Last Day in DD

Today is my last full day in DD.  Tomorrow morning I will most likely go to the clinic one last time, and head for the airport at 11:00am.  Be pr that the final two bags I am taking with me would be checked without any problems or any extra cost.  Also be lifting me up the flight itself that nothing unexpected would happen along the way.  Be lifting up A, who has been my roommate for the past 4 months.  She will be here for a few days by herself, and then be joined by a temporary roommate for the month.  Ask that in this month HE would lead her to the right national partner to begin the project in the Walled City, which they were just given permission to start on Friday!  Ask that this partner would have knowledge both verbal and written of English, O, A, and Ad.  Ask that A would trust Him to supply this partner and friend in His timing.

Please be lifting me up as I move, transition, and start all over.  Ask that a good language tutor would be found, I would have friends, I would have the ears and tongue for this new & difficult language, ask that He would show me how I fit and what I am to be doing for the next three years in AA, and ask that a suitable place would be found for me to live soon.

Also be lifting me up as holidays are approaching, and I find it hard to be so far away from everyone.  This year for the first time in 8 years my parents and my three sisters with their families will all be together for Cmas.  I will be the only one not there.  I ask that you would be lifting me up during this time, and please be lifting them up during this time too.

Here are some pictures:  In this picture with me is a little girl, who will be having her 6th birthday on Nov. 17.  I remember growing up how special it was to be knowing that so many people were talking to Dad on my behalf when I turned a year older.  Be lifting up this sweet, little tck as she turns 6.

To the right is a picture of a young 15 or 16 yr. old O girl.  Here in Camel Land many girls are married off starting at age 14.  When we were in the Walled City this past week, we met a young girl who was buying her wedding clothes for her wedding day, she was 14.  Many times girls married off this young come from large families, and they are usually the 2nd or 3rd wife.  Be lifting up this people and asking that they would understand what Dad's true picture of marriage is to be.    Below is a picture of a section of town in the Walled City.  Continue to lift this people up and ask that their hard hearts would be broken by the GN.  Below on the right is a picture of the lady who cooks the food each week for the feedings that the team in DD has on Wednesdays.  Continue to ask there would be enough food, and HE would give wisdom over how long this program should continue.

The final picture is of a new Sister and her adopted son.  This little one is the son of her sister, but her sister died while giving birth to him, so his aunt adopted him.  He was severly malnourished when she brought him to the clinic, and now he is doing much better.  Pr that N (the lady in the picture) would grow in her walk, and that R (the little one) would grow healthy and strong.  He is actually 5 months, but still has a long way to go.

Thank you for all of your pr.

Rachel

Moving

In the last post I revealed that He has made a way for me to leave DD and move to the capital city in Camel Land.  At the time I posted that I was still unsure of a lot of the details in that move, and in actuality I am still unsure of a lot details.  However, now I know that I am moving on Monday, Nov. 14.  I sent half of my belongings with a friend that came to visit at the beginning of the week, so two of the four suitcases I brought are now in the capital.   I will be taking the other two plus a small carry on and a backpack with me on Monday.  I will be flying, so pr that I have no trouble with the weight of my bags or checking them on!  Pr also for a safe flight.  I now know that I will be staying in a guest house until the end of December, and then hopefully will be some place more permanent by the end of January.  I still do not know what language learning will look like or what my role will be in Service in the city, but I am trying to trust Him on this and I ask that you would be pr for this too.

This past week I have been taking pictures of things and people again, so I thought I would share a few more.

This is a picture of a lake in the southern part of Camel Land ( you can tell this is not desert country!).  It is a lake that has formed in a volcanic crater and people have naturally built their homes and plowed their fields around this lake.  this was taken about 3 weeks ago when I was in the South.

Below is a close up shot of the lake you see in the picture on the left.

To the left is a picture of another of the 5 gates into the Walled City.  This is probably the prettiest gate.  However, it's named for the evil spirits they don't want inside the walls, and traditionally only those with evil spirits ever went in or out of this gate.  Please remember to pr for the Walled City when you see this picture.  This gate is about 600 years old.   On the right is a picture of me inside a traditional home in the Walled City.  This home is owned by 4 sisters, who use it as their home and a guest house.  Their family has more wealth than the average family so their home is just a little more ornate than is usual.  Everything on the walls has a practical and decorative purpose.  The baskets are used to hold food at meal times, and the metal trays are as well.  When they aren't in use they are hung on the walls (no kitchen cabinets), and serve as decorations until the next meal time.  On the left you see me and a friend sitting outside a fabric shop on Singer Street (named for the old singer sewing machines you see up and down this street.  This is also taken within the walls of the Walled City.  This street is about 600 years old.  On the right is our friend inside the fabric shop, this is her store.  She was busy sewing a slip for us.  Continue to lift me up as I move and all the details of that.  Please keep lifting up the people here in the Horn.  Pr for the Walled City as my friend A goes tomorrow with some of our teammates to see about starting a project among this people.  Ask that they would find favour with the gov. officials on this project, and that He would supply and provide the right partner for A to work with on this.

Rachel

4 Months Today

Thank you for lifting me up these four months.  If you are reading this or have been keeping up with me in another way you all know how difficult these four months have been.  Thank you for lifting me up I can tell when you are.  A couple of posts ago I mentioned that I had some news to share, so in this post I will now reveal what you've been waiting to read or hear as the case may be.

Many of you have been asking that Dad would open up a place for me outside of DD.  A place where I can serve Him in a city and in a place where teaching would be more of a viablility.  About 3 weeks ago now, I received a call from my cluster leader telling me that the decision had been made to move to me to the capital city.  However, it was up to me to say yes to that or no, so I took some days to go through all of this in pr.  It has been difficult I have felt like a complete failure, and wondered if I will ever know true joy again in all of this.  Throughout these four  months it has been difficult to keep my focus upon Him and find my worth and value in Him.  I knew that this phone call was His answer to me, and so to honor my Father, to honor the people here, and to honor the company I said yes I will move to the capital. 

So in two weeks I will be leaving DD and moving to AA.  I don't have much to pack, but I do have some so please be lifting me up as I go through all of that again.  I will also have to begin language learning all over again with a new language and a new tutor.  I officially finished the first phase of the language I was learning, and now I will have to start at square one again.  However, the language I have been working on does have some overlap with the one I will be learning, so hopefully that will be helpful!  I will also be leaving the roommate and partner I have had for the past 4 months.  Please be in pr for her and that soon He would bring the right partner for her to serve with.  Also be in pr for our team leaders, and that they would let me go without holding resentment or anger towards me.

As of right now I don't know what I will be doing in service in AA, but I ask that you would pr that something would come available soon.  Thank you so much for lifting me up in all of this.  Please continue to do so this is not over yet.....enjoy the pictures.

Pictures: 1. (top left) is a view over the walled city.  We were taking pictures up where the Hyenas sleep (literally!).  2. (mid right) is a view of a section of the Rift Valley.  This is farm country and shepherd country.  The reason this area is as green as it is, is because someone came in and built a very nice irrigation system.  3. (mid left) Some of the jgirls here help some of the ladies and girls in need of work by giving them a skill in jewlery making, and then they sale their wares.  These two girls would only smile after I told them that smiling made them beautiful.  4.  (bottom right)  These are two little boys that followed us up the mountain before we took pictures over the Walled City.  They also would not smile until I said that smiling was beautiful....I think I have learned how to get smiley pictures!

If anyone is wanting to send a package please wait to send it.  My mailing information will change, and if you send it to DD now I won't receive it before I move.  Thank you so much for the packages!

Rachel

Some New Pictures of the Past Couple of Weeks

In this picture you will one of the five gates that leads into the Walled City.  In the past two weeks I have visited the Walled City twice, this was my third and fourth time to visit.  Continue to hit your knees for the people beyond these gates and walls.  Ask that they would join the family soon.

This picture was taken while our team from TX was out helping.  We had my lang. helper do a coffee ceremony for them while they were here.  Here she is pounding the coffee beans she roasted into powder.

In the picture on the left the coffee is brewing in this little pot.  It is some of the best stuff you'll ever drink :). 

This picture was taken while we were out in the "countryside" one day with the team.  We took them out to an area where there are some new family members, and to see some historical sights.

This picture if of a 10 and 9 year old girl I practiced my language with in the Walled City while our team was buying souvenirs.  These two were selling plastic bags, and trying to get me to buy one.  I convinced them that letting me take a picture was better :). 

Enjoy the pictures and keep lifting me up. 

Rachel

New Pictures Coming Soon

Brothers and Sisters,
    So month number 3 is almost over and a lot has been changing in the past few weeks.  I have much to tell, but will wait until this week we are about to begin has come to a close.  Continue to lift me up thank you for continuing to do that daily.  When you aren't hitting your knees, I can tell on a day to day basis.  I hope you enjoy the new background....I thought it was a little more me and who knows it may be changing yet again :). 
    This past week we had a team from Texas out to help our team, and I was able to get a lot of pictures this past week without feeling like too big of a tourist since I was surrounded with other picture takers!  I will be putting some of them up soon.  This coming week I will be at a meeting helping to take care of some fellow TCKS.  Please be in lifting up mode throughout this week, as me doing this with the team of 5 other young ladies was something last minute.  Ask that we have patience and love for these kiddos, and that we have enough to keep them engaged and learning.  Pr also for good health this week as often when groups of us get together we tend to pass around sicknesses.  Ask that none of us would get sick or more sick this week.  Please also be lifting up traveling mercies.

Rachel

3 Months Quickly Moving to 4

Thank you brothers and sisters for bringing me before the Throne.  Without your constant pr and intercession I could not still be here.  I have already been here for 3 months, and the third month seems to rapidly be moving towards the 4th.  It is crazy to think that it is already Fall back home in the States, and I am missing drinking my favourite Starbucks drink (Pumpkin Spice Latte), and running in the cool of a Fall afternoon.  Continue to pr that He would show me where I am to be, and what I am to be doing for Him.  Also lift up that soon He would put me in a place where I can run outside again.

Being here 3 months I am already almost done with the first phase of language study.  I should be done by Monday of next week, and then at some point I will have my first language evaluation.  Please be in pr for this evaulation as many of you, who know me, know that I hate tests!  Ask that I would not become anxious over it, but trust Him.  I recently realized that I can now communicate at about a 5 year old level, which means I can shop without help, and explain to people my name etc.  Continue to pr for my language situation.

Many of you have been sending me very sweet and very much needed care packages over the past 3 months.  Every package that has been sent I have received thank you so much, and please keep sending them!  Getting a package in the mail can turn a really difficult day into something much better, and He uses your gifts to help us here.  If you are interested in sending me a care package write me at racfarmer@mailboxwiz.com or find me on facebook and I'll send you a list to go by. 

Please continue to pr for the Horn and the people here.  The Family is growing every day here.  Pr that people who are truly called to this area of the world and who have a passion to live out in a very rural area would come out here.  Pr for the team I am serving on currently as we get ready for a volunteer team that is coming from Texas on Saturday to help us for a week.  Pr that they would stay healthy and they would be willing to learn and work while they are here.  Pr also for their safety in travel. 

Continue to also lift me up as I continue to wait on word from the leadership about what is next for me. 

Rachel

No Water, No Electricity, and Waiting

Many of you have been sending me e-mails, writing on facebook, talking with me on skype and asking how I am doing.  My response is always....."I'm ok."  I am at a point now where it seems like I'm just hunkering down and waiting for Him.  I am trying to learn this language for Him, and that in someway if all I accomplish is learning this language while I am here it will be for His glory.  Some days I think I've done pretty well, and then the next day comes and I can't seem to remember what I've learned.  It is hard to keep going with language each day and I appreciate your pr on that issue.  The past few weeks have also been tough because we seem to be going without electricity more often, and in the past two weeks we've gone about 4 days in total without water.  It is getting hotter and hotter here with each passing week, and having no water and no electricity makes it even more unbearable to sleep at night.  Today is one of the days we have been going without water.  Please be pring that this situation would improve here. 

So many of you have walked this journey with me from the beginning to now, and some of you are probably struggling along with me as I seek Him out on where I am supposed to be realizing that I'm in a place that doesn't fit exactly.  Thank you for struggling with me, and please be hitting your knees asking that He would soon open up the place where I am to be for Him in this term. 

Again I ask that you would be lifting up this area of the world.  The famine and drought in the country on our border is getting worse, and this country seems to also be experiencing some of the effects of it.  Be pring for the team here that I am currently serving with.  Ask that He would give them more ways to effectively reach the people here for Him, and that everyone here would remember that we do nothing.  Our work is as filthy rags, and the only way anything we do is of value is if we join Him in His Work.  Pr that all of us here would daily remember that He is the one working, He is the one drawing people to Himself, He is the one bringing people into the family, He is the onlyone healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and redeeming this place.  We have no power, and everything we are is to be from Him.  Ask that we would remember that, and ask that we would represent Him to the people here.  It is easy to take the credit when people are so thankful, but please pr that we would never do that.  Ask that we would give all the glory and honour back to Him every single time.

Please keep lifting up my future spouse and help mate, and I ask that you would lift me up in this that I would not lose hope over this, but trust Him.  The enemy has a way of beating me down over this, and I ask that you would pr that I would not believe his lies.  Ask that I would also remain faithful in trusting Him for a transfer and believing Him for this.  Please be asking that He would show me how to run again.  Thank you for pr......you do not know how valuable it is!  Thank you too for wanting to send me packages.  If anyone else would like to do this please let me know at racfarmer@mailboxwiz.com and I'll send you a list. 

Rachel