Christmas for the widows

I can remember one of the first meetings with the widows. She told us that she felt worthless and forgotten about. I can remember how sad I felt for her. She had said that the church had forgotten about her and her family, that they didn't care. As I'm here in America I see how much money we waste. I look at the TV commercials and see how they are trying to get everyone to spend money on things that will bring temporary happiness. Last sunday I was at Church and we talked about the difference between having joy and happiness. To put it simply joy comes from inside while happiness is an outward feeling. The Lord gives us joy, what we do with that joy depends on us. Happiness can result in the joy we have but we can have joy and not be happy. This is very simple but one of our goals for these widows is to show them what joy is. We want them to see how much God loves them and how much that can bring joy to their lives. As this is the Christmas season, the season where we recognize the joy of the virgin birth. The joy that we received because God became man. We want to give joy to our widows this Christmas season. As a ministry we would love to bless these women and their families with food. We would love to raise $300 USD for meat, beans, rice, oil, salt and Fanta (Soda). This food will be such a blessing and a special gift to these families. Receiving this gift they will see that they are not forgotten but loved. Most of the widows barely have enough food for three meals a day. One of our widows only eats cassava roots. Everyday is a struggle for food, lets bless these families with food this Christmas season.  We ask that you join us in raising the $300 so we can bring joy to these families. 

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  Luke 2:9-11

Donate here to bless these widows 

http://www.gofundme.com/4lmgdo

One month in

We have been in America for a little over a month and its been an incredible experience. It has been fun to watch Fahamu go through this experience to watch him see and do things for the first time. Things that I think are small and not that exciting are the complete opposite for Fahamu. Going into a grocery store is something that I find boring, but Fahamu finds it exciting to see all they items they have in the store. There are times where I forget that this is Fahamu's first time here. The other night we went to the bowling ally and for me it was just another place. For Fahamu, he was experiencing the bowling ally for the first time. The smell of the shoes, the sounds of pins being knocked over and just the atmosphere of the bowling ally. I try to put myself in his shoes and try to think of how strange America must be to him.

Our first trip was to Crater Lake and it was such an amazing experience. There was lots of snow but the sun was out and shining. The lake looked like glass and that it would break if anything hit it. Fahamu's smile was so great to see. He was experiencing snow for the first time. 

Fahamu got to experience what its like have Thanksgiving in America. Yes we did have a lot of food but we also had family there. We got to sit and visit with family and share stores of the past. It was nice to be with family just relaxing and having a great time. 

We got to experience the American bus system. Instead of driving to Idaho we decided it would be better to take the grey hound bus. I have to say that I do enjoy these buses much more then the buses in Africa.  While in Idaho we got to stay with friends who are pastoring a church. This was the first church that we to speak at and it was such a blessing. I saw how excited people were to hear our story. It encouraged me to see that people truly care about what we are doing. We also got invited to a spanish speaking church. We shared a brief over view of who we were and what we were about. The spanish speaking church was so caring. Not really knowing who we were they did an offering for us. This trip to Idaho really made me feel better about our ministry and our future. Also on this trip Fahamu got to experience what its like to cut down a Christmas tree. 

This last month has been so much fun. We are excited to share our story and ministry with everyone. We have seen how generous people really are. I have felt so much love and support. Fahamu has been busy helping my dad around the farm, feed the cows, fixing fences and chopping wood. Its nice that Fahamu gets to see how I grew up and where I am from. As we continue our trip I hope to make many more memories. I will try to write more so everyone can experience this trip with us. 

Visiting Burley First Christian Church

America

Today was our last day in the Congo. I can't believe that we are headed to America. We will spend two days in Burundi and three days in Rwanda before flying out on the 13th. It seems weird to be going to my childhood home as a vacation rather then coming home to stay. To know that I only have four months in America before we head back to my new home is a very strange feeling. I'm so thankful that I have gotten the opportunity to live in the Congo and learn a new culture. As we were driving to Burundi, I remember my first day getting off the plane. Thinking to myself what did I get myself into. I don't know anyone but Fahamu and I don't know the language. Now as I'm leaving the Congo I think of all the new people that I have met. I can't believe that I'm as lucky as I am to have met the people I have met. I can't wait to share with my American family about my new African family. 

This will be Fahamu's first time in America and I can't wait to share this experience with him. He has heard me talk so much about America and where I'm from and now he get to see all my stories come alive. We ask that you continue to pray for us and this trip. We are also still trying to raise $500 for our widows and their small businesses. 

Meet Leontina Chabaziza

Today we received some bad news about one of our widows. Leontina Chabaziza passed out (from lack of food) during her time working in the fields and hurt herself very badly. Leontina's knees were injured and she can not stand nor walk. This means she cannot work.  

Leontina is in her 50s and has been a widow for two years. She gave birth to six kids but only one remains alive. Her hardest week is when she lost her daughter, then one week lost her husband and grandchild the same day. When her daughter died she knew she couldn't care for her child so she tried to put the child in a orphanage but  they refused the child. The baby ended up starving to death the same day her husband passed away from illness. Now in her house their are six children who are from other relatives who have passed away. Now with this injury she has no way of feeding these children. This is why we want her to have a small business. She wouldn't have to walk far distances to do hard back breaking work. She would make more money then she does now. We want to bless all our widows before we leave with a small business. To get each widow a small business it would cost a total of $500 ($50 per widow). Please pray and see if you can give to our widows. 

http://www.gofundme.com/4lmgdo

Kalausi Charlotte

This is Kalausi Charlotte, 

she is one of our widows. She is in her 50s (a lot of people here don't know their exact age), with five kids. Her kids have caused a lot of problems because of the extreme property that they are faced with. One of her sons is a drunk who has been own to come and steal from his mom and neighbors. One of her daughters is a positute and has two children. Kalausi is the care taker of her two grandkids. The house she lives in is very small. Her bed is in the same room as the kitchen and living room. With five people in the house there is almost no room. She makes her money buy cooking corn and selling it. Kalausi tells us that there are many days where she doesn't eat, because she doesn't have enough money. Everyday is a struggle for her to provide enough food for her grandkids. 

Her prayer request

-She would like to have a small business (selling fruit, veggies, fanta, etc) to make more money so she can feed her grandkids.

-For her kids that they will find a good life.

Help us raise $500 for our widows so they can have their own small business. This will give them self worth and make their lives a tiny bit easier. 

http://www.gofundme.com/4lmgdo

one year anniversary

I have been married a year now and there are so many things I have learned. My husband and I are from very different places so it has made our first year of marriage very fun but also full of challenges. I come from a first world country where as Fahamu comes from one of the poorest countries in the world. I come from a ME culture and Fahamu comes from a WE culture. Even the way we grew up was completely different, but yet here we are married and spending our lives together. As we moved into our apartment I remember thinking, here we go this is it, let the fun begin. 

Growing up I had the best dad. He was always put his family first. He was a hard worker that loved his family. Yes he had his faults but to me he was the perfect father. As I grew up I saw the qualities in my dad that I wanted in my future husband. I don't think its weird to want a husband that is like our fathers, especially if they are great fathers. They are the men who are our example of how a man should treat a women and an example of how a man should treat his kids. Now that I'm married I'm thankful that my father was such a great example for me. 

Fahamu also came from a family with an excellent father. He learned from his father want it takes to be a great husband and leader. 

I see how much Fahamu loves me through his actions. While I was sick he took care of me. Went above and beyond what he had to do. He doesn't see loving me as a chore but as choice and a choice that he loves to do. 

He listens to me. Fahamu is the only person I can really talk to here (only one other person in his family can really understand english). So Fahamu gets to hear me talk a lot. But he takes the time to listen to me as well. There will be times that I will say in passing "oh I love pineapples or mangos" and the next day pineapples and mangos have appeared. 

He knows me. Fahamu can tell when I'm having a bad day or when something is on my mind. He wont let me sit and stare off into the distances, he wants to hear whats on my mind. I love this because I use to keep my feelings really bottled up in fear of being made fun of or being hurt. Now I have a husband who knows when I have something on my mind and he wants to hear about it. He doesn't make fun or judge me but he comforts me. 

I love Fahamu because he accepts me. As an American in the Congo, I'm very different. I think different, I eat different food and wear different clothes. Fahamu has let me be me. I know I can be weird, goofy,  and random, but Fahamu sees that as my charm. He doesn't expect me to be like the African women. He wants me to be me. He tells me thats why I fell in love with you, because you are different. 

When I started to write this blog I had a completely different idea of what I wanted to write. I wanted to share all the difficulties of being in a marriage with someone from a different culture. Then I realized that we have had challenges but I think they are the normal challenges of marriage. We are missionaries, living a life of faith. I think this is where most of our challenges have come. When you don't have a steady income or you don't have any idea where your next meal is coming from it can put stress on any marriage. I understand now why they say money is one of the biggest causes of divorce. Money is stressful. 

God knows what he is doing when he places two people together. He is building a team. I have seen how Fahamu has given me strength. He challenges me at the right times and pursues a relationship with me. He doesn't see marriage as the last step but as the first step in a long journey. Marriage takes work but its also so much fun. Fahamu and I spend everyday all day together. I love being around him and sometimes we just sit in peace together. He has shown me how to enjoy the simple things in life. I don't know how to describe marriage but I feel like it should be something that gets better with time. Everyday I realize  just how lucky I am. I thank God for placing Fahamu in my life. 

The Challenge

The last two days we have done home visits with some of our widows. We are reminded of just how hard their lives are. We are blessed with the cassava machine, but the income that comes from this is just enough to pay for medical needs for our widows. We see that they need more. As we talked to these women we noticed that all they need a small business to help pay for food, rent, etc. So we want to challenge our friends and family. If we can raise $500 dollars we can get each one of our widows their own business. They will need $50 each. We feel that this is possible and reasonable. How great will these women feel having their own income and being able to feed their families. They wont have to worry everyday if they will eat or if they can pay rent.  We would like to receive the $500 before the end of October. It can be one person who gives all of the $500 or even 20 people giving $25, even if you can give five dollar that is great. Please join us in praying for this challenge. This would be a dream come true to this women who have lost their hope and joy. 

http://www.gofundme.com/4lmgdo

One Year in D.R Congo

October is a very exciting month for me. On the ninth I will have been in the D.R Congo for one year. I can't believe its been a year since I boarded the plane and started this adventure. As I sat down to reflect on this year I realized there are so many things that have happened and that I have learned. I want to share with you the best I can about this year. 

I have realized that I gained an amazing family. When I left my family and friends back in the States it was the hardest thing I could ever do. I knew that I would be missing out on my niece and nephew growing up, spending time with my parents and even losing family to death. What I couldn't imagine is the family I gained here in the Congo. The Kibambazi's have made me feel so welcomed and so loved. They have opened their hearts and home to me. I still miss my American family so much, but life is easier having such a great family here too. 

I have learned that Malaria and Typhoid are the real deal. Before I moved to the Congo, I had heard people talk about these two sickness. I knew they were bad and could kill but I never had taken them too seriously. Now its a different story. I don't think I have ever felt worse then when I had Malaria and or Typhoid. It makes me think differently about these diseases and realize they are a big deal here. Now when I get a mosquito bite I say a little prayer hoping that I don't get Malaria again.

Through this sickness I learned how much African's can and will help. They will go out of there way to ask if you are ok, make you juice or even make you some yummy food. When I was sick up in Lemera away from home I had to rely on people I didn't know to help me. The doctor who came to check on me twice a day, a nice women made me pineapple juice to drink. They don't know me, but they knew that I was sick and they wanted to help me. Fahamu's mom wanted to come the four hours to be with me and help me. Its hard to miss home when you have people like these helping you. My biggest help was Fahamu. He would clean up my throw up, get me a cold rag, go get my medicines, watch Dawson's creek with me and through all of these never complained. He would pray with me, force me to eat when I didn't feel like eating. He showed me what the vows mean when we say in sickness and in health. 

I have learned that just because its normal in my culture doesn't mean its normal here. In America people usually call the day before they come over so you can prepare. Here its a very different story. I'll be reading a book hear a knock at the door and SURPRISE we have a visitor. I ask Fahamu, "did you know they were coming"? Then they go through all your stuff. If you have things on your couch or table they pick it up and look at it. Its just so different then what I'm use to.

I have learned to always make enough food for company. Like I said before we never know when people will show up, but they tend to show up when its time to eat. This means that we give them a plate of food. There have been a couple of times where we made just enough food for the two of us and then two people show up and we have to run around and make them something. Yes there are things that drive me nuts but I love this culture and I love that its different then what I'm use to. 

Here is a list of some of the differences in culture:

-Men can wear women shirts (not all men do this just some)

-You can listen to music as loud as you want. We can hear the bars music that is two blocks away.

-You can listen to LOUD music anytime of day. Our neighbors play there music at 6am

-Honking isn't rude, it means move to the side of the road.

-They don't have the word please.

-Parents don't need to watch their children 24/7.

-If you want to have chicken for dinner you go and buy a live one and kill it then eat it. 

-You don't just smile at people as they pass, they will think you are weird. 

-You don't need to wear deordernet. 

-If the van seats 18, in Africa it seats 30

-Seat belts what are those??

-What are rules for the road?

-When you say something in their language and they laugh its not to be mean. It just means they are happy you are trying to learn their language. 

-You hide everything you are carrying. Even if it is a tomato you put it in a bag so no one can see. 

-They clean there shoes before they got out. 

Thats just some of the cultural differences that I have picked up.

I have learned the struggle of the people. The Congo is a country that has seen many wars, corruption, and poverty. Growing up I read about what poverty was and how people in Africa were starving to death. I have read about what corruption can can do and how it its harmful to many countries. Then of course I have seen pictures of war and the after math of what a war can do. But being here in a country that is still effected by all these things is different then reading it. Talking to people who saw their father murdered in front of their eyes, women who saw their child ripped out of their hands to become child solders and seeing children who are really starving to death, nothing can prepare you for this. I have learned that forgiveness doesn't come easy and people don't forget. They have seen what evil can do and how it can tear apart families and countries. As we go into the villages and try to develop leaders, we see how the past is effecting the future. 

I have learned that a simple life is hard but is joyous. I have the best mom and dad, they provided my with an amazing childhood. I had everything I needed and more. I was not spoiled by American standards but I had things that I could survive without. As I have lived here in one of the poorest countries in the world I see that my life can be simple and I can still be happy. Yes I would love to have a hot running shower, but I can survive with a cold bucket shower. I would love to have power 24/7 but I can survive on the limited power we receive. I really miss watching  American TV, but I have learned to live without it. I love sugar but I have learned to live with out that. There are days when I really miss my comfortable life back in Oregon. Then I realize that I am truly happy here. Yes there are things that could make my life a lot easier (washer and dryer) but I can live with out those things. 

I have learned that American sayings are very hard to explain. Here is an example of things I have said, and Fahamu has asked me to explain and I have no idea how to explain them:

"as easy as pie"

"as happy as a clam"

"close but no cigar"

"face the music" 

"hold your horses" 

If I said these sayings in America no one would ask me to explain. Its funny how we can pick up on things and we don't understand the meaning or where it actually came from. 

There are so many things I have learned while being here. My life has completely changed from a year ago. I can say that this has been one of the hardest years of my life. But through the hardships I seen pure joy and love. This year I become a wife, a full time missionary, a Muzungu (white person), a teacher, a disciple, a adventurer, and someone who just loves life. I have no idea what the next year is going to bring, I know that I can handle whatever it may be. 

As my first year in Africa comes to an end, Fahamu's first trip to the US starts. I have received my visa but we are still in need of $380 dollars. As the days go by Fahamu and I get more and more excited. We are really looking forward to this trip. If you would like to donate to help us come home you can go to our gofundme page http://www.gofundme.com/4lmgdo  

IF you would like us to speak at your church or small group we would be more then happy. Just e-mail me Jonni05@aol.com and we can discuss the dates and time.