym.” Little did we know that it is not a gym, it’s a post office. Duh. Why didn’t we guess that ;) Here are some pictures of a tricey. They’re very fun, especially when the driver doesn’t flirt with you. Angelina and I had a driver who waited for us while we ate our lunch because he wanted to be the one to take us to our next destination. He also asked if we could be friends. Sure, why not. I’ll never see him again. : ) We finally made it back after cramming 13 people in a van back to Tabuk. That night, we went to Georgia’s place to have a movie night. We had American junk food and watched Into The Woods. Meet the girls! Starting from the left: Bina- a missionary from Canada who is graduating midwifery school this October. She's been here for over 2 years with her husband and had her own baby, Ary, over a year ago. Alex- who's also from Canada and is graduating this October as well. She's a sweetheart and is going to be a great midwife Vienna- she's from Canada, too. See a pattern here? She's been here since this past October and still has a year and a half of school left Ellora- not from Canada, but from Oklahoma. She came here at the same time as Vienna. So, that's the gang. Then you have Angelina and I. :) Yesterday, Bina and Vienna took us ukai ukai shopping, which is like thrift store shopping, but Filipino style. Ukai means dig in Ilakano, so it makes sense. It was fun finding weird treasures and trying on old bedazzled dresses and just being with each other. We were all successful in shopping and found some cheap tank tops, dresses and a ridiculous over-sized kitty shirt (that would be me). After that, we had halo-halo again to cool off from this heat. Funny side story: Ukai (Uk-I) and Ukey are two completely different words, but sound similar. I was explaining to a midwife here that a group of us when Ukey shopping, and she started busted up laughing. What does Ukey mean? Vagina. Oopps. I learned my lesson. It’s Ukai ukai. Not Ukey ukey. : ) I'm still not sure what I think of this halo-halo business. They mix whatever is in season and in their cupboards, so it's different every time. This halo-halo (pronounced hallow-hallow) had bananas, mangos, gummy something, and crushed oreos. Interesting, eh? (Guess who I've been hanging around with) :) Salmat po (thanks) for your continued prayers. I'm so at peace here and am enjoying every moment in this beautiful place. Angelina and I are both staying healthy and strong and have been debriefing these past few months in Asia with each other, which is so needed. It's been over 3 months and I can hardly believe it. Even though I'm completely dived in here, I've enjoyed staying connected to home and being updated on family and friends... so keep the updates coming :)
Mahal kita (love you) ~lianna “Every time a baby unfolded like a butterfly from the cocoon of its mother’s body was a moment I suspended rational thinking and accepted a miracle” ~Peggy Vincent, Baby Catcher, p. 26 |
Author23 year old chasing dreams and following God's call in my life. From Southern, California traveling to Kabale, Uganda for 6 months. Categories |